20 Years Later, A Misunderstood Marvel Hero Could Finally Get His Due
The return of the optic blast?
If you’re a certain kind of Marvel fan, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen every leaked trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. And if you have, then you’ve probably noticed that everyone is talking about a particular mutant returning to make a big splash in the MCU.
As revealed by one leaked trailer and reported by various outlets, including IGN, the next trailer for Avengers: Doomsday will almost certainly feature the return of James Marsden as Cyclops. Did we already know that Mardsen was back? Yes. Do we fully understand how the Marvel Cinematic Universe will integrate the Fox X-Men universe? No. But in the leaked footage, Cyclops will be rocking the old-school blue and yellow costume for the first time.
In the X-Men movies, Marsden’s take on Scott Summers put him in the unenviable role of “serious guy” in opposition to Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) “cool guy.” In X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Cyclops was unceremoniously sent to the superhero grave, which felt like a punishment for the character’s grouchy personality. Meanwhile, the scene we’re getting in the next trailer sounds like it's taken straight from the intro of the classic X-Men cartoon: Cyclops shooting an optic blast into the sky. Could this signal a new version of the character?
Cyclops (James Marsden) lets out his optic blast in X-Men (2000).
Despite his role in the existing live-action films, Scott Summers is more than just the guy who has an optic blast and gets mad at Wolverine for trying to steal his girlfriend, Jean Grey. In most incarnations of the X-Men, he’s the group’s de facto leader and the true heart of the team, something the animated shows have nailed but the live-action films have fumbled.
With Cyclops back in the Marvel cinematic fold, presumably as a variant of the character, it seems like he could make a comeback two decades after his demise in The Last Stand. Marsden never did anything wrong with his portrayal of Cyclops, but the movies always limit the character's tone and likability. Will Doomsday give us the Cyclops we’ve always wanted? Maybe a quick costume change and 20 years of waiting will be enough to do the trick.
