Dallas Liu’s Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation has already shown us how the actor can handle CGI fire, and that puts the character in the running for a host of pyrokinetic characters across media. However, one character that Liu himself wishes to essay is a race-bent Pyro, the character from the X-Men with the exact powerset as Zuko.
Liu has already essayed a role in the MCU, appearing in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as the younger brother of Akwafina’s character, but that has not deterred the actor from voicing his MCU wishlist, which includes the pyrokinetic mutant Pyro, who is set to appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, played by Aaron Stanford (who will be reprising his role back from his X-Men days)
Dallas Liu detailed why he preferred Pyro over his initial choice
Dallas Liu has talked about the roles he wishes to essay in the MCU before, initially wanting to play a race-bent Bobby Drake/Iceman. However, since his role as Zuko took off in Avatar: The Last Airbender, his focus has since shifted towards the more villainous mutant factions. Speaking to Nerdist, Liu revealed:
“Iceman is a good pick just because I felt like nobody wants to talk about him. But now I would have to say I’m fully Pyro. He’s so bad. So bad. I think it’s a lot easier to imagine fire in a fight scene versus ice. You don’t know exactly the shape of it, how fast it’s moving. So yeah, I’m fully just Team Fire in general. The color red, it’s good.”
While Liu’s excitement to play Pyro in the MCU is evident, there are a slew of other pyrokinetic roles that could suit the character after playing Zuko. There are characters like Sunfire and Sunspot could fit the actor as well, and if we are to stray away from the mutant population of the MCU, characters like Pyreus Kril and Inferno, all of whom have pyrokinetic abilities similar to Pyro, if not exceeding them.
Dallas Liu might change his views on Pyro as Zuko’s redemption arc is completed
Dallas Liu seems enamored by how fire is used in combat and is leaning towards Pyro for his similar control over fire. However, as the show progresses, it is bound to occur that Liu could be influenced by Zuko’s redemption arc, which is widely acclaimed as the best of its kind in children’s media.
More heroic pyrokinetic mutants could be his cup of tea, such as Sunfire and Sunspot. Sunfire in particular has had multiple iterations, something that Marvel could exploit to give Liu a mentor figure, similar to what he has in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Having made his share of mistakes, Sunfire would be the perfect character for Liu to play, given how his redemption arc plays out in the comics. This would also tie the actor (along with the characters) to the Wolverine mythos, and even work towards establishing Krakoa.
