Photo Credit: Marvel
The Gifted won’t return for season two until the Fall but the successful FOX show definitely teased a few new additions. With plot lines expected to include the Purifiers and the Morlocks, it will be interesting to see which mutants make the leap from page to screen this time around. One thing is for sure, there will definitely be some new recognizable faces now that the network trusts the show with some of X-Men lore that has long been overlooked in the film universe.
20. Cypher
The character of Doug Ramsey was so unpopular with fans during his creation that he was ultimately killed off. However, times are different now and people finally think his powers are pretty cool. Not to mention, the Mutant Underground is desperate for a new resident genius to take up the post Sage once held. His ability to understand any language, human, digital, alien, and more as well as his genius level intellect makes him a valuable asset. It’s definitely possible The Gifted has both of their mutant teams start a bidding war over him.
Don’t discount the Hellfire Club’s interest in him either, with the Stepford Cuckoos likely to take an interest in anyone with hacking skills. However, he would probably spend most of his time feuding with Sage over who gets to be top dog so it makes more sense for him to go where he’s needed most and that’s with the Underground. With them, he could easily understand police chatter to warn everyone of an incoming raid and his hacking ability could prove handy during any fact-finding missions.
Photo Credit: Marvel
19. Dust
Sooraya Qadir is actually one of the few mutants who would be surprising absences if The Gifted didn’t include her in season two. The series introduced the mutant hate group, The Purifiers, last year and left off with the plot thread of someone high up who helped Otto von Strucker, known as Madeline Risman.
In the comics, Matthew Risman is the cruel leader of the hate group and he was quite a few run-ins with Dust that leave him scarred but vengeful. With the current social issues going on in the world, there’s a powerful message to be seen of a violent man who is desperate to hurt a young girl.
However, Sooraya isn’t as defenseless as people always assume. Born in Afghanistan, she was kidnapped by a slave-trading ring where she used her powers to attack her captors. While it separates her from her mother, she does get to meet the X-Men who immediately include her. Yet, her time on the team is rocky because many people are uncomfortable or don’t understand her decision to continue wearing hijab.
Dust never waivers in support of her culture or religion, and it’s refreshing to see a character value her roots so much. In The Gifted she could be portrayed as a girl on the run from Purifiers who the Mutant Underground eventually take under their wing. Her ability to turn herself into a burst of sand that she can control would definitely come in hand against Polaris since there’s no metal that could hurt her in that form.
Photo Credit: Marvel
18. Armor
The Gifted ended season one with Andy Strucker advising her sister to grow up and accept that the X-Men are gone. Hisako Ichiki has long desired to be a member of the superhero squad and she could be a bright of light for a pretty dismal team in the Mutant Underground. She is constantly underestimated because of her size, she’s an ideal candidate for mutant recruitment.
During the comics, Armor has to suffer through the suicide of her best friend Wing when he loses his powers. While it’s doubtful a series like The Gifted would show a teenager jumping to his death alongside his best friend, they could talk as though the event already happened. It would definitely leave Armor with some emotional baggage that she would have to process for the rest of her life.
She could also bond with Lauren, who is still reeling from the loss of her brother and looking for a new friend to rely on. Armor has difficulty watching the clashes between people fighting for Mutant Rights and those who do not. Throughout the comics, she’s been sad to watch groups cause riots and ultimately wants to step in most times.
She would be a member of the Underground. If she wanted to use to force against the protester then she’d be a Hellfire Club recruit but Armor just wants to stop the fighting. Her powers should be relatively easy for the series to recreate, her body is protected by a large red psionic exoskeleton which grants her a variety of extra powers including super strength and durability.
Photo Credit: Marvel
17. Mirage
Danielle Moonstar is a Native American mutant from the Cheyenne tribe and one of the more notorious X-Men in the current comic line. Her heritage allows her to bond quickly with James Proudstar, the brother of the Mutant Underground leader John. Since James isn’t on The Gifted, Mirage could befriend John instead and even offer him help in defeating the Hellfire Club.
