Techno-Orientalism in t\veX-M en Film Franchise
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Alcatraz, Magneto stands back and sends his lesser followers (minorities)
into the frontlines and refers to them as “pawns,” situating them as
underlings to be sacrificed for the benefit of their white leader. After they
break into the laboratory. Magneto’s faction of mutants find Leech with
Dr. Kavita Rao and Warren Worthington (Michael Murphy) and proceed
to take Leech away. Kid Omega then embraces Dr. Rao who appears to
comfort and assuage her by stating, “Calm down. Everything is gonna be
ok,” just prior to releasing his spikes and killing her in a cowardly and
sadistic manner. They then take Worthington up to the roof where he
pleads for his life by stating that he is only trying to help them, to which
Kid Omega replies, “Do we look like we need your help?” His statement
is intended to be humorous and ironic, but it just further marks their
otherness not only as mutants but as minorities. Near the conclusion of
the film, Jean Grey/Phoenix disposes of the mutants/minorities in a rapid,
rather effortless fashion, which has usually been the case throughout
cinematic history when dealing with minoritarian figures.
In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Techno-Orientalism is deployed
in a different mode as David North, a.k.a Agent Zero is played by hapa
actor David Henney who is of British and Korean heritage and is not
linked to scientific technology, but modem weapons technology instead.
For instance, early in the film, the band of mutants led by Colonel
Stryker (Danny Huston) is on a mission in Nigeria where Agent Zero
utilizes two Taums PT92 handguns as his mutant powers are related to
marksmanship. While all the other mutants’ abilities are organic in XMen Origins: Wolverine, Agent Zero’s abilities are reliant on weapons
technology and tied to advancements in modem warfare. For instance,
both Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Sabretooth’s (Liev Schreiber) feral
natures, animal instincts, and claw-like features are inherent
characteristics, as are Bolt’s (Dominic Monaghan) abilities to manipulate
electronics, power, and electrical currents. Although Deadpool (Ryan
Reynolds) also possesses abilities which enable him to utilize weaponry
effectively and masterfully, his weapon of choice is the sword, which
may be perceived as being more “primitive” than the modem weapons
used by Zero.
Agent Zero is compliant to Colonel Stryker in the film, which is
just another instance in the long history of cinema of the Asian/American
figure being at the mercy of the white male, and is almost identical to
Stryker’s relationship with Deathstrike in X2: X-Men United. Similar to
Halle Berry, Henney is of mixed heritage and has largely European facial
features, so while he does read as Asian, his ethnicity is slightly masked.