Mystery in Madripoor: [SPOILER] Is Changed FOREVER!

[KurtW95]

The cover is literally called Spoiler cover. I don't see any other gals on the cover......

Kwannon???

[BAMF]

Despite my own, personal miXed feelings, this was bound to happen sooner or later, and it's probably for the best.



Au contraire, mon frere, I think it's just the opposite, and that's eXactly why they ARE doin' it. The more attention she gets, means only the bigger controversy she'll invite (as is), with her touchy, dicey comics history. They don't want anymore of that, after learning their lesson the hard way, via Iron Fist & the brouhaha it created with cultural appropriation (for instance). They're probably still licking their wounds, over that one. It's a smart move, and in the end... the right one, honestly. All publicity, is not good publicity, anymore.

You're assuming the movie version of the character will get the same problematic origin as in the comics. MCU Psylocke will be introduced as Asian, not a white woman, IMO. It's not going to be problematic because she'll be portrayed as authentically Asian. It's not going to be another Iron Fist debacle because people who are passionate about representation wanted him to be cast as Asian on the show. If Psylocke is cast as white in the films, that would be another Iron Fist debacle, as the cultural appropriation argument would apply. If anyone actually believes that the MCU is going to do the Kwannon/Betsy origin story, I think they're putting a ton of faith in the MCU's willingness to adapt one of the most convoluted origins in comic book history.

[KurtW95]

It's not going to be another Iron Fist debacle because people who are passionate about representation wanted him to be cast as Asian on the show.

*people who didn't give a crap about Danny Rand

[tetragene]

I always thought Psylocke was far more interesting when she was in her British body & physically weak, but longing to be a "warrior." The ninja action-junkie thing was cool for a time for the simple fact that it was the character finally getting wish fulfillment, but the swapping bodies bit was stupid. She got super lazy with her powers for a long time too.

I'm with KurtW95 when it comes to retconning that much back-history for a race-flip -- it would affect two characters & their established history to "correct" a dumb Claremont plot line that has outlived whatever initial purpose it was supposed to have. Just bring Kwannon & Betsy's original body back, switch them out & be done with it. Kwannon can continue on & Betsy can struggle trying to maintain her coveted "warrior" role in a body lacking the tone/strength & muscle-memory for all the ninja stuff. It might make her marginally interesting again.

[Harpsikord]

Remember that Claremont himself meant to permanently correct his mistakes in 2004, back when he brought Betsy back for Reboot and what would have been X-Treme when that title wasn't on the verge of being made into Uncanny. The only reason he didn't is because of the fact that editorial wouldn't let him.



There's even a LaRocca sketch of what would have been British Betsy back then. Honestly, this just feels like it's righting the ship and I hope that it lasts a while. Also, this isn't Betsy's original body, which had violet eyes. This body has green eyes.

And after the cliffhanger of this mini's last issue...

spoilers:

I'm fairly certain Betsy has claimed the body of Sapphire Styx.

end of spoilers

[BAMF]

*people who didn't give a crap about Danny Rand

IMO, they didn't need to. The issue is bigger than Danny Rand. People who never even picked up a comic book are every bit as entitled to have an opinion on it. IMO, people who can't look at the issue beyond Danny Rand are shortsighted.

[KurtW95]

Remember that Claremont himself meant to permanently correct his mistakes in 2004, back when he brought Betsy back for Reboot and what would have been X-Treme when that title wasn't on the verge of being made into Uncanny. The only reason he didn't is because of the fact that editorial wouldn't let him.



There's even a LaRocca sketch of what would have been British Betsy back then. Honestly, this just feels like it's righting the ship and I hope that it lasts a while.

I also heard that the character, Bloody Bess, that appeared in Claremont's Nightcrawler solo was connected to Betsy somehow and factored into Claremont's plan to change her back or potentially reveal that she was the original Betsy.

[KurtW95]

IMO, they didn't need to. The issue is bigger than Danny Rand. People who never even picked up a comic book are every bit as entitled to have an opinion on it. IMO, people who can't look at the issue beyond Danny Rand are shortsighted.

