What's With Deadpool's Unicorn Obsession - And Is It Too Weird For The MCU?

Whether it's his plethora of catchy sayings or undying love for chimichangas, Deadpool is nothing without his collection of quirks. But perhaps the Merc with a Mouth's oddest trait is the trickiest to figure out. For many, the image of Deadpool simply isn't complete unless he's accompanied by a unicorn. In the comics, it's not uncommon to find Wade Wilson mentioning the horned animals with no rhyme or reason. It certainly fits his unpredictable nature, but the "Deadpool" movies have steamier suggestions at play. 

In the first "Deadpool," the titular anti-hero (Ryan Reynolds) is seen pleasuring himself while face-to-face with a unicorn in a cutaway scene. This, and the end credits scene showcasing a cartoon Deadpool stroking the horn of a unicorn until it shoots rainbows, suggest that the creatures are tied to his turn-ons. As confirmed by Deadpool's creators, the character is aroused by whoever and whatever attracts him at the moment. But why are unicorns so frequently targeted in this regard? 

Some suggest that Deadpool's love for unicorns stems from his abusive background. While being abused by his parents, he would cling tight to a stuffed unicorn and as an adult, he connects unicorns with some kind of twisted comfort. As Deadpool's backstory hasn't always been the most consistent, it's certainly a stretch. 

Whether you impart deeper meaning to the attraction or not, it's an irremovable part of Deadpool's character that fans wouldn't want any other way. And the team behind the "Deadpool" movies is well aware of that. 

The raunchiness of 2016's "Deadpool" helped the movie become one of the year's highest-grossing titles. So when the time came to bring on "Deadpool 2," an even bolder approach was taken to its marketing to ensure fans knew that the sequel would be equally saucy — and they made sure not to forget Deadpool's odd obsession in the mix.

A promotional cutout of Deadpool made to advertise "Deadpool 2" upped the absurdity. In it, Deadpool bends in a suggestive pose with a stuffed unicorn in between his legs, leaving little to the imagination as to his intentions. In another advertisement used as a cross-promotion with Devour Philly Cheesesteak, Deadpool introduces viewers to a dream of his where, along with several surreal images, he can be seen riding atop a pink-haired unicorn. While not a stuffed animal nor as raunchy as the cutout ad, fans are bound to pick up why a unicorn would be in a dream of Deadpool's. 

Perhaps the most meta of these unicorn-related marketing stunts came in a 2018 episode of the Korean TV competition series "The King of Mask Singer." In it, Ryan Reynolds wears a unicorn mask while singing "Tomorrow" from "Annie." Even if it's never mentioned, fans watching the reveal are bound to grasp the reference. 

As most fans are aware, Deadpool's next big-screen venture has arrived. So does that mean we have more of the mythical horned beast in Wade Wilson's life? 

Unicorns come up again in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but not in the traditional sense. In this instance, unicorns are associated with other adorable creatures, but the relevant scene provides more insight into the nuances of Deadpool's complex psyche.

During his adventure through The Void, Deadpool encounters Nicepool, and they bicker over everything from golden pistols to Honda Odysseys, further proving that the Merc with a Mouth is antisocial toward everyone he meets. However, he lights up when his variant's pet, Dogpool, shows up, wagging its tail and begging for attention. Deadpool is more than happy to oblige and refers to the animal as a "unicorn" as he showers the pooch with affection.

Of course, Dogpool isn't a unicorn — they're a dog. Still, the scene shows that Deadpool associates unicorns with the good things in life, including canine critters. The katana-wielding antihero even offers to be the dog's "papa" if its owner dies. The scene is another small detail that you might have missed in "Deadpool & Wolverine," but it proves that there's more to this character than snarky jokes and homicidal mayhem.