Who Are The New Mutants?

Hot on the success of Deadpool, 20th Century Fox is in the process of expanding it’s long-running X-Men film franchise.

Part of that expansion will be The New Mutants. It will be a film adaptation featuring the very first of many X-Men spinoff teams from Marvel Comics; like the comics, the film will feature a team of young adult mutants, and be aimed at young adult audiences.

In May 2015, Fox announced that they had hired Josh Boone to direct The New Mutants and to co-write the script with Knate Gwaltney. Boone has since turned in at least two drafts of the script, but apparently, the story still needed some polish. Fox announced last week that screenwriter Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who worked with Boone on The Fault in Our Stars, would be coming on board to give the script a fresh pass.

At the same time as the screenwriter news hit, news surfaced concerning which characters would make up the roster of the cinematic version of the New Mutants. According to reports, the movie will feature Dani Moonster, Wolfsbane, Cannonball, Sunspot, Magik, and Warlock. Now that we have a list of names to work with, it seems like a good time to offer a profile of these teen mutant heroes so that fans will know exactly why they should be looking forward to The New Mutants.

Keep reading as we provide a brief history of The New Mutants as a team, and profiles of every team member expected to appear in the film.

The New Mutants

In the 1980s, Uncanny X-Men was Marvel Comics’ flagship title, and its bestseller by far. Naturally, the company wanted to cash in on that success by expanding the franchise. The first spinoff series was The New Mutants, created by Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod in 1982.

The first New Mutants team consisted of Dani Moonstar (originally codenamed Psyche, and later Mirage), Karma, Cannonball, Sunspot, and Wolfsbane. The team was put together somewhat reluctantly by Professor X, who believed, at the time, that the X-Men were dead and was scared of losing another team of students. The series of events depicted in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants brought the team together despite Xavier’s reservations. Xavier vowed that his new class of students would remain students and not become superheroes, but that’s one more thing Xavier just couldn’t prevent from happening.

Xavier did his best to teach the New Mutants up until his apparent death (he got better). With his last words, he left the school and its students in the care of his best friend, Magneto, who had reformed from his life as a mutant terrorist. Magneto continued to teach the children, though his philosophy and teachings were much less pacifistic than Xavier’s. During this time, several more students, including Magma, Magik, Cypher, and Warlock joined the team.

Eventually, Magneto left the school in a bid for control of the Hellfire Club. The New Mutants found a new mentor in the time-traveller called Cable (the same Cable set to appear in Deadpool 2). Cable quickly reformed the New Mutants into a paramilitary team called X-Force, but the change caused a split in the group, and many of the New Mutants simply left the team rather than become soldiers.

The New Mutants remained disbanded until 2009 when Marvel launched the third volume of New Mutants (the second volume featured an entirely different set of students at Xavier’s School, with of few of the original New Mutants serving as their teachers). It was the return of Magik, who had been dead for years, with portents of the future that brought the team back together, and they remained together as a field team for the X-Men up until the events of Avengers vs. X-Men. After that, the team disbanded again, with several members going on to join the Avengers.

Dani Moonstar

There’s Black Widow, and Captain Marvel, and Jessica Jones, and Storm, but no list of badass women in the Marvel universe is complete with Dani Moonstar.

Danielle Moonstar is a Cheyenne Native American from Colorado. As a mutant, she had psychic empathy abilities that allowed her to communicate with animals and manifest the greatest fears of desires of those around her into three-dimensional apparitions in the real world. She’s also pretty good with a bow.

When Dani first manifested her powers she saw a vision of a Demon Bear murdering her parents. When her parents went missing, Professor Xavier, a friend of Dani’s father, took her into his school to train her in the use of her powers. The Demon Bear would later attack Dani, but the New Mutants faced it together.

Dani also became an Asgardian Valkyrie during a trip to Asgard with the New Mutants, and later chose to stay in Asgard for a time after her teammates left. As a Valkyrie, she gained the companionship of a winged horse named Brightwind and the ability to see death coming for those soon to die.

Dani later returned to Earth and became an undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrating a mutant terrorist organization. She eventually rejoined her old friends in X-Force, before returning to Xavier’s School as a teacher. Dani was one of the many mutants who lost her powers during the M-Day event and was subsequently fired by Emma Frost. After the Superhero Civil War, she became a teacher with the Initiative.

Though she was still without her powers, Dani rejoined the New Mutants when the team reformed in San Francisco. She and Cannonball entered a romantic relationship, and Dani eventually took over as the team leader.

Dani’s been out of the spotlight since the New Mutants disbanded again, but she’s set to return in All-New X-Men Annual #1 in November.

Wolfsbane

Rahne Sinclaire is another original New Mutant and one who quickly became close friends with Dani Moonstar. Wolfsbane is a Scottish mutant who has lycanthropic powers, granting her the ability to take the form of a wolf or to enter a werewolf like half-human, half-wolf state.

