WARNING: This Review May Contain Spoilers
Here is where my love for Marvel films began, long before the MCU truly began. I won’t say that I prefer the X-Men to the Avengers but they are definitely up there. Now, I know this became a very confusing franchise in terms of the timeline and there are four other prequels between X-Men: First Class and X-Men, however, I wanted to look at where it truly began for Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Disclaimer: I will not be commenting on the films connections to the comic books because I’ll be completely honest – I wouldn’t have a clue what I’m talking about.
First Encounters
For me, it is pretty apt that the first of the prequel films is called First Class because it is actually the beginning of possibly the most important relationship in the X-men franchise. Let me elaborate – it is the first introduction that Charles Xavier has to both Mystique and Magneto. In a strange way he actually saves them both, Mystique from a life of homelessness and starvation when they are children and he literally saves Magneto from drowning. Friendship blossoms between the three of them but nothing lasts forever, unfortunately.
Friend to Foe
Maybe foe is a little bit of a strong word, because throughout the following films Magneto and Xavier have a mutual respect for each other. They are even still playing chess together while Magneto is in prison – like they did before the first time they fight side-by-side. So at least they’re friendship is still cordial.
His friendship with Mystique however, does not seem to resolve itself so well. Obviously this is all an assumption made from the new information that is given to us as an audience from X-men: First Class as there is no real interaction between them at all in X-men (especially as Mystique barely speaks) but for her there seems to be no turning back when Xavier no longer accepts her natural appearance, and it is this that ultimately pushes her closer to Magneto in the first place.
Magneto
X-Men: First Class is the first time we get a real insight into Magneto’s past. Of course, we know from X-Men that he has a number tattooed on his arm that is clearly from a concentration camp but it is in X-men: First Class that we see beyond those gates. The same ones that are bent by a younger Erik Lehnsherr (psst, that’s Magneto’s real name) when he is separated from his parents. We also discover that as young boy, his powers are merely fuelled by his anger but as he grows older, and with a little help from Charles, he learns to control it.
Connections to Latter Films
Obviously with a canon of films like the X-Men, a prequel will not only be connected to the first film. Firstly, there is Moira McTaggart who only has a cameo in X-Men: Last Stand. It is in X-Men: First Class, which is set in the 60s,that she meets Charles Xavier for the first time (isn’t it funny how everything seems to revolve around him?) Then there’s Agent Stryker – someone with a strong connection to Wolverine’s backstory. Who would have thought a CIA agent would turn so evil? There is also a not so polite cameo from the adamantium-clawed man himself.
Now for two slightly tenuous links. Firstly, for anyone who has watched the other X-men films – the name Summers will already be known to you but this time I’m not talking about Scott. In X-men: First Class we are introduced to his older brother Alex – aka Havoc. So this does make me question an important plot point – Scott joining the X-men. Is it due to Alex’s association with Xavier or is it due to him being rescued from Stryker (see X-men Origins: Wolverine for more details) Now for my more tenuous connection but there may be some truth behind my theory – I just haven’t looked into it yet. I want to talk about Azazel and the possibility of him being Nightcrawler’s father (a pretty awesome character from X2 I might add). Yes, Azazel is red and Nightcrawler is blue but the power is what’s key, I think. They do say that the mutation is found in the genes – so what are the odds of two mutants that can teleport not being related?
Xavier and the Chair
Of course, the image that I am sure springs to mind at the mention of Charles Xavier is a bald man in a wheelchair – and it is in X-men: First Class that we learn how he ends up there. After the final battle, when the humans turn on the mutants for the first time, Moira McTaggart is shooting at Magneto to make him stop and release the missiles from his control. Unfortunately, Magneto deflects one of her bullets into Charles’ spine – rendering him unable to walk.
Story Discrepancies
Now I’m not sure if what I’m going to talk about was caused by the change in director between the two films or if there is genuinely massive conflicting parts of the story in the comics but again this might be something you all know about more than me.
Let’s begin with Magneto’s helmet, you know the one that stops anyone reading his mind. It is shown in X-Men: First Class that Magneto acquires it during the mutants’ final showdown with Sebastian Shaw (that would be the bad guy – in case it wasn’t obvious). However, when discussing Magneto with Wolverine in X-Men, Xavier states that he does not know why he cannot read Magneto’s mind.
Then there’s Cerebro – the device that Xavier uses to find other mutants throughout the franchise. In X-Men: First Class, it is the property of the CIA and an invention of Dr Hank McCoy – or Beast to his friends. Xavier is only a guinea pig to make sure it works, however in X-men he claims that he and Magneto built it together.
In Conclusion
Of course, as the films continue, the timeline gets a little messy and maybe the events of the original three films either don’t happen, or happen in another universe to the prequels. What I will say though, is that X-men: First Class is actually the perfect introduction to the franchise for anyone just getting started with the X-men films, let alone with Marvel as a whole. Also, I have to admit the choices of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as young Xavier and Magneto respectively were great when you look who played them originally.
