#he has been on the big screen as Charles Xavier more than he has as Jean-Luc Picard

[nevertrulyset]

Can't believe (actually can) they brought Patrick Stewart back as Professor Xavier in that Doctor Strange movie only to have him quote himself from X-Men: Days of Future Past and then die violently like he did in Logan.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

Marvel Studios, founded by various American Jews, recently released the first trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. 

Amid the excitement for the legendary Captain America saga to continue with Sam Wilson at its helm, Jewish and Israeli Marvel fans noticed something odd: Sabra, Israel’s Captain America, will be portrayed as a former Black Widow instead of the superhuman Mossad agent she was originally intended to be.

However, erasing a character’s Jewish identity is not something that is entirely new to Marvel. 

Although a recent Wrap report indicates that Sabra will retain her Israeli background in the film following a backlash from fans, Marvel’s approach to dealing with Sabra highlights a complex relationship between the studio and its portrayal of Jewish characters. In short, Marvel has a history of minimizing Jewish representation in its works.

In Marvel’s upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, the Israeli-born Mossad super-agent Ruth Bar-Seraph, known as Sabra, has been reimagined as a Russian spy. Her powers include super strength, speed, regenerative healing, and the ability to transfer her life energy to others. 

Sabra, an Israeli cactus that’s prickly on the outside and sweet on the inside, is symbolic of the Israeli mindset. This significant reinvention intentionally deprives her of her Israeli identity and the deeply rooted Jewish trauma embedded in her story, replacing it with a more convenient narrative. 

By sidestepping these crucial elements of Sabra’s heroism, Marvel chooses to sanitize complex identities rather than embracing their power. In light of the ongoing war in Gaza, this erasure is particularly painful, as Israelis and Jews worldwide continue their struggle for authentic representation in the media. 

Marvel’s deliberate decision to whitewash Sabra’s identity ignores the genuine, contemporary trauma and historical persecution faced by the Jewish people. The decision underscores that the delegitimization of the Jews and their homeland cannot even be escaped on the big screen. 

Marvel’s latest attempt at a Jew-free superhero lineup doesn’t begin with Sabra. It has roots in the X-Men, Avengers, and Moon Knight — all major Marvel movie standouts. 

Magneto and Hydra

Magneto, born Max Eisenhardt to a Jewish family, was taken by Nazi soldiers to Auschwitz alongside his family. Surviving due to his mutant ability to control metal, he later assumes the identity of Eric Lensherr and befriends Professor Charles Xavier. 

In one of the most poignant Jewish scenes in Marvel movies thus far, X-Men: First Class depicts Magneto drawing strength as he remembers lighting candles with his mother before the Nazis uprooted his life and sent his family to Auschwitz. In X-Men: Apocalypse, Magneto returns to the concentration camp and uses his powers to destroy it. 

As arguably the most famous Marvel character visibly rooted in his Jewish identity, Magneto exemplifies meaningful representation. However, he is also one of the most infamous villains in comic book history. Jews have a long history of being demonized and scapegoated, and Marvel’s choice to perpetuate this narrative rather than challenge it is troubling.

Magneto’s mutant legacy lives on in his two children;  Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Wanda possesses intense telepathy and telekinesis, while Pietro can move at superspeed. In the Marvel comics, their Jewish heritage is integral to their identities. With a Romani mother and Jewish father, both Holocaust survivors, the twins are armed with a powerful legacy of resilience. Having fought both with and against the Avengers, the Maximoff twins are among the most compelling characters in the Marvel universe. 

However, in X-Men: Days of Future Past, devout fans debate Wanda’s blood relation to Magneto. The fact remains that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has presented Wanda and Pietro without a religion, hailing from the fictional country of Sokovia, and devoid of any connection to their Jewish identity.

In the MCU, Wanda and Pietro’s powers result from experiments by the evil Hydra scientist, Baron von Strucker. Originally, Hydra served as the advanced technology and weaponry arm of the Nazi regime during World War II. Hydra soldiers share the fascist red and black, the straight-armed salute (performed with both arms), and an eerily familiar “heil Hydra” chant with their mainstream Nazi counterparts. 

Beginning with Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel has largely downplayed Hydra’s Nazi roots, transforming it into a generic, timeless evil organization. By downplaying or outright ignoring Hydra’s origins as a Nazi faction, Marvel seeks to avoid the disturbing historical implications and instead focuses on Hydra as a broader symbol of tyranny and corruption.

This revisionist approach not only dilutes the gravity of Hydra’s origins but also conveniently sidesteps the uncomfortable reality of depicting true historical atrocities, thereby diminishing the impact of the narrative and the lessons it could impart about the dangers of fascist ideologies. 

The ongoing conflict between Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. with Hydra, persisting throughout the MCU, is presented as a battle between American strength, embodied by Captain Steve Rogers, and a vague evil represented by Hydra and its endless heads, minimizing the profound impact of Nazi ideology on World War II.

Considering Marvel’s popularity among young audiences, this depiction misleads impressionable viewers into believing that WWII was merely a struggle between America and a technologically innovative bad-guy. Hydra persists throughout the MCU, threatening the forces of good in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 

Yet, as the technology arm of the Nazi party continues fighting, its despicable origins are conspicuously absent. If a young fan beginning their Marvel journey learned lessons about the war from these movies, they would identify a fictional Hydra, not the very real Nazis, as the primary antagonist, thereby doing a disservice to the depravity of the Third Reich.

Kitty Pryde

Kitty Pryde, another mutant in the X-Men universe with repeated movie appearances, is another revealing example of Marvel entirely revising a Jewish character’s identity to be more palatable for the big screen.

Kitty has remarkable phasing abilities, meaning she can pass through solid matter. Various websites, including fan sites and her official Marvel biography, emphasize her commitment to Judaism (see here, here, and here).  

In the comics, she has been seen wearing a Star of David, reciting blessings, and drawing parallels between her experiences of being marginalized as a Jew and as a mutant. These sometimes invisible identities deeply influence her worldview.

However, Kitty appears in four X-Men feature films, and her rich cultural and religious background is consistently absent, leaving a void where her Jewish identity should be. This omission not only strips away a layer of her character’s depth but also underscores Marvel’s pattern of erasing Jewish identities to fit a more generalized narrative, thereby failing to represent the nuanced experiences of Jewish characters on the big screen.

I’m Jewish. I don’t have a quote unquote Jewish-sounding name. I don’t look or sound Jewish, whatever that looks or sounds like… So if you didn’t know I was Jewish, you might not know… unless I told you. Same goes for my mutation. I don’t have to wear a visor or have blue fur all over me. I can walk around. Just a young woman of the world. But… I’m not. —Kitty Pryde, All-New X-Men Vol 1 13

Moon Knight

Unfortunately, Marvel’s belittling of Jewish identity endures on the little screen as well. One of the most highly anticipated TV series on Disney+ was Moon Knight, centered around, well, Moon Knight. In the show, Steven Grant is a goofy museum gift shop employee who struggles with dissociative personality disorder. His other identity is Marc Spector, a retired mercenary who becomes the Earthly representative of Khonsu, the Egyptian god of the moon.

Marc’s family embodies the American dream. Having fled Nazi persecution in Europe in the 1930s, Spector’s rabbi father sought a better environment to raise his Jewish family—a story many are familiar with today. 

The show switches between Steven and Marc’s perspectives, but hones in on Spector in episode 5, “Asylum.” Spector is immersed in the memory of a shiva from his childhood as a means of confronting his abusive mother. In the scene, mourners can be seen wearing Jewish prayer shawls, and Spector himself is even wearing a kippah.

Given that Oscar Isaac, the non-Jewish actor playing Moon Knight, confirmed Spector’s Jewish identity would be evident in the show, there is no mention of his father’s work, his family’s history fleeing antisemitic persecution, or any significant exploration of his Jewish identity beyond surface-level nods. 

This neglect strips away a layer of depth from Marc Spector’s character, reducing his heritage to mere background decoration rather than an integral part of his identity and motivation. Furthermore, it deprives Jewish fans of the same representation Marvel eagerly awards to other minority groups.

Despite its Jewish origins, Marvel continues to sanitize and diminish the Jewish identities of its characters, both on the big screen and in streaming series. 

From reimagining Sabra as a Russian spy to neglecting Marc Spector’s rich Jewish heritage in Moon Knight, Marvel consistently misses opportunities to genuinely represent Jewish experiences and identities. 

This pattern not only strips characters of their depth and authenticity but perpetuates a troubling erasure of Jewish culture and history as characters ascend from comics to movies. Marvel has demonstrated their commitment to representation as they bring their characters to life on the big screen, so why do they have a Jewish problem?

[mariacallous]

Let me just be honest: Patrick Stewart brings out my daddy issues. That keen gaze, alternately steely and compassionate. That warrior-monk profile, disciplined and ascetic. And, of course, the Shakespearean cadences that wash over your mind and soul like a lullaby. For more than three decades, as Star Trek’s Jean-Luc Picard and the X-Men’s Charles Xavier, Stewart has embodied a sort of kind and courtly Master of the Universe, trusted by all to wield awesome power exclusively for good. What more could you want in a father?

Well, perhaps it’s more complicated than that. Stewart, who is 83, has just published his memoir, Making It So. The title, from Picard’s signature command, is a nod to the starship captain’s primacy in his life, and also perhaps a tease, a hint that herein lie the secrets to the creation of that galactic sense of empathy.

The book recounts Stewart’s trajectory from Yorkshire, where he grew up poor and left school at 15, to Hollywood megastardom. It wasn’t an easy one. When a producer working on the planned Star Trek reboot chanced to see him in a Shakespeare reading at UCLA, Stewart, by then aged 46 and with two decades in the Royal Shakespeare Company under his belt, had almost never had a high-profile role on either stage or screen. His first Star Trek audition went badly (unbeknownst to him, the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, ordered that Stewart’s name “never, ever be mentioned in my presence again!”). While waiting to hear back, he had such a profound midlife crisis over his modest achievements that he briefly tried to retrain as a professional squash player.

To be honest once more: As a piece of writing, the book is disappointingly guileless. There are moments of introspection and vulnerability, particularly around the impacts of witnessing his father repeatedly beating his mother and the breakdown of Stewart’s first two marriages, but these are brief. There’s a lot of what can only be called fanboying over legendary stars he’s met. Even the people he has clashed with (most notably Roddenberry, who never did take a shine to him) are dealt with gently. Reading it, I was tempted to conclude that Stewart is just Englishly guarded about showing his true feelings, or is even trying to disguise an ambivalence about having become a household name for sci-fi and fantasy instead of for Macbeth, Lear, or Hamlet.

These suspicions started to evaporate the moment I met him in the kitchen of his house in Los Angeles. The guilelessness is genuine: Stewart in person is Picard and Xavier in their kindliest, most compassionate moments. He seems by now truly happy with where life has led him. The house is filled with art and with mementos that give one a sense of a man deeply loved by his friends, including hand-drawn illustrations showing him and soulmate Ian McKellen as bowler-hatted Vladimir and Estragon in Waiting for Godot.

Stewart is also keenly aware of how few good years he has left. During our conversation, he apologized more than once for his “croaky” and “gravelly” voice (“So long as it doesn’t give offense”) and tendency to ramble (“Sometimes I lose my place”), and he swung between wanting to explore new roles and take Picard for one last spin.

By the time we finished speaking, I had come to understand three things. One, that Stewart’s very un-Hollywood lack of a mean streak is nonetheless hard-won, the result of a long, painful process of forgiving both himself and his father—in other words, of dealing with his own daddy issues. Two, that this struggle is all there in the book; he just doesn’t (and this is perhaps the self-effacing Englishness) make a big deal of it. And three, that as someone with no small amount of forgiving still to do myself, this was what I had unconsciously been looking to learn from him all along.

Gideon Lichfield: You’ve been with Picard for 36 years—10 seasons of television and four movies. You and he have coevolved psychologically. How has that evolution been?

Patrick Stewart: It has been a long journey in which he and I were, to begin with, very much apart. He was an object, and it’s one of the reasons why season 1 of The Next Generation is not one of the best. I think the rest of the principal cast tuned in to what we were doing so much quicker than I did.

What was blocking you?

My life before that had been primarily theater. I brought way too much of my theater technique, my stage technique, into that first season.

We think of Picard as caring, compassionate, disciplined; the fate of the galaxy is safe in his hands. But when I started rewatching The Next Generation, and then watching Star Trek: Picard for the first time, I realized that actually, he’s emotionally conflicted. He has repressed rage. He’s a rule-breaker. Were those aspects of him that you were conscious of early on, or that only came out much later?

