Despite the fact that superhero TV shows have become incredibly popular over the course of the last few years, some series have still found new ways to innovate on the tried and true formula. No show epitomizes that idea more than Legion -- a series that has developed a stellar reputation for its mind-boggling storytelling and its off-kilter take on the X-Men world. Legion has kept its connections to the greater X-Men universe relatively tenuous throughout the run of its first season, but it will continue to embrace certain aspects of the mutant lore as it moves into Season 2. Showrunner Noah Hawley explained:
As we do with Fargo, fans who are really familiar with that world, they appreciate certain connections and being rewarded for knowing the story so well. At the same time, my goal is to always use character as a way to have a conversation, and tell a story that was my story and was interesting to me to try and get to the heart of who this character is and this journey for him without re-enacting storylines from the comic book. So you won't see the show suddenly be beholden to the comic books for storyline, but you may see ideas, characters or images that are familiar to you.
So if we're to believe Noah Hawley's recent comments to Blastr, Legion will continue to embrace aspects and elements of the X-Men lore as it progresses, but we shouldn't expect any literal adaptations of X-Men stories. Hawley seems to have an interest in using the fundamental DNA of the X-Men universe to tell a story that's uniquely his own, and that's something that fans have also gravitated towards. Just like with Fargo, fans will enjoy certain references to the source material, but inside knowledge of the X-Men lore won't be required to get everything out of Legion's future stories. While there's going to be a concerted effort to "reward" fans who have a knowledge of the mutant world, we're not going to see a small screen version of Days of Future Past play out anytime soon.
Although I would argue that Legion should continue to stand on its own (particularly with another X-Men series on the way) there are still notable connections to the overarching X-Men universe that would be phenomenal to see. One of the most interesting would be the introduction of David's father, Charles Xavier, with Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role. Stewart has stated that he is interested in returning to the part on the small screen, so that could be one of the easiest and best ways to keep specific links to the X-Men universe alive.
The Legion season finale airs on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. EST on FX. If you're on the lookout for more information pertaining to all of this summer's most highly anticipated television debuts, make sure to take a look at our comprehensive summer TV premiere guide and fill out your viewing calendars accordingly!
