As the most prominent previously existing X-Men character on the show, Polaris is definitely the marquee mutant on Fox’s The Gifted — and don’t expect the character too stray too far from her comic book origins, down to her trademark green hair.
RELATED: Yes, Polaris Is Magneto’s Daughter on The Gifted
In an interview with CBR, The Gifted showrunner Matt Nix stated that “there is some awareness” that Polaris is Magneto’s daughter on the show, and that connection will be explored more down the line, even if it’s not explicit at the onset of the series. When talking to CBR at a visit to the Atlanta set of The Gifted last week, Emma Dumont — who plays Lorna Dane/Polaris — said that the connections to the comics extend beyond Polaris’ parentage, despite the circumstances of the show being very different than any specific Marvel Comics story.
“There are definitely more similarities to the original Polaris than there are differences,” Dumont told CBR. “The only differences I really see is, it’s set in a contemporary time period. Besides that, she’s the same; hotheaded, she suffers mental illness. She’s a prisoner in episode one. I think she’ll have a lot of the same plot points and experiences as she does over the decades in the comics. I don’t know if there are a whole lot of differences. I’d say she’s very similar to herself in the original lore.”
Polaris was created by Arnold Drake and Jim Steranko, and introduced in 1968’s X-Men #49. Along with Havok, Polaris was one of the first X-Men to join the team after the original five. For Dumont, nearly 50 years of history has created pressure for her in the role — but in a good way.
“Having the mythology to look back on has been so amazing,” Dumont said. “It helps me so much. But I also feel a lot of pressure — and rightfully so, I think I should feel a lot of pressure — to do right by her, and do justice to the original character. I’m so stoked. She’s amazing.”
During her conversation with CBR, Dumont was not as definitive about her character’s connection to Magneto, stating that it’s something she’s “very interested in finding out,” and is certainly hoping to see fully explored on the show.
“The information that I’ve been given thus far is that there was a horrible accident when our Lorna was very young when both of her ‘parents,’ quote-unquote, died, similar to the comics,” Dumont said. “I don’t know if that’s when she first discovered her powers, or if she was at fault for that in our version, but she grew up in foster care, and I think it is revealed that she doesn’t know who her true biological father is. What I perceive as, we’re hinting towards her original storylines in the mythology. Fingers crossed, I’m hoping that she’s Magneto daughter.”
The Gifted debuts 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2 on Fox.