They came out later, and it just happened to coincide with a time in my life when I was beginning therapy. As you’ve read the book, you would’ve seen there that my childhood was at times difficult. My father was a weekend alcoholic, with a lot of anger and aggression inside him. He was five years in the Second World War, but he’d also been a soldier for 10 years, from the ’20s to the ’30s. He suffered from PTSD, no question of it.

There’s a passage where you say that, from your father, “I drew Picard’s stern, intimidating tendencies. But I like to think that my mother is in the captain too, in his moments of warmth and sensitivity.” Do you see Picard as your way of reconciling that conflict between your parents?

Very much so, yes. Both Star Trek and therapy have been responsible for that. Having to open the doors into my childhood in order to be an actor became utterly intriguing to me in a way that it never had been before. And I regret that when I look back on some of the roles I played, what I might have brought to them if I just released myself a little bit more.

I asked quite a few of my friends, “Do you think Patrick Stewart is straight or gay?” At least half of them said they thought you were gay or bi. I’m gay, and I must admit I thought you were too. In the book you talk about going on a world tour with a company that included a lot of gay actors, and how you felt very comfortable in their presence, which is unusual for somebody growing up in rural Yorkshire in the 1940s and 1950s. What do you think made you so comfortable?

It was a period in the life of the Old Vic Company in London when it had a director and a producer who were gay, and there was a strong emphasis on employing gay actors as well. I adored these people, and when we arrived in Sydney, I moved into a house with three gay men. And their kindness, generosity, humor, and commitment to their work so impressed me that I fell in love with them. I fell in love with the man who married Sunny and me, Ian McKellen. So I take in your assessment of my sexuality with gratitude and a certain amount of pride. Because when finally my 15-month world tour was over, I missed those gay men I’d spent so much time with.

I think the reason people have this impression you’re gay is something about that care and compassion that Picard has—and that Professor Xavier has as well.

But the compassion comes through because there has been something else in both their cases, both Xavier and Picard. And it was knowing that in the role and discovering it in myself that made all the difference. The rage, the fear, the embarrassment. The shame of my childhood experiences. Few people knew. For decades I never talked about it.

The shame of the domestic abuse?

Yes.

It does seem like you found a way to incorporate the best parts of your father into your work.

My only regret is that I can’t tell him that’s what I’m doing. And thank my mother for her care and love and cherishment of me.

When you were first approached about doing the X-Men, you said, “I don’t want to do another sci-fi fantasy thing with funny costumes.” What persuaded you?

Well, the director, Bryan Singer. It’s very sad, borderline tragic, that he’s withdrawn from the job that he did for a while so brilliantly. [Singer has faced multiple allegations of sexually assaulting minors throughout his career, and has a reputation for erratic behavior on set.] I wanted to work with him very much, but I didn’t want it to be in science fiction. He persuaded me that there was no comparison between Charles Xavier and Jean-Luc Picard. All of the similarities I put together years later.

Do you think that Xavier and Picard are different in some ways?

Charles Xavier is physically handicapped. I think it gave him more empathy than Picard had. We’ve seen Picard lose it a couple of times.

In your book you hint that there’s possibly another Picard film in the works.

I mean, it’s not in the works at all. But I have spoken privately and confidentially to people who would be involved if it were to happen. And as I’ve already said publicly, I’m moving on. I don’t know how much time I have left, but I want it to be as diverse as possible.

You write in the book that you feel like you have so many characters in you still waiting. What kinds of characters?

I don’t know how many, and I don’t know who they are until a text stimulates them. There’s one text that keeps getting tossed in my direction, which is King Lear.

I would love to see you in Lear.

But should I do it? I’m not sure that I have the physical stamina. It’s nearly a four-hour play. Ian McKellen [who first played Lear in 2007] told me that the role has a big break, like a 25-minute break, in the middle of the play. Thank you, William Shakespeare! He knew what he was doing. He was an actor himself. He knew what it was like to play endless roles where you’d never leave the stage. And Ian lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, very close to the theater. He would go home in the middle of his interval while the play went on.

Going back to the Star Trek franchise, I can imagine that somebody at Paramount has already hatched plans to do a series about Picard as a young Starfleet officer before he becomes captain …

I see where you’re going.

How does that feel to you? We now have multiple Kirks and McCoys and Spocks. Can you imagine there being another Picard?

It will happen, I’m sure. I mean, I already have a son. And who knows what’s going to happen to him. He could become the next Jean-Luc, and he’s a wonderful actor. But Star Trek: Picard, especially season three, left us in a very unresolved place. I had an idea about how to play the last scene that would have kind of resolved it, but it didn’t work out.

You write in the book that you wanted him to be married or to have a woman in his life. Is that what you would want to see, the final resolution come to the screen?

Well, it would be: Let’s explore further the inside of this man’s head. His fears, his anger, his frustration, his questioning all of those things. There is a moment, I’m not quite sure where it comes in the series … Well, there are two moments. One is when Picard doesn’t know what to do. He’s stumped. And we never saw that in The Next Generation. There is also a moment when he is truly fearful. And those two pointers alone, I think, make him an interesting study for one more movie.

You said that there are questions still to be resolved in his mind. Do you feel like there are questions on what’s going on in your mind?

About Jean-Luc?

About yourself.

About myself? That’s truly a work in progress.

Still?

Oh, yes. It always will be. There are problems in my family life, not here, not with my wife, but with my family in England. And I believe it is my job to internally connect with this and then perhaps more overtly connect with it.

You know, this is one of the kind of shameful things about acting: Immediately, I think, “Oh, yes, I know what I would do with that!” And from being a teenage boy, I could do that. Because, as a teenage boy, it meant I didn’t have to be Patrick Stewart, who I didn’t really like very much. I could pretend to be somebody else, and adults would believe me.

When would you say that you started to like Patrick Stewart?

Well, you see, my mother had suffered and I had been unable to protect her. I did my best, as did my older brother Trevor, five years older than me, who died last year. There he is with me. [He picks up and shows me a photograph sitting on his desk of himself and Trevor as young children.] Sorry—not good to be showing things on an audio recording! What was your question?

When you started to like yourself.

There were moments on stage, I think initially, when I felt, “Oops, was that me? Well, it wasn’t anybody else. It must’ve been you”—when I realized that I had stepped into another life. It meant I trusted myself, and I felt good about myself and confident. But it’s been a long journey.

It sounds like you learned to forgive Patrick Stewart even when you didn’t like him.

I think on the whole I didn’t do too badly. I could have done better, both in my childhood and in my early acting years. But now at 83, I think I’m more interested in my life and who I am than I was at any other point.

Do you have a favorite episode or film in the Star Trek universe?

Yes, “The Inner Light” [season 5, episode 25 of TNG].

That’s my favorite as well.

Really?

Yes. What I remember about it is Picard waking up after living 40 years as someone else and realizing that these were memories implanted into his brain. You can imagine what a profound effect that must have on a person. And I feel like we see that in Picard’s face, even though you don’t say anything. But tell me why it’s your favorite.

Because I become someone other than Jean-Luc Picard over decades of living a different life, and therefore become a different person, a domestic person, not a starship captain. And there is another, personal reason. My son Daniel played my son in “The Inner Light.” That was an extraordinary experience.

I think of “The Inner Light” as being one of two moments when Picard has changed irrevocably. The other is the assimilation by the Borg. He cannot be the same man after those experiences.

That’s absolutely true, and I should always try to remember that at times like this: The assimilation changed him for good. And like extreme and possibly tragic experiences, we can’t, nor should we try to, erase them, forget them. They’re part of us, what we are. We have to learn to accept them.

That’s where I am right now with Jean-Luc, and it actually makes me intrigued. So conversations like this, rather than encouraging me to move away from my history, actually are gradually sucking me in. So I get closer and closer to the possibility. One more shot!

[romancomicsblog]

Who should play Professor X in the MCU?

Despite multiple X-Men movies with multiple bad interpretations of classic X-Men characters, Professor X is a character that has been adapted to the screen fairly well.

With Patrick Stewart portraying in multiple X-Men films and even all the Wolverine films (yes post credit scenes count), and James McAvoy playing a younger Charles, both felt like the same character but in very different parts of his life.

With the X-Men on their way, it's nearly impossible to imagine them without a Charles Xavier, even just to begin with. So I will be my darnedest to cast a Charles who feels fresh but can live up to both these outstanding actors.

Before we look at who we should cast. We need to answer a few questions.

What can we learn from past portrayals?

As with all my castings (check out Flash and Lex Luthor here), I will briefly go over what came before and what I loved about them to look ahead, starting with:

Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier

I mean, he's a legend.

Patrick Stewart is most people's definitive Charles Xavier and it is easy to see why. He's charming, calm, and a strong steady presence for his X-Men.

Stewart portrays a wisdom mixed with sincerity that I quite like. You get the sense he genuinely believes humanity, even when it fails him.

I do want a that genuine nature, but my only fault with this version is he is not arrogant enough. We get glimpses of it in X-Men the Last Stand, but Charles can be and should be wrong in many of his decisions. Unlike most mutants, Charles views all come from privilege, and that should be reflected through mistakes.

James McAvoy as Charles Xavier

While I'll admit Stewart feels more like classic Charles, James McAvoy's version is still my favorite.

While he still contains that half glass full hope that Stewart has, McAvoy mixes it with this arrogance, charm, and wit of a young man I just love.

McAvoy was able to lean into the flaws of Charles, making him more relatable and sympathetic. I think he was a standout of the First Class, and was able to hold his own with the likes of Hugh Jackman.

This should be more of the blueprint for me, someone who guises their poor decisions with a calm intelligence and logic that often lead the X-Men into more trouble.

Where does Charles fit in the MCU?

In my mind, Charles will not be the leader of the team for long. I think a well-intentioned Charles could die within the first two films, leaving the X-Men to find a new leader and continue his legacy.

This gives us enough room to get an actor who maybe wouldn't normally do a role like this and leaves the X-Men in an interesting place to elect a new leader. Perhaps Storm, Cyclops, or even Magneto.

What ethnicity/race should Charles be?

Charles has been exclusively white through media, particularly British.

While I don't think he needs to be white, British is a staple of the character and I think adds a barrier of "I'm better than you" to others that I want to keep.

I do think it is interesting that for a team that is meant to be a metaphor for racism, there is hardly any people of color on the X-Men.

While I think there is value to keeping Charles white, as he is the embodiment of privilege leading the X-Men, I will say a person of color can still nab this one.

Any other stipulations?

Yes, a few.

We want an actor old enough to feel like an equal to a Magneto and an elder of the team. While we don't have a clear view of how the MCU would do a Magneto, I think over 50 is a safe bet.

Given we had Stewart and McAvoy, we have some wiggle room to get some big name actors. We should go for names only.

I don't like casting people who have already been in superhero media. It's not entirely off the table, but most likely I will look elsewhere.

Bald is cool but not a dealbreaker.

Let's get into it.

3. Jude Law

I know I just said no superhero repeats, but he is just too good.

Jude Law is known for roles like Dr. John Watson, Dumbledore, and Yon-Rogg, Law has an intense presence that cannot be denied.

While he is a bit younger, just on the cusp of 50, I can see Law playing a very flawed version of Charles, picking up right where McAvoy left off.

My main concern is he has played a role within the MCU before, as Yon-Rogg.

While he was wasted here, it was a noticeable role, and MCU fans aren't soon to forget.

I also don't know if Law is a big enough name to helm the X-Men or take over for the great performances that came before.

I think he's got a solid shot, but there's a few more I like a bit more.

2. Daniel Craig

Arrogant. Smartest person in the room. Cool smooth British man. Daniel Craig has done it all.

Known for James Bond or Benoit Blanc, Craig has been known to part of big franchises, (although he seems less excited about it these days.)

While he was apparently rumored to play Balder in Multiverse of Madness, Craig has not been in a part of any Marvel or DC Comics.

I think this role suits his resume quite nicely, and depending on the writer/director, this could be the best Professor X we have ever seen.

If it weren't for his history being anti Bond, and his love for Benoit Blanc, I'd say this would be a slam dunk. But because of the uncertainty, I have to leave him at number 2.

1. David Oyelowo

Known for roles in Selma, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Nightingale, and The Butler, David Oyelowo may be the only name on this list you don't know.

Oyelowo is best known for playing Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, where he was nominated for several awards.

Charles Xavier is often seen as a stand in for MLK in the X-Men Universe, so casting MLK as Charles can be kind of meta, and we can play with expectations.

