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Runaways introduces a potential dark fate for a major member of the team — and it could have disastrous consequences for the entire team’s future.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Runaways #38, on sale now
The Runaways have always been a closely-knit group of friends, initially bonded by their connections through their parents. But as the years have gone by, the group has survived multiple trials and tribulations. Their most recent problems have been harder to simply overcome. Notably, this extends to the drama that’s erupted between former romantic partners, Chase and Gert. Gert has found happiness with their teammate Victor, but a future incarnation of the young woman has returned to the present with a clear mission: to take Chase from the present-day in a desperate bid to change his future.
Luckily for her, she gets some help from her present-day counterpart in Runaways #38 by Rainbow Rowell, Andres Genolet, Dee Cunniffe and VC’s Joe Caramagna — resulting in Chase being removed from the timeline to prevent him from becoming just as much of a villain as their dearly departed parents.
As the older Gert quietly explains to her younger self and Molly, she’s trying to actively change the person Chase grows up to become. As she explains, there isn’t one bad day or event that changes him, but rather a series of tragedies and the strains of life pushed Chase down an increasingly dark path. A brief flashback reveals that in the years to come, Chase becomes a truly frightening figure — sporting spiked armor, wielding massive flaming fistigons, and seemingly leading a similar team of marauders. He even has a tattoo of “Pride” stamped onto the side of his neck, suggesting Chase has truly come to see the mission of his parents as something worth fighting for. The future Gert could only watch in horror as Molly — now fully grown — arrives to stop him.
Chase reminds her he can’t be stopped, implying he’s even done something to Nico that proves how dangerous he’s become. Rushing into battle against the woman he was once willing to sacrifice everything to protect, the memory ends with the older Gert refusing to say what really happens, only that she needs them to trust her. Molly and the present-day Gert reluctantly agree — giving the older Gert some assistance when a distraction presents itself. The future-Gert is able to activate her own time-traveling tech, dragging herself and Chase into the future and leaving the rest of the group behind.
Coupled with Karolina’s decision to venture into space with the Light Brigade to get better control of her abilities (and Nico’s decision to give her the Staff of One to be destroyed somewhere in the cosmos), it all gives the moment a genuine “breaking of the fellowship vibe.” Chase has been one of the most consistent elements of the Runaways series since it debuted and even made the leap into other stories like Avengers Arena and Avengers Undercover alongside Nico.
His departure more or less removes him from the board for the time being, and (as the future Gert admitted) could radically alter the time-stream. But she’s willing to take the risk if it means keeping Chase from breaking bad even worse than his overtly villainous parents. It also means that, of all the Runaways, Chase is the least likely to return to the present-day. It also opens up the possibility that the rest of the team could drift apart as well — with Molly even potentially finally fully embracing her mutant status and making the move to Krakoa. It’s a big series of changes for the titular Runaways — and possibly the last audiences will see of Chase for some time, even if his other teammates find new directions and roles to take in the Marvel Universe.
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