I still remember walking out of the theater in 2006 after watching X-Men: The Last Stand, feeling like someone had just served me a gourmet meal that had been microwaved at the last minute. All the ingredients were there – the Dark Phoenix saga, beloved characters, epic mutant battles – but something felt rushed, incomplete, almost insulting to the story I’d grown to love.
Fast forward to last weekend, and there I was again, rewatching Brett Ratner’s controversial take on the X-Men finale. But this time was different. With Avengers Doomsday looming on the horizon and whispers of mutants finally joining the MCU, I found myself looking at The Last Stand through a completely new lens.
Maybe, just maybe, Marvel’s upcoming multiversal event could give us the proper X-Men finale we deserved all those years ago.
Why The Last Stand Still Stings After All These Years
Let’s be honest – X-Men: The Last Stand remains one of the most frustrating superhero movies ever made. Not because it’s completely terrible, but because you can see glimpses of greatness buried under rushed storytelling and studio interference.
The movie tried to cram two major storylines into one film: the Dark Phoenix saga and the mutant “cure” storyline. Either one could have been an entire movie on its own. Instead, we got a Frankenstein’s monster that satisfied neither comic fans nor casual moviegoers.
“The Last Stand had all the right pieces but none of the patience,” says longtime X-Men comic reader Marcus Chen. “It’s like they were racing to the finish line without understanding why the journey mattered.”
The film’s biggest sins weren’t just technical – they were emotional. Killing off major characters like Cyclops and Professor X felt cheap rather than meaningful. Jean Grey’s transformation into Dark Phoenix lacked the psychological depth that made the comic storyline so compelling.
What Avengers Doomsday Could Learn From Past Mistakes
Here’s where things get interesting. Avengers Doomsday presents Marvel with a unique opportunity to address many of the storytelling issues that plagued The Last Stand. The upcoming film could serve as both a multiversal culmination and a proper introduction of mutants to the MCU.
Consider what we know about Avengers Doomsday so far:
- Robert Downey Jr. returns as Doctor Doom, not Iron Man
- The film will deal with multiversal consequences from previous MCU events
- It’s positioned as a major reset point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Multiple versions of familiar characters are expected to appear
This setup is perfect for addressing The Last Stand’s core problem: giving characters proper development time while handling massive, universe-altering events.
| The Last Stand’s Problems | Avengers Doomsday’s Opportunities |
|---|---|
| Rushed character deaths | Meaningful sacrifices with proper buildup |
| Two storylines crammed together | Multiverse allows for multiple narrative threads |
| Underdeveloped Phoenix transformation | Potential for proper mutant power exploration |
| Unsatisfying villain motivations | Doctor Doom as a complex, established threat |
“Marvel has learned from everyone else’s mistakes,” notes film analyst Sarah Rodriguez. “They’ve shown they can handle ensemble pieces and give each character their moment to shine, even in crowded stories.”
The Redemption Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight
What makes this comparison so fascinating is how Avengers Doomsday could actually deliver on The Last Stand’s unfulfilled promises. The 2006 film wanted to be an epic finale that changed everything. Instead, it felt like a rushed conclusion to a story that deserved better.
Avengers Doomsday has the chance to be what The Last Stand should have been: a proper “last stand” that earns its emotional moments through careful character work and meaningful consequences.
The multiverse concept gives Marvel something The Last Stand never had – the ability to honor past versions of characters while moving forward with new interpretations. We could see Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine get a proper farewell alongside Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, while simultaneously introducing fresh takes on these beloved mutants.
More importantly, Avengers Doomsday could explore the themes The Last Stand touched on but never fully developed:
- What it means to be different in a world that fears you
- The responsibility that comes with immense power
- Whether peaceful coexistence is possible between humans and enhanced individuals
- The price of protecting a world that doesn’t always want your protection
“The X-Men stories work best when they’re about more than just superpowers,” explains comic historian Dr. Amanda Foster. “They’re about identity, acceptance, and finding your place in the world. Marvel has shown they understand this with their recent films.”
Why This Matters for Marvel’s Future
The stakes for Avengers Doomsday extend far beyond just making a good movie. This film could set the tone for how mutants are integrated into the MCU for the next decade or more.
If Marvel can deliver the epic, emotionally satisfying finale that The Last Stand promised but failed to provide, it would prove they’ve learned from past superhero movie mistakes. It would also establish a new benchmark for how to handle large-scale ensemble pieces with universe-altering consequences.
For longtime X-Men fans, Avengers Doomsday represents a chance for closure on storylines that have been left hanging for nearly two decades. For newer Marvel fans, it could be their introduction to some of the most compelling characters in comics.
The film could also address one of The Last Stand’s most criticized aspects: the treatment of female characters. Jean Grey’s Dark Phoenix arc was underdeveloped and felt more like a plot device than character growth. Marvel has shown significant improvement in this area with characters like Wanda Maximoff, whose journey from Avengers to WandaVision demonstrated how to handle a character’s descent into darkness with proper emotional weight.
“Marvel has the blueprint now for how to make these big team-up movies work,” says entertainment journalist Kevin Park. “They just need to apply those lessons to characters who deserve better than they got the first time around.”
FAQs
When is Avengers Doomsday expected to be released?
The film is currently scheduled for release in May 2026, though exact dates may change as production continues.
Will Hugh Jackman return as Wolverine for Avengers Doomsday?
While nothing has been officially confirmed, the multiverse concept makes appearances by previous X-Men actors possible without contradicting their previous endings.
How will Avengers Doomsday introduce mutants to the MCU?
Marvel hasn’t revealed specific details, but the multiversal nature of the film provides numerous opportunities to bring mutant characters into the main MCU timeline.
Is Robert Downey Jr. playing Iron Man or Doctor Doom in the new movie?
Downey Jr. is confirmed to be playing Doctor Doom, not returning as Tony Stark/Iron Man.
Will Avengers Doomsday fix the problems with X-Men: The Last Stand?
While it can’t retroactively fix past films, Avengers Doomsday could provide better versions of similar storylines and give characters the development they deserved.
Do I need to watch X-Men: The Last Stand before Avengers Doomsday?
No, but understanding the history of X-Men films and their shortcomings might help you appreciate what Marvel is trying to achieve with their new approach.
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