Mike Eakins
Thanks for the memories, Dave. Since airing in March of 2017 we have come to know David Haller and his struggle to find out what is going on in his mind. Only to come to find out he’s not crazy, he’s just the strongest mutant on the planet. The story of David Haller can be traced back to New Mutants #85. The child of Professor Xavier and Gabrielle Haller, David was a victim of a terrorist attack, in which he was the only survivor. The trauma of the situation caused David to manifest his mutant powers, incinerating the minds of the terrorists. In the process, he absorbed the mind of the terrorist leader, Jemail Karami, into his own. Being linked to so many others at their time of death, he was rendered catatonic and remained in the care of Moira MacTaggert at the Muir Island mutant research facility. The trauma caused David’s personality to splinter, with each of the personalities controlling a different aspect of his psionic power. However over the past two seasons of the show, we get introduced to a familiar X villain in the form of Lenny Busker (Aubrey Plaza), however, it is revealed that the Shadow King was wasn’t Lenny but an ancient being name Amahl Farouk (Navid Negahban).
LEGION — Pictured: Dan Stevens as David Haller. CR: Matthias Clamer/FX
At the Television Critics Association press tour in February, showrunner and executive producer Noah Hawley said that “When we saw David last, he had left Division 3, feeling like all these people who are supposed to love him unconditionally had turned on him, and therefore he wanted to go someplace where he could have that love. So he started himself a little old commune, basically, where he can relieve people’s pain.”
It’s at this commune where David meets another mutant, Switch, who will be played by artist and actor Lauren Tsai. Switch’s time-traveling powers will be the key to David accomplishing his plans as he is determined to repair the damage he caused. The hunt for Farouk awakened a new lust for power in David, who also realized that the root of his problems was much deeper than he ever imagined.
The next part of David’s story will also introduce his parents – Professor X and Gabrielle – who will be played by Harry Lloyd and Stephanie Corneliussen.
Based on the Marvel Comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz, “Legion” was created by Noah Hawley, who serves as Executive Producer with John Cameron, Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, and Jeph Loeb. Legion is produced by FX Productions and Marvel Television, with FXP handling the physical production.
The third and final season of “Legion” begins on Monday, June 24 at 10:00 PM ET/PTE on FX!
PASADENA, CA – FEBRUARY 4: (L-R Top Row) EP Lauren Shuler Donner, Creator/EP/Showrunner/Writer Noah Hawley, EP Jeph Loeb and (L-R Bottom Row) Cast Members Lauren Tsai, Rachel Keller, Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, and Navid Negahban during the LEGION panel for the 2019 FX Networks Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington Hotel on February 4, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/FX/PictureGroup)