Marvel completely wasted Edi Gathegi, but Superman has finally given him his chance to shine. James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DCU officially launched with Superman, and the reception has been explosive so far. David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult have rightfully gotten plenty of praise for their portrayals, but one of the film’s best performances comes from a supporting character.
Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific was one of the highlights of the movie. Part of the Justice Gang, Mister Terrific gets some extra spotlight when he steps up to help Lois. This is actually not Gathegi’s first time playing a superhero, and while he has experience in an iconic comic book franchise, his previous role was pitifully wasted.
X-Men: First Class Completely Wasted Edi Gathegi’s Darwin
Darwin Is Supposed To Be Indestructible
Gathegi played the mutant Darwin in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. Considering the number of powerful mutants, it’s impressive that Darwin is regarded as a god-tier one. The mutant has the ability to adapt to any environment or situation, such as gaining night vision in the dark or becoming fireproof after exposure to flames.
Darwin’s abilities essentially make him indestructible, since he can adapt for survival. This is what makes his X-Men: First Class death all the more shocking when he is easily defeated by the film’s villain, Sebastian Shaw. Being force-fed a ball of energy from Shaw, Darwin couldn’t adapt to the blast within his body.
To this day, Darwin’s First Class death remains one of the most baffling Marvel moments. He, over any other mutant, logically would’ve been the one to survive Shaw’s attack, and there’s been no explanation as to why he wasn’t able to absorb the power. Even Gathegi is confused by the death, and rightfully so, considering how his character’s potential was wasted.
James Gunn’s Superman Gave Mister Terrific The Epic Depiction Edi Gathegi Deserved
Mister Terrific Got To Show Off His Brains And Brawn
Gathegi may have only had a brief appearance in his previous superhero film, but Superman finally gave him a chance to shine over a decade later. From his genius intellect to his refreshingly direct atтιтude in the post-credits scene, Gathegi’s Mister Terrific stole the spotlight in every scene he was in.
As the only one to step up to help Lois break Superman out of Fort Kramer, Mister Terrific got to flex both his brains and brawn. The fight at Fort Kramer where he single-handedly takes out all of the employees is one of the film’s best action sequences. From his tech to his personality, Mister Terrific was an overall great addition to the film.
X-Men: First Class mᴀssacred a god-tier mutant, but the biggest shame from the situation may have been the waste of Edi Gathegi’s talent. Luckily for the actor, he’s finally been given the chance to shine in a superhero role once again. Superman was made a better movie because of his inclusion, and he already has one of the DCU’s most promising futures.
