There isn't a lot to praise about 2020's The New Mutants. It's a weak interpretation of a strong comics arc, mired with whitewashed casting choices (Henry Zaga, Alice Braga), racist writing (Illyana makes several offensive remarks to Dani; the script approaches Dani's Native American heritage awkwardly) and it's a generally unsatisfying story. However, the romantic relationship between Dani (Blu Hunt) and Rahne (Maisie Williams) is a pleasant surprise and could represent a positive shift for the future of Marvel films.

In the comics, Rahne and Dani are good friends, particularly in their New Mutants days. The two even share a psychic link when Rahne is in wolf form, as Dani has powers that include animal empathy. Before the film, there were fans who "shipped" them, but their canonical relationship was platonic. Neither character was written as anything but heterosexual and Rahne was even romantically linked to Dani's legal ward in one problematic arc, understandably putting a strain on their friendship.

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The New Mutants decides to take their bond in a romantic direction, not only changing and deepening the nature of the characters' bond, but making them both fall somewhere on the LGBTQ spectrum. This is significant, because while there are other queer relationships in previous Marvel properties, they are few and far between.

One of these other queer relationships is that of Karolina (Virginia Gardner) and Nico (Lyrica Okano) in Runaways. However, the two weren't a couple originally. In the comics, Karolina confesses her romantic feelings for Nico, but Nico doesn't reciprocate. The decision to change this in the show is an incredibly positive one. It prevents Karolina from just being a sad lesbian stereotype pining for a straight girl. More importantly, it shows that a relationship between two female characters can be a nuanced, positive, significant part of the story just like a heterosexual relationship could.

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Dani and Rahne's relationship has significantly less canonical precedent than Karolina and Nico's, but it's handled with similar refreshing ease. Director Josh Boone made the decision to include their romance in the story. They seamlessly manage to bond and strike up a relationship amidst the chaos of the story, and it's that relationship and Rahne's care that partially gives Dani the strength she needs to deal with the Demon Bear. None of the other characters are bothered by the relationship or even particularly surprised. Rahne is shown earnestly watching the scene from Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the first onscreen Willow/Tara kiss, which feels like the script's way of establishing that Rahne is queer and the other characters (who are in the room when Rahne is watching TV) probably know but aren't bothered.

It's no secret that Marvel fandom is full of people who support queer ships, and while some of them are completely random or based more on potential than actual canon interactions, others — such as Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes or Carol Danvers and Maria Rambeau — have pretty solid foundations. Characters that are queer in the comics (Victoria Hand, Korg, Ayo) have also appeared in the MCU without their sexuality being acknowledged. Tessa Thompson and director Taika Waititi lobbied for her Valkyrie to be explicitly bisexual in Thor: Ragnarok, but their efforts were ultimately rebuffed, though she's allegedly going to find a queen in Thor: Love and Thunder. The Eternals also promises an onscreen gay relationship, which is another step in the right direction, but ultimately, the studio has a long way to go.

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Following The New Mutants' lead and including LGBTQ characters would allow for more representation. Dani and Rahne's relationship made sense because it evolved from an established connection, and there are plenty of established connections in the comics that could be interpreted romantically. And given the fluid nature of sexuality and the fact that many queer people don't come out until later in life, it could lead to some really interesting and relatable stories.

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