Midnight Suns Deadpool DLC review: Wade Wilson brings the queer chaos

Forget everything you think you know about Deadpool from Ryan Reynolds’ star turn. At least some of that knowledge is lost. Yes, he breaks the fourth wall, and yes, he’s extremely annoying – but along with those well-known character traits, he also experiences attraction to people all over the gender spectrum. Even though recent live action movies may have skewed towards it, comic books long ago confirmed Deadpool’s status as a queer character. So, given the diverse sexuality that’s already on display in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, I hoped that Deadpool’s DLC appearance would be a rainbow-filled delight – and I was not disappointed.

Queer representations in Marvel’s Midnight Suns is refreshingly understated and mundane (not the way I’d normally describe Deadpool, but we’ll get to him in a bit). One example is the gender-swap game that places Caretaker in long-term, sapphic relationships with Agatha Harkness. That’s right, the witch made famous on Wandavision Is it possible to date a lady? Midnight Suns. (I use the present tense here because, although Agatha is dead at the game’s outset, she doesn’t exactly Stay For a long time, you will be dead.

However, this inclusion is not. Midnight Suns, I wasn’t sure what to expect of Firaxis Games’ take on Deadpool, since his representation in the comic books has been anything but consistent. Cable is Cable’s crush. It goes above platonic bromance. Cable & Deadpool #20, and since then I have clung to the canonicity of Wade’s queer identity, even though many writers have ignored it over the years. Deadpool’s appearances in other media have not typically referred to his queerness either, and I don’t just mean the Ryan Reynolds movies. Deadpool’s cameos in the Marvel vs. Capcom games, and even the High Moon Studios game Deadpool (2013), make him a flirt and a womanizer, but not so much a gender-doesn’t-matter-izer.

There is one thing about Deadpool that’s been consistent over many years and many adaptations: Nolan North is the go-to voice for the character. Even Ryan Reynolds’ performance seems to take inspiration from North’s version, especially the very first time that North voiced Deadpool, in a direct-to-video animated movie called Hulk Vs. (2009). That movie isn’t good – I should know, I recently rewatched it for my X-Men podcast – but Nolan North’s performance as Deadpool remains a silver lining. So it makes sense that North reprised the role in Deadpool’s final scene, and he did so across many more games. Midnight Suns. I’ve played or seen almost all of these adaptations of Wade Wilson, and the Midnight Suns version is – so far – as queer as Deadpool’s ever been.

Photo: Firaxis Games via Polygon

Photo: Firaxis Games via Polygon

Photo: Firaxis Games via Polygon

Photo: Firaxis Games via Polygon

I guess I should also note that, as a queer person myself, I do have mixed feelings about the Extreme Omnisexual trope, which Wade Wilson fits to a T. He’s not only queer, he’s also evidence that the superheroes in Midnight SunsOne should establish a department for human resources and conduct sexual harassment seminars. But because this game includes extremely normal queer characters alongside the ridiculousness of Wade, I’ve given myself permission to enjoy him and his over-the-top obnoxiousness. He’s my deliciously problematic fave.

Firaxis’ DLC inducts the Merc with a Mouth into the Midnight Suns via three new story missions. Deadpool gets his own customized lineup of attack cards, and he’s not hard to learn; between his dual pistols and katanas, he has lots of quick short-range attacks that make him better against individuals rather than enemy swarms. His story arc also introduces its own supervillain – Sin, the goofy vampiress daughter of Red Skull – and a new enemy type called Vampyres. In addition to providing an opportunity for the characters to crack jokes about having to spell “vampires” with a Y, the Vampyres also have some fun and challenging new combat mechanics (they can tack on self-inflicted Bleed damage to your attacks – meaning, your own attacks will start inflicting Bleed damage on you, rather than your enemies).

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, of course. Some of Deadpool’s jokes ring a bit hollow. In a mission with the Hulk, I had to endure Deadpool making a comment about how the big green guy’s testicles were falling out of his briefs. (Why, Wade? Why?) Also, Deadpool periodically shouts “insert catchphrase here!” It gets old.

Photo by Firaxis Games via Polygon

Photo: Firaxis Games via Polygon

But, I found myself laughing more often during the DLC than rolling my eyes. Wade Wilson accurately identifies Blade as a disciplining vampire hunter. Blade reacts to Wade Wilson’s mission with exhausting irritation but no disgust nor homophobia. The main problem that Blade and the other superheroes have with Deadpool is that the infamous mercenary has been secretly working with Doctor Doom, and that’s way more annoying than his goofball flirtations.

The most amazing thing about the friendship between Deadpool and The Hunter, the player character is their unlikely friendship. I didn’t expect to feel sorry for Wade, ever in my life, but the way he hangs his head in shame after getting reamed by Blade left me feeling strangely endeared to him. Wade mocks Hunter gently for being friends with all team members, regardless their politics and personalities (a typical video game character). His reluctance to get close makes the eventual connection all the more meaningful, and the jokes along the way felt earned – especially Wade’s jokes about how much he hates himself, and how he uses humor as a defense mechanism.

However Midnight Suns has its hits and misses when it comes to character development – I may have leveled up my friendship with Tony Stark, but I didn’t enjoy a single minute – the Deadpool DLC finds the mark well, emphasizing this character’s most annoying qualities while also letting his inner softie burst through. His playstyle in combat didn’t exactly blow my mind, but his personality was the real draw for me, and the writers got that part right. Firaxis has three more DLC packs on the way, each featuring a new character, and after Deadpool’s arc, I can’t wait to spend more time with the next weirdo who joins the squad.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns: The Good, The Bad, and The Undead DLC will release on January 26th PlayStation 5, WindowsComputer, and Xbox Series X. Review of the game on PC was done using a 2K pre-release downloading code. Vox Media also has affiliate relationships. Although these partnerships do not impact editorial content, Vox Media could earn commissions for products sold via affiliate links. Here are some links to help you find. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.