After The Twisted Metal Season 2 Teaser, I Can't Wait To See How The Show Handles A Special Character From The Video Games

I’m not going to lie, I’m extremely excited for Twisted Metal Season 2. For the past two years, since the Season 1 finale over on Peacock, I have been anxiously waiting to see how all those beloved and iconic characters from the vehicular combat franchise would show up in the upcoming video game adaptation. And now that the first teaser has dropped, I’m even more excited about one character in particular.

No, it’s not Anthony Carrigan’s Calypso (though I’m stoked to see what the Barry star does in the role of the tournament organizer), and it’s not Mr. Grimm. Instead, I’m talking about Axel, one of the most special, unique, and recognizable characters from the 30-year-old franchise. Here’s why…

Axel Has Been One Of My Favorite Characters For Nearly 30 Years

Though he didn’t show up in the first game when it was released back in 1995, Axel, a man trapped in a “hellish contraption," was one of the main attractions of Twisted Metal 2. He was the most prominently featured character on the game's original box art, and the 8-year-old version of me was pretty much obsessed with him as soon as I saw an ad in GamePro or EGM ahead of its release.

Since then, I’ve played as Axel in every game in which he has been featured, fallen in love with his special attacks, dug deep into his backstory, and saw him as a character that would have to be any Twisted Metal adaptation. And here we are.

Axel Has An Incredibly Traumatic Backstory

All of the characters in the Twisted Metal games have tragic or traumatic backstories, and that’s definitely the case for Axel. According to his character introduction in Twisted Metal 2, Axel had spent the previous 20 years hiding from the world after his crazed and enraged father confined him to a contraption in which he was stuck between two massive tractor wheels. Entering the tournament to ensure his freedom and confront the man responsible for his personal hell, the tortured son would do anything and kill anyone in his way.

Though it looks like the Peacock original series will take a different route (it seems like Axel can get in and out of his machine in the teaser), I still hope the family trauma and quest for freedom aspects of the character live on.

Axel Has Such A Unique Look, And I Can't Wait To See How That Works On A TV Show

His look has changed over the years, but Axel has always been a man with his arms stretched out between two massive wheels and decked out in all kinds of weapons. Twisted Metal took some liberties with the characters and their vehicles during the first season, but that’s to be expected in a live-action adaptation of a cartoonish video game franchise.

It’s hard to know how the show will depict Axel, as we’ve only seen a few seconds of him (that includes the shot of his back in the Twisted Metal Season 1 finale), but I can’t wait to see how his unique look is handled. Based on the teaser, it looks like Axel won’t be confined to his “hellish contraption” and will be able to attach to it with some kind of robotic hands. I wonder what other changes await me when I get to watch with my Peacock subscription.

Though Mr. Grimm And Calypso Are Being Introduced, Axel Is The Character I'm Most Excited To See

I can’t wait to see how Twisted Metal handles Calypso, Mr. Grimm (I have so many questions about the motorcycle-riding Grim Reaper character from the games), and other new characters, but honestly, I can’t stop thinking about Axel. Maybe it’s the mystery, maybe it’s my nostalgia, or maybe it’s the fact he’s unlike anything else the games have to offer. Regardless of the reason, just know he’s the character I’m most excited to see.

Though I am sure a proper Twisted Metal Season 2 trailer will show more of Axel, I would love it if Peacock holds off on the big reveal until the series returns this summer.