They can have an opinion, but my point is, if one cares more about the idea of "representation" than the characters themselves, then I don't think they ought to be listened regarding how things should happen. It's like if there's someone really passionate about sports and wants to retcon Charles Xavier into being a pro football player. Does that really make sense for the character and do you really care about them, or are you just care more about football than you do the X-Men and changing decades of continuity to match something you care about more?

[Psy]

Kwannon???

No matter what it is, it obviously involves Psylocke is what I am saying. Psylocke is the one forever changed. The whole thing has set that up.

[KurtW95]

No matter what it is, it obviously involves Psylocke is what I am saying. Psylocke is the one forever changed. The whole thing has set that up.

Well yeah. I don't think it's likely at all that it's another X-Man. All but Jubilee currently have things going on with them right now and I believe Zub already said he wasn't doing anything consequential with her. SO, that only leaves Psylocke as the logical choice. I do not think this is another bait-and-switch moment like the wedding.

[yogaflame]

Charles was a baller in his youth. He gave up sports, though, when his telepathy gave him unparalleled advantages.

I don't think retconning the Braddocks as being a mixed family is the way to fix this. Just put Betsy back in her Anglo body, and let Kwannon be the 'ninja'. Now that Emma's back to being a bad guy, the X-Men can have a real British aristocrat-telepath in residence again. In the MCU films, I'd go for Kwannon straight out of the gate, and just let her have tk or the shadow melting powers along with her martial arts. China is a big market and Jubilee or Xorn don't really cut it. Kwannon is a highly revered deity/Bodhisattva. And in the original Claremont/Lee story she was Chinese, not Japanese.

[BAMF]

They can have an opinion, but my point is, if one cares more about the idea of "representation" than the characters themselves, then I don't think they ought to be listened regarding how things should happen. It's like if there's someone really passionate about sports and wants to retcon Charles Xavier into being a pro football player. Does that really make sense for the character and do you really care about them, or are you just care more about football than you do the X-Men and changing decades of continuity to match something you care about more?

Again, shortsighted. You're trivializing this to make it equivalent to Prof. X being a professional football player. Cultural appropriation isn't the same as sports appropriation...sports appropriation isn't even a thing.

[Heroine Addict]

... the same problematic origin as in the comics. ... the cultural appropriation argument would apply. ... the Kwannon/Betsy origin story... one of the most convoluted origins in comic book history.

Which will all still be there, regardless of what they do in the MCU. The idea of Psylocke being Asian, is tainted by association, and always will be. She's a lightning rod for contention, and media types will make sure of it. That's a hot potato, they wouldn't want to touch, I think. I mean, Betsy Braddock, doesn't sound too authentically ethnic. The history is there, there's no escaping it, and the best thing to do is try & correct it.

[KurtW95]

Again, shortsighted. You're trivializing this to make it equivalent to Prof. X being a professional football player. Cultural appropriation isn't the same as sports appropriation...sports appropriation isn't even a thing.

It's all ridiculous. Non-Asians not being allowed to learn martial arts is just as ridiculous as non-whites not being allowed partake in an activity created by white people. Anybody should be able to do something cool regardless of their identity and the possibility that it doesn't match the originator.

[BAMF]

Which will all still be there, regardless of what they do in the MCU. The idea of Psylocke being Asian, is tainted by association, and always will be. She's a lightning rod for contention, and media types will make sure of it. That's a hot potato, they wouldn't want to touch, I think. I mean, Betsy Braddock, doesn't sound too authentically ethnic. The history is there, there's no escaping it, and the best thing to do is try & correct it.

But it's not there. 90% of the people who see the movies don't read comic books. And, beyond that, you think making the character white would solve the problem? Cultural appropriation is stripping a culture of all the things which make it unique without allowing that culture the benefit of representing it or benefitting from it, themselves.

You honestly think the better option is taking a character, which was propelled to the height of her popularity using Asian imagery, and then when it matters, renege on all that by making her white in the movies? That's like working on a group project where you do 90% of the work, and when they hand out grants for it, the guy who did 10% gets it instead of you.