How does Blue Beetle set up Ted Kord? Exploring who the character is and the role he plays in the film

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Blue Beetle is finally out in theaters and tells the story of Jaime Reyes, who has his life completely changed after bonding with an alien scarab and becoming the titular superhero. Alongside his story, the film also builds on the lore of the previous two characters who held the titular mantle in the comics.

One of those characters is Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle in the comics, who plays a heavy role in the film’s story. While he doesn’t physically appear, he is referenced throughout the film’s story, with his superhero career being heavily hinted at as well.

Ted Kord is the second person to take over the mantle of Blue Beetle in the comics

Ted Kord was created by Steve Ditko and Gary Friedrich and was the second character to take on the mantle of Blue Beetle in the comics. He first appeared in Secret Origins Vol. 2 #2 in May 1986 and had his origins heavily tied into those of the first person to carry the mantle of the superhero, Dan Garrett.

According to Fandom, Ted was always portrayed as a bright young mind who was great at whatever he set out to do. He was well-versed in English, physics, and math and considered joining his father’s business at Kord Omniversal Research. However, he chose to walk a different path because he was confused about what he wanted to do with his life.

However, Ted’s life would change when his uncle, who was a scientist, Jarvis Kord, went insane and decided to take over the world. He turned to his archaeological teacher and mentor, Dan Garrett, the first Blue Beetle, who received his powers from an ancient alien scarab and agreed to help him stop his villainous uncle.

However, during the journey, Dan was fatally injured, making Ted promise to carry his legacy. After his death, Ted became the new Blue Beetle, but he wasn’t able to get the scarab to work on him. So, he would train himself to peak human physicality and use the scarab’s powers to fuel his gadgets.

In the film, his story plays out quite differently. In the beginning, it was established that Ted Kord had gone missing without his family knowing where he was. He is then succeeded by his daughter Jenny Kord, an original character made for the film, and she helps Jaime embrace his superhero persona and reveals that Ted disappeared when Jenny was just a child.

Blue Beetle also established Ted’s facility where he has his own gadgets and super suit, hinting at his time as a superhero, and the post-credits scene of the film hints at an appearance in future movies. The scene shows a message sent to his facility by Ted himself, in which he reveals himself to be alive.

So, it’s possible that in future sequels to the film, there is a good chance we might see Ted in live-action and also assist Jaime in his superhero adventures. However, we will have to wait for that. You can check out Blue Beetle, which is playing in theaters right now.