By [ad_1]
Cyclops just made a DARK joke at Scarlet Witch’s expense, revealing just how much his view of her has changed since the events of Infinity Gauntlet.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Men #1 by Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia & VC’s Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
The X-Men have been reassembled in part to bridge the ever-growing gap between the mutant population of Krakoa and the rest of the Marvel Universe. But it turns out that some major mutant figures still have some dark new views about some of their fellow heroes.
Cyclops just made a surprisingly cruel joke about Scarlet Witch’s murder during the Hellfire Gala — which is a complete reversal of his view on her previous demise during the events of Infinity Gauntlet.
Long considered a mutant herself (and even making her debut in X-Men #4 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), Scarlet Witch has always had a mixed connection to the X-Men. Her bond with Magneto occasionally made her an powerful wildcard in their battles against him, but her primary commitment eventually became being a member of the Avengers above all else. She was still considered a heroic ally, especially in the eyes of the veteran X-Man leader Cyclops. This makes his comments about her in X-Men #1 very surprising. At the conclusion of the Hellfire Gala, the body of Scarlet Witch was discovered by Speed, Prodigy, and Eye-Boy. After spending the evening reconnecting with the man she once believed her father, Magneto is now the chief suspect in her apparent demise.
However, even in the immediate aftermath of such an atrocious act, Cyclops seems surprisingly unconcerned. When Polaris arrives at the newly constructed base for the X-Men known as the Treehouse, she admits she has a secret to share with her old friend. While her secret ends up being about her doubts concerning her formally joining the X-Men, jokes that if it’s a confession about the murder of Scarlet Witch, he’d rather not hear it. It’s a surprisingly glib comment to make in general about a woman who was just discovered murdered days prior, but it’s also a stunning thing for Scott to say to Polaris, who could have been considered something of a sister to Scarlet Witch due to her connection to Magneto.
This is a far cry from the response Cyclops previously had when he witnessed Scarlet Witch die in Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin, George Pérez and Ron Lim. Cyclops and Scarlet Witch were among the few mutant heroes not destroyed when Thanos used the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all life in the universe. They took part in the desperate last offensive against the villain, and even ended up blasting the Mad Titan with their powers at the same time, sandwiching him between their attacks. But thanks to the Gauntlet, Thanos was far more powerful than Wanda’s Hex Magic and was able to push it back and consume her in energy, destroying her completely. Cyclops lets out an anguished cry of “Wanda!” before trying to avenge her with a attack alongside Iron Man — which ends with the X-Men leader also meeting his end.
The concern Cyclops showed for Wanda in Infinity Gauntlet suggests at least a respect for his fellow hero if not outright admiration. But things have changed drastically for the mutant population and their views on Scarlet Witch. The events of House of M and the resulting depowering of the mutant-race pushed Cyclops and his loved ones to the brink of extinction, with the veteran hero forced to become a far more pragmatic and ruthless leader to guide his team through those dark times. It’s likely that Cyclops’ joke stems from his new, less-favorable view of Wanda, but it’s still a surprisingly cold comment to hear from the X-Men leader, especially as he’s tried to reembrace his lighter side since the formation of Krakoa.
About The Author
[ad_2]
