Okay, so the title is a bit misleading if you've been reading the X-comics for the past few years. Sure the recent demon arc in Wolverine has brought to light many aspects of Scott Summers moral degradation as a leader to his teammates, but this has been something that's been building for awhile.
Cyclops has been slowly turning to the path of Magneto's old ways since the Messiah Complex arc, possibly even before. It was during this time he created X-Force as an X-Men hit squad, and started making choices that would seem counterintuitive to the very dream they are supposed to uphold.
These two issues of Wolverine bring that to the forefront for a number of teammates to see up close finally. This includes his lack of forethought to the dangers and other abilities a demon may have, let alone a demon possessing Logan.
With actions like these, it just further hammers the point in the 'Fear Itself' ads about Scott afraid of becoming Magneto with his actions.
Beezle-Bub may have brought this to the forefront for all to see, but this is something that has been brewing for awhile within the subtext of the stories. This is also why in my previous tirade against Scott's plan, I focused it solely on Scott and not the author. It's the natural story evolution of the fall from grace Cyclops has been showing since Decimation, some of which was foreshadowed before even that.
In all the X-Titles you can catch small nuances of this, even in X-23's ongoing comic where he wants to impose order on her. In a comment concealed in caring about her well-being, he suggestes she needs to stay on Utopia. It makes one wonder if there were ulterior motives to his statements in wanting such a capable assasin on hand. Something conveyed perfectly in Laura's battle within her psyche over choosing what she is living for. The one place she was supposed to feel safe, had turned her back into the weapon they told her to stop being. Using the events caused by the Purifiers, Cyclops has spiraled downward to the same levels as the Facility, or that of what Matt Murdoch had forewarned even SHIELD would if Steve Rogers had put X-23 in their custody.
If only a young Scott Summers could see himself now...
Keep your eyes peeled as Marvel has some potentially interesting character dilemmas and choices in the coming days and issues for this year and next that should further dive into this very thing in the pages of X-Men.
As for X-23, for now it almost seems best to ignore her rather random appearances in X-Men and Uncanny X-Men as they are ignoring her own personal story and lack of connection to the X-Men right now. At least her usage in the Quarantine story arc seems that way. Curse of the Mutants one could let slide due to it being right around when Gambit caught up with her.
I first saw the change of Cyclops. Because of being slightly new to these comics. During the curse of mutants. It was quite the shock. But, I hope the events of fear itself helps him to deal with this. But, this man has lost so much... Jean (multiple times), The clone of Jean, Friends, and more... It's easy to see why he built up such a fence to protect others.
ReplyDeleteIn a weird way, that also mirrors Magneto too.
ReplyDeleteLosing his wife (many times as you pointed out), his children being raised by others mostly. The events of decimation even mirror the Japanese american camps during world war II with ONE standing guard over the X-Mansion.
It's shocking to see Scott act this way, but you're right about the fence. Too many causes of it.