Oyelowo has played unlikeable villains, heroes of Civil Rights, even a redeemed empire soldier (watch Star Wars Rebels it's really good).

This Charles can go in any direction we want, and with an actor who won't take us out of the film for their name.

While he is the youngest actor, at 47, Oyelowo can play older believably, and can easily play a mentor to the X-Men.

And as a person of color, I believe this will help the metaphor of the X-Men and racism feel improved.

If we want a dramatic force with room to see where this Charles leans, I think Oyelowo is the way to go.

Thank you for reading! If you'd like to support me, you can follow me on my socials here!

[emonthlynews]

Giancarlo Esposito Makes a Strong Candidate for Professor X or Magneto in X-Men Franchise

Fans of the X-Men film series have been anticipating the return of their favorite mutants to the big screen ever since Disney completed its acquisition of Fox in 2019.

The X-Men’s future is still unknown, despite some recent teases and cameos, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating about the possibilities.

A favorite among followers is the actor Giancarlo Esposito.

The versatile performer, well-known for his work on Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, The Boys, and The Mandalorian, has been mentioned as a potential choice for two of the most recognizable characters in the X-Men series: Professor Charles Xavier and his arch-enemy, Magneto.

With Professor Xavier serving as the X-Men’s leader and founder and Magneto as a potent mutant with a complicated past and motivations, both characters are essential to the X-Men universe.

Esposito’s range and acting skills would make him a viable choice for either role, and his prior work in genre television and film would make him a good fit for the X-Men universe.

Fans can find solace in the knowledge that there are many talented actors who would be more than capable of bringing these beloved characters to life, even though there is no official word on when or if the X-Men will return to the big screen.

One of them is undoubtedly Giancarlo Esposito, who has an impressive body of work and a loyal fan base.

Read also: Noah Schnapp Confirms His Sexual Orientation on TikTok

Esposito Interview

Giancarlo Esposito expressed interest in playing Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise during his appearance on The Tonight Show on Tuesday.

He stated that while he would be excited to play either role, he has a slight preference for the more heroic character of Professor X because he has already played so many villainous characters in his career. 

Esposito also added that he would love to bring his own unique interpretation and depth to the character of Professor X, if given the opportunity.

“I want to play a good guy,” Esposito said in a sitdown interview with host Jimmy Fallon. 

“Charles is smart. He’s good. But I feel as if there may be some mileage with me and Marvel. I know I love what they do. I know I love creativity. So who knows what could happen? Keep putting it out there.”

Characters in the MCU

Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy have both played the iconic role of Professor X in the X-Men franchise. 

Stewart’s version of the character made an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the actor has expressed interest in reprising the role. 

However, it’s worth noting that his character in Multiverse of Madness was an alternate universe incarnation, so any potential return in the main MCU universe would likely be a different story.

Despite no official announcements from Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, there have been hints at the inclusion of the X-Men in the MCU. 

The recent introduction of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) in Ms. Marvel and Namor (Tenoch Huerta) in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as mutants suggests that the formation of a new team of X-Men is on the horizon.

It will be exciting to see how the X-Men will be incorporated into the MCU and how Patrick Stewart’s potential return as Professor X will fit into the larger narrative. Fans will have to wait for official announcements from Marvel Studios to find out more.

Series of Films

The X-Men franchise is a beloved series of comic book adaptations that has captured the hearts of audiences for decades. 

The franchise, which is centered around a group of mutants with extraordinary abilities, was first introduced in comic form by Marvel Comics in 1963. Since then, it has grown to include a wide variety of adaptations, including films, television shows, and video games.

Meanwhile, the first film adaptation of the X-Men franchise was released in 2000, directed by Bryan Singer, and starring an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and Halle Berry as Storm. 

The film saw critical and commercial success, grossing over $296 million worldwide, and launching a franchise that would go on to include several sequels, spin-offs, and prequels.

Additionally, the X-Men franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, with a dedicated fan base and a lasting impact on popular culture. 

Its exploration of themes such as discrimination, prejudice, and the fight for equality has resonated with audiences and continues to be relevant today. With a new era of the franchise on the horizon, fans are excited to see what the future holds for the beloved mutants...Read More

Read also: Sharon Osbourne Hospitalized with Pneumonia and Sepsis

Source: Entertainment Monthly News

[scotianostra]

I have said many times in posts that Scotland punches above it’s weight in many ways, at the moment that has never been more true than in the acting field, a nation of just under 5.5 million is certainly producing a fine line of acclaimed actors, none more so than today’s birthday boy James McAvoy

Born April 21st 1979 in Glasgow, McAvoy the charismatic Glaswegian had actually intended joining the navy or the priesthood before he stumbled upon acting as a career. 

James was 16 when the actor and director David Hayman visited St Thomas Aquinas school in Drumchapel to give a talk on Shakespeare and ended up being heckled by some class troublemakers. “I felt bad for him,” recalls James. “So I went up at the end and said, ‘Thanks very much. That was very interesting,’ and asked him if I could make the tea, do some work experience, if he was ever doing another film.” McAvoy was taken by surprise when Hayman called back four months later asking him to audition. He tried out and won a role in the feature film The Near Room.

McAvoy hadn’t planned on becoming an actor, even when he got the part in the movie, but admitted later he changed his mind when he got a crush on co-star Alana Brady. A small role in the TV movie An Angel Passes By followed, and soon after, McAvoy decided to train at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. To pay his way, for two years he did the early shift at a bakery as a trainee confectioner before heading off to school each morning. In 2000, at the age of 20, he moved to London and soon after, landed a plum role in Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed mini-series, Band of Brothers.

Since then he has appeared in the brilliant Shameless which he starred opposite Anne-Marie Duff, whom he later married, the couple divorced in 2016.

Other roles, before and after Shameless include, Foyle’s War, Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, State of Play and Shakespeare Re-Told.

On the big screen he was excellent dodgy cop, Bruce Robertson in Irvine Welsh’s Filth, before that he was in The Last King of Scotland as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, over the pond is more well known as the young Charles Xavier / Professor X in several X-Men flicks. 

James  voiced Hazel a TV series adaptation of Watership down in 2018,in 2020 he appeared in the feature film Glass, the third in a series of films, the others being, Unbreakable and Split. He ended the year on the small screen featuring in His Dark Materials as well as finding time to star in National Theatre Live: Cyrano de Bergerac, in the title role.

James McAvoy has always had a generous side, he once did a “terrifying” BASE jump from the world’s tallest hospital building in a bid to help raise money for Ugandan children’s charity Retrak, an organisation which assists children on the streets. Additionally, he is a celebrity supporter of the British Red Cross with whom he travelled to Uganda to raise awareness of the projects there. He had become involved with the charity after shooting The Last King of Scotland there for several months and was shocked by what he saw. In February 2007, he visited northern Uganda and spent four days seeing projects supported by the British Red Cross.

James McAvoy is next on our screens in the third series of His Dark Materials, last month he returned to the Glasgow stage for the first time in over 20 years with the touring  Cyrano de Bergerac. In a recent Instagram live he was asked about reprising the role of  Charles Xavier, but simply said no, and looks like he wouldn’t be drawn on it. 

In a recent interview he talked about the role of Bruce Robertson the Edinburgh drugged up cop of Irvine Welsh’s Filth, and his accents, saying  . “I speak kind of well I suppose and all that, and my accent has changed a hell of a lot over the last, I don’t know how many years it’s been since I’ve moved, 14 years or whatever. It’s still Scottish, but it’s just chilled out a lot.”

Modulating his voice was a matter of survival in the industry — and getting annoyed at always having to repeat himself.

“Basically you just get tired of people going, ‘Pardon me? What did you say?’ Even in England, people would just go, ‘What? What the fuck did he say?'” he remembered, laughing ruefully. “That was the first four or five years of my experience, people going, ‘Dude you talk too fast, I don’t understand what you’re saying.’ I understand even now people have problems with it. But my true accent is thicker.”

James is one of a number of Scottish actors being tipped to play the next James Bond, it’s a role I don’t see him in though.

[thatwitchrevan]

One of the things about the MCU that continues to bug me more and more is the hype built around any crossover and the way character interaction happens in the movies and shows. There's room for literal essays and there probably have been some already on how artificial many of the character interactions and 'crossovers' are, but also just the fact that they're a thing that's hyped up and treated like it's special in the first place?

I loved the MCU in 2012, don't get me wrong. I still like those movies, and I remember being impressed to the moon and back that they managed to make the Avengers come to life and come together on screen and it WORKED and it was fun and explosive and awesome. It didn't really matter that Wolverine and Storm and Spider-Man weren't a part of it because I understand that as far as live action went, they were with different studios, and I could easily read fifty different comics with that lineup and more. (I was and always will be salty that Janet wasn't there.)

The Avengers movie was impressive because superhero movies had always been a mixed bag, and an ensemble was a struggle. Avengers made it feel cool to be into superhero teams.

But then Marvel just kept... Congratulating themselves every time they got a new character on screen.

Now I haven't read a lot of comics. But traditionally speaking the big players of Marvel and DC all essentially live in each other's backyard. If you have a problem with weird mystic stuff, you get on the bus and go see Stephen Strange. It's a Tuesday for them. So Marvel making this MASSIVE deal of Spider-Man joining the Avengers ... It's like, yeah, he's been in the Avengers before. They're not doing anything new. And it's exciting to see these characters in the movies! But as Disney has taken over they've latched onto that hype for the characters and driven it into the ground.

Which means we can never have a scene in an Avengers movie where Wolverine just casually shows up. We're not gonna have Carol Danvers and Jessica Jones sitting down at the bar together and talking shit. And I don't care about Charles Xavier appearing in a Scarlet Witch movie where he has nothing to do with anything, and Wanda is neither a mutant nor Jewish Romani, and she was never his enemy or student or had any relationship to him.

The MCU is trying to sell its movies and its characters on the hype and spectacle alone and has been doing it for a long time. It's not impressive that Daredevil cameos in She Hulk. It's a tiny fucking world.

Spectacle is not why I watch movies or shows or read comics, and it isn't enough to make me want to watch fifteen more movies about the same five avengers with special appearance from holy shit it's Reed Richards.

To be clear, I'm not trying to be a comics snob and I detest media snobbery in general. I love superhero movies and I also grew up on the shows and video games more than anything. I think superheroes should be multimedia, it's great. But you only have to read like five comics to realize that like. It doesn't have to be this way. Disney could either use the characters they have to tell good stories or integrate new characters they acquire in a meaningful way. It's not that hard.

[earnestly-endlessly]

i love your blog so much!! you've given me months worth of stuff to read. this is probably ultra specific but do you have any friends with benefits to lovers cherik fics?

Thanks for the ask anon, I do have some great friends with benefits to lovers fics. I hope you enjoy!

Friends with benefits to lovers

Simple and Uncomplicated – Pookaseraph

Sukmmary:Erik and Charles had been fuck buddies for some, but when Charles is in an accident he figured their relationship would be over. Erik's visit to his bedside in the hospital changes his assumptions even as he has trouble believing Erik is sincere.

We Could Be That – swoopswoop

Summary: They'd been fucking for months - it had never been anything more than that - so why was Charles' unexplained absence bothering him so much?

Three wheels of cheese and a Great White – ximeria

Summary: Charles and Erik were friends with benefits in college.

They went their separate ways and 18 years later, they run into each other in New York.

The sex was never a problem back in college - and sex was all it had been. But now Erik is a divorced father and Charles has admitted to himself he needs more than just sex in a relationship. So in their usual round-about way they try to navigate becoming friends after so many years. The whole quest is aided by Raven, Edie, Wanda and Pietro (and a large number of shark jokes).

(Wise Men Say) Only Fools Rush In – wildelybroken

Summary: After reading a fic where Erik and Charles are super sluts, meet at what is presumably Raven and Emma's engagement party, and end up sleeping together, I made the following comment and just inspired myself.

"They start casually texting each other throughout the day, maybe while they’re bored or frustrated at work, and start out meeting up and sleeping together semi-frequently. And eventually they accidentally start dating without noticing it at first, not until Raven and Emma get them alone and are like “wtf you two super sluts are actually dating??” And at first they deny, but then they’re both like “holy shit, we are!” And they meet back at one of their places and they don’t have to say anything, they just look at each other and come together immediately, kissing passionately and ~making love~. In the middle of it they realise that’s what they’ve been doing for a long time now and they confess their love to each other and they live happily ever after because they deserve all the good in the world."