Any opportunity to explore Native American backgrounds would be a compelling narrative for the series since it’s so rarely portrayed on television. Like most mutants, she has also lost both of her parents which would make her an easy character to introduce without feeling the need of casting an entire family.
Her powers are also doable on live-action television adaptations. As Mirage, she’s able to communicate with animals and the ability to manifest someone’s greatest fear or desire. This would come in handy if she joined the Mutant Underground because they need someone to mess with the Frost siblings now that they have become the manipulative charmers. The only big hurdle The Gifted would need to overcome is that fact that Danielle is going to star in the New Mutants movie.
This could easily be explained away by the television show existing in an alternate reality or simply that the X-Men Film universe exists as a separate entity. Or, in the Age of Apocalypse timeline, Mirage has a twin sister named Dana who has all of the same abilities. This would be the perfect way to have both characters exist without fans getting upset about over-lapping narratives.
Photo Credit: FOX
16. Darwin
Fans might remember Darwin from a brief stint in X-Men: First Class but unfortunately his time was cut short in the movie. Similar to Blink making the leap from minor movie character to star of a television series, it’s time for Darwin to join The Gifted as well. The actor, Edi Gathegi, has recently done stints on The Blacklist and The Blacklist: Redemption which means he would probably be up for reprising his role on television. With Darwin remaining such a popular character in X-Men lore today, the series has no good reason not to let him have a guest stint on the show. The battle lines have been drawn for next season and he’s definitely a character that both sides will want to get their hands on.
Armando Muñoz is half-Hispanic and half-African American who was abandoned by his mother due to her hatred of his mutant abilities. Taken in by a group of scientists, they began continuous experiments on the young boy. On The Gifted, Darwin could be a mutant who was at the mercy of the Hound program at Trask.
After the Hellfire Club gloriously took out Dr. Campbell, it’s likely he’ll feel indebted to the group for saving him. His powers allow him to adapt to any environment, hence the name Darwin, and he would be a good adversary for either team. If he worked alongside the Frost triplets, then he should easily stop some of the hard-hittingMutant Underground members, specifically Eclipse.
Photo Credit: Marvel
15. Blindfold
Born without eyes or eye sockets, Ruth Aldine wears a blindfold constantly to cover up her mutation. While she’s a member of the X-Men in the comics, it would make more sense on The Gifted for her to join The Morlocks. Matt Nix teased the debut of the underground mutant team, and they’re infamous for housing people who are treated as outsiders. Blindfold’s inability to go anywhere without her eye cover would make her a prime target for discrimination. She can be taken in by the Morlocks as a child to escape the abusive childhood her comic-book-self suffers, and meet the Mutant Underground that way.
Ruth continuously undervalues herself because of her abusive older brother’s hatred towards her. Over time, she becomes a talented telepath and has the ability to see the future. Multiple times in the comics she’s stood by the Stepford Cuckoos’ side or against them. X-Men fans have long wanted to see her appear on Legion because of her strong connection to David Haller but if this impossible then The Gifted is a close second to place her in.
With the ability to see the future, Blindfold will become a hot commodity among the mutant teams. The Hellfire Club will definitely try to get inside her mind and manipulate her into joining their team, but ultimately she will choose to stay with the Mutant Underground. Her naturally kind and quiet disposition doesn’t fit the angst-ridden darkness that the Hellfire Club members currently possesses.
Photo Credit: Marvel
14. Forge
While his name is still unknown, Forge still has quite a few things in common with members of The Gifted. A member of the Cheyenne nation, he’s one of the first Native American heroes in Marvel alongside John. His powers, which include a natural intuition with technology, rely on it to help save the sick within his tribe. Unfortunately, his reliance on his powers begins to rub people the wrong way and Forge joins the military the same as John. In the comics he originally fights in the Vietnam War, however, the series will have to age him down a bit unless they want to have him as an older wise man.
It could be interesting to see Forge play an old mentor to John and have the latter call up his friend for help with the reemergence of the Hellfire club. However, it could also make a compelling storyline to see Forge unwittingly creating machines to stop mutants.
