FOX's newest X-Men show "The Gifted" premieres today and in the midst of the teasers and videos introducing the characters that will be in this universe, there are some questions that have yet to be answered. One, and perhaps the most important question of them all: where are the X-Men?
Fortunately, that question was somehow answered in an interview with CBR, showrunner Matt Nix revealed that the X-Men, along with the Brotherhood of Mutants, vanished after an event similar to 9/11 that caused a big social upheaval and brought on a lot of hatred towards the mutants. Still, exactly why or how the X-Men are absent in this series and whether or not they fit into the current timeline remains to be seen.
Budget seems to be the most logical reason for the X-Men to be absent on the show. Naturally, shows do not have as big of a budget as the films, so it is impossible to get someone like Hugh Jackman to reprise his role in "The Gifted." Of course, there are also reasons that apply more to the story's narrative, like the mutants are currently in space or the show is right in the middle between two of Fox's latest X-Men releases: "Legion" and "Logan" in terms of timeline, the two releases being incredibly different in terms of time period.
"Legion" on one hand, takes place in a time before there was such a thing as a mutant problem, and Charles Xavier has been referenced a number of times already as seen in the last two episodes of its first season. "Logan" on the other hand, takes place far into the future, where the mutant race has declined and there have not been any mutants created for a while now. Charles then hints that his deteriorating mental state has resulted in the deaths of many mutants, among them being the X-Men as well.
But that is not the only connection that "The Gifted" has with its movie counterparts. Apart from the inclusion of Blink on the show (played by Jamie Chung), who has appeared in "Days of Future Past," (played by Fan Bing Bing) there is also Polaris' (Emma Dumont) parentage.
Nix revealed that yes, Polaris is revealed to be Magneto's daughter in "The Gifted." Nix explained that the show's version of the mutant, whose real name is Lorna Dane, will go back to the time when she did not know everything. The show will also address the character's mental illness. Nix when on to say that Polaris' past will be further explored over the course of the season.
He said that towards the end of the show's season, when those suspicions come to light, Lorna will have to confront her past, and it totally means that she will have to come to terms with knowing that she is the daughter of Magneto.
That alone, has a lot of upsides and downsides, as Nix said. In a way, her parentage will create a sort of divide between her and her friends. "In other ways, does she accept the mantle of her birthright? Is it her job to be Magneto in his absence?"
