The summer movie season is officially underway! Avengers: Infinity War may have kicked things off with an almost impossible to beat standard, but no one may be happier to try than Deadpool. The Merc with a Mouth returns in his highly anticipated sequel, Deadpool 2, and judging by early reviews, it's still jam-packed with jokes, violence, and a surprising amount of heart. It's been a few years since Deadpool first took audiences by surprise and became the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time, and while the character is more popular than he's ever been, there may be some who aren't as caught up as they'd like to be.
Deadpool 2 is bigger than its predecessor, introducing new characters, a new super team, and Deadpool's best frenemy Cable. That's a lot to absorb, but the movie will do its part to explain all those things to you. Despite the fact that the character pretty much shows up everywhere now (the best marketing in the biz), people may need some quick help remembering who this guy is, why he talks directly to you, and why does he look like Spider-Man. With that in mind, here are six things to remember about Deadpool before catching the sequel.
He's A Mercenary For Hire
Unlike other heroes like Spider-Man, Deadpool is a bit less altruistic. He wouldn't even consider himself a hero. Deadpool primarily makes his living killing people for money, and boy, is he good at it. Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) is an exceptional fighter and marksman, not to mention a skilled swordsman. He doesn't care so much about who he's killing, but that doesn't mean he has a black heart. Deadpool does have a chivalrous side and in the movie, he makes it clear he only roughs up people who have it coming. Does this make him a good guy? Eh, it might be better to settle for chaotic, neutral anti-hero at the moment.
He Volunteered To Be Experimented On
Wade Wilson is an expertly trained mercenary, but nothing can prepare you for when you are diagnosed with terminal cancer. Wade didn't have much time left to live, and rather than go through usual treatments and give his girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), false hope, Wade opted to take a more experimental approach. Wade volunteered to undergo experimental procedures from a shady organization, which turned out to be more along the lines of torture than medicine. The experiments left Wade permanently scarred on his entire body, and he vowed to get revenge for himself and everyone else that was killed in the experiments. However, the whole event did awaken a latent mutant ability in Wade...
He Can Heal From Any Injury
The experiments left Wade with the power to heal from any injury. Whether its bullets, dismemberments, or getting burned alive, Deadpool can return to full health in almost no time. However, he still feels the same amount of pain whenever he gets injured. His powers are often played for laughs as he recovers from even the goriest and most disgusting injuries, but they come incredibly useful for his violent line of work. Deadpool's healing factor might even be stronger than Wolverine's.
Deadpool Is A Part Of The X-Men Franchise
Due to Fox having the rights to the character, Deadpool exists in the same cinematic universe as the X-Men. Deadpool lives mostly in the peripherals of the main franchise, and as yet to cross over in any significant way. However, he frequently makes references to the team and even teamed up with two of its members, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. It feels as if Fox is slowly positioning Deadpool to be the new leader of the franchise, but you can expect a few more X-Men nods in Deadpool 2. However, Deadpool will be forming his own team called X-Force in Deadpool 2, which will likely go on to become its own franchise, and is possibly the future of Deadpool as well.
He Knows He's A Comic Book Character In A Superhero Movie
One of the defining traits of Deadpool is his tendency to break the fourth wall and directly address the audience. He's fully aware that he's a comic book character and frequently makes meta jokes about the comic book industry, resulting in all the other characters thinking he's absolutely crazy. Movie Deadpool is very much the same, only this is a whole other level of meta. He knows that he's a comic book character in a superhero movie and part of his charm is how he chooses to make fun of everything from popular tropes, Hugh Jackman, how crazy it is that he even has a movie, and his leading man, Ryan Reynolds. It really helps set the franchise apart as a refresher due to how willing it is to make fun of itself.
He's Got A Girlfriend (Yes, Really)
Deadpool may be unkillable, but if there's one thing he can't live without, it's his girlfriend Vanessa. The two are kindred spirits and their romance serves as the emotional throughline for the entire first movie. After Wade is left disfigured, he's unable to bring himself to confront Vanessa and decides to completely devote himself to revenge to compensate. Of course, that comes back to bite him and Vanessa ends up becoming a target, forcing the two of them to reconcile in a touching moment. It mind sound a bit shallow, but it's actually kind of sweet and serves as the main arc for Deadpool accepting his new lot in life. Vanessa and Wade are still together in Deadpool 2, but it's unclear how Vanessa factors into the plot, if at all.
