Logan takes place decades after the core X-Men films and has a secret dark fate for Professor X that is hidden in the details. Logan follows its titular character and Professor X as they deal with the aftermath of the X-Men's death and protect a young girl named Laura from a group called the Reavers. As the film is much more mature in nature, it deals with very heavy subject matter, especially with Professor X, with one detail being much darker than it first appears.

In the audio commentary for Logan, the writer-director of the film James Mangold confirmed that the water tower in which Professor X lives is an intentional nod to Cerebro. In the mainline X-Men movies, and the comics on which they were based, Cerebro was the device used by Professor X to be able to detect humans and mutants. The X-Men films have a specific design for Cerebro that was intentionally recreated in part by the water tower in Logan.

Related: Where to Watch Logan

How Logan's Water Tower Reflects Cerebro

Professor X Cerebro Logan

One of the ways this is done is through the water tower's run-down state. During the film's production, Mangold and his team found a derelict water tower in the desert. Due to its condition, the water tower leaked a lot of sunlight through. When the crew was filming the scenes of Professor X in the tower, the sunlight would leak through at various points behind him. This emulated the star patterns seen in the design of Cerebro.

Also, Cerebro was simply built into a huge gaping room beneath the X-Mansion. This was similar to the water tower also, with Logan showing Professor X's bed sitting in the middle of the giant empty room. Combined with the sunlight creating similar patterns as the lighting of Cerebro, the water tower is a sad, dark reminder of Professor X's former home in his latter years of life.

Logan's Water Tower Makes Professor X's Final Days Darker

Professor X Logan

One of the main reasons why the water tower in Logan makes Professor X's fate darker is because of the torturous reminder of his former years. One of Logan's main storylines is Professor X's dementia which causes him to have telepathic seizures that are harmful to those around him. It is revealed in the movie that one of those seizures caused the deaths of several X-Men and injured over 600 civilians. Xavier being in an environment similar to Cerebro will only remind him of his days with the X-Men and also how Professor X's dementia impacted his loved ones, as well as how he unwillingly caused their deaths. All of this just goes to show how Logan's dark future is even darker than it first appears.

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