'80s gadgets the X-Men would love
The 1980s represent a treasure trove of popular culture, fashion and, of course, gadgets. Technology was evolving more rapidly than it ever had before, and people were developing precursors to the devices we carry around today.
As we've seen in X-Men: Apocalypse, the X-Men mutants wouldn't have been immune to the crazes and fads of this decade.
Here are some of the gadgets we think these characters would get really excited about.
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1. Professor X + The Casio C-80 Calculator watch
Professor Charles Xavier is one of the greatest minds in the universe, but he still revels in the small, simple pleasures of life. He's a bit older than his students at his School for Gifted Youngsters, so he'd be especially impressed by modern tech. Even though he's seen the work and skill Hank McCoy needed to build Cerebro, and what that machine can do, he'd still be charmingly impressed by a watch with a built-in calculator. (He'd probably make jokes about his extremely calculated chess strategy while wearing it.)
2. Quicksilver + Epson Pocket TV
Peter Maximoff (aka Quicksilver) is a pretty speedy dude. He's always on the run, and he needs a device that matches his lifestyle. While we already know that he loves his Walkman, there's another portable gadget that this speed demon would be into. The tiny Epson Pocket TV would be perfect for any entertainment-obsessed mutant. If only there were a way to carry video games around with you, too…
3. Storm + Power Glove
Storm (aka Ororo Munroe) is a complete badass, so her tech accessory of choice should be equally tough. The Power Glove was an accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and it is one of the most absurd pieces of '80s tech known to man. But at the Reagan-era time, it probably looked pretty sick. Ororo definitely seems like she'd be into gaming and she'd naturally want to have the best accessories possible. And besides, it kind of fits her aesthetic.
4. Cyclops + Atari
Scott Summers may be a super cool mutant called Cyclops, but he is also a stereotypical teenage alpha male. And what is the gadget of choice for a typical teenage boy (who is actually a total dork, but doesn't want anyone to find out)? An Atari, that's what. This guy probably plays for hours upon hours, just to go to the arcade and play some more video games.
5. Jubilee + Polaroid 660 & Kodak Fling
Since Jubilee's mutation allows her to play with energy (which manifests as light), it would make sense that she'd be into photography. She'd probably be able to tell us the benefits of using each of these cameras -- the Polaroid 660 and the Kodak Fling -- in different situations. And she would definitely be able to take a perfectly lit selfie, even with these screen-less devices.
6. Nightcrawler + Teddy Ruxpin
Okay, so Teddy Ruxpin is not exactly a gadget, but it's still a technological marvel in its own right. Kurt Wagner, or Nightcrawler as the X-Men call him, had a difficult childhood, and his physical mutation did not make it any easier. So you bet he would be attached to this high-tech teddy bear. With his playful, upbeat personality, Kurt would love the fact that this toy, which is almost like an early android, could read him stories. He'd also definitely think it was cute, even though some find this classic toy creepy. (Sadly, Kurt could probably relate.)
7. Jean Grey + ZX Spectrum Computer
Jean Grey is arguably the most intelligent, and strongest, mutant in her school. She wouldn't trifle with toys and games and gadgets. No, she'd have the first home computer: the ZX Spectrum. Not only did this thing look quintessentially '80s, it was the beginning of portable computing. It was pretty powerful tech for the time, making it perfect for a powerful mutant.
