On July 14th, it will be 20 years since X-Men premiered. Since X-Men: First Class introduced a new take on the world of mutants, the original trilogy has been met with criticism in comparison; however, there are several things the original trilogy, comprised of X-Men, X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Standdid better than the successors.

The saga that followed 2011's X-Men: First Class gave the X-Men franchise a welcomed breath of fresh air as the series blended comedy and action, which fans of the MCU were familiar with. While the new series does an excellent job of introducing more members of the mutant community and broadening the universe itself, there are certain elements of the original series that cannot be surpassed.

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The Depiction of Mystique

Jennifer Lawrence may be the Mystique/Raven Darkhölme that newer fans are familiar with, but Rebecca Romijn originally depicted the shapeshifting mutant from 2000 to 2006. While audiences see Lawrence's Mystique evolve from friend, to foe, to friend again, the character of Mystique is much more exciting as a cunning villain.

In the original trilogy, Mystique was transcendent as the full embodiment of her trademark "mutant and proud" ideology. Not only was she a formidable foe in physical confrontations, but this version of Mystique was much more intense and had a playful sense of villainy, such as tricking Logan into thinking she was Jean Grey just for fun. Romijn captured the intensity of Mystique that made Lawrence's performance as the younger, more emotionally conflicted mutant pale in comparison.

Another instance that sets the original trilogy's Mystique apart is that arguably the best Mystique moment in the entire X-Men franchise takes place in the final chapter of the original trilogy, where a "cure" for mutants threatened all those proud of their powers. After years of allegiance, Mystique's affection for Magneto came out when she took a dosage of the cure that was meant for him. No longer viewed as special by him, Magneto abandoned her, and this moment is emotionally charged as it was the first time the proud mutant was completely vulnerable. Romijn's performance as a previously unshakeable force made this moment land perfectly as it is telling of Mystique's true character, with her powers acting as a mask of not just her physical form but also her emotional being.

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The Depiction of Wolverine

X-Men Origins Wolverine

Hugh Jackman's Logan/Wolverine has been a staple in the X-Men properties since the beginning. The introduction to the cinematic world of X-Men prominently centered around Logan's relationship with the other mutants, as well as his own journey of self discovery. The original films see Logan grow from a lone wolf struggling with his past to ultimately becoming the true leader of the X-Men and a welcomed member of his found family.

While the later films were not designed to center around Logan as much, his role in the subsequent ensemble films did not carry the same levels of character development. Instead, the newer films heavily relied on the character to provide cheeky dialogue, comedic relief and devastating blows. These elements of the character were enjoyable, but the baseline of emotional depth set up by the original trilogy was what established Logan as a beloved character.

An Impactful Overarching Storyline

The cast of X2: X-Men United walking toward the camera in promo materials.

The idea of mutants vs humans was at the center of each film in the original series. X-Men introduced the "Mutant Registration Act" enforced by the United States government and required mutants to register their identities and abilities; X2: X-Men United saw William Stryker attempt to take control of Cerebro in order to locate all mutants and kill them and X-Men: The Last Stand centered around a pharmaceutical "cure" that suppressed the mutant gene. Each of these hardships revolved around mutants grappling with their differences alongside fighting for their rights while being hated for their existence.

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This core conflict served as a powerful allegory for contextualizing bigotry against marginalized groups in reality, and the politics demonstrated in the original trilogy reflected similar dynamics in current systems. For instance, Charles Xavier and the X-Men wanted to work with the existing powers to gradually achieve peace, but Magneto believed that any kind of cooperation was an act of compliance and sought an extremist sense of mutant supremacy. Both came into conflict with government structures of power that sought to suppress their rights while approaching them in varying ways that reflected variations of political ideologies.

Bonus: Both Series Nail the Relationship Between Charles and Erik

X-Men-Xavier and Magneto

The nuanced relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr was excellently delivered across the original trilogy and its successors. A tense friction of a shared past and conflicting ideologies amongst old friends was flawlessly illustrated by the performances by real life friends, Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, in the original series. Their fundamental differences were established immediately while an element of familial tenderness and mutual respect grounded each of their conflicts.

The relationship between the two men was spotlighted more in the films that followed as the audience watched their friendship form in X-Men: First Class, as well as how they drifted apart due to differences, despite both wanting the best for mutants. The culmination of both generations of Charles and Erik coming together once again in X-Men: Days of Future Past was all the more impactful due to the amount of character development seen across the entire film franchise.

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