Enemies With Benefits – bettysofia

Summary: Casual sex with your sworn enemy gets tricky once feelings get involved.

Food, Family, and Friends with Benefits – endingthemes

Summary: “Everyone,” Edie says, voice bursting with pride. “Erik’s here, and he’s brought his friend.” She takes Charles’ arm and pulls him forward, presenting him like a shiny object. “This is Charles.”

Charles manages a weak wave and an even weaker, “Hello.”

(In which Charles gets dragged along to his fuck buddy's parent's house to celebrate a Jewish holiday, and things get weird.)

Preheat to 350 (just for you remix) - ikeracity

Summary: Charles realizes he's in love with Erik. But there's one tiny little problem: he just broke up with Erik.

Some Such Place (The Big Screen Classics remix) - pocky_slash

Summary: Erik's spent the last eighteen months having lengthy socio-political conversations and casual sex with Charles Xavier after seeing Monday matinees at a dingy little independent movie theatre in the Village. That doesn't mean they're friends. Or that Erik should have any say in what Charles is going to do with his future.

(At least, that's what Erik keeps telling himself.)

Society’s Anxiety - phalangine

Summary: The day Charles Xavier's soulmate counter reaches zero is also the day he meets Erik Lehnsherr. It never occurs to him that that might mean something.

Accidentally Welcome to the Rest of Your Lives - kianspo

Summary: Non-powered college AU. Erik and Charles have nothing in common until they end up having sex at someone's party. They don't have much in common after that, either, but find each other a hard habit to quit.

[panic-at-the-fiction]

1973 pt2

Summary: (y/n) life hasn’t been the same since the school closed down and neither has her father. But there seems to be a sign of hope of the man he used to be returning with this new mission.

Warnings: I’m not doing this word for word with the movie ok. You’ve seen the movie you know how it goes.

a/n: I hope y’all like this. I know it’s going slow but I want build relationships with the characters around her not just with Peter. You got Logan who’s like the big bro everyone needs and Hank the fun uncle obviously and even Charles who right now is the absent father figure she cant even call dad. Hope you like that touch, her just referring to him as Charles other than in sarcastic context. @whyiswhatahow @willalaufeyson

We had been in the car for a few hours now with no breaks. We needed to get to Washington, DC as quickly as we could. After we found Logan’s friend, who was luckily living in Virginia only an hour away from the pentagon, we packed our things and left really early in the morning. We should be at the pentagon by 11:00.

Charles had insisted on driving. Which is bad considering he drives like an absolute madman. Hank looked like he would puke. When you're like Charles Xavier and you give up all hope, you too might drive like a madman. Logan and I, we’re in the back seat.

I’m still on the fence about believing him. Hank and Charles jumped right into helping him break a criminal out of high security prison in the hopes of helping Raven, but for all we know, she’s not in any trouble and this guy is actually working for Eric.

I turn to face him, “So Logan, tell me more about the future?”

“I already told you, kid, it’s too dangerous for you to know more than you need to. You had a good life in the future. I don't wanna mess it up.”

“Who’s to say you telling me about my life isn’t the reason I have that life.”

“That’s not how this works. Once I do what I do here, and I go back. It will be like the last 50 years I know never happened.”

“Sounds to me like no matter what you tell me, it’s going to be different anyways.” He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Fine, don't tell me about the future. Tell me about this friend or yours. Why do we even need him of all mutants?”

“He’s name is Peter, when I met him he was much older. Let’s just say he has some personal stakes in this, just as you do. Even if he may not know it yet.”

“Can we even trust him? If you don’t meet him until years from now, who says he’ll be the same guy you knew?”

“I don’t know much about his life as a teenager but from what I heard he liked breaking into things just to prove he could do it.” Logan smiled like he remembered something, but shook his head and continued. “Don’t worry about him, though, I’m sure you’ll trust him once you meet him.”

After that, we sat in silence. He wasn’t going to answer my questions about the future, and there wasn’t much to ask about this Peter anymore. Even if I did have a feeling that there was something Logan wasn’t telling me about him. I kept reaching into his emotions and on the surface he felt like a smartalec who’s making inside jokes that we can’t understand, but when I looked any deeper it was pain, grief and regret all twisted inside him. I liked Logan, but I didn’t like being around him and his deep emotions.

After 4 hours on the road, we finally pulled up to this boy's house. It was fairly normal looking except for the burnt out welcome mat. Charles knocked on the door and only a few seconds later an exasperated looking woman opened the door. “What has he done now? Whatever it is, I'll pay for it.” I smiled, I could feel the emotions of a little girl inside the house. She was having a blast playing dress up, and it was one of the better feelings I’ve gotten in a while.

“We aren’t cops, ma’am, we just need to talk to Peter.”

She sighed and moved to let us in and pointed to where the stairs were to the basement. It was packed with dozens of boxes which looked to have been stolen. Off to the left there was a brand-new Pac-Man machine and a pull-out couch. Right in front of the stairs, tho, was a ping pong table with a blur of silver running back and forth fast enough to play a game without a partner.

I couldn’t get a clear view of it at all, but it still spoke up. “Whatever it is, I didn't do it.”

“Of course you didn't.” Charles said sarcastically, scanning the room of all its stolen objects.

“Listen, Peter, we’re not cops.” Logan said, taking a step toward the table. Before he could take one more, the blur was gone.

“What is he? A teleporter?” Hank asked,

“I think he’s just fast.” I said. This Peter was definitely something. I couldn’t even see him for how fast he was going.

“Of course you’re not cops. If you were cops, why would you be driving a rental car?”

We all turned toward the voice. He was now sitting stretched out on the couch with a popsicle in hand. He had an arrogant smile and oddly enough silver hair that looked as if he may have stuck his head out a window of a moving car.

“Are you FBI?” I chuckled at the silly accusation, and I caught his eyes. For a moment, I felt a burst of nervousness that I wasn’t sure was mine. Then a gust of wind flew by me, and before I knew it the boy was standing only a few feet from us. “Nope, not FBI. Hey, what’s this gifted youngster place?” I looked in his hand and sure enough he had dear old dad's wallet.

“It’s an old card.” He said grumpily as he reached for his wallet. Peter only dropped the wallet and moved onto his Pac-Man game.

“He’s fascinating.” I said.

“He’s a pain in the ass.” Charles didn’t seem too pleased with this peter.

I just laughed at my dad’s irritation. I walked over to the arcade game next to where he was sitting. “You have to go left first if you're going to get around in time to beat the ghost.” I said getting absorbed deep into the game.

“How do you know that?”

“I memorized the levels.” I could see him give me a shocked look out of the corner of my eye, but I just kept staring at the screen. He felt nervous but impressed, and I was trying to not let it get to my head. “I have an eidetic memory.”

He turned back to his game. “Listen, Peter, we need your help to break someone out of prison.”

I pulled away from the game and took a few steps back over to the group. “You know that's illegal.” He said sarcastically. I laughed this time, and I felt Peter's emotions tense up.

“Only if you get caught.” I whipped back. Charles was giving me the dad side eye.

“What’s in it for me?”

I could tell Charles was getting annoyed. Mainly Because he was beginning to sober up from his hangover, but also because of the new kid peter being a quoted pain in the ass. “You, you kleptomaniac, get to break into the pentagon.”

Peter turned around, his eyes wide with excitement. For a moment he looked at me, questioning something. “How do I know I can trust you guys?”

“Because we’re just like you.” Hank said.

“Show him.” Charles almost smiled. Logan kept a straight but intense face as he let the bone-like claws rise from his knuckles.

Peter's face went white at the site. “That’s gross but… I’m in.”

[thorne93]

The Stars Made Us (Part 2)

Prompt: In this world, you’re one of the “lucky” ones who got a soulmate, but what if the universe gives you more than you bargained for?

(Prompt challenge – You live in a world where your soulmate can write on their skin and you will get the writing on your own and vice versa. Where they can wash away the ink on their own skin, however, the writing is forever scarred onto your skin until you meet face to face)

Word Count: 1436

Warnings: angst and language throughout

Notes: This was supposed to be for @sorryimacrapwriter​​ and their challenge like a year ago, I think? I still loved the prompt though and have been working on this story for quite some time. This aesthetic was made by @dontshootmespence​​, thank you so much! Beta’d by @like-a-bag-of-potatoes​​, couldn’t have done it without you, as well as @carryonmyswansong​​ and @arrow-guy​​ and @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​​

