Forget the Avengers, the MCU’s Newest Superhero is a Perfect Fit for the X-Men

The status of the X-Men in the MCU has been a little confusing, as the characters are being introduced to the franchise in an interesting way. The concept of mutants was first introduced in Ms. Marvel, with the show explaining that Kamala Khan was a mutant, rather than an Inhuman like she is in the comics. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also introduced Namor as a mutant, although neither of these characters are X-Men.

Inevitably, some of the more common X-Men from Marvel’s comics are already being used in the MCU. Characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, and Professor X have been introduced as multiversal variants, with their FOX incarnations appearing in the MCU. None of these characters has had incarnations introduced that are native to the main MCU universe, meaning that the X-Men don’t really exist, yet. It isn’t known when the X-Men will finally form in the MCU, but hopefully, when they do, an already established hero will be among them. The Disney+ Wonder Man TV show introduced Simon Williams as the MCU’s newest hero, and he is now the perfect member for the X-Men.

Simon Williams Is The MCU’s Perfect New X-Men Member

Simon Williams is a superpowered individual in Wonder Man, and the most interesting part of the show is that it didn’t explain how he got his powers. In the comics, Wonder Man makes a deal with Baron Zemo, with Zemo giving Wonder Man powers so that he can infiltrate the Avengers. Eventually, Wonder Man’s plan is discovered, with Zemo being caught. However, Simon eventually becomes a true superhero.

This probably didn’t happen in the MCU, as neither the Avengers nor Zemo ever mentions it. So, this has led to the popular theory that the MCU’s Simon Williams is a mutant. It is implied that Simon was born with his powers, and like many of the mutants from the comics, he sees his abilities as a curse rather than an asset. Since the MCU has proven that it is willing to retcon characters like Ms. Marvel into mutants, it makes sense that they would do it for Simon Williams, too.

So, let’s say that Simon Williams is a mutant. If this is the case, then Simon would be a perfect candidate for the MCU’s proper X-Men team. The future of Simon’s story isn’t certain, meaning that pulling him into the team could be done without messing up the MCU’s larger story. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a big star, meaning that he would help market an X-Men movie if he were part of it. Plus, it would help differentiate the MCU’s X-Men team from FOX’s, allowing it to play with characters who weren’t in the FOX universe.

Simon’s character arc already perfectly aligns with many members of the X-Men. He was (probably) born with powers, his powers correlate with his trauma, he is seen as dangerous by non-mutants, and he is being hunted down by government agencies. Simon can perfectly relate to any other mutant who is on the team, and he is a fantastic, well-established pick for a future X-Men team.

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If Simon becomes associated with the X-Men, it makes perfect sense for the MCU to properly adapt his comic book origin story. The DODC is looking for assets, so a future movie could have the DODC use Simon Williams to take down some other mutants. He could be forced or blackmailed to infiltrate the team, paralleling Simon’s relationship with Zemo in the comics. This time, however, Simon already has his powers.

Upon joining the X-Men, Simon could figure out a way to get out from under the DODC’s influence and become a true member. Then, Simon can be a full-fledged member of the X-Men, with the mutants on the team taking him in due to their narrative similarities.

After this point, Simon could be involved in any of the MCU’s future X-Men stories. There are tons of popular X-Men arcs that Simon could easily be worked into, giving him a bright future within the MCU. Wonder Man was a fantastic series, and while it doesn’t seem like Simon will ever be part of the MCU’s Avengers, the X-Men are his best bet for having a lasting future within the franchise.

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