Editor’s Note: The below contains spoilers for X-Men ‘97 Episode 7.
Just when you thought Mr. Sinister (Chris Britton) was pulling the stringsinX-Men ‘97, it’s been revealed thathe serves an even more sinister master. This purple goateed menace is none other than Bastion (Theo James) — a ruthless, powerful, and deadly cyborg that has a long history in Marvel Comics. It’s a history so long that even the most seasoned fans may have forgotten about him, but that doesn’t mean Bastion still isn’t a paramount threat in the Marvel universe.
Frankly, even compared to the likes of Magneto (Matthew Waterson) and Apocalypse (John Colicos), Bastion is just as dangerous, if not even more so.Fans of the hit Disney+ seriesalready know what Bastion is capable of following the horrific events of Episode 5 ofX-Men ‘97, but his crimes in the comics further codify him as truly monstrous. Monster or not,Bastion’s origins make the character even more tragic, as there was a time when he could have been a productive member of society rather than a genocidal mutant hunter.
A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they’re challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
What Are Bastion’s Origins in Marvel Comics?
Bastion was born as a Sentinel in Marvel Comics, but he’s more than your average mutant killing machine. Instead of being a twenty-foot-tall enforcer, Bastion isthe result of an audacious experiment to create a Sentinel infiltrator that looked and acted human. The goal of the Bastion project was to create a new humanoid robotic soldier that had the brilliant computing mind of Master Mold and the combat prowess of Nimrod. In short, one could think of Bastion as the Marvel equivalent of the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from theTerminatorfranchise.
It didn’t take long for Bastion to get into a confrontation with the X-Men, and he proved himself as one of the toughest foes they ever faced. So tough, in fact, that the only way the powerful team of mutants was able to defeat him was to send Bastion through a magical portal. Bastion came out of the other side with a case of amnesia, with no memory of who he was before or even that he was secretly a Sentinel. He was found by a kind and empathetic woman named Rose Gilberti, who took Bastion in as her own and even gave him the name of Sebastion Gilberti. Despite Rose’s repeated encouragement and kindness,Bastion still becomes radicalized by hateful anti-mutant groups, and eventually rediscovers the purpose he was created for.
Those who watched Episode 7 ofX-Men ‘97probably noticed the new organization that the team is fighting, that being “OZT.“That’s an obvious nod to Operation: Zero Tolerance— the very obviously bigoted organization that Bastion founded in the comics, essentially revitalizing the Sentinel program. The group gained notoriety for not just creating more Sentinel soldiers, but also turning unsuspecting humans into Prime Sentinels similar to Bastion, which we see firsthand inX-Men ‘97with Bolivar Trask’s (Gavin Hammon) shocking transformation. The future crimes and feats that Bastion goes on to commit are boundless, even being capable of defeating and killing ultra-powerful mutants like Xorn.
Bastion Has Already Inflicted More Pain on Mutantkind than Anyone Else in ‘X-Men ‘97’
Bastion has already proven himself asthe greatest threat that mutants have ever faced inX-Men ‘97, asthe now infamous Episode 5 clearly shows. At no point in the X-Men’s entire history has an event as shocking and cataclysmic as the Genosha massacre ever taken place. Even the world’s most powerful mutants are helpless as they watch an ultra-powerful Master Mold Sentinel lay waste to the mutant utopia, with several established characters, most notably the beloved Gambit (A.J. LoCascio), perishing in the aftermath. We now know that this unthinkable tragedy was perpetrated by Bastion.
The horrific atrocities perpetrated on Genosha prove to be a mere prelude to what’s to come, as his same plan from the comics is already coming into action. Not only is OZT officially in operation, butthey’re already turning humans into Prime Sentinels, likely without their knowledge, since it doesn’t look like Bolivar Trask expected to be turned into one. The X-Men are very nearly defeated by the Sentinel-infused Trask, barely being saved by the futuristic tech of Cable (Chris Potter). If the experienced superhero team wasn’t even able to defeat Trask, who knows what will happen when they meet Bastion?
The end ofX-Men ‘97Episode 7 also reveals another shocking development. Not only didMagneto somehow survive being laser-blasted by the massive Master Mold, but he’s also in Bastion’s custody. Imprisoned in some sort of barbershop, Bastion gleefully taunts the gagged redeemed mutant, with nefarious plans that remain to be seen. It’s also no secret thatX-Men ‘97appears to be directly setting up the oh-so-famous Days of Future Past storyline, in which the Sentinels play a major part. The atrocities committed by Bastion could very well be setting up the robotic fascists’ inevitable takeover of Earth.
Who Voices Bastion in ‘X-Men ‘97’?
In a bit of surprise casting, Bastionis voiced by none other than Theo James, who has had a pretty incredible run in the television world recently. Many may recognize James from his breakout performance in theDivergentsaga. There, he played the major character of Four, who was named as such because he’s only afraid of four things… which frankly doesn’t sound impressive enough to name oneself after.
SinceDivergent, Theo James has hit home run after home run on several hit television shows. That arguably started when he played a role inThe White LotusSeason 2, where he plays an unfaithful husband named Cameron Sullivan. Even more recently,James led the impressive ensemble cast of Netflix’sThe Gentlemen, which has been praised by many as a show that isjust as good if not better than the feature film it’s based on. James’ already charismatic performance as the nefarious Bastion inX-Men ‘97is already making for an impressive and intimidating villain, and an actor of his caliber is certainly an unexpected and welcome addition to one of the best shows Marvel has ever produced.
