X-Men Origins: Wolverine brought many famous mutants into live-action. But one of these lesser-known characters was made into a joke.

The X-Men have always had a huge collection of diverse characters with powers that cover every conceivable limit to one’s imagination. But some of the most interesting came with the simplest of abilities. A great example of this was Professor X, who, while having a simple power like telepathy, has used it in ways no one could expect, like venturing into mindscapes. There’s also Iceman, who, while having the power to create ice from water molecules, could control all ambient molecules, making him an Omega-level mutant.

While the comics perfectly showed the growth and range of these powers, the movies inspired by the X-Men suffered from constant struggles with adaptation as certain characters’ powers were altered or improperly explored. For example, Beast could turn his blue form off and on, which was something he could never do in the comics. But X-Men Origins: Wolverine featured some of the most egregious changes, including to the classic X-Men villain, Blob, whose powers were changed so much that he was turned into a joke.

Blob’s Powers Are Wildly Underrated

Blob was always a character whose appearance was the first thing people thought of. Being that he appeared morbidly obese, it was believed this was a detriment when, in reality, it was a huge part of his powers. Blob had the power to control his personal gravity, so when he chose to stay in place, he remained immovable. This granted him everything from superhuman strength to increased durability and the power to even liquefy his mass, though that took more concentration.

Like Ms. Marvel, Blob also had the power to embiggen aspects of his limbs to be longer or stronger based on the situation, and he used these powers to boost his skills in hand-to-hand combat. As a villain, Blob was one of the most dangerous the X-Men faced because, like a locomotive, he was unbeatable when he focused on a target. But even though he suffered from insecurities due to his size, there’s an inspiration to his character in that he turned his appearance into a source of power rather than one of judgment. As a result, he became one of the deadliest and most skilled members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Sadly, X-Men Origins: Wolverine failed to capture that.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Failed to Do Right by Blob

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was meant to be the first solo project with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and was hotly anticipated before its release. But what came after its release became a lesson in what not to do when adapting comic book characters, as heroes like Wade Wilson were turned into characters that were a far cry from the source material. In Wilson’s case, his mouth was sewn shut as he made what was meant to be his final transition into Deadpool. With Blob, though, everything about his was changed to fit a story that already wasn’t made for him.

When Blob was first introduced as Fred Dukes, he was a member of Team X and was incredibly muscular. His powers were never described though it was clear he was strong and had incredible density when his fist blocked a shot from a tank. Even still, he was different from the character introduced in the comics. When he reappeared years later, he had put on considerable weight and became the character fans knew from the comics. However, the weight had nothing to do with his abilities. Since this version of Blob was already strong and durable, mass wasn’t the focus, and while it added a new layer to his powers, making impacts more absorbent, it was no longer necessary for his mutation.

What made Blob such a compelling character was how his weight was such an important part of his powers, and yet, he dealt with judgment and ridicule even from his first appearance as a circus performer. But as time passed, he found the value in his appearance and used it to great effect. X-Men Origins: Wolverine instilled a level of insecurity surrounding Blob, but it was treated more for humor as Blob’s powers weren’t tied to his weight. While Wolverine never outwardly mocked Blob’s weight, the fact that Blob misheard him may have made the situation worse, as it was as though the movie had to find a way to acknowledge his size without doing so logically. Since Blob’s weight was now representative of his choice, it also offered a greater shock and made his size look more like a fall from grace, which could be in poor taste, depending on the situation. Though X-Men Origins: Wolverine failed to capture what made Blob special, the Marvel Cinematic Universe could correct and improve on the character.

The MCU Could Give Blob a Proper Portrayal

With mutants entering the MCU, it’s promised a major opportunity for these characters, many of which have already been adapted, to appear more comic-accurate than ever. With Deadpool 3 offering a comic-accurate version of Wolverine’s suit, it’s a glimmer of hope that looks are just the start, as these characters’ best and worst aspects exist within each name. In the case of Blob, this could mean introducing a powerhouse mutant who didn’t gain weight because he ate a lot but because his mutation changed his life forever. This would offer a more complex narrative that offers both sympathy for Blob’s plight and fear for the next time his temper got the best of him.

Blob’s appearance in X-Men: Origins Wolverine offered a visibly accurate portrayal of the mutant that appeared in the comics. But aside from his anger issues, there wasn’t much else that was adapted. Even still, a template was given of what to embrace and avoid the next time Blob appears in live-action. Now, the MCU has a chance to create an accurate version of Blob that, if lucky, could show a story about confidence in oneself as he puts aside his insecurities to be a powerful foe of the X-Men.