His genius ability to create machines eventually leads him to a contract with the Defense Department in the comic books. With Dr. Campbell decommissioned, the government will need to turn to someone new to create something to stop mutants from “taking over”. It wouldn’t be the first time that the government hired someone to invent for them without giving them the full information about what they’re working on.
While Campbell was a black and white villain, it would be more interesting for the series to introduce someone who doesn’t even realize they could be creating something evil.
Photo Credit: FOX
13. Warpath
The most notable thing John does in the comics is to die, but it looks like he’s sticking around on The Gifted, so it’s time to bring in his brother James. Expanding the Proudstar family would allow the series to give the two brothers the scenes they so desperately wanted but never got in the comic. Their Apache background would also bring representation to television that is so incredibly rare.
The X-Men have always been about giving outsiders a voice, and with themes of discrimination running throughout the series, it would make sense for The Gifted to explore Native American culture.
If the show followed his path as a hero, he would join the Frost siblings whereas in the comics he joined the Hellions. However, he ultimately leaves the team, and will most likely leave the Hellfire Club but returns back to find his entire tribe massacred. Blaming his former team and the Frosts, The Gifted could set up a reunion between brothers with James joining John with the Mutant Underground.
John already has an “older brother” feel as a leader to his fellow mutants, and it would be a cool way to expand his character by showing a tumultuous relationship with his actual blood. Despite sharing almost all of the same powers, James isn’t a cool-headed leader like his brother, but is actually quite stubborn and vengeful. He has the potential to have a great character arc as he evolves from an angry teenager to a hero in his own right.
Photo Credit: Marvel
12. X-Man
Born in the Age of Apocalypse timeline, Nate Grey is the supposed to be the perfect mutant. However, like a few others on this list, he will most likely be changed from the clone to just the run-of-the-mill mutant. The son of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, he grows up to have immense telepathic and telekinetic powers. Fear not, X-Man does get his abilities toned down in the comics after suffering a traumatic event.
Now he only has minor telepathy, which allows him to just to sense other people around him, and telekinesis which allows for small energy blasts and can only lift mentally what he can physically. This alteration in his powers would keep him from being overpowered compared to some of the other mutants on The Gifted roster.
How exactly would Nate fit into the series outside of just his parental ties? X-Man is actually part of a team with Blink throughout a few different comics. Since there hasn’t been that much revealed about Clarice’s backstory other than her dirtbag ex-boyfriend and her foster family, she could have a few other mutant friends she has crossed paths with.
Nate is a bit of a recluse who is desperate to learn more about his parents. It would make sense for him to ally himself with the Hellfire Club to find out more from Emma, but ultimately his desire to save people will keep him firmly on the side of the Underground. Now that Dreamer has died, Nate could also become a part of a love triangle with Blink and John.
Photo Credit: Marvel
11. Longshot
There’s absolutely no doubt that the backstory for Longshot would have to be changed for The Gifted. While some die-hard X-Men fans would be more than happy to see the series travel into Mojoworld and cloning, most viewers will not. It’s unlikely that the show will keep him as a three-fingered clone from an alternate reality but maybe he’s just a guy who lost some fingers due to a freak accident. It’s unclear what history they could make up for the character but what’s important is that he could still be worked into the show.
Longshot’s power carries with them a lot of moral implications, something that the series loves exploring. His abilities allow him to be inherently “lucky,” which makes him a victor in every fight. However, this luck doesn’t just appear out of thin air, instead, he pulls it away from other people in a fight.
It’s definitely a moral dilemma that both sides of the mutant fighters would have to ask themselves. Is his one-hundred percent success rate worth the risk it puts on other people? While the Hellfire Club is more than likely to snatch him up despite the potential of sacrificing one of their own, the Mutant Underground will definitely think twice before facing him.
His weapons and aim make him a major threat to everyone, and people around him will have to question if he’s stealing their luck. Nevertheless, that’s the kind of drama that The Gifted love to portray.
Photo Credit: Marvel
10. Hellion
Julian Keller is one of Emma Frost’s prized students who adored her from the beginning of his mutant journey. As the son of two billionaires and an extremely powerful telekinetic, Keller is a perfect member to sit in the inner circle of the Hellfire Club.
