From X-Men Casualty to Mister Terrific: Edi Gathegi's Superhero Redemption Arc is Peak Comic Book Irony
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Edi Gathegi, after being promised a return to the *X-Men* franchise that never happened, is now thriving as Mister Terrific in the new *Superman* film, proving that sometimes Hollywood can deliver a satisfying redemption arc. It's a proper feel-good story, innit?
Right, so Edi Gathegi, the bloke who played Darwin in *X-Men: First Class*, thought he'd signed up for a long-term gig. Turns out, being the most adaptable mutant in the Marvel universe doesn't stop you from being unceremoniously offed halfway through the film. Ouch.
According to an interview with *The Hollywood Reporter*, Gathegi wasn't exactly thrilled with Darwin's early exit, especially since, y'know, he was the only Black mutant to bite the dust. "Killing the Black guy first is so played out," he apparently told his agent. Fair dinkum.
But here's the kicker: Gathegi says he was *assured* Darwin would be resurrected, true to his comic book form. Apparently, his death was just a plot device to motivate the other X-Men. Sounds familiar? (coughGameofThronescough). But alas, the call never came. No resurrection, no second chance, nada. "I thought that I would be returning to that franchise over and over again," he said. Bloody hell, talk about a letdown.
Fast forward a few years, and Gathegi's back in the superhero game, this time as Mister Terrific in James Gunn's *Superman*. And guess what? He's absolutely killing it! (Figuratively, of course. Hopefully, Mister Terrific's got a longer lifespan than Darwin.) There's even whispers of a potential spin-off TV series. See, this is the kind of plot twist I like to see in real life.
He even points out the delightful irony: "With *X-Men: First Class*, the message that I received as an actor and as a man of color in this world is you can be the most powerful mutant in the world and they’ll never let you reach your full potential. Whereas with Mister Terrific in *Superman*, the message that I’m receiving is you can be one of the most intelligent characters in the universe, and you can make a difference. You can help save the world. It’s a different level of conversation.”
It just goes to show, mate, sometimes you gotta get Darwin'd before you can become Mister Terrific. Who knew the superhero biz could be so…Shakespearean?
Tags: superhero movies, X-Men, Superman, casting news, comic book adaptation
Original article: IGN South Africa