Rahne was an orphan who was raised by an abusive pastor called Reverend Craig. Craig beat a deep religiosity into Rahne, which continues to be one of her defining characteristics. Moira MacTaggert, Professor X’s friend, and colleague rescued Rahne from Craig and later adopted her.

During the X-Tinction Agenda event, Rahne was forced into service as a mutate slave of the Genoshan government. Rahne was mentally bonded to Alex Summers, a.k.a. Havok, who had forgotten who he was and was acting as a member of the Genoshan regime. After, when Cable turned the New Mutants into X-Force, Wolfsbane joined Havok’s new government-backed X-Factor team instead, but had to remain in her half-wolf form or risk falling into the subservient mutate persona again.

Wolfsbane eventually left X-Factor. She joined the United Kingdom-based mutant team Excalibur for a time and eventually returned to Xavier’s School as a teacher. Later she helped found the X-Factor Investigations detective agency with her former teammates Jamie Madrox the Multiple Man and Guido “Strong Guy” Carosella. During her time with X-Factor, she became romantically involved with the depowered mutant Rictor.

Wolfsbane left X-Factor to join the new X-Force, a mutant wet works team led by Wolverine. She was sent to infiltrate the Purifiers, a religious anti-mutant terrorist group, but was brainwashed by Reverend Craig, who she learned was her biological father. The sleeper programming caused Wolfsbane to attack her teammates and tear off Angel’s wings.

Wolfsbane left X-Force and was reunited with Hrimhari, an Asgardian wolf prince she fell in love with during her time in Asgard with the New Mutants. After a night together, Rahne becomes pregnant with Hrimhari’s child. Wolfsbane returned to X-Factor Investigations and eventually gave birth to her son, Tier. Tier was violent and feral when he was born and Rahne denounced the child, believing him to be a punishment for the sins she committed while with X-Force. She abandoned her son, but was never able to cope with the guilt. With the help of her Rictor and his new lover, Shatterstar, Wolfbane searched for an found Tier and lived with him for a time, but Tier was eventually drawn into and killed during a conflict between the lords of hell in the Marvel universe.

Rahne was last seen training to become a deaconess at a church run by one of Multiple Man’s duplicates.

Cannonball

Cannonball’s real time is Sam Guthrie, and he’s the Kentucky-born son of a coal miner. When his father died in an accident, Sam planned to take over for him and provide his mother and 9 siblings (several of whom would also turn out to be mutants). Those plans changed when his powers manifested. Sam’s mutant ability allows him to generate energy from his body, which he directs in order to blast himself through the air. Sam isn’t a great pilot at first, though, especially when it comes to making turns, so it’s a good thing that, as Sam frequently reminds those around him, he’s “nigh invulnerable when he’s blasting.”

Sam’s powers manifested just in time to save him from a mine collapse, and they also brought him to the attention of Donald Pierce of the Hellfire Club. Pierce hired Sam as a mercenary and ordered him to attack the New Mutants. Sam – a fundamentally good-hearted person – refused to kill his opponents, turned on Pierce, and joined Xavier’s new class. As a student, Sam’s character was defined by his politeness, honesty, and sense of honor. He became best friends with Sunspot.

When Cable rebranded the New Mutants as X-Force, Sam stayed on and was made Cable’s second-in-command. Sam develops a surrogate father-son bond with Cable. During this time, Sam was revealed to be an immortal mutant known as an External (though some later claim this to be untrue).

Sam eventually became a member a core X-Men team. He left for a time, rekindling an old romance with rock star Lila Cheney, but returned as a member of Nightcrawler’s X-Men team, then Bishop’s XSE team, and still later Rogue’s team (alongside his old mentor, Cable).

Sam returned to the New Mutants in San Francisco and steps up to lead the team while entering a romantic relationship with Dani. After the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, Cannonball decided to retire from the superhero lifestyle. He changed his mind when he got a call from Captain America asking him to join a new team of Avengers. During his time with the Avengers, Sam fell in love with the Shi’ar Imperial Guard member Smasher. The two are married and have a child together.

Sam remained on the Avengers until the events of Secret Wars. Following that, he was revealed to be as a secret member of Sunspot’s “New Avengers” team. Soon he’ll join Sunspot again as part of the U.S. Avengers.

Sunspot

Roberto “Bobby” da Costa is the son of a wealthy industrialist who was a member of the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle. Bobby idolized Magnum P.I. and is a hot-headed ladies man. Bobby’s powers allow him to store up solar energy, which he can then use to take on a solar form, granting him enhanced strength and durability. Later in his superhero career, he also learned how to turn the energy into solar blasts and use it to fly.

Sunspot was one of the first mutants recruited by Professor X for the New Mutants and became fast friends with Cannonball. Of all of Xavier’s new students, Bobby was the one who most chafed against the idea of his teacher treating the team like children.