Also, I’ve never really liked the whole soulmate AU thing idea, but this felt so right and it was amazing to write. I hope y’all love it too!!

~~~~~~~~~~~

When you woke up in the early afternoon, your parents greeted you with a bit of a chuckle.

“Stay up too late with Jenny?” your mom asked with a teasing smirk. It was a habit of yours and Jenny to probably stay up way past your bedtime, but so long as it wasn’t a school night, your parents never cared.

“Actually… I.. uh, have some news,” you announced as you grabbed some bacon for a BLT that they’d made for lunch.

“Oh?” your dad asked, his eyes still on his laptop. “What’s that?”

“So… Jenny was kind of joking around last night and said that I should try to write on my arm, you know… to see if I had a soulmate…” you began explaining, twisting your fingers around nervously as you sat at the table.

Your parents just looked at you curiously.

“Well, so I did. I wrote something on my arm, and I waited to see if someone would write back… and they did,” you said, showing them your arm. They saw the ‘Happy Birthday’, and the ‘Hi there’, with a smiling face.

“A soulmate?” your dad echoed, looking at your arm inquisitively.

“We’ve never had soulmates in the family, have we, dear?” your mom wondered as she looked over her cup at her husband.

“Not that I know of. Well what do you know about that?” he mused. “I don't see any more marks on your arms, did your mate not write back much last night?”

“No, we actually emailed. We thought it would be best if we reserve our skin.. You know, we don’t want a bunch of… tattoos of each other unless they’re meaningful.”

“Sounds sensible,” your mom noted with a smile. “So what do you know about them?”

“He’s a grad student. He’s 21. He graduated from Harvard at 16, and get this, he’s into psych. He studies it.”

“Graduated at 16?” your dad asked. “Are you sure this guy isn’t pulling your leg? What if he’s some bum?”

“If he is some bum, he’s got a great education. We stayed up all night emailing, and he’s quite well-read.”

“That sounds fantastic, honey. And, did you get his name?” she asked, a bit nervous.

You shook your head. “No, we agreed it wasn’t safe.”

“Good girl,” your mom commended.

“He’s 21, hmm?” your dad hummed. “Isn’t that a little old?”

“Oh, Anthony, don’t pretend like that’s some big gap. You and I have five years between us,” your mom reminded as she got up to pick up the kitchen.

“Yeah well we didn’t meet in high school either. We were adults.”

“I’d hardly call us adults. We were 23 and 28.”

Your dad just shook his head. “You just be careful, kiddo. Soulmate or not, there are weirdos out there.”

“Of course, Dad,” you said.

Well, that was out of the way. Your parents didn’t seem to be too upset, which was good.

You went upstairs to your room and sent an email to X.

“My parents know about us now,” you wrote.

“Do they approve?”

“They’re worried you’re a liar and a weirdo, lol,” you confessed with a smiley face.

“They might be right ; )”

“I reminded them that we won’t ever swap information until one of our names shows up.”

“Of course. As tempted as I am to meet you like a normal person, I don’t want to tamper with fate.”

“I feel the same. And your parents? Have you told them?”

“My parents have died. Happened a few years ago.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. That’s awful.”

“It’s sad, yes, but don’t let that bring down your mood, please. I miss them terribly. I bet they would’ve loved to meet you.”

“I would’ve loved to meet them.”

“Speaking of, we need to get registered.”

Registered? For what? A marriage license?

Then it hit you.

“Oh, you mean the soulmate registry?”

“That’s the one. Do you have access to it?”

“Yeah, I can just drive to it. It’s at the clerk’s office, right?”

“Yes, it is. Oh, I need to go, Y/F/I. I’ll talk to you later. Feel free to send me emails throughout the day.”

“Will do, X. I’ll go to the registry on Monday, after school.”

“Looking forward to it.”

---------------------------------

The following afternoon, you went to the county clerk to file for a soulmate. You arrived at the building, stood in line, and finally, it was your turn. You were greeted by an older woman with a permanent scowl on her face.

“Can I help you?” she asked evenly.

“I, uh, I need to get registered for a soulmate?” you said tentatively. You had no idea how this part of the process went.

She eyed you up and down. “Very well, come with me.” She turned around and started to walk away from the counter and you looked around to see if you were supposed to follow. Since no one seemed to be stopping you as you inched towards the small opening in the counter, you went ahead and followed her.

“Do you have a driver’s license?” she asked once she reached a little podium against a wall.

You didn’t answer, instead you quickly searched your purse and wallet to retrieve the ID. She took it from you but before she did anything she asked you to show you the markings.

“I got these, on my arm,” you informed as you pushed your arm forward, your arms exposed.

“I’m just checking to make sure they aren’t tattoos,” she mused as she eyed them and scanned them with a small device that emitted purple light, you assumed it was a UV light or some form of it. “Alright, that all looks good.” With that, she turned to a computer and pulled up a file, scanning your driver’s license that filled out a bunch of forms and blanks - your name, age, social security, birthday, address. “Now, I need to document your markings. Put your arm right here,” she instructed, pointing to what looked like a small x-ray machine. It had a flat platform, a light, crosshairs, and an overhead lens. “Hold still,” she ordered.

You did your best to keep still as she pressed a button and the image was snapped.

“Did you write anything to them?” she asked, her voice stern.

“Yes, I wrote a few things,” you said, explaining everything you wrote and where.

“When did the markings appear? I need the date and time,” she informed.

“Alright, you’re officially in the system. Do you know their name?”

“No, we’ve only emailed and I refer to him as X?” you said, unsure.

“Good. I’m not sure if you know this or not, but we tell everyone who gets a mate: it’s never good to meet them before your time.”

“I’ve heard,” you noted quietly.

“It usually ends in an untimely death, and you don’t get another mate. No one has ever had more than one mate, even if their first one dies.”

You nodded. It made sense. The universe designed one person to fit your soul exactly, they couldn’t do that with two people, it would be crazy.

“No, yeah we agreed not to give any personal information away,” you confirmed.

“Good. Now, whenever your mate comes in to get registered, neither of you will be notified.”

You frowned for a moment. “So what’s the point in doing this?” you wondered.

“In case anything happens before you two meet, you can be notified. If you need a donor, your mate is notified. It’s mainly for record keeping, but just in case, they’re basically added to every In Case of Emergency list you have.”

“Really? Okay,” you said, a little more interested.

“Well you’re all set. Here’s some information for you,” she informed as she handed you a pamphlet. It said: So now you’ve got a soulmate, what this means for you.

Inside were several Do’s and Don'ts.

Do tell people you have a mate, so they don’t think you’re covered in tattoos of random words.

Don’t get the name of your soulmate before it appears on your skin. Their name and current location will appear when you are needed most by them.

Do be sure to include that you have a mate on any legal forms.

Don’t request a new mate.

… on and on it went. It made you smile and laugh at how… old it seemed to be.

Before you knew it, you were back in front of your computer screen, sending an update to X. He said he was busy today and would have to go to the clerk tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Charles Xavier

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[archive-archives]

Coming in April!

NEW 2020 1080p HD masters                                                                               JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS IN OUTER SPACE

Run Time             352:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Audio Specs        DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English

Aspect Ratio       1.33:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color    COLOR

Disc Configuration 2 BD 50

 Rock stars Josie and the Pussycats are out of this world...literally! When the bumbling Alexandra accidentally launches Josie and the gang into outer space, they travel through the galaxy searching for a path back to Earth. Along the way, they meet cat people, robot monsters, evil dictators, space pirates and plenty of strange creatures, including their new companion Bleep, voiced by Hanna-Barbera legend Don Messick. Fortunately, everyone’s a fan of Josie and the Pussycats, including aliens! Rocket through the universe with your favorite superstars as they save the day, sing some songs and have a hip-happenin’ good time in a 2-disc, 16-episode Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space complete series collection that hits all the right notes!

                                                                                                                                NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of preservation film elements!       

GREEN DOLPHIN STREET

Run Time             141:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Audio Specs:       DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English

Aspect Ratio:      1.37:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color    BLACK & WHITE

Disc Configuration           BD 50

Special Features: Lux Radio Theater Broadcast;  Theatrical Trailer (HD)    

                                                                        The Academy Award® winner about star-crossed love that spans the years – and the globe. After her triumph as the lunchroom temptress in the crime classic The Postman Always Rings Twice, Lana Turner expanded her range with Green Dolphin Street. Set in 19th century Europe and New Zealand, this sweeping romance tells the story of two beautiful sisters, one headstrong (Turner) and one gentle (Donna Reed), and of the man (Richard Hart) who marries one even though he loves the other. The film’s riptides of emotion are matched by breathtaking physical tumult: a fierce Maori uprising plus a catastrophic earthquake and tidal wave that earned the film a 1947 Oscar® for special effects. With its dramatic story and spectacular visuals, Green Dolphin Street drew huge audiences for epic moviemaking, being one of the top-ten box office hits of the year.

 NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of Nitrate preservation elements!               

BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940    

Run Time             102:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Audio Specs:       DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English

Aspect Ratio:      1.37:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color    BLACK & WHITE

Disc Configuration           BD 50

Special Features: Making-of Featurette: "Begin the Beguine" (hosted by Ann Miller); "Our Gang Comedies: The Big Premiere"; MGM Cartoon: "The Milky Way" ; Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)

 The job – a career breakthrough – is supposed to go to hoofer Johnny Brett, but a mix-up in names gives it to his partner. Another example of Broadway hopes dashed? Not when Johnny is played by Fred Astaire. Sparkling Cole Porter songs, clever comedy and dance legends Astaire and Eleanor Powell make the final Broadway Melody (co-starring George Murphy) a film to remember. Powell’s nautical “All Ashore" routine (a/k/a I Am the Captain”), Astaire’s blissful “I’ve Got My Eyes on You” and Fred & Eleanor's elaborate routine to Cole Porter's classic "I Concentrate On You" are more than enough to please any fan. But they’re just a warm-up for the leads to tap one finale number into immortality: “Begin the Beguine,” introduced by Frank Sinatra in That’s Entertainment! with, “You can wait around and hope, but you’ll never see the likes of this again.”                                                                                     

 NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from a new 4K restoration of the last-known surviving nitrate Technicolor print!

DOCTOR X (1932)            

Run Time             76:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Audio Specs:       DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English

Aspect Ratio:      1.37:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color      COLOR; BLACK & WHITE

Disc Configuration           BD 50

Special Features: Alternate B&W version of feature; DOCTOR X (HD): UCLA Before & After Restoration featurette (HD); New documentary: "Monsters and Mayhem: The Horror Films of Michael Curtiz (HD); New feature commentary by author/film historian Alan K. Rode; Archival feature commentary by Scott MacQueen, head of preservation, UCLA Film and Television Archive. Original B&W Theatrical Trailer (HD)             

 Is there a (mad) doctor in the house? “Yes!” shrieks Doctor X, filmed in rare two-strip Technicolor®. An eminent scientist aims to solve a murder spree by re-creating the crimes in a lab filled with all the dials, gizmos, bubbling beakers and crackling electrostatic charges essential to the genre. Lionel Atwill is Doctor Xavier, pre-King Kong scream queen Fay Wray is a distressed damsel and Lee Tracy snaps newshound patter, all under the direction of renowned Michael Curtiz. The new two-color Technicolor master was restored by UCLA Film and Television Archive and The Film Foundation in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment. Funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Foundation. Also includes the separately filmed B&W version (which has been restored and restored from its original nitrate camera negative) originally intended for small U.S. markets and International distribution, and which has been out of distribution for over 30 years.

 NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of original nitrate Technicolor negatives!       

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (1950)

Run Time             107:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Sound Quality    DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English

Aspect Ratio       1.37:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color    COLOR

Disc Configuration           BD 50

Special Features: Susan Lucci retrospective & intro piece (from 2000 DVD release); Outtakes: Let’s Go West Again-Betty Hutton, Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly-Judy Garland, I’m an Indian, Too-Judy Garland,  Colonel Buffalo Bill with Howard Keel and Frank Morgan; Stereo audio pre-recording session tracks including There’s No Business Like Show Business featuring Judy Garland; Theatrical Re-issue Trailer (HD)

 Betty Hutton (as Annie Oakley) and Howard Keel (as Frank Butler) star in this sharpshootin’ funfest based on the 1,147-performance Broadway smash boasting Irving Berlin’s beloved score, including “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly,” “I Got the Sun in the Morning” and the anthemic “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” As produced by Arthur Freed, directed by George Sidney, and seen and heard in this new remastered HD presentation, this lavish, spirited production showcases songs and performances with bull’s-eye precision, earning an Oscar®* for adaptation scoring. The story is a brawling boy-meets-girl-meets-buckshot rivalry. But love finally triumphs when Annie proves that, yes, you can get a man with a gun!                                                                    

 NEW 2021 1080p HD Master!                                                                                 QUICK CHANGE (1990)

Run Time             88:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Sound Quality    DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English

Aspect Ratio       1.85:1, 16 X 9 WIDESCREEN

Product Color    COLOR

