Professor X appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness continues the setup for a new Defenders team in the MCU. A shocking cameo in the Doctor Strange 2 trailer revealed that Patrick Stewart is ing the MCU – presumably as Professor Charles Xavier. In both the comics and the movies, Xavier is the founder of the X-Men team and a mentor figure to many of Marvel’s mutant heroes.
Similar to the situation with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield and their versions of Spider-Man, Stewart’s Professor X is from a separate movie franchise. However, the concept of the multiverse has created an opportunity for the studio to bring iconic portrayals of certain Marvel characters into the MCU who couldn’t have worked before. Stewart’s voice saying “we should tell him the truth” in the Doctor Strange 2 trailer reveals that after appearing in various movies as Professor X over a 15-year period, the character may be about to make a surprising jump to the MCU. It would seem that in Doctor Strange’s latest adventure, he’ll be reintroduced as a member of a secretive organization.
Professor X’s Doctor Strange 2 role hints at the introduction of both the Illuminati and the X-Men, but there’s actually a third superhero team he could help set up. Even though he isn’t directly d with them in Marvel Comics, Professor X could factor into the formation of a comic-accurate Defenders roster. Thanks to Marvel’s Netflix shows, there’s already a live-action Defenders group, but it bears such little resemblance to the classic team that the movies could easily have their own. Here’s how Professor X and the X-Men are connected to the Defenders, and how their ties to Doctor Strange 2’s story lay additional groundwork for the team ing the MCU.
Marvel's Defenders Lineup & X-Men Connection Explained
The classic version of the Defenders that protected the Earth during the 1970s and 1980s is fundamentally different from the group that made a stand against organized crime in Netflix’s show. Originally depicted as a “non-team” who only came together when needed, the Defenders started out as an all-powerful trio that consisted of Doctor Strange, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Hulk. In addition to them, the most important characters in the group were without question Valkyrie and Nighthawk, a Batman-like millionaire who used his wealth to become a superhero. Silver Surfer was around in their early days as well, but he never stayed for very long.
Strange, Hulk, Namor, Nighthawk, and Valkyrie defined the Defenders for most of the 1970s. When the original three dropped out, Nighthawk and Valkyrie moved on without them. During this time, heroes like Hellcat, Beast, Gargoyle, Iceman, and Angel rose up and developed prominent roles in the comics. By the end of the comic’s run in the 1980s, the X-Men made up more than half of the Defenders roster. Due to fractures in the X-Men and other developments, Beast, Iceman, and Angel had all found new homes for themselves in the Defenders. Alongside Valkyrie and Gargoyle, all three mutants became mainstays of the team and focal points of multiple major storylines. Through them, mutantkind had plenty of representation in the Defenders for several years.
How Marvel Is Already Building The MCU's Defenders Team
Intentionally or not, Marvel has been quietly building the classic Defenders for quite a while now. It already has Hulk, Valkyrie, and Doctor Strange. Plus, rumors about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever indicate that the MCU is in a good position to pick up at least one more Defender in Phase 4. If it’s true that Namor is appearing in Black Panther 2, the MCU will have the right tools to form a proper version of Doctor Strange’s Defenders team. ittedly, it’ll still be missing Nighthawk, but as other MCU movies have proven, the absence of one character won’t hold Marvel back from moving in this direction. Thor: Ragnarok already teamed up Hulk and Valkyrie, so it’s hard to imagine the MCU pairing these two up again, especially if the former is somehow restored to the status quo in She-Hulk. Doctor Strange could one day call on both of them (and Namor) for help with a future problem.
Also, merchandise for Doctor Strange 2 hints at the movie having Defenders connections. It seems that a character currently dubbed “Defender Doctor Strange” will be a Strange variant from the multiverse. It’s possible that this character leads the Defenders in his own timeline. His introduction could be used to tease the MCU’s Strange eventually embarking down the same path.
Professor X In Doctor Strange 2 Means The X-Men Are MCU Canon
More Defenders characters will be on the table when the X-Men finally the MCU. Many were under the assumption that Marvel would wait until Phase 5 before heading down that road, but the Doctor Strange 2 trailer indicates otherwise. If Stewart really is reprising his role as Professor X, that means the X-Men definitely exists in the MCU’s multiverse. Being the founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and the leader of the original X-Men team are what made Professor X who he is. It’s likely that his activities with the X-Men and the roles he played in helping them save the world are what made him a part of what appears to be the MCU’s Illuminati.
Doctor Strange's X-Men Link Sets Up New MCU Defenders
Marvel introducing the concept of the X-Men in Doctor Strange 2 could serve as an extra step toward the formation of the Defenders. Because of the presence of mutants, Marvel will have more candidates available to them if and when they create the Defenders. Based on their comic history and long-lasting association with the Defenders, Iceman, Beast, and Angel would all be possible roster additions for a Defenders movie or Doctor Strange 3. Any or all of the three characters could be teased in a post-credits scene. Perhaps under the direction of Professor X, they could cross over from the multiverse and up with Doctor Strange. Alternatively, Strange could seek them out early on in his next MCU outing, possibly because he learned about mutants from his interactions with Professor X.
Aligning Beast, Angel, Iceman, or a different mutant with the Defenders could turn out to be a great move for the MCU if handled well. As one of the most popular teams in comic book history, the X-Men boast over two dozen well-known superheroes, many of which being household names. With that in mind, it would make perfect sense for Marvel to split them up. After all, it can only use so many in one X-Men movie. Despite being original of the first X-Men team in the comics, Beast, Iceman, and Angel aren’t guaranteed roster spots in the MCU’s X-Men reboot. That’s why it may be better for some X-Men heroes to be moved to a different team, like the Defenders. After Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Professor X’s first MCU appearance, Strange may have even more potential recruits he can look to when it comes time to form the Defenders.
