Legion is one weird looking television show. You should see the comic book exploits of this anti-hero.
You could call Legion on FX a mutant. This new series by executive producer Noah Hawley is the hybrid of Fox’s team behind the X-Men film franchise and Marvel Studios Television team.
Dan Stevens plays David Haller, described as “a troubled young man who may be more than human. Diagnosed as schizophrenic as a child, David has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years.”
Legion is possibly the most unfashionable mutants in the history of X-Men. Legion often wears what looks like pajamas and has hair is like a big eraser/paintbrush.
Who is this odd, under the radar member of the X-Men family who inspired a new television series? (Click to see the latest poster then read on below.)
Who is Legion?
In the comics David is the troubled son of Professor Charles Xavier and Gabrielle Haller. Legion is an omega-level mutant with severe mental illness. David’s damaged mind is tied to his mutant abilities. Each of Haller’s multiple personalities control a different mutant power including pyrokinesis, telekinesis, telepathy, time travel and to warp reality.
Legion was created by the legendary team of writer Chris Claremont and artist Bill Sienkiewicz in the pages of New Mutants. David was the sole survivor of a terrorist attack. The trauma caused his personality to splinter just as his mutant powers were first manifesting. Legion was under the care of Dr. Moira MacTaggert for years on Muir Island.
Legion often appeared as the X-Men’s adversary in part due to the “evil” personalities in his mind or he was under another villain’s control.
Legion was possessed by a psionic entity known as the Shadow King, the first evil mutant Professor Xavier encountered. Legion was hijacked and forced to increase fear and hate in the world telepathically so the Shadow King could feed on it.
Legion’s most infamous act started out with the best intentions.
When David was healed he went back in time to stop the rift between enemies Professor X and Magneto. He wanted to see his father’s dream of peace between mutants and humans realized by convincing Magneto to not oppose it. Things did not go smoothly…it is comics.
One of Legion’s personalities attacked Magneto with a psychic knife, Charles stepped in to save his friend Erik, Professor Xavier died 20 years in the past, setting an all-new reality. In a world where Professor X didn’t live to form the X-Men, the Age of Apocalypse was born.
Legion was often in control of his powers and personalities with the help of others. David eventually found love with a blind mutant named Ruth Aldine aka Blindfold. David and Ruth were both young mutants with multiple psionic powers and tragic lives. After falling in love and facing many enemies, David’s powers reached their full potential threatening the world. David decided to wipe himself from existence but left a small fragment of himself in Ruth’s mind.
David Haller is one of the most tragic figures in comics. This background X-Men character is about to seize the spotlight and reshape what comic book inspired shows can be.
Legion premieres tonight at 10 pm on FX. See the trailer here.
By Editor