The Marvel Cinematic Universe already has setup a perfect way to introduce a clever first villain choice for the X-Men in the franchise, capitalizing on a years-old theory about the franchise. With the MCU X-Men movie on the horizon, questions surrounding what to expect from the franchise’s version of the iconic Marvel group have become more prevalent than ever. Naturally, the question of who will serve as the team’s first antagonist is also a topic of some discussion, especially since the X-Men have such a mᴀssive range of villains in the comics.

That said, some of these figures would blend more into the MCU timeline right now than others, and – short of the rumored MCU reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars – some would be very much at odds with the current layout as it stands. As such, it’s notable that one perfect villain choice for the early days of the franchise has a solid setup established already by prior Marvel movies, making the prospect of a key enemy of the X-Men debuting all the more viable,

MCU’s Mister Sinister X-Men Movie Villain Theory Explained

Mister Sinister Has Been Theorized To Appear In The MCU For Some Time

Before the Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3‘s story even debuted, theories emerged that the introduction of the movie’s villain, the High Evolutionary, paved the way for the first appearance of several other antagonists, notably including X-Men villain Mister Sinister. This made sense, since in the comics, Herbert Wyndham – the original human form of the High Evolutionary – is inspired by the research of Nathanial EsSєx, who later becomes Mister Sinister.

Since it’s Mister Sinister’s genetic research that inspires the High Evolutionary, it’s easy to see how their stories could connect in the MCU, and especially how they could pave the way to Mister Sinister being the first X-Men villain for the franchise. While the MCU’s actual depiction of the High Evolutionary means adapting things wouldn’t be so straightforward, they still leave a very viable setup for the villain going forward.

The MCU Can Use The High Evolutionary To Tie Mister Sinister Into Its World

The High Evolutionary’s MCU Story Still Leaves The Door Open For A Connection To Mister Sinister

Though the MCU’s version of the High Evolutionary is different to the conventional comic depiction in a fair few ways, he notably does still have some confirmed history with Earth. James Gunn confirmed on X that the High Evolutionary visited Earth in the 1980s, with his time on the planet inspiring him to eventually create the Counter-Earth he populated with Humanimals. As such, there’s still a definite opening of time wherein the villain could have encountered Mister Sinister’s research – or EsSєx himself.

Despite being defeated by the Guardians in the Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 ending, it’s worth noting that the High Evolutionary is not ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the MCU – having been rescued from the explosion that destroyed his laboratories and incarcerated on Knowhere for the time being. This would also make Mister Sinister’s introduction yet easier for the MCU to pull off, by either having him seek to rescue the High Evolutionary because of his knowledge, or by having the High Evolutionary allude to the impending threat of the other, similar antagonist.

Why Mister Sinister Is The MCU’s Ideal First X-Men Villain

Having Mister Sinister as the MCU’s first X-Men villain would allow the franchise to directly address many of the mysteries regarding mutants and where they’ve been for so long, since an antagonist who specializes in genetic research – and specifically research about genetic mutation – would thus logically have an understanding of things that could be used for worldbuilding purposes. This would be quite similar to the way the franchise has approached other antagonists throughout its history, with figures like Thanos and Dormammu fleshing out different spheres of the universe and its history.

Mister Sinister could also effectively be used to establish other X-Men villains, as he’s been affiliated with notable figures like Apocalypse throughout his comic story – and has similarly played key roles in both old and new comic arcs, leaving a wide array of narratives the franchise could adapt. As such, while it seems there’s still a decent stretch of time before the main MCU version of the X-Men appear in their own right, using Mister Sinister as the faction’s first big villain could be a move that would pay off tenfold for the team and the wider franchise.

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