At first, he’s a confident and arrogant kid, who names himself “Hellion” after Emma’s original team and becomes a bit of a womanizer. At one point he actually dates all three of the Stepford Cuckoos at once, before he eventually begins mellowing out. Whether he’s aged up or down, The Gifted could use him as a second chance to portray an over-confident guy since Wes was a bit of a misfire last season.
Over time, Julian becomes a much more sensitive and caring hero due to his friends. On The Gifted, he would definitely start out as a member of the Hellfire Club, but eventually, his goals would align more closely with that of the Mutant Underground.
Perhaps he could become a new love interest to Lauren, which would bring out the good in him. Recently in the comics, he has volunteered his time to the Inhuman hospital after they cured his disease. Since there are no Inhumans in the FOX X-Men universe, he could become indebted to The Strucker family if Caitlin saves him from an injury.
Since his most famous wound is the loss of both of his hands, this could be the turning point for Hellion. It could also be from Emma’s refusal to save him because over time he does grow resentful of his former teacher and even blames her for all of the losses he’s suffered.
Photo Credit: Marvel
9. Surge
It would be cool to see Surge join the Mutant Underground but her personality probably lines up with the Hellfire Club more. She runs away from home at a young age knowing that her father won’t accept her powers and makes her way to America to start a new life. Unfortunately, Nori winds up homeless on the streets of New York with no way to control her growing power.
Her ability forces her to absorb any nearby electricity until her body is fully charged, where she then sets off bursts of electrical bolts. Her only way to control the attacks were to take drugs, leading Nori down a very dangerous path of crime to try and afford her lifestyle.
Surge is exactly the powerful kind of mutant that the Hellfire Club would be looking to recruit to their team. Since they have the money to finance the gauntlets, which eventually help control her power, and the drugs, it would make sense why she would join them. However, her strong and forthright attitude would make for compelling relationships with the Stepford Cuckoos as well as Polaris.
Would a group of three different strong leaders survive? Also, Nori has a pretty close relationship with Emma Frost in the comics since that is her mentor. This could create a competition between the triplets and Surge over who should have rightful control over the Hellfire club. Throw in the daughter of Magneto to that scuffle, and there are a whole lot of egos flying around.
Photo Credit: Marvel
8. Elixir
Initially, Josh Foley is introduced as a member of the anti-mutant group, The Reavers, and is considered his school’s golden boy. However, when his powers manifest he’s beaten up by his “friends,” tossed aside by his family, and thrust at the mercy of the X-Men.
He has the perfect backstory to join the next season of The Gifted because the series plans on following the Purifiers, another mutant-hate group. It would add a new dynamic to the group to have someone who goes from hating mutants to having to join them compared to the Struckers’ blissful ignorance.
The number one risk of having Josh on the team would be that Caitlin’s character would become obsolete. However, that’s because people are thinking about Elixir now, not the person he started out as. In the comics now, he has an expert knowledge of biology, anatomy, and genetics (all given to him by the Frost sisters), which makes his healing ability almost limitless.
Yet, when he first joins the X-Men, he doesn’t even realize he can heal other people. He learns from his teachers that with the proper training he could begin saving members of the team. Since Andy abandoned the Underground, and by extension his family, Caitlin could take Josh under her wing as a protege. Missing her angst-ridden son, Elixir could fill the void and eventually become the second doctor to a team that needs all the help it could get. Since Andy and Lauren are also perfectly matched in combat, this could give the former a nemesis within the Underground.
Photo Credit: Marvel
7. Hope Summers
The chances of Jean Grey ever making an appearance on The Gifted are slim to none, but it would be easy for the series to bring on her granddaughter. Hope Summers debuted as the adopted daughter of Nathan Summers (the son of Jean and Cyclops) fairly recently and has never quite gotten her due in the comics.
Yes, she was the catalyst for the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline, but at the end of the day, the story ended with Hope basically being meaningless. With young Jean Grey currently headlining her own comic book and her adult self about to take over the X-Men Red title, it seems like Hope is forever going to be lost in the mix. One would assume it’s because the character is unpopular, but most X-Men fans were actually interested in seeing the young red-headed warrior continue to grow.
