Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown since the first movie, Iron Man (2008) came out. The universe is now in the fourth phase and is exploring the concept of the multiverse. A number of superheroes joined along the way, which included many of the significant characters from the Marvel comics. Some even got a chance to meet their multiversal selves.
But throughout this entire journey, mutants, one of the major comic characters, were missing from MCU. This was because Fox Studios held their cinematic rights, but now with its deal with Disney, the X-Men are finally home. But how could there be a creative explanation for their absence, a Marvel theory could help MCU explain that.
Mr. Sinister – A major X-Men Villain
Any Marvel comics fan is familiar with the name. Mr. Sinister or Nathaniel Essex was a Victorian-era scientist, who was obsessed with natural evolution and even predicted the mutants. It was due to Apocalypse that he turned into Mr. Sinister. He mastered cloning to create new life and manipulated DNA to enhance powers, under the control of Apocalypse. But he wanted to break free and hence manipulated the lives of major mutants including Professor X.
His actions started affecting the X-Men when he ordered Marauders to kill the Morlocks. He then started working on removing the X-gene from the mutants to eradicate them from the world, running the Essex Corporation as shown in Fox’s X-Men. But how does he fit into the mutant theory of MCU?
The Mutants were a part of the MCU
[Spoilers for Ms. Marvel finale]
The revelation at the end of the finale episode that the source of Kamala Khan’s powers, isn’t just the bangle but a mutation in her genetic makeup, implies that she might have the X-Gene as well, which makes her different from the rest of the family. Also, according to a Reddit user, Hanbanana666, in the book The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration of the Avengers and Beyond, there is proof that MCU had mutants but their genes were suppressed.
Sokovia was a country that was full of humans with a special genes. This is why Wanda and Quicksilver were able to gain superpowers with the help of the Mind Stone. Mind Stone only acted as a tool to activate their superpowers. Now, the suppression of the gene could have been due to the Legacy Virus, created by Mr. Sinister to eradicate the X-Gene. It affected the water and food supply.
The Legacy Virus
It is a viroid that was created to destroy the X-Gene in the mutants. It was released by Stryfe accidentally, a terrorist from the future. It leads to the deaths of thousands of mutants and even some baseline humans. The virus was originally of two types, Legacy -1 and Legacy -2, that targeted the X-Factor. If it is absent in a person, the viroid would die and leave the person unaffected.
How would it help in the introduction of mutants in the MCU?
Though the virus eradicated the X-Gene in humans and killed the ones who had it. It had somehow not been completely finished as some managed to live on with the gene in a suppressed state. It is also to be noted that Wanda and Quicksilver originally are mutants in the Marvel comics. These suppressed genes only needed a trigger to activate their powers, like Kamala’s bangle or the Mind Stone in the former’s case.
Also, the radiations released in the Blip could also have led to the activation of the X-Gene in the mutants. Fitting the X-Men into the multiverse is going to be a challenge for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But the theory that Mr. Sinister of 616 is the reason behind the absence of mutants so far could be a great way to introduce them also with Deadpool 3 set to release soon.
