Mystique's Dilemma: How She Dies in Dark Phoenix and Lives in X-Men (2000)

One of the most intriguing narrative continuities in the X-Men film series revolves around Mystique's fate. In Dark Phoenix, the pivotal villain dies tragically, while in X-Men (2000), she survives a similar impalement. This paradox is explained through the complex use of Days of Future Past and time travel.

The Impact of Days of Future Past

The pivotal time-travel event described in Days of Future Past marks a significant divergence from the timeline of the original X-Men movies. This film introduces a dystopian future where nearly all of the X-Men are dead. The Days of Future Past premise fundamentally alters the continuity, rendering the events of previous X-Men films irrelevant.

The core X-Men are alive, but Jean Grey and Cyclops are also alive. What is crucial to note is that the events and characters from the previous X-Men films no longer exist in this new timeline. This means that all previous plotlines and character developments from the original films, including Mystique's fate, are effectively negated.

The Role of Time Travel and Days of Future Past

In Days of Future Past, Wolverine travels back in time to alter the events leading up to the X-Men's defeat by the Sentinels. As a result, the events of the original X-Men (2000) and subsequent films are altered, preventing the formation of the Sentinels and the subsequent apocalypse. In this new timeline, the events leading to Dark Phoenix do not occur, thus preventing Mystique's death in Dark Phoenix.

Thus, while Mystique is killed in Dark Phoenix, she survives in the first X-Men (2000) due to the timeline changes introduced by the time travel event in Days of Future Past.

The Difference in Wounding

While the exact wound inflicted on Mystique is similar in both films, the outcome in Dark Phoenix is different from that in X-Men (2000). In the first film, before the storyline leading to Dark Phoenix, Mystique is briefly able to mimic Wolverine's healing factor, allowing her to survive the stab wound. This is possible in the original timeline due to the character's known mortality among comics fans.

However, in Dark Phoenix, Mystique lacks the ability to mimic Wolverine's healing factor and is impaled with a larger wound. Given her lack of a healing factor in the film, she would not have been able to survive such an injury.

Exploring Marvel's Multiverse

Mystique's survival in some timelines and death in others demonstrates the complexity of Marvel's multiverse. The events of Deadpool 2, Avengers: Endgame, and Days of Future Past all involve time travel, establishing multiple timelines and realities.

The narrative structure of these films, particularly the films featuring time travel, creates a rich, complex storytelling environment that requires careful attention to screen continuity. For fans, resolving these inconsistencies can be both a challenge and an opportunity for deeper engagement with the X-Men universe.

Overall, the fate of Mystique in the X-Men films is a fascinating example of how time travel and multiverse storytelling can create both plot consequences and character development opportunities.