Ever since the creation of Marvel's Merry Mutants by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963, the X-Men franchise has used the mutant condition to serve as an allegory for social issues. It's been used as a lens to examine racial violence, sexuality and many other important topics, but one that the films and TV shows have handled masterfully in recent years is the issue of mental illness. Lately, FX's Legion, FOX's The Gifted, and the 2017 film Logan, in particular, have tackled mental health head-on, depicting strong examples of various illnesses, like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism, as an added struggle for our heroes.

RELATED: The Gifted’s Polaris Suffers from Bipolar Disorder

Let's take a look at the various ways the X-Men films and TV shows have tackled mental health directly, serving as both a glimpse into the struggles of those who endure mental illness, and the ways we can overcome our God-given obstacles.


Legion: Paranoid Schizophrenia

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Though Legion can explain away David Haller's diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia as a symptom of his mutant power, the X-Men-based series handles his power, in many ways, as though it is simply a mental illness. We see David cope with his inability to understand and control his mind, and get a window into the frightening instability and self-harm that can manifest in a time of crisis. We see how David's relationships are damaged because of his inability to understand his mental issues, and the ensuing fear and worry that he causes his loved ones.

RELATED: FX’s Legion ‘Can’t Ever’ Cross Over With X-Men Films

The series also masterfully captures the experience of residing in a mental health facility, especially in the pilot episode where we learn of David's time at Clockworks. Showcasing the paranoia, fear and anxiety that comes with staying in a mental hospital, the series artfully depicts the struggles and dangers facing a mentally ill individual in our health care system, which has a lot to be desired. For those of us that have stayed in a mental hospital, David's experience at Clockworks and the PTSD he suffers from his past outbursts ring particularly true.

The Gifted: Bipolar Disorder

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Though The Gifted doesn't go quite as deep as Legion, it still tackles mental health head-on. Taking cues from the comics, the writers decided to have the X-Men-based series' Polaris (Magneto's daughter) suffer from bipolar disorder. Showcasing the extreme highs and lows of the condition, the series is set to zero-in on the mutant's mental health issues, and how that can affect her magnetic powers.

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"100% that’s something we’re already doing," Polaris actor Emma Dumont told CBR at New York Comic Con, with regard to exploring Polaris' bipolar disorder on the series. "You’re totally correct, she has bipolar disorder. She’s unmedicated, she’s not being treated for it, I don’t even know if in our show she knows she has it — but she definitely does. She has major bouts of mania and very, very low times of depression…I think it’s really rad to see [someone] mentally ill — also a woman — be a hero."

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Logan: Alcoholism

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Logan's exploration of mental illness isn't as explicit as it is on the other two X-Men-based properties examined in this article. It's a much more subtle example, and in a lot of ways has to be interpreted on a metaphorical level.

First, let's discuss the surface-level exploration of mental health. It's pretty clear that Hugh Jackman's titular Wolverine suffers from alcoholism, to a much more serious extent than he did in previous X-Men films. Driving drunk, spending every moment he can (that he's not getting in fights or providing meds for his buddy Charles), Logan is attached to the bottle, unable to accept the reality with which he's living. Alcoholism is a mental illness, and Logan artfully gives us a window into the condition.

RELATED: Jackman Teases Classic Costume For One Last Wolverine Appearance

On a deeper level though, the film can be interpreted as the all-encompassing struggle of an addict. Logan's arc in the film is coming to terms with unforgivable mistakes. These can be mistakes, as is the case for Charles' "Westchester Incident," that we might not remember. It's about understanding how to cope with knowing you've hurt someone because of your condition, and learning to live with that, without destroying yourself. It's a profound message of self-acceptance; not forgetting the past or your condition, but learning from it, and becoming a better person on the other side.

Logan is a film about the distinction between man and animal -- the notion that humans have a consciousness wherein we need to own up to our actions, and learn from them, rather than letting them overcome who we are, or define us. By the end of the film, with the help of Laura, Logan rediscovers what he is at his core: Human. He's a hero, though -- willing to recognize his mistakes, but able to continue to do the right thing.


Starring Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, Katie Aselton, Jeremie Harris, Bill Irwin, Rachel Keller and Amber Midthunder, Legion will return for its planned 10-episode second season in early 2018.

Airing Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox, The Gifted stars Stephen Moyer as Reed Strucker, Amy Acker as Caitlin Strucker, Sean Teale as Marcos Diaz/Eclipse, Coby Bell as Jace Turner, Emma Dumont cast as Lorna Dane/Polaris, Jamie Chung as Blink/Clarice Fong and Blair Redford as John Proudstar/Thunderbird, Natalie Alyn Lind as Lauren Strucker and Percy Hynes White as Andy Strucker.

Available now on Blu-ray and DVD, Logan stars Hugh Jackman as Logan, Patrick Stewart as Charles, Dafne Keen as Laura, Boyd Holbrook as Pierce and Stephen Merchant as Caliban.