Deadpool, the “Merc with a Mouth,” is one of Marvel’s most irreverent and beloved characters. Before diving into the latest movie featuring Deadpool and Wolverine, understanding Wade Wilson’s journey—from his chaotic beginnings to his time-traveling escapades—is crucial. This article covers Deadpool’s complete backstory, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the cinematic experience.
Early Years and Weapon XI (1973-2009)
The story of this character starts in 1973, where we meet Wade Wilson. He is part of William Stryker’s Team X, which Logan was also a part of. Since this character is a mutant, he has speed and agility, which he uses to wield katana swords. But as expected, this character is Wade Wilson, so cracking jokes is part of his behavior, which William Stryker does not like at all.
Six years after this event, William Stryker captures many mutants and conducts experiments on them, with one successful subject being Wade Wilson himself. Yes, Stryker experimented on him and turned Wade Wilson into Weapon XI. As expected, William Stryker shuts Wade’s mouth and uses him under his control. This character now has many other mutant powers, including faster healing, faster speed, teleportation, and laser beams. William Stryker technically names this dead Wade Wilson as Deadpool. There is a fight sequence after which Logan decapitates this Deadpool, making it seem like the character is dead. But in the end, we see his eyes open, and now his mouth is not shut. Since fans did not like this version of Deadpool, the story of this variant ends here, and we never see this Deadpool again.
The New Timeline and Becoming Deadpool (2016)
Later, due to the time travel in X-Men: Days of Future Past, many changes occur, and we get a new branch timeline. In that branch timeline, we meet a completely new Wade Wilson in 2016, with no connection to the old Wade Wilson. This Wade Wilson was kicked out of the Canadian army and is now a mercenary, meaning he fights for money. Here, he meets Vanessa, and they start dating. One day, Wade suddenly faints, and it is later revealed that he has stage four cancer, and it is too late for treatment. Wade leaves Vanessa, not wanting her to watch him die slowly.
Later, Wade meets a recruiter who introduces him to Ajax, who is running his own mutant program where they give people a serum to activate mutant genes. In this program, Wade’s mutant genes activate, and cancer cells spread throughout his body, giving him next-level regenerative powers and strength. However, this also disfigures his entire body. Wade learns that he was not brought in to be cured but to be made into a super slave to be sold to the highest bidder. Wade fights and escapes from the lab. He then creates a new suit for himself and takes the name Deadpool, starting to eliminate Ajax’s people one by one. When he finally catches Ajax, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead, members of the X-Men, stop him. Later, Ajax kidnaps Vanessa.
Deadpool goes to the Xavier Mansion to recruit Colossus and Negasonic for his team, as they were the reason Ajax escaped and kidnapped Vanessa. Together, they go to take down Ajax. After a proper action sequence, Ajax is killed, and Vanessa sees Wade in this form for the first time and accepts him.
Deadpool’s Revenge and X-Men Involvement (2018)
Two years later, it is revealed that Deadpool has become a full-time mercenary, killing people for money. When he misses killing a target, the target’s men attack Wade’s home, killing Vanessa. In depression, Deadpool tries to kill himself, but Colossus collects his body parts and brings them to the X-Mansion. Since Deadpool can heal easily, he recovers soon after. Colossus offers Deadpool a chance to join the X-Men to help people, saying it would have been what Vanessa wanted. Deadpool agrees and goes on his first mission with them, where an orphaned mutant child, Russell, is out of control. Deadpool stops him but later realizes that the orphanage people were abusing the child. Russell and Deadpool are captured and kept in prison with mutant suppression collars that inhibit their powers.
Suddenly, the prison is attacked by Cable, a time-traveling soldier from the future who came to kill Russell. In the future, Russell kills Cable’s family, so Cable wants to prevent this event by traveling to the past. According to Deadpool, killing a child is not right, so he saves Russell and escapes from the prison. Deadpool decides that it is impossible to stop Cable alone, so he forms his own superhero team, X-Force, and they go on their first mission, where Russell is being transferred to a new prison. Before they can land with parachutes, all X-Force members die except Domino. Domino and Deadpool then go to save Russell, but Cable arrives and shortly after, Juggernaut, who has befriended Russell in prison, also joins them. Juggernaut attacks both Deadpool and Cable.
After recovering at Blind Al’s place, Deadpool is approached by Cable, who suggests that since Juggernaut is with Russell, they cannot stop him alone, so they should work together as a team to stop Juggernaut. In return, Cable gives Deadpool a chance to change Russell’s mind. In a final action sequence, Colossus stops Juggernaut while Deadpool fails to convince Russell. Cable shoots at Russell, but Deadpool takes the bullet, saving Russell’s life and dying in the process. Deadpool’s healing factor does not work because he is wearing the mutant suppression collar. Seeing someone willing to die for him changes Russell’s heart, making him a good person. Cable, seeing this, time-travels once more, placing a coin on Deadpool’s chest so that the bullet is stopped by the coin during the shooting event, saving Deadpool’s life and changing Russell’s heart.
Time Travel Shenanigans and Future Implications
Later, Deadpool gets hold of Cable’s damaged time-travel watch, which Yukio and Negasonic fix for him. Using this watch, Deadpool travels to the past, first saving Vanessa, then saving X-Force member Peter. He then travels once more to kill his old variant and, breaking the fourth wall, kills Ryan Reynolds before he can make the Green Lantern movie. Finally, he travels to baby Hitler’s time but cannot kill a child, so he says he will send Cable from the future to complete the task.
Most probably, due to so much time travel, TVA will have to get involved, which we will likely see in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Conclusion
Deadpool’s story is a whirlwind of humor, chaos, and heart. From his early days as a wisecracking mercenary to his heroic sacrifices and time-traveling antics, Wade Wilson’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. As we anticipate his next adventure with Wolverine, understanding Deadpool’s past makes the upcoming film even more exciting. Stay tuned for more updates on your favorite Marvel characters.
