Whether you like it or not, the X-Men film series is coming to an end. This conclusion is so abrupt, we’re not even sure what the complete status of The New Mutants really is. What we do know is that X-Men: Dark Phoenix will close out the main storyline of the 19-year arc the series has been on.
Since the end is here, we’ve compiled theoretical endings that could be seen. For this list, we haven’t considered the most likely scenarios, instead of focusing on those endings that fans would find most satisfying. Chances are, these won’t turn out be the actual ending of Dark Phoenix, but they do make sense in their own way and would satisfy a significant chunk of the fanbase.
Older And Younger Consciousnesses Merge
From what we’ve seen thus far from X-Men: Dark Phoenix, it doesn’t seem even remotely close to tying with the future we saw in Logan. In that film, we saw all the mutants having been deceased for some time at the hands of Professor X. While it would be sad to see them go, it would at least satisfy us knowing this future is secured.
For this to happen, we could see the past versions of the characters merge their consciousness with their future versions. Before they do so, they can have one more farewell among each other, before sending their consciousnesses into the future to meet their fate. At least this way, we won’t have any more plot holes left.
The Phoenix Force Changes The Future
The Phoenix Force has shown enormous range in powers in the comics, which doesn’t put it past the realm of belief if we were to see the Phoenix alter the future we saw in Logan. This would give the mutants a happy future to look forward to, and rid Charles of the guilt he had for accidentally killing everyone.
We could have the Phoenix merge with Jean on even terms, and for the appreciative force to then wipe out the predestined fate in exchange for one that lets them all survive. This ending would be a favorable one to the ultimate ending we’ve seen thus far in Logan, where the world remained dystopian.
Life Goes On
The X-Men franchise always leaves the viewer wanting more, whether in a positive way or a negative one. So, Dark Phoenix could simply take a page out of The Big Bang Theory’s book and end on a note that shows that life goes on.
The film could end with the main cast now being teachers to the future generation of X-Men, and for their own personal futures to be left open-ended. If this happens, we could make up our own minds as to whether these heroes are now happy where they are, or if there are still wars to fight. Watching the characters – who have been shown mainly as adolescents – grow into mentor roles wouldn’t be too bad a way to sign off.
A World in Harmony
Alternatively, the series could end in a swerve no one saw coming: a completely happy ending. Under this option, the franchise’s ending could see the final shot showing a world in harmony, free of any kind of discord.
The MCU has shown that enhanced beings are able to live with normal humans without being hunted down, and the X-Men film series reflecting a conclusion to its overarching story this way would spell a true epilogue, as this is one scenario we’ve never had so far in this universe. Having the last scene demonstrate how humans have finally come to fully put mutants on the same level as themselves would be heart-warming.
Deadpool "Resets" Everything
This one is obviously very much out there, but there’s nothing impossible when it comes to movies featuring super-powered beings, especially someone like Deadpool. We saw the X-Men: Dark Phoenix version of these characters in Deadpool 2, and the Merc with a Mouth could return the favor here by “resetting” the universe.
What this involves is having Deadpool undo everything we’ve seen so far from the X-Men film series using the time-travel technology he had at the end of Deadpool 2 – he’d fix all the points in the timeline that aren't to the heroes’ liking (maybe even cause the Phoenix Force to never take over Jean in the first place), and revert everything back to normal, or to a better version.
Reconciliation of Magneto and Professor X
The series could leave everything else on ambiguous terms, and only clear up the Magneto and Professor X dynamic, and people would still be satisfied. After all, when it comes down to it, the entire X-Men series has been about the relationship between these two characters. One might even call them platonic love interests to a degree.
If we were to see Magneto and Professor X reconcile definitively at the end of X-Men: Dark Phoenix, it would be like watching the finale to the series, as a reconciliation between these friends-turned-enemies – without any more possibilities of quarreling – would end the central conflict of the story, and with it, the overall storyline.
Connect Things Back To The Original X-Men Timeline
Speaking of resets, how about we have an ending that sees everything close up in a clean loop? What this entails is having the ending of X-Men: Dark Phoenix revert the world back into the original timeline at the beginning of 2000’s X-Men.
This way, there would be absolutely no wiggle room for plot holes, as the universe’s timeline would be fixed. We’d see all come to a close, with the new timeline set from X-Men: Days of Future Past ending where the first movie began, and for that timeline’s chronology to divert into where we are now eventually. This universe would then be “complete” with absolute finality.
Xavier Lets Go of the X-Men
No matter how many tragedies the X-Men go through, Professor Xavier never effectively disbands the team. Sure, we saw him do this before the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, but he did bring all the members back together.
What would speak a final tune would be having Professor X disband the X-Men to allow these characters to go out and live their lives without having the burden of carrying on his legacy. This kind of change would be excellent character development for Charles Xavier; giving his blessing to his students and preaching to them that acceptance of oneself is enough then to fight to be accepted by others.
The Phoenix Force Ends Everything
This is a very harrowing possibility, but if done right, it’d be a fitting conclusion as well. All in all, it’s hard to see the X-Men film series bowing out without leaving any casualties or tragedies in place; such has been its nature, after all. That’s why, having the Phoenix Force end everything in this universe would be in line with the theme of the series.
We’re not saying we want a disturbing parting image where everyone dies gruesomely – a heartwarming farewell between the characters just as the universe comes to a close would be poignant in more ways than a simple happy ending. The Phoenix Force is the only thing powerful enough to do this realistically.
Traveling Into The MCU
Hands down, this is the best way of closing the franchise out. We all know the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to be the new home for the X-Men, and there’s no better way than having it make an appearance in the closing seconds of the film series.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is the easiest way to explain how the X-Men arrive in the MCU, as the Infinity Gauntlet would be used to explain a rip into separate universes, including the X-Men film series. The fissure is the cleanest way to have the X-Men cross over the MCU, leaving everything from this one behind. We won’t need to have an entirely new storyline for the X-Men, not when it would be the current ones integrating themselves in the MCU permanently.