I've said it once and I'll say it again: Legion isn't only the greatest comic book television series of all time (based on its first season alone), but belongs in the pantheon of comic book adapatations as a whole for its unique approach to the genre and success at breaking away from its norms and conventions. The performances ranged from solid to fantastic, the direction consistently inventive, and the use of music, action, and effects consistently pushing the limits of the comic book umbrella.
While it might have been too bizarre to garner a larger mainstream appeal, it was enough of a critical and ratings success to warrant a second season. Last we left off, David was captured by a mysterious organization we don't yet know, Oliver made a quiet departure while under the influence of the Shadow King, and tensions between Melanie Bird's Summerland and Clark's Division 3 only further escalated. How would I pick up the story if I were in Noah Hawley's shoes?
Well, that's what I'm hear to write. Before The Uncanny X-Men, before The Wolverine, and before Avengers: House of X, there was...
L E G I O N : S E A S O N T W O
" B i o l o g y G i v e s Y o u A B r a i n . " ( S e a s o n T w o , P a r t O n e )
Created by Noah Hawley
After seemingly defeating the villainous Shadow King (Aubrey Plaza), David Haller's (Dan Stevens) peace is disrupted when he's captured by a mysterious organization calling itself the Hellfire Club. Headed by the reclusive Elias Bogan (Keith David), the Club conducts experiments on David that push the limits of his abilities and his sanity, hoping to unlock a power to be used for their own means. Meanwhile, Charles Xavier (John Hawkes), a powerful telepath claiming to be David's birth father, approaches Melanie Bird (Jean Smart) and the rest of David's friends at Summerland with pleads of help in saving him. Oliver Bird (Jemaine Clement), after leaving Summerland, is slowly manipulated by the Shadow King into serving as its next vessel, hoping to exploit his strong psychic abilities to enact its plan. Back at Division 3, Clark (Hamish Linklater) and his team capture mutant fugitive Jason Wyngarde (Jordan Peele) in hopes of using his powers to track down and kill the Shadow King once and for all.
There were many theories about who owned the sci-fi-ish orb that captured David during the mid-credits scene of "Chapter 8" of Legion's freshman season. A few I saw floating around were the Brotherhood, the Shi'ar, and the Hellfire Club. Out of all of them, not only did the Hellfire Club make the most sense, but it offered the most storytelling possibilities that fit within the world the show has established so far. Odd as it might be, Legion certainly has a distinct feel and aesthetic, and the Hellfire Club fit the most within it.
Season One heavily teased David Haller's parentage, and most fans of the character know that his father is the famous leader of the X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier. Many had hoped to see Patrick Stewart reprise his role as the powerful mutant for the series, but with Logan being such a magnificent sendoff to his iteration of the character and the processing absorption of Fox by the Disney conglomerate, rebooting the character is the most likely scenario, and offers a unique launchpad for the X-Men side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
***
New Characters
John Hawkes (The Sessions) as Charles Xavier
Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords) as Sebastian Shaw
Keith David (The Thing) as Elias Bogan
Peter Krause (Parenthood) as Edward "Ned" Buckman
Jordan Peele (Key & Peele) as Jason Wyngarde
Heather Lind (Turn: Washington's Spies) as Paris Seville
Marc Maron (Maron) as Warren Worthington II
" L i f e T u r n s I t I n t o A M i n d . " ( S e a s o n T w o , P a r t T w o )
Created by Noah Hawley
Now rescued from the clutches of the Hellfire Club during Sebastian Shaw's (Rhys Darby) coup, David Haller (Dan Stevens) reunites with his father, Charles Xavier (John Hawkes). With Melanie Bird (Jean Smart) having beaten Division 3 to Oliver (Jemaine Clement), David and Charles travel to Europe in search of Amahl Farouk (Navid Negahban), a wicked mutant and creator of the Shadow King (Aubrey Plaza). While in Europe, Charles' past is revealed to his son, a past which might explain how Farouk's longing for David came to be. Back at home, Jason Wyngarde (Jordan Peele) "convinces" Clark (Hamish Linklater) to send him after David and Charles. However, as opposed to capturing the duo for Division 3, Jason plans on taking them to Farouk as prisoners as opposed to heroes, having been loyal to him from the beginning. Melanie becomes bent on reaching Oliver, who is a prisoner in his own mind at the mercy of the Shadow King. While a noble cause, her Machiavellian approach sparks debate amongst the residents of Summerland as to whether or not she's fit to lead.
My plan was to split Season Two of
Legion into two separate chapters, the first dealing with the Charles Xavier's emergence, the Hellfire Club's exploitation of David and Shaw's rise to power, the Shadow King's manipulation of Oliver, and the conflict between Division 3 and Summerland. Once the seeds to character relationships were planted, the conflicts can be explored. But rather than devolve into standard blockbuster good-versus-evil nonsense, the bulk of the clashes in the second half of the season would exist only to further develop characters and their dynamics, and only doing what feels natural to each.
For example, by sending David and Charles to Europe, not only are they furthering the plot by searching for Amahl Farouk, but the father-son relationship between the two is given time to grow, and we even learn more of Charles as a character, rather than a plot device or fan service-based inclusion. As another example, the first half of the season changed Oliver into a more unpredictable, enigmatic presence due to the Shadow King's meddling. By bringing him back to Summerland, Jean's devotion to him is put to the test, and the others under her leadership react in their own way to her sudden change.
***
New Characters
Navid Negahban (
Homeland) as Amahl Farouk
Dan Stevens (
Downtown Abbey) as Young Charles Xavier
Travis Fimmel (
Vikings) as Young Max Eisenhardt
Franka Potente (
Run Lola Run) as Young Gabrielle Haller
Eihi Shiina (
Audition) as Lian Shen
Storm Reid (
A Wrinkle in Time) as Regan Wyngarde
Quvenzhané Wallis (
Beasts of the Southern Wild) as Martinique Wyngarde
E N T E R T H E H O U S E O F X
ENTER THE HOUSE OF X
Now, I in no way mean to cross this over with the core MCU in terms of characters, storylines, or settings. However, it does serve to lay the foundation of the
X-Men series within the shared universe, and would be heavily marketed as so. By the end of the season, the Shadow King-possessed Oliver kills Jean and retires to the Astral Plane in shame, Amahl Farouk is seemingly defeated, Jason Wyngarde escapes both Division 3 and Summerland, and Charles, inspired by David overcoming his own fears and insecurities, departs from the series to establish his school in hopes of helping other young mutants with similar plights.
While no major crossovers would occur, very, very minor references to the wider MCU would pop up, whether it be a headline on a paper or a clip during the nightly news. Hell, why not name drop Latveria during their trip to Europe? References should be used sparingly to keep from minimalizing
Legion's effectiveness as a standalone product.
So what do you think? Is this a positive direction for the show to go in story-wise, or do you have your own ideas? As always, remember to +1 and share the article, and leave feedback or critiques in the comments section down below.
I've got movie sign! Cheers!