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Previous X-Men films have seriously lacked the diversity of the comics, but the mutants’ pending move to the MCU could correct this issue.
Marvel’s X-Men have played a vital role in the introduction of diversity into comics over the years. For many, the team of international heroes was the first time heroes of different cultures and backgrounds were seen in the medium. While it hasn’t been perfect, the X-Men have long been instrumental in introducing people of color and members of the LGBTQ into roles as certified superheroes, and have lead the charge in the representation of the marginalized, at least in the world of comics.
When watching the X-Men films, however, almost none of that is present. The vast majority of the team’s diverse characters are pushed to the background or omitted altogether in favor of teams that are “whitewashed.” Storm, a veteran leader of the team in the comics is seen as little more than a token character in the movies, who has appeared in nearly every X-Men film, yet has still managed to do nothing noteworthy or experience any kind of significant development. Mystique’s status as a member of the LGBTQ community is completely omitted, although it is a major part of her comic book identity. For a team whose story revolves around tolerance and acceptance, it is an egregious slight for the film universe to blatantly omit this core aspect of the X-Men’s existence. However, the team’s pending migration to the MCU presents an excellent opportunity to correct this mistake.
It’s unknown how mutants will be introduced into the MCU at this time, but there are buzzing rumors that this year’s Doctor Strange and The Multiverse Of Madness will be the film that introduces them. This presents Marvel with a unique opportunity to introduce a team that promotes diversity, much like the “All-New, All-Different” lineup that first introduced international characters such as the African Storm and the Native American Thunderbird to the team.
Thus far, Wolverine has been the starring character of the films, but there is hope that this could change. While the Canadian mutant is vastly popular among fans, the time is ripe to get deep into the stories of mutants such as Northstar, who was one of Marvel’s first openly gay heroes, and Jubilee, a fan favorite hero of Asian descent who has thus far only had cameo appearances in the films. When talking about bringing the diversity of the comics into the films, it’s important to recognize where potentially interesting X-Men characters have been pushed aside in the past, in the hopes that these characters can receive bigger roles in the future.
There are two primary points here. The first is that an allegory for discrimination will hit harder if a decent chunk of the cast is people who actually face discrimination in the real world. The second is that the number of mutants who have been considered X-Men over the years is far diverse for the movie universe to only focus on the same handful of mutants who have had the spotlight so far.
There’s no shortage of diverse X-Men characters to feature in the MCU. There is also no shortage of unique mutant teams to feature. Between the main team and offshoots such as X-Force, the Marauders, and the Hellions, an entire cinematic universe could be made exclusively for the mutants, in much the same way as the Guardians of the Galaxy head the cosmic quadrant of the MCU. Regardless, Marvel’s merry mutant now have a second chance to be given the treatment and respect they deserve on the big screen.
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