Disc Configuration           BD 25

Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer

 The star of Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day headlines and codirects this uproarious Big Apple heist-and-pursuit caper. Bill Murray plays Grimm, a frazzled urbanite who disguises himself as a clown – and sets out to rob a bank. Geena Davis and Randy Quaid play accomplices in Grimm’s daring scheme and Jason Robards is the blustery cop caught up in Grimm’s “Clown Day Afternoon.” Swiping a million bucks is a snap compared to getting out of town. Grimm and cohorts commandeer a car, a cab, a bus, a baggage tram and a plane (and encounter future stars Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub in hilarious supporting roles) to make what becomes a less-than-merry escape. But for comedy lovers, Quick Change is a ticket to ride!                                                                                                 

 NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of best surviving nitrate preservation elements!            EACH DAWN I DIE (1939)

Run Time             92:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Audio Specs:       DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English

Aspect Ratio:      1.37:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color    BLACK & WHITE

Disc Configuration           BD 50    

Special Features: Warner Night at the Movies including 1939 Short Subjects Gallery: Vintage Newsreel,  WB Technicolor Short: "A Day at Santa Anita", WB Cartoon: "Detouring America"; Restrospective featurette: "Stool Pigeons and Pine Overcoats: The Language of Gangster Films" ; Feature Commentary by Film Historian Haden Guest; Breakdowns of 1939: Studio Blooper Reel; WB Cartoon: "Each Dawn I Crow"; Radio show w/George Raft & Franchot Tone; Trailer for "Wings of the Navy" and Original Theatrical Trailer for Each Dawn I Die (HD)  

 Framed for manslaughter after he breaks a story about city corruption, reporter Frank Ross is sure he’ll prove his innocence and walk out of prison a free man. But that’s not how the system works at Rocky Point Penitentiary. There, cellblock guards are vicious, the jute-mill labor is endless, and the powers Ross fought on the outside conspire to keep him in. Frank’s hope is turned to hopelessness. And he’s starting to crack. Two of the screen’s famed tough guys star in this prison movie that casts a reform-minded eye on the brutalizing effects of life in the slammer. James Cagney “hits a white-hot peak as [Ross,] the embittered, stir-crazy fall guy” (Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide). And George Raft (Cagney’s friend since their vaudeville days) portrays racketeer Hood Stacey, who may hold the key to springing Ross.                               

 NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of best surviving preservation elements!                 

ANOTHER THIN MAN (1939)

Run Time             102:00

Subtitles               English SDH

Audio Specs:       DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English, MONO - English

Aspect Ratio:      1.37:1 4x3 FULL FRAME

Product Color    BLACK & WHITE

Disc Configuration           BD 50    

Special Features: M-G-M Musical Short: Love on Tap; Classic M-G-M Cartoon: The Bookworm

 Dum-Dum, Wacky, Creeps, Fingers: They’re just a few of the hoodlums in the world of amateur sleuths and professional bon vivants Nick and Nora Charles. And now there’s a new hood: parenthood. A birthday – make that boithday – party that some of da boys hold for infant Nick Jr. is part of the fun in this third film in the witty series. The case begins when the Charles family arrives for a weekend with a Long Island industrialist who fears someone wants to kill him. Sure enough, his fears come true. Nick (William Powell) is among the suspects. Asta scrams with what may be the murder weapon. And Nora (Myrna Loy) has her own ideas about the case and sneaks off to a nightclub to ferret out a clue. “Madam, how long have you been leading this double life?” Nick asks. “Just since we’ve been married,” she replies.

[jackyjango]

So I wrote a cherik thing based on this prompt... (No... Nobody prompted me, but I took it upon myself, okay!!)

you broke off your engagement with your long-time boyfriend/girlfriend who you were supposed to bring home to meet your family so now you need me to pretend to be them

Erik normally ignores whenever the orange light blinks at the bottom of his screen, because whichever jackass is messaging him on the office messenger is either complaining of a crashed software or an uncooperative keyboard or an interrupted internet connection, fixing which are not a part of Erik's fucking job description. So he goes back to reviewing Alex’s code, cursing and scowling at the inconsistency of it. Whoever is messaging him on the office messenger can rot under his ignorance.

His phone begins to ring ten minutes later, spewing 'back in black' into the silent space.

It's Charles. 

'Why are you ignoring me?' Charles demands as soon as Erik picks up the call.

'Ignoring you?' Erik scowls. A quick glance at the clock tells that it's just twelve, a solid hour before they generally leave for lunch. Did Erik miss something?

'On the messenger. I've been pinging you for the last fifteen minutes or so.'

Ah, so it's Charles then. Erik quickly opens the messenger to a stream of messages under ‘Charles Francis Xavier- Lead Analyst, R&D, Xavier Pharmaceuticals’. 

SOS!!

Can we talk? I need to talk to you?

Can I call you now? I'd rather not chat about it here.

I would come up to speak to you in person, but I'm in the middle of something, so coming up 30 floors isn't an option.

I really have to talk to you though...

'Sorry, Charles,' Erik sighs. 'I thought it was that jackass Sean, complaining about his internet connection. Again.'

Erik expects Charles to recite another paragraph on workplace ethics from that awful brochure Moira had made them go through the other day, but Charles merely brushes off Erik’s comment like he hadn't even heard it. 'I need to speak to you about something. It's a little urgent. Are you busy?'

'No, no. Tell me.' Alex's code can wait.

Charles takes a deep breath and leaves it out slowly-- as if bracing for a fight.  'I need you to pretendtobemyfiancé,' he says so quickly that Erik wonders whether he's hearing things. 

Erik pulls the phone from his ear to read the name on the screen. Still Charles. 'What?' he asks incredulously.

Charles groans on the other end, and when he begins speaking again his voice sounds strained and tired, 'I wouldn't have asked if I knew a better way, okay?'

'I don't understand, Charles. Pretend to be your fiancé? Why?' This isn't Charles' brand of humour, and the gravity in his voice suggests anything but mirth.

'You remember I told you that my mother is coming down next week?'

'Yes. What does that have to do-'

Charles cuts him short, his breath comes out in short puffs as he says, 'She knows I was engaged. But I may have forgotten to tell her that it fell apart.' 

'How can you not tell your own mother about it, Charles?' Because Erik can't imagine not sharing a news that big with his Mama. It's a different story that she'd pull it out of him one way or another even if he'd tried. 

'What would I say Erik? 'Sorry Mother. But my fiancé broke our engagement just two weeks after he proposed? My love life is fucked up, and magnificently at that?' Charles’ voice is a mixture of anger and fear. Erik winces. It may have been months ago, but Erik still remembers how devastated Charles had been after Scott had left him. It had taken everything in Erik to hold himself back from punching that asshole's face black and blue.

'Look Charles, I understand for not wanting to tell your mother then, but what's stopping you from telling her now? It isn't too late-'

'-It is.' Charles whimpers, and it's been a while since Erik's seen this side of Charles. Swallowing, he continues, 'Look, I know I'm asking a lot from you. But you just have to pretend to be my fiancé for a week. I'll tell her that we split as soon as she reaches Westchester. You'll have to trust me on this. Please, Erik...'

Erik doesn't know much about Charles' family, except that his sister is in Paris studying fashion and that his mother visits Genosha every year around mid January (more likely to get away from Westchester's biting cold than to see her son, Erik suspects), during which Charles promptly takes a three day break from work. Erik knows that Charles has a strained relationship with his mother (because anyone who addresses their mother as 'Mother' certainly does), but he doesn't know anything more than what Charles willingly lets on.

Charles is eerily quiet on the other end, even his breaths muffled and held. Erik can bet that he's chewing on his bottom lip in a bit to not babble-- probably giving time for Erik to proceeds the information-- brows crunched and blue eyes wide in anticipation. Something constricts in Erik's chest at the thought and he sighs heavily.

'Alright, fine. I'll do it.' 

Charles releases a gush of air, a breath he probably was unconsciously holding. 'Thank you, Erik. Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you for this,' Charles says somber and sincere. 

'By taking my side than Alex’s. Easy,' Erik says just to get a laugh out of Charles and grins inwardly when he achieves it. 'Listen, Charles,' he continues, 'I can pretend to be your fiancé, but I can't pretend to be a heart surgeon-'

Charles is already speaking before Erik has finished. '-That won't be necessary. Mother knows my boyfriend proposed to me, but she doesn't know who he is or what he does. So you need not pretend to be someone else. You can be yourself.'

Erik still doesn't know how to parse or process all of this, but he'll just have to trust Charles on this.

'We can't pretend to be engaged and not have a backstory,' Erik says, because if he's doing this, might as well do it right.

'We'll discuss it over lunch.' There are sounds of movement in the background, gloves being removed and ruffling coats. 'How do you feel about Chinese?'

Erik closes the IDE and locks his screen. He picks up his leather jacket and hooks it up over his shoulder. 'Meet you at the reception.'

'Oh, and are you free after work?  We'd need a ring and I thought we could go shopping.'

'What?' Erik says, almost offended, 'If I'm proposing to you, I'm not doing it with a shop bought ring. I can make rings, did you forget that by any chance…' And they continue to bicker like that until the end of lunch hour and the end of that day.

Erik maybe willing to trust Charles with everything else, but he isn't trusting him with the rings, not when the best designers in town can't weave metal like him.

-

[master-sass-blast]

Found Family Part Three: Ellie, Russell, and Yukio.

Welcome back to the Found Family miniseries! Part One and Part Two, in case you need to catch up!

Summary: A look at your friend/family-ship with Ellie, Russell, and Yukio.

Rating: T for mentions of abuse, mentions of death, mild language, and mild angst. This one’s pretty fluffy, though.

Pairings: Piotr Rasputin x Reader and Ellie Phimister x Yukio.

Set after: Dig the Needle In.

@marvel-is-perfection, @chromecutie

Your relationship with the other occupants of ‘Casa de la Mutants,’ as Wade calls it, is probably best described as “tenuous.”

(Except for Scott Motherfucking Summers, who is on the specific status of “go fuck yourself” at all times, regardless of what he’s done, is doing, or will do.)

Most of them don’t mind you. You do your stuff, they do theirs, and it’s all pretty fucking hunky-dory.

Granted, they think the fact that you hang out with Wade is weird, but you’re also the chief grading assistant and the one reason the teachers aren’t constantly swamped with an abundance of work, so it all balances out in the end.

Jean’s cool, as is Remy, and anyone Piotr is close to is pretty friendly to you, but in all honesty you get along better with the teens and college-age students that stay there.

Which is fine, as far as you’re concerned. They don’t judge you for your choices in life or friends –and if they do, they keep their mouths shut about it—and have better taste in hobbies and pastimes. It’s a little touch and go since they tend to bounce in and out for the school year, depending on which age bracket they’re in, but it’s fun.

There are, however, three very specific teens that you’ve adopted into your little found family. It took some time for all of you to warm up to each other, but it was time well-spent and you wouldn’t trade them for anyone else in the world.

This, ladies, gentlemen, and noble gentry of non-conforming gender identities, is the very dramatic tale of how you came to know and love Ellie Phimister, Russell Collins, and Yukio.

It isn’t a very dramatic tale, actually. It’s not even plain old dramatic. Really, it’s kind of run-of-the-mill, maybe even a little boring.

Let it be known that hype has limitations, especially when what you’re trying to sell as the next best thing is really just average.

Anyway.

Getting in with the three teens that are honorary members of the X-Force –because Ellie and Yukio are still technically X-Wo­men and Russell’s too young to be fighting crime—isn’t all that hard, either. Yukio genuinely loves people, Russell’s basically Wade’s shadow when the merc’s around, and Ellie is Yukio’s girlfriend and Piotr’s mentee. You’ve got more than enough connections to be in with the teens.

Also in your favor is that you’re not an actual authority figure at the mansion. You might grade essays, but you’re not a teacher or a trainer; granted, if shit hits the fan you’ve got enough clout to tell anyone younger than you to duck for cover, but that’s about it.

That, and you’re usually helping start trouble instead of policing it. The latter’s Piotr’s job.

Anyway.

The four of you aren’t super close, though. Ellie sticks with Piotr, Russell sticks with Wade, and Yukio bounces between groups as she pleases but always winds back up with Ellie at the end of the day (which is understandable). You’re sort of disjointed. You know each other, you know the same people, and you all find each other to be agreeable enough, but that’s about it.

Until the four of you are really the only company you all have.

It happens during the summer, when all the “school year only” residents head back home to their families –which takes out about half of the ‘population’ at Xavier’s to begin with.

Then, some sort of conference comes up about mutant rights. Charles heads out to attend that, taking Piotr, Ororo, and a few other X-Men with him.

Then, within days, some sort of big mission comes up that clears out the rest of the X-Men, along with Wade and Nate. You don’t know the details, only that it’s an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ situation –one that you’ve been benched from until you get your episodes under better control, and one that Ellie, Yukio, and Russell can’t attend because they’re too young.

The mansion may as well be a ghost town. The whole space is eerily devoid of noise, and the lack of human contact has you a bit twitchy.

You sigh over your latest text from Piotr –a reminder that he loves you and to eat more than Poptarts while he’s gone—and flop back onto your bed, dejected. I wish he was home already.

As it turns out, you’re not the only one disquieted by the lack of noise and human contact.

Russell walks in on your late night Poptart run –you love Piotr, but you do what you want—and sits across from you at the breakfast table. “Hey.”

You nod at him. “Hey,” you garble around a mouthful of toaster pastry that’s more preservatives than pastry. “Whassup?”

“Nothing. Not much going on without everyone here.” He shifts in his seat, gaze bouncing from you to the window to you to the floor to back to you. “Do you… do you know when they’re going to be back?”

“The conference ends next week,” you say with a shrug. “And I know jack shit about the mission, so I can’t say anything about the rest of them.”

Russell nods, shifts in his seat again. “So, uh—”

Before he can say whatever he was going to say, Ellie and Yukio walk in.

Yukio waves cheerily at the two of you before sitting down. “Hi, Russell! Hi, Y/N!”