Nathan Summers, otherwise known as Cable, is making his film debut in Deadpool 2 this year so introducing a supporting character from his storylines would help introduce fans to both of them. Especially because it seems incredibly unlikely that an infant or toddler version of Hope would be making an appearance in the R-Rated movies.
She would be perfect for The Gifted though, as a young orphan that the Underground picks up. While she’s always been an Omega Level mutant in the comics, it’s because she’s generally surrounded by extremely powerful characters. Since her ability is mimicry, she would only be as strong as the mutants surrounding her. This makes Hope the most logical decision to add from the Summers/Grey line because the writers won’t have to suppress her powers.
Photo Credit: Marvel
6. The Guthrie’s
While the Frost’s, Summers’, and Grey’s have always been the most famous mutant families, the Guthrie’s are the underrated ones. Comprised of ten siblings, the family has had plenty of drama throughout their comic run.
The Gifted started out as a show about a family forced on the run, it would make sense to continue that trend by introducing another. With the Guthrie’s, the show would be able to explore the sibling dynamic between the five who have powers and the remaining who do not. In fact, one of the powerless daughters ends up joining a mutant hate group which eventually targets her siblings in the comics.
Since the Purifiers are coming next season, the series would be able to show the division between a family where they are on completely opposing sides compared to the Underground against the Hellfire Club.
Almost all of the siblings have abilities which would be easy to translate onto television without stressing the budget. The most famous member, Cannonball, uses thermo-chemical energy to blast himself through the air at immense speeds. While he might be a little too powerful on paper, his younger sister Paige is the perfect addition to The Gifted.
Her abilities allow her to shed her skin to reveal a different layer of any substance including: glass, metal, stone, and many others. She later manifests a second power which has her mental ability get severely affected by overusing her powers. Meanwhile, her other sister has an aura which allows her to fly on airwaves, and one hasn’t had her power manifested yet but she will eventually get one. Her younger brother Josh has the hardest abilities to portray on screen since he has wings, but her other brother Jeb just shoots electricity from his eyes.
Photo Credit: FOX
5. Callisto
Matt Nix teased his desire to have the mutant team, The Morlocks, join The Gifted next season which makes an appearance by Callisto extremely likely. The leader of the underground team, she has a bit of a temper which sometimes gets her into trouble.
Callisto is originally a bit of an antagonist to the X-Men, specifically Storm, and her merry band of mutants liked to kidnap/scare humans up above. She even goes as far as kidnapping other mutants with the hope they’ll join her group. However, in more current comics she has grown into a reliable leader and someone the X-Men can rely on. She actually leads an underground society occupied by both mutants and humans, something that the Underground has been hoping to build on the show.
The Mutant Underground will be looking for new allies and a way to rebuild next season after losing key members to the Hellfire Club. Callisto, who has heightened senses and expert hand-to-hand combat training with a brilliant strategic mind, is a very similar leader to John. It wouldn’t be shocking if The Gifted changes her backstory so that the two could be old friends. It would definitely help to have both underground organizations team up to try and help each other out.
Also, Callisto has deep insecurities of the beauty she once held, and it’s unlikely she would team up with the Cuckoo sisters since they represent something she lost. With the Morlocks backing up the Mutant Underground, it would finally level the playing field between the two organizations at odds.
Photo Credit: FOX
4. Havok
Polaris is pregnant with Eclipse’s baby but it looks like their relationship is on the outs for the time being. The second season would be the perfect time to introduce Scott Summer’s younger brother, Havok, into The Gifted and pursue his epic comic book relationship with Lorna.
Movie actor, Lucas Till, is over on MacGyver and might be able to spare a few filming days to come onto the series. If not, it shouldn’t be that hard to find a multitude of actors who are dying to play the part. While it might be a little difficult to show off his powers on the small screen, Alex Summers could come back to be a support system for his girlfriend. Havok and Lorna have a long but complicated relationship which deserves a mention on a series where the latter is a lead character.
