The X-Men movie franchise was great for adapting minor characters from the comics, with numerous examples from the original X-Men trilogy that casual viewers may not have noticed. Fox’s X-Men timeline was littered with great characters from X-Men‘s mighty pantheon of heroes and villains. While many of these are incredibly faithful to the comics, some of them are incredibly different, ultimately receiving a new life after their cinematic appearances.
Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the X-Men movies have a huge swathe of minor characters and cameos. Considering Disney’s new release strategy for the MCU, which will focus on established characters and franchises, even the most obscure characters could appear in the MCU timeline. It’s therefore fortuitous that even the less obvious characters from Fox X-Men movies have comic book origins.
X-Men (2000) Cast & Character Guide
The original X-Men movie from 2000 introduced an ensemble cast of iconic superhero and supervillain characters from the Marvel Comics roster.
10 The Boy With A Purple Tongue Is Artie Maddicks
X2: X-Men United (2003)
Artie Maddicks first appeared in 1986’s X-Factor #2. He is typically depicted as having pink lumpy skin and large round eyes. A decidedly more human version of Artie appeared in X2: X-Men United. This rendition had normal skin and eyes but bore a purple lizard tongue. Artie was depicted in X2 during the Xavier Institute school trip to a museum, where he pokes his distinctive tongue out and is chastised by Storm. He is later rescued by the X-Men from the Alkali Lake base and carried to safety by Wolverine – poking his tongue out again.
9 Mystique Impersonates Henry Gyrich
X-Men (2000)
Mystique had a highly memorable introduction in the X-Men franchise, revealing her identity while abducting Senator Robert Kelly and his helicopter. The man Mystique was disguised as in this scene was Kelly’s assistant, Henry Gyrich – who in the comics plays a much larger role. In the 1970s, Gyrich was the US government liaison to the Avengers, whosemistrust of superheroes often hampered their missions. Gyrich would later be reassigned to numerous superhero teams and repeatedly implemented policies that challenged their autonomy. This evolved later into anti-mutant sentiments and political ambitions, remaining closely linked to the Avengers.
10 X-Men Villains Fox Movies Ignored, But The MCU Shouldn’t
The X-Men have numerous compelling antagonists that are missing from Fox’s X-Men franchise but should be considered for the MCU’s mutant movie.
8 Anti-Mutant Senator Robert Kelly
X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003)
Robert Kelly is a prominent United States Senator who launched his career campaigning against mutant rights. The anti-mutant politician played a key role in the first X-Men movie, kidnapped by Magneto’s Brotherhood and dying after being transformed into a mutant. However, in the comics, Kelly is far more consequential. Kellyappeared in The Uncanny X-Men‘s famed storyline “Days of Future Past,”with his assassination triggering the apocalyptic future (as opposed to Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of Future Past). Kelly continued his anti-mutant activism throughout the 1980s and 1990s, finally changing his position in the early 2000s.
7 Siryn Screams During The X-Mansion Invasion
X2: X-Men United (2003)
During the Xavier School siege in X2: X-Men United, a young mutant screams so powerfully that it briefly incapacitates the invaders and alerts her fellow students of the danger. This has been confirmed as Theresa Rourke Cassidy, who often goes by the name Siryn in Marvel Comics. Siryn is first introduced in Spider-Woman and is the mutant daughter of stalwart X-Men member, Banshee. Like her father, Siryn is capable of producing a sonic scream and has appeared prominently in X-titles, including several Deadpool series. Siryn also appears in X-Men: The Last Stand, being comforted by Storm during Xavier’s funeral.
6 Phat Joins Magneto’s Brotherhood
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Phat made his cinematic debut in X-Men: The Last Stand during the mutant community meeting. Phat appeared as an extremely large and bulky attendee who shrank himself down to fit into a cramped seat. Phat subsequently joined Magneto’s Brotherhood during the battle of Alcatraz, where he was ultimately killed by Iceman. In Marvel Comics, Phat is amember of the mutant hero team X-Static, introduced in X-Force in 2001. Phat wields the power to manipulate his subcutaneous fat layer, enabling him to alter the size and consistency of any part of his body at will.
5 Anole Crawls On The Church Ceiling
X-Men: The Last Stand
Anole is another mutant introduced during the mutant community meeting in X-Men: The Last Stand before ultimately fighting with the Brotherhood during the Battle of Alcatraz. He first appeared climbing the walls of the church and is often mistaken for Toad. Anole does have some similar characteristics to Toad, including a long prehensile tongue and wall-crawling, but also boasts camouflage abilities and scaly skin. Anole was a central member of the New Mutants team and has appeared extensively in X-titles. In The Last Stand, he is last seen losing his powers and falling from a watchtower.
4 Ash Fights In The Battle Of Alcatraz
X-Men: The Last Stand
Ash is another mutant present during Magneto’s speech during the community meeting, who later joins the Battle of Alcatraz. He has blue-tinged, ashen skin and the ability to spew volcanic material from his mouth, which he uses to deadly effect while fighting human soldiers. In Marvel Comics, Ash is a member of the Morlocks – mutants whose mutations include severe physical deformities. He is depicted with exposed teeth and shrunken skin that creates a skull-like facial appearance. After his cinematic debut in The Last Stand, Ash had a key role in Iceman (Vol 4).
3 Kavita Rao Experiments On Angel
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Kavita Rao is the name of the scientist who has developed the mutant cure for Worthington Labs in X-Men: The Last Stand. She is particularly memorable for attempting to experiment on Angel, at his father’s request, and meeting a grisly demise at the hands of Quill during the Battle of Alcatraz. Rao was introduced into Marvel Comics only two years prior in Astonishing X-Men. Dr. Kavita Rao was the creator of a mutant cure named “Hope.” She became an integral part of the X-Men‘s Decimation narrative as a gifted geneticist.
2 Marcus Lyman Works With Stryker
X2: X-Men United (2003)
Marcus Lyman appeared throughout X2: X-Men United, working as part of William Striker’s military unit. He was involved in the Xavier School siege and appeared throughout the Alkali Lake base, working closely with Stryker and overseeing the captured mutant children. In Marvel Comics, Marcus Lyman’s wife is murdered, prompting Lyman to enact a violent killing spree under the name Massacre. With a severe brain injury that severs his sense of empathy, Massacre became a compelling antagonist for Spider-Man, receiving a more complex narrative arc after appearing in X2: X-Men United.
1 Jason Stryker Is Different In The Comics
X2: X-Men United, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Jason Stryker appeared throughout X2: X-Men United, as William Stryker’s mutant son with the ability to project illusions into people’s minds. In the movies, Jason is cryogenically frozen by his father after triggering his mother’s suicide, and is later lobotomized. Originally in Marvel Comics, it was William Stryker who killed Jason’s mother, and also Jason himself when he was still a baby. Jason was, however, reintroduced in All New X-Men, imprisoned by his father and ultimatelybecoming a notable X-Men villain with enormous potential power. This bestowed the distinctive X-Men movie character with a more fitting comic book backstory.