When Cable took over the New Mutants and turned the group into X-Force, Sunspot left the team, returning later on, after the team had parted ways with Cable. Eventually, Bobby decided to take his father’s place in the Hellfire Club and attempted to turn it into a force for good. He continued to rise in the Hellfire Club’s ranks until he became Lord Imperial.

Sunspot later left the Hellfire Club to join Dani Moonstar in San Francisco and train the young mutants there. When Magik returned, Sunspot rejoined the New Mutants.

After the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, Bobby retired from superhero life. But, like his friend Sam, he couldn’t turn down an offer from Captain America to join the Avengers. After the events of Secret Wars, Sunspot instigated a hostile takeover of violent science corporation Advanced Idea Mechanics. Once he gained control, he rechristened it Avengers Idea Mechanics and put together a team of New Avengers.

After Civil War II, Sunspot will become a major player in the U.S. Avengers.

Magik

Magik is Illyana Rasputin, the younger sister of the X-Man Colossus. She came to the Xavier Mansion before she was a member of the New Mutants, following a kidnapping and hostage situation, and was simply a young girl in the background of the X-Men’s lives. Then one day she was mysteriously summoned to the demon dimension of Limbo. She returned mere moments later but had aged 10 years. In addition, she now possessed the mutant ability to summon teleportation discs that accessed Limbo and was a gifted sorceress.

It was later explained that time moves differently in Limbo. While in Limbo, she was kept captive by a demon sorcerer called Belasco, who planned to use her for a dark ritual to summon the Elder Gods. Magik learned dark magic from Belasco as he attempted to corrupt her soul, but she’s was eventually taken in and trained in white magic by a version of Storm from a timeline where she and the other X-Men also became trapped in Limbo. Magik managed to turn Belasco’s plans against him, using his own ritual to summon her Soulsword. She used the power of the Soulsword to overthrow Belasco and take control of Limbo, then returned to Earth, where she joined the New Mutants.

Magik remained with the New Mutants for a time, but eventually lost control of Limbo to Belasco’s servant, S’ym, During the events of Inferno, an X-Men crossover where demons from Limbo were taking over New York City, Magik sacrificed herself to stop the invasion. Instead of dying, Magik became trapped in magical armor. The armor eventually fell away, revealing the child Illyana who first fell into the portal to Limbo.

The child Illyana went back to living a child’s life for a time, but eventually contracted and died from the Legacy Virus that had begun plaguing mutants.

Later, an older version of Illyana appeared and reclaimed Limbo, but she was caught once again in battle with Belasco, who eventually corrupted her into the Darkchilde, a demonic persona. Through a series of events involving the mutant students at the Xavier School, Magik was eventually returned to her human form and rejoined the X-Men. However, while Magik was always reserved, this Magik seemed even colder and more distant and was generally mistrusted by those around her. She only proved their misgivings wise when she manipulated the X-Men in a ploy for revenge against the Elder Gods.

Cyclops had Magik kept as a prison in the X-brig on the X-Men’s island home of Utopia. Later, after a falling out with Wolverine that divided the X-Men, Cyclops added Magik to his Extinction Team. During the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, Magik became one of the five X-Men possessed by the Phoenix Force. After the Phoenix Five were defeated, Magik joined Cyclops’ revolutionary X-Men team and helped him train a new generation at the New Xavier School.

After the events of Secret Wars, Magik teleported the Xavier Mansion to Limbo to protect the mutants living there from the M-Pox caused by the Terrigen Mists. She is an active member of Storm’s X-Men team.

Warlock

Warlock is an alien and a member of the technoorganic alien race called the Technarchy. His father is the Technarch ruler Magus. Unlike others of his species, Warlock is a compassionate being. Traditionally, a Technarch son and father must battle, but Warlock rejected the idea and fled to Earth, where he met the New Mutants. The team recognized Warlock as a kind of mutant of his species and helped Warlock drive his father away.

Warlock has shape-shifting abilities and lives off of the “lifeglow” of organisms infected with the transmode virus that inhabits and is spread by the Technarchy. As a member of the New Mutants, Warlock often used his shape-shifting abilities to provide transportation for the team or to become armor for a single teammate. This was particularly true of Doug “Cypher” Ramsay, whose mutant ability to read any language was not particularly useful in battle.

Warlock and Cypher became incredibly close friends, and Warlock was devastated when Doug was killed during a mission. Warlock himself was eventually killed by the human supremacist Cameron Hodge. Warlock’s ashes were spread on Cypher’s grave, and he reanimated with the memories of Doug Ramsay as the entity called Douglock. Warlock eventually returned to being himself and began working alone to battle the Technarchy both on Earth and in space.

In more recent stories, Warlock rejoined the New Mutants in San Francisco, and then he and the resurrected Cypher joined a new, corporately-funded version of X-Factor. He most recently showed up to lend a hand to Sunspot in the pages of New Avengers.