Ellie just grunts and sits next to her girlfriend, eyes glued to her phone screen.

You smirk and cram more Poptart into your mouth. “Hey, Yukio. Ellie. I didn’t realize you two were still up.”

“It’s summer,” Ellie says drily. “Sleep is for chumps. Besides, it’s too damn quiet around here.”

“Yeah,” Russell agrees quickly, looking relieved at the fact that he’s not the only one thinking it. “It’s almost like something out of a horror movie.”

“We’re all used to the noise,” Yukio chimes in. “It’s just lonely without everyone else here.”

And then they all look at you, like they’re looking for some sort of direction on what to do.

Oh dear sweet Cthulhu, that’s exactly what they’re doing. You’re the adult now. They’re looking to you for guidance.

Who the fuck let that happen? You think, terrified by the sudden prospect of being the responsible one. Okay, Y/N. Put on your thinking cap. You’ve got three teenagers looking to you to act as the adult. Fuck, what do I do?

Okay, step one: isolate the problem.

Okay, that’s simple enough. They’re lonely. Maybe even a little scared at the prospect of not having the usual people around.

Step one done. Step two: determine what the need is.

Again, simple enough: they’re looking for companionship, but they don’t know how to ask for it because they’re usually surrounded by people –and they’re also at that tender age where asking a grown up for direct help is “uncool.”

Step two done. Step three: find a way to get from being lonely to not being lonely.

Which is easier said than done, actually. Sure, y’all could hang out and watch a movie, which would help to some degree, but you’re practically the only four people in the house right now. Somehow, watching a movie and then splitting apart again for the night doesn’t seem to be enough.

You glance over your shoulder; the rec room’s right behind you, dark since no one’s using it, and oh, hey, I’ve got an idea. “You guys want to camp out in the rec room for the night?”

And that’s definitely the right answer, if the way all three teens’ faces light up is anything to go by.

Step three done.

It takes the better part of an hour to get the rec room set up for your little camp out; none of you are really sold on the idea of sleeping on the couches, and even Ellie doesn’t remember where the pump for the air mattresses got stored, which means the four of you have to drag down your regular beds from upstairs.

Which means rearranging all the furniture in the rec room so there’s space for four twin-sized mattresses on the floor, and since none of you can lift a couch single handed –Piotr—it takes a lot of sweat and team effort.

But the four of you do manage, and by the end of it you’ve got four mattresses settled on the rec room floor with blankets and pillows.

Russell sits down on his bed, gaze bouncing around the room as his uncertainty manifests again. “So… what now?”

It’s Ellie who makes the first suggestion.

“You guys ever play Mario Kart?”

You and Russell, as it turns out, suck at Mario Kart.

Not that it matters. You’re all too busy busting a gut at just how bad you and Russell –more specifically, you, since you decide to ignore the idea of winning in favor of fucking around on the courses—are at the game.

And Ellie, as it turns out, is a good teacher. By the end of it all, you and Russell are decent enough at Mario Kart to beat most of the computer characters.

(None of you are good enough to beat Ellie, though.)

The sun’s well on its way to being high in the sky when you wake up the next morning.

Ellie jerks awake with a snort when your phone’s alarm goes off.

You smirk as she tries to get her hair looking somewhat normal. “Sleep well?”

“Meh.” She rolls over to Yukio’s mattress and flops on top of her girlfriend. “It’s time to get up.”

Yukio groans and shoves Ellie off her. “I’m awake.”

You grin at their antics, then turn around and nudge Russell awake. “Hey. You should probably eat something.”

“Probably.” He rubs at his eyes. “What’s in the kitchen?”

“Uh…” You frown. “I’ve got Poptarts.”

“Those will spike my blood sugar too fast.”

“Right. Uh…”

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you two how to cook?” Ellie comments drily, eyebrow raised as she watches the two of you.

“No,” Russell says, glaring at her.

You shake your head when she looks at you. “Forced dependency. Abusers use it to keep their victims dependent on them for survival so they’re less likely to run away.”

She stares at you and Russell for a long, silent moment, then clenches her jaw and stands. “Come on. I’m teaching you two how to make a decent breakfast.”

She teaches the two of you how to make pancakes –without burning them, something you’ve never managed before—and the four of you eat breakfast in the rec room while watching reruns of the original “Teen Titans” cartoon series.

“The reboot is utter blasphemy,” Ellie comments when you ask her about it. “Just… don’t even try to watch it, okay?”

You all spend the rest of the day together; you play video games, you explore the house and the grounds, you watch TV and movies…

And then before you know it, it’s night again, and the house is still too damn quiet.

It’s clear that the three teens think the same, judging by the desperate looks they give you.

You glance at the mattresses, which are still on the rec room floor, then look back at them. “You guys wanna camp out another night?”

Russell’s face lights up. “Yeah!”

“I think it sounds like fun!” Yukio agrees.

Ellie shrugs and taps at her phone. “Whatever.”

You grin. “Sounds like we’re all in agreement, then.”

The next few days follow the same pattern: stay up late playing video games and watching TV, wake up mid-morning and eat breakfast, spend the day playing games, watching movies, or getting into mild mischief, then do it all over again.

It’s great. A little care-free, a little irresponsible, but it’s great.

It’s hard to feel lonely when you’re surrounded by friends, after all.

“So, wait.” Russell puts his slice of pizza down and focuses intently on Yukio. “Your family’s okay with you being a mutant?”

Yukio smiles and nods. “Yes. I am very fortunate, of course, but mutantism is viewed different in Japan. It’s more celebrated. Mutants are said to be blessed by our ancestors and the spirits.”

“I wish it was that way here,” Russell mutters, somewhat dejected. “I’m glad you have a supportive family, though. That’s… that’s good.”

“You have a supportive family, too,” Yukio says with a sweet smile. “All mutants are family to each other. Don’t forget that.”

You can’t help but smile as Russell perks up. “So, when do you go and visit your family?”

“I have an aunt in California,” Yukio says. “She hosts my parents during spring break so I can see them, and I go home to see them during winter break and part of summer break.”

“Is she a mutant too?” Russell asks.

Yukio shakes her head. “The last mutant in my family before me was my great-great grandfather.”

“It’s pretty rare for families to have long histories of active mutations,” Ellie chimes in as she munches on her pizza crust. “The X-gene’s pretty fickle.”

Russell frowns. “I thought Colossus came from a mutation family.”

Ellie snorts. “That’s just Russia, dude. Russia’s weird.”

“What about your family, Y/N?” Yukio asks. “Do you have any mutants in your family?”

Your mind flashes to your uncle automatically –his work as a mercenary, his history as a non-voluntary government agent, how spending those rare few weeks on his farm were the best weeks of your life when you were growing up.

You smile and shrug. “We’ve had one or two along the way.”

The four of you play video games for maybe an hour at a most, that night.

The rest of it, you spend talking.

“My parents threatened to kick me out when I came out as gay.” Ellie takes a swig from her water bottle. “They actually did it when my mutation manifested.”

Yukio frowns sympathetically and squeezes her girlfriend’s hand. “But your aunt’s been very supportive.”

Ellie smirks. “Doesn’t hurt that she’s gay, too.” She glances over at you. “What about your family?”

You roll your eyes. “Who gives a shit.”

Ellie laughs and nods. “That’s a mood.”

“What happened when your mutation manifested?” Russell asks. “I blew up a toilet.”

“I was outside when it happened,” Ellie says. “I got lucky. I did destroy a couple trashcans, though.”

“I made a few lights explode,” Yukio adds.

You look down at your hands when everyone looks at you. “I accidentally killed someone.” You swallow hard and take a deep breath. “I was five.”

Yukio moves to sit next to you and wraps her arms around you in a hug. “It wasn’t your fault.”

You manage a smile and pat her arm. “Thanks.”

“Does it feel good to kill people?” Russell blurts out.

Ellie whips her half empty water bottle at his head. “You don’t just ask that, idiot!”

You hold up a hand before she can rip into the poor kid. “It’s okay, Ellie.”

Because you know why he’s asking. You know he’s gotten different bits and pieces of the story from Wade and the X-Men –and a few from Nate when he was feeling vindictive—about why Nate was trying to kill him and why Wade worked so hard to save him.

You can hear the unspoken question he’s asking: Am I at risk? Am I going to become the monster people always said I am?

You asked yourself the same question growing up, after each incident you had with the men that liked to hunt you with guns when you ran away.

You look him in the eye. “It doesn’t. The only people who really get off on killing people are psychopaths. You aren’t a psychopath.”

Russell relaxes visibly.

“What does that make Wade?” Ellie mutters, half sarcastic and half serious.

“Psychopaths hurt people for the sake of hurting them,” you interject quickly. “Wade does it to take out people who hurt other people.”

“He’s a psychopath killer,” Russell says.

You shrug. “Basically.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” Ellie argues.

“I never said anything about right,” you fire back. “Wade definitely breaks nearly every single ethical and moral convention there is, but he has a code. And knowing that he goes after the kind of people that hurt me growing up…” You shrug again when your voice trails off. “I sleep better at night. I’m not ashamed to admit that.”

“I sleep better, too,” Russell chimes in quietly. “If it wasn’t for someone like Wade, I would’ve become a monster. Or the people at Essex would’ve kept hurting me.”

“It takes all kinds to make the world go around,” Yukio says, reaching over to hold Ellie’s hand again. “Wade is just one of the many kinds we need.”

Ellie lets out a huff. “He’s the crazy kind.”

But there’s no malice behind it, no insult.

The corner of your mouth turns up in a smile. “I doubt even he’d argue with you on that.”

Professor Xavier and the handful of mutants he took with him return home a couple days later.

It’s Piotr that finds your little set up in the rec room, though, which is probably for the best.

He crosses his arms over his chest and smiles down at the four of you. “I see you redecorated.”

The four of you look at each other, grin, then look back at Piotr. “Yeah.”

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of Marvel: Week of May 8th, 2019

Best of this Week: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #6 (Legacy #30) - Tom Taylor, Juann Cabal, Nolan Woodard, Federico Blee and Travis Lanham

I wasn’t expecting to be punched in the gut today.

The book begins with Spider-Man at the whim of Doctor Octopus, trapped under a cable from the Manhattan Bridge with the villain holding a boxed macguffin above his head. Suddenly, a new hero emerges: Spider-Bite a nine and half year old who handedly defeats Doc Ock until Vulture flies him away. With the young Spiders help, Peter is able to get the cable lifted from his back and the two chase down the fiends!

Upon making it onto the train that the two escaped to, it is revealed to be a trap set by The Green Goblin who reveals his new team of villains; The Sinister Sixty! In a beautiful, but very chaotic, double page spread of a STAGGERING SIXTY panels, the two defeat the villains before the real mastermind is revealed, a very upgraded Stilt-Man. Together, Spider-Man and Spider-Bite defeat Stilt-Man and retrieve the box, containing a Spider-Man action figure with many points of articulation and it is a very, very fun adventure! Until Spider-Bite starts coughing.

AND HERE’S THE GUT PUNCH.

I won’t spoil what happens for the rest of the issue, but the title of the book really lives up to ts idea. It’s not too often that we get these kinds of issue where a hero will do something small for the citizens of their universe. There’s always a huge threat or big bad villain to combat, but hardly time to be grounded, to connect with the reason that they fight crime in the first place. Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has been surprisingly amazing thus far when it comes to storytelling and art. While I have complained the Cabal’s art made NYC feel empty in the past, this book felt so full of life, even when there was so much happening on screen that it became a little hard to focus, he pulled it back. The action was amazing, dynamic and had a great flow to it, making sure that neither Spider-Man nor Spider-Bite completely outshined each other, but still giving most of the spotlight to the kid.

I want to see more issues like this from more series. Even if they’re only just fillers because this one was all kinds of exciting and heartbreaking and insanely inspiring at the same time. I highly recommend everyone to read this. Even if you haven’t read the other issues, this one stands up on its own as a very heartfelt story.

---------------------------------------------------

There’s no hope for redemption in Namor now.

Runner Up: Invaders #5 - Chip Zdarsky, Carlos Magno, Butch Guice and Travis Lanham

Namor has always skirted the line between anti-hero and villain during his many years of publication. He fought against the Nazis in World War II, but he’s also had stalemates with world Governments for their treatments of the sea. He’s stood up for mutant rights, but he’s also become part of the Phoenix Force and fought the Avengers. He’s helped saved the universe more times than he can count, but he’s also helped destroy many more.

The last few years haven’t exactly been kind to him either. Between being murdered and brought back to life by the Squadron Supreme, losing control of Atlantis to Hydra Cap and having Celestials crash down into his home, Namor has had enough. Enlisting the help of the US Navy Commander grandson of one of his WWII war buddies, Namor plans to launch bombs that supposedly only targets humans.

Steve finds out about the initial plans and tries his best to cut off the Commander before he can help initiate the launch. He calls the Admiral in charge of the ship that the missiles are held on and when she tries to intervene, she and her crew are viciously murdered by the Commander and other Atlanteans.

At the same time, original Human Torch, Jim Hammond, tries to find Namor to put a stop to his plans, but is ambushed by the madman. Namor savagely beats him and notes that Jim could have helped Atlantis rebuild after its destruction during Secret Empire. Hammond tries to appeal to Namor's emotions and uses their friendship, but whatever Charles Xavier did to him during his amnesia period has driven him mad with grief and rage. Namor, egged on by the ghost of his best human friend, Tommy, says that he does what he does for his people and decapitates Hammond.

Captain America arrives shortly after calling the Avengers to help stop the launched missiles. He tells Namor that his plan has failed, that the Avengers will stop The Commanders missiles and they do. But Namor, being the cunning King/Prince he is, notes that while that may be true, they didn't stop the missiles that Atlantis launched in “retaliation” to America's aggression.

In my opinion, Namor has truly never been better than he is right now. His rage and deepening insanity are making him a more compelling character than his times as a petulant king or reluctant supervillain. I love the callbacks to his early Invaders years and the time gap between his disappearance and him being found post amnesia. This is the unhinged man that we all knew that he could be and I am here for it.

