Summary
- Writer Kieron Gillen was originally going to use his creation, underrated X-Men villain Unit was originally, in the Krakoan Era but the plan was scrapped, leaving the character’s future to be determined by another writer.
- Unit initially appeared to be a formidable opponent for the X-Men, but his true potential as a villain was never actualized.
- Unit’s creator, Kieron Gillen, expressed regret over not being able to bring the character back, and hopes that someone else will find a use for him in the future.
An underrated X-Men antagonist, the artificial lifeform Unit, was originally slated to appear in the franchise’s Krakoan Era, in a role that would have been perfect for him; unfortunately, the plan was ultimately scrapped, leaving the villain to – as writer Kieron Gillen put it – “remain unpunched,” at least for now.
Speaking with AIPT for X-Men Monday #235, Gillen responded to a fan question about Unit, a character he created over a decade ago. Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2) #10 – written by Kieron Gillen, with art by Carlos Pacheco & Carlos Diaz, ink by Cam Smith, Color by Guru-FX, and lettering by Joe Caramagna – featured the initial encounter between Earth’s foremost mutant team and Unit, a sentient machine determined to forge a universal utopia at all costs.
“I was planning to use him, actually,” the author admitted, giving X-fans a window into a major missed opportunity for the series.
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X-Men Villain Unit Almost Made His Comeback During The Krakoan Era…& It Would Have Been Perfect
Unit original appeared in 2009’s S.W.O.R.D. #1, having been a prisoner of the organization for some indeterminate amount of time. He soon escaped and, in Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2) #10, confronted the X-Men. The new antagonist proved to be incredibly formidable in his initial outing, but his subsequent appearances were limited, and Unit never actualized his potential to be a major X-threat. Many readers may have forgotten the character, but not all, and his creator certainly hasn’t, as Kieron Gillen revealed to AIPT.
S.W.O.R.D. #1 was written by Kieron Gillen, with art by Steven Sanders, ink by Craig Yeun, and lettering by Dave Lanphear. Unit made appearances in the first five issues of the series.
“One of the plots I jettisoned for space for my first year actually had Unit as a character,” the author admitted, going on to explain that, “he would have turned up as the diplomat from an AI confederacy, pissed off with Krakoa’s anti-AI activity.” Considering the character quickly established his brand to be a haughty sense of superiority, yet friendly demeanor, this would have been a perfect role for Unit in the Krakoan era of X-Men storytelling, which has positioned AI as its ultimate threat since Jonathan Hickman’s House of X in 2019.
Unit Wouldn’t Stand A Chance Against Nimrod, According To His Creator
Unit’s time in Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2) was notable for his interactions with Danger, the sentient evolution of the X-Men’s Danger Room – a non-organic character who has likewise played a less significant role in the Krakoan era, and its ongoing dramatic conclusion, than she might have. A more enduring artificial X-Men character, Nimrod, has instead taken a central role, as one of the leaders of anti-mutant organization Orchis. Kieron Gillen, Unit’s creator, admitted there is a power disparity between the two, suggesting a head-to-head match-up: “Unit vs Nimrod in a straight-ahead fight? Oh, Unit would be toast.”
However, according to the writer, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. “Probably my main regret of not being able to bring him back means that I wouldn’t get a chance for Unit to get smashed,” Gillen said. “A smug villain who remains unpunched is not living up to their full potential.” With his latest tenure as an influential X-Men scribe coming to a close, it will be up to another writer to find a way to bring Unit back. “I’d like to think someone would find a use for him,” Gillen said, leaving Unit’s X-Men future to be determined.
Source: AIPT, X-Men Monday #235
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