Or perhaps the younger Summers will be the one to bring Lorna back to the side of the X-Men. Following in his brother’s footsteps, Alex has always had a knack for taking the high road. Polaris could be reminded of all the good the X-Men once did and rejoin the Mutant Underground. Unless he’s been laying low as a member of X-Factor Investigations, in which case Lorna could leave the Hellfire Club and join a new team.
It’s not entirely unlikely that there is a small section of a city occupied entirely by mutants hoping to escape constant persecution and becoming a grizzled detective would fit both characters.
Photo Credit: FOX
3. Emma Frost
The capacity in which Emma Frost could appear on The Gifted would entirely depend on whether FOX has any future plans for her in the movie universe. While January Jones’ rendition has been polarizing, the actress is on another FOX television show and could easily make the jump over for a recurring gig or even just a guest appearance.
One of the biggest problems with the film portrayal is that Emma is clearly a second-tier character compared to the rest of the ensemble. She’s not the main villain, nowhere near as manipulative and intelligent as she should be, nor is she even as powerful as she should be. January Jones deserves a second shot at playing one of the most notorious X-Men characters but with the writing she deserves.
In this universe, it’s a safe bet that Frost is in charge of the Hellfire club. Not only would that make her extremely wealthy and influential, it would also mean she has a plan for the future. It would be amazing to see Emma pulling the strings of everyone around her, and see how she mentored the Cuckoo’s to become just like her.
Also, the introduction Emma would allow for the Frost sibling dynamic to be explored. In the comics, she had different opinions on all of her clones/kids and treated them differently, which could help give the triplets distinct personalities. Especially to see the three bicker over who should take over as the next queen of the Hellfire Club.
Photo Credit: Marvel
2. Chamber
Jonothon “Jono” Starsmore is one of the more unique mutants created for the X-Men. For the most part, The Gifted has only had mutants with minimally invasive physical changes when their powers manifested. Jono, or Chamber, would be a dramatic change compared to the rest of the characters and would allow the series to explore how mutants feel when they’re considered the outsiders to a group of minorities.
Naturally, he’s sullen and angry while dealing with his newfound powers but never wavers in his support of the X-Men as well as fighting for the common good. He could become an easy replacement for Andy, the moody teenager who left the Mutant Underground because someone will have to take on the role of a loose cannon this year.
The introduction of Chamber would also give Caitlin something to do. His powers include a furnace that takes up his chest and part of his face, which prevents him from eating, breathing, and talking. Undoubtedly, she could take on the role of a scientist, trying to figure out a way to help subdue some of his abilities. Or, she could act as a therapist, since Caitlin has evolved into a maternal figure for everyone in the group.
Jono would need someone to talk to and help him adapt to his “new normal,” and Caitlin will be looking to fill the void Andy left. Uness The Gifted wanted to continue an Age of Apocalypse type timeline, in which Jono actually has his powers under control and has shed his poor attitude in favor of a leadership position.
Photo Credit: Marvel
1. Rachel Summers
From the moment The Gifted revealed the Hound tattoos, fans eagerly began anticipating the arrival of Rachel Summers. Sadly, she never made her debut in the first season which makes her the perfect candidate to return in the fall. With Dr. Campbell presumed dead, the Hound program is most likely in the process of being shut down with no one left to stomach the torture it causes.
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If the series follows her backstory, she could be a deprogrammed Hound who is dealing with the guilt of the mutants she’s tracked down for Trask.
Similar to her mother Jean Grey, Rachel would need to have her immense powers toned down to work in a live-screen adaptation. In the comics, she’s an incredibly powered telepath, telekinetic, and able to pick up new skills quickly. It’s more than likely the series will tone down the latter two to prevent her from being an invincible opponent.
However, with the Frost sisters preparing to reign terror on anyone who gets in their way, the Mutant Underground will need a telepath of their own. If The Gifted can’t get an Emma vs. Jean showdown, the next best thing would be their kids. Not to mention, it would be nice for the show to have one link to the original lore without introducing any of the main X-Men.
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FOX has made it clear that no one from the A-list will be making any appearances and it’s doubtful that Rachel would ever get a shot at a movie, bringing her onto The Gifted is a natural step.