There's also a sort of Shakespearean quality to the story being told. The Prince is going mad because of the ghosts that he's seeing, with greater power than he has ever wielded. He betrays his friends and everyone else close to him because he only feels that they are out to destroy him, so he, in mad arrogance, goes after them. It's tragic to see a hero fall like this, which only makes this even more perfect.

Not only is the story awesome, but Guice and Magno's art still compliment and enhance each other. Magno draws everything with a beautiful near realism and colors very brightly, contrasting the very dark tone of the story. I particularly love the way that he depicts The Human Torch and how he looks enveloped in fire. Guice, of course, still dips in the grit and grim of the 1940s and shows a bit of a lighter side to Namor, back in the good old days.

Invaders continues to captivate me and seeing the new lengths that Namor is willing to go to protect us people is terrifying. I'm gleefully anticipating the next issue, high recommend!

[u23art]

A LOOK AT THE X-MEN

The X-men are better than the Avengers. That may seem like a blunt statement, but frankly they have been brushed aside out of relevance for too long thanks to a complete lack of consistent direction in their movies. The Avenger’s reception from the public has sky rocketed thanks to the MCU, but I yearn for the elements that they lack that the X-men stories retain. I genuinely believe that the X-men are the best superhero team and today I will project my opinion onto you to illustrate my point. Why am I doing this?

I was bitter and vindictive when I heard the news that Kevin Feige had no X-men plans for the foreseeable future, yet he had plans for “The Eternals” and Shang Chi whom frankly lack a great appeal. This is on top of the fact that 2019 will mark Fox’s final hoorah with the mutants as X-men: Dark Phoenix, The New Mutants and Legion Season 3 draw to a close. I think it was inevitable that Disney would buy back the characters, so since Kevin Feige is seemingly being a big Dumb Dumb lacking the foresight to jot down some X-men plans, I may not be getting X-Men movies with the MCU coat of polish for at least 5 to 10 years. The X-men since the 1960s were a metaphor for minorities during the civil rights movement. Feared for being an unknown variable in society, they were met with scorn and distain. Though sadly the comic was not an overnight success, they were almost sunk entirely until Chris Claremont refreshed the team with his issue of Giant Sized X men and gave so many characters a needed dose of dimension to their identities. Since then the team has continued to expand and evolve ever since. Before I start showering all manner of praise on the team, I will at least offer some criticism to show they are not without faults. There’s Wolverine’s popularity: when used well we’re given great stories like Old Man Logan or Hugh Jackman performances in the films, when abused we end up with 7 variables of Wolverine running around the comics like a desperate cry for attention. Not to mention that Wolverine was focused on so much that it proved counter intuitive to the movies X3 and Apocalpse. THEN there’s his lusting for Jean, Wolverine has a hefty handful of failed relationships with women around the world and he is an awful human being for trying to interfere with Scott and Jean. He’s a cool hero but a terrible person. Additionally, Poor Storm keeps getting written off from man to man like Forge and T’Challa when the REAL chemistry is between her and Logan. The ending of Grant Morrison’s new X men was remarkably generic and a sad left turn from such a uniquely macabre set of events. Jubilee doesn’t get to do ANYTHING, she gets abused and forgotten constantly and only gets to contribute by crying and showing compassion. Despite being “diverse”, the writers force this in problematic ways, like how Psylocke isn’t ACTUALLY Asian but a British women in a Japanese woman’s body. Now for some praise. For starters, there is the balance between the character’s hero identities and their citizen lifestyles. With other superheroes, their hero identities take so much more precedent that their moments out of costume are few and far between. X men writers take the opportunities to show human vulnerability whenever they can without the costumes and they still make it compelling. We get such examples as Kitty Pryde going to college and living beyond a life with the team in Xtreme X-men. In Astonishing X-men, we see Hank McCoy suffer from depression and disconnecting himself from socialize when his mutation turns him into a cat-like form and his longtime girlfriend Trish Tilby breaks up with him over the phone. In New X-men we see Charles Xavier make bigger efforts to bridge the gap between mutants and humans by going public and expanding the educational options that his school provides and making it more of a school than a combat training facility.

There were times when there were so many characters that writers had to actually move them off the team, but rather than write them into some sort of limbo they were moved onto new teams. From that we got such serializations as X-Force, X-Factor, New Mutants and X-Caliber.  A lot of the X men comics acted as great opportunities for writers like Joss Whedon, Scott Lobdell, Grant Morrison and Jason Aaron, they all brought their A game and the stories were better off for it.

Oh, and in light of the chore of a movie that was Captain Marvel, it is more than fair to mention that the X-men have the best females hands down. Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Blink, Armor, X-23, Psylocke, Blindfold and Rachel Summers. You want strong females? The X men have the strong females. 

Then there is the X-men’s rogue gallery. A hero’s journey is defined by the obstacles they face, and the X men are in no shortage of memorable villains. Apocalypse, Onslaught, Lady Deathstrike, Magneto, Omega Red, The Hellfire Club, The Phalanx, Stryfe, Madeline Pryor, Mojo, Sabertooth, Bella Donna, Dark Phoenix, Mister Sinister, Mystique, Mastermold, Bastion, Nimrod, Emma Frost, the Juggernaut, Cameron Hodge, The Brotherhood of Mutants and Cerebro and the Danger Room when they achieve sentience. The X-men have an extensive list of villains that make their confrontations unique and so many of them have rocked the Marvel Universe they were such a threat. As for outside of the comics, there are the movies, but there is something to be said for the cartoon series spin offs. The 90s animated series, X men Evolution and Wolverine and the X men, these all share the previously stated fundamental elements that make good X-men stories and they are praised by the fans because of it. The only animated series that didn’t do this was Pryde of the X-men, but that was an early attempt and probably acted as a cautionary tale going forward. And lastly, the one element that these comics have that the Avengers don’t have, the Fantastic Four don’t have, the Guardians of the Galaxy don’t have and the Justice League don’t have. The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters; this building provides a breath between adventures. It is a tranquil setting that provides a backdrop for characters to engage in casual conversations. It is a familiar backdrop, unlike the labs and roundtable rooms with rigid architecture that are peppered throughout the hero headquarters in other comics. When Logan wakes up in the school at the end of Days of Future Past, it thoroughly illustrates that he was out of harm’s way and had finally come home. It’s a cathartic structure for learning and understanding. I will miss the X-men’s time away from the big screen, and I worry about their future. In the Marvel cinematic universe, Earth has been establish as a setting and I worry incorporating the mutants into the setting could prove harder and harder to do as time goes on. The X-men are more united than the Avengers and I am sad to see them fall by the wayside. Though at the very least I can fall back on some excellent comics.

[class-wom]

What if the story of FX's Legion, created and scripted by TV writer (Fargo) and novelist (Before the Fall) Noah Hawley, is less about the story arc of the series itself and more the story about how and why it got made in the first place? Hawley had improbably turned the brilliant Coen Brothers movie, Fargo, into the acclaimed, separately realized vision of a TV series. So what if Legion was a lark from a prestige cable channel rewarding a very smart writer, and the extended generosity ends up being that Hawley, no fan of superheroes, wants to make a Marvel superhero story about mental illness rather than superpowers? And he also wants to mess with the notion that the hero in question has to be heroic at all.

I mean, if you're FX, with a long history of taking chances on exceptional talents, you probably say, "OK, sure, let's see what you come up with." Which is exactly the answer you want if you love television as a creative exploration rather than predictable, formulaic movement from episode to episode, season to season.

It would certainly explain the triptastic, visually stunning first season of Legion, which was basically a more coherent exploration of weirdness than Twin Peaks. And then the perception-changing second season (Jon Hamm as a narrator that didn't exist before!), which seemed intent on taking a Marvel vehicle (that will unlikely be tampered with again) and giving it a kind of Breaking Bad halo, disconcertingly telling its audience that the person at the center of the story, the hero they were rooting for, was in fact pretty awful.

How else to explain the fact that, by the end of that second season, anyone tuning in for a typical Marvel series was probably tuning out. Legion was seemingly moving from oddball project for Hawley into an experiment that wouldn't likely hold, given how busy he was and the inherent limitations of Marvel-centric superhero stories inside the mind of someone not particularly interested in those limitations or the expectations for that genre.

Translation: You probably wouldn't be too far off assuming, at the end of Legion season two, that Hawley's mindset was: "OK, that was a cool experiment but I'm over it." Of course, that assumption could be way off, and the third and final season of Legion was planned as the end all along (that's certainly the narrative) and all that's left is a pro forma wrap-up where the main character, David (Dan Stephens), course-corrects his Walter White excursion and the series closes with everybody doing the moral and ethical thing and putting the world right.

Sure, maybe, I don't know. I'd probably watch that.

But instead, what looks to be happening after last season's experimentation is that Hawley is once again having a blast reimagining a Marvel superhero show. He is tripling down on the visual gymnastics and mind-altering aspects, but with the kind of narrative focus that will culminate in a three-years-is-ideal big picture analysis, lovingly concluding that he got it all right, or at least right enough to be riveting.

I hope that's true, but without the full season to examine at length (eight total; I've seen four), who knows what will happen. But I'm loving the direction the third and final season of Legion is going in because the journey has been less about Marvel and more about Hawley and, given the television track record of each, I'll take the latter every time.

There's an unmistakable creative energy about each episode of the third season, as if Hawley, his writing staff and collection of directors all gathered around and said, "Let's go out on fire." I'd argue that the second season, which simultaneously seemed to annoy fans of the comic and fall short of satisfying some critics, did its job of upending the narrative built in season one. But it also perhaps had to come to terms with the fact that its weirdness was vast, like its stable of excellent actors, and if the third season was really going to be the end, some snipping would have to be done. It wasn't perfect but it was unfailingly creative, funny and risky, which is often more than enough to overcome quibbles.

Look, Legion was doing most things remarkably well — notably giving people like Aubrey Plaza, Navid Negahban, Bill Irwin and Jemaine Clement, to name a handful of random examples, room to explore and crush the acute weirdness of their characters in a way that few series ever do. (There are 10-minute scenes in every episode of Legion where I'd take just that and only that over a full episode of something else.) And while the work of Stevens' David and Rachel Keller's Syd is the no-doors, no-safety-belt rollercoaster car that fuels the Legion story, at least half the fun of the show is watching other actors run around the theme park with their hair on fire.

Which is to say, sure, if you really want to focus on the plotting, that can be your hill to die on. But all this other vigorous exploration of the mind's infinite possibilities (especially for a mutant) is pretty damned intriguing on its own.

I'm assuming but neither hoping nor demanding that Legion will end with a plot arc that feels satisfying. Season three could end with former hero David dying as the villain at the hands of new hero Syd, who saves the world. It could be David coming back from the depth of madness and harnessing his powers (whatever those really are) and there being some kind of interior peace for him. It could (and likely will) end... differently.

Viewers often come to the realization, after several seasons of a drama, that it's not the thing they'd hoped it would be. This is especially true for genre series like fantasy and sci-fi and superheroes. It seems as if more people should know when they sign up that their results may vary (spoiler: most don't know and thus are disappointed). But with Hawley's Legion, if you were expecting something predictable or literal, well, you weren't paying attention from the very first frame.

The journey is the joy here, and if you want yet another confirmation of that, watch the first episode of season three and look what director Andrew Stanton (all things Pixar) does with the material that Hawley and co-writer Nathaniel Halpern give him.

Season three adds David's real father, Charles Xavier (aka Professor X, leader of the X-Men), in the form of Harry Lloyd (Counterpart, Game of Thrones), and his mother Gabrielle in the form of Stephanie Corneliussen (Mr. Robot), who sheds some light on "The World's Angriest Boy In the World," plus an essential new character, Switch (Lauren Tsai), who is a time-traveler.

If the Professor X revelation pulls back in fans of the comic book or X-Men, it probably won't end well for them. Hawley doesn't seem to have particular interest in the franchise or superheroes in general, and was at least partially attracted to the idea so that he could portray mental illness in a different way — while also having a hell of a time with mind-bending visuals, tricky editing and now, in the final season, hallucinatory drugs adding to the fugue state effect.

Maybe, as someone not particularly interested (fine, not at all interested) in X-Men stuff, I fall into that weird subset where Legion is the perfect series. I just go with what's on the screen, revel in the conceptual ideas and applaud the acting turns, willingly negligent about Marvel-universe connections and never expecting — as others seem to be demanding — that this show, of all shows, be more concise, more linear, more understandable.

Cast: Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, Jeremie Harris, Bill Irwin, Amber Midthunder, Jemaine Clement, Hamish Linklater, Navid Negahban, Lauren Tsai, Harry Lloyd, Stephanie Corneliussen Created and written by: Noah Hawley First episode directed by: Andrew Stanton Premieres June 24, 10 p.m. FX

If I had to pick one single sentence from this review to summarize my current admittedly tortured state of mind regarding this show, it’s this:  “Viewers often come to the realization, after several seasons of a drama, that it's not the thing they'd hoped it would be. “  But there are those who already knew this about Yours Truly, whether they needed to or not!  😏  (Also love the unwritten “I’m looking at you, fans of Game of Thrones!”-implications here, lol)