Why Patrick Stewart’s Defining X-Men Line Remains Marvel’s Best Quote

Sir Patrick Stewart was a man of many words. Often because of prolific playwrights like William Shakespeare, hearing those words attached to Stewart’s soothing voice made everything feel better. That legacy leaves a great many quotes we connect with the actor. Stewart, who passed away on October 28, was beloved by fans in large part because of his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies. One quote from Charles stands out among the rest and remains another example of why Stewart was the best.

Charles Xavier is the leader of the X-Men, a team of mutants that help keep the world safe. His love and dedication to his students makes him one of the most adored Marvel heroes, which leads many characters to look to Charles Xavier for advice. He excels at giving it. Many of his quotes focus on hope, pleading with Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) to understand, and making sure his students know how powerful and wonderful they are. His relationship with one of his closest friends has made for some of the best quotes in any superhero franchise. One of his best comes from the 2017 film Logan.

Logan presented fans with an older Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and explored what happens when the man who can heal himself meets his final moments. The film explored Charles and Logan’s relationship with each other, leading to a specific quote that fans had been waiting for. Charles looks to Logan and finally sees the weight that he has been carrying, saying to him, “You know, Logan…I think I finally understand you.” Within the context of Logan, the line relates to Logan keeping Charles’ health issues a secret and the struggle that Logan has been facing. More than that, it stands as one of the first times throughout the X-Men franchise that allowed these two characters to truly see each other.

There is a Beautiful Yet Complicated Relationship Between Charles and Logan

Many of the issues that Logan faces stem from his inability to trust. Charles put substantial work into their relationship to make it clear that Logan can trust him. Still, the path was not always smooth. Jackman’s performance as Logan always kept that anger simmering underneath the character, even if he was not the comic-accurate short king fans anticipated. Jackman still captured Logan and Wolverine’s anger spot on. It helped that Stewart’s scenes with Jackman always boiled down to two characters sharing an understanding that often went unspoken.

In Logan, Charles finally voices that understanding to Wolverine. While the audience can observe that connection unfolding throughout the entire run of X-Men movies, the moment belonged to two characters who needed to say the quiet part out loud. For Logan, Charles functions as a father figure. He looks up to him and, like any son, wants the approval of his father. Logan features Wolverine trying to understand what it means to love someone unconditionally when he meets Laura/X-23 (Dafne Keen) and quickly has to learn how to be the father that she needs.

As much as Logan and Charles’ relationship is tested in Logan, a huge part of the beauty of the line “You know, Logan…I think I finally understand you” comes from the simple fact that Logan needed to have someone in his corner who understands him, a role Charles always filled. In the same film, Logan tells Laura about the bad things that happen to people he cares about, which illustrates why Wolverine remains dedicated to keeping Charles alive. Furthermore, the admission allows viewers to understand why he shuts people out.

What makes this line the best from Charles Xavier comes down to the fact that he always knows what people need to hear. Even when he is dying and struggling with his own health, he recognizes what Logan needs from him and offers it to the man he considers a son. That dynamic captures the beauty of the X-Men and Charles Xavier as a character, explaining why he has always been one of the best.

Source: Polygon