Rachel Grey/Summers Appreciation 2018

[CRaymond]

I guess I don't see the appeal of a calm and collected Rachel Summers/Grey.

[Askani's Flame]

I guess I don't see the appeal of a calm and collected Rachel Summers/Grey.

I love my emotional and impulsive Rachel. It's always been part of her appeal for me.

I understand that her hound conditioning is something that they aren't letting her get past. But this is now the 3rd book and 3rd story she's been a part of in 2 months where she is mind controlled. The optics area just bad

[Sardorim]

Isn't Rachel set to fight her mother in X-Men Red, soon?

[LoganAlpha30X33]

Yep, as she's being controlled by Cassandra Nova...

[U.N. Owen]

Again, this woman gets possessed as often as people die and come back to life in comics.

[Askani's Flame]

Again, this woman gets possessed as often as people die and come back to life in comics.

They have no clue what to do with her, so the editors are like, "Hey this might be a great point to have Rachel mind controlled or knocked out for the remainder of the event!"

[CRaymond]

They have no clue what to do with her, so the editors are like, "Hey this might be a great point to have Rachel mind controlled or knocked out for the remainder of the event!"

Which is why I suggested the codename "Weapon".

As much as I rail that Rachel should not associate with her mother in the books, that it's boring and unnecessary, I completely acknowledge that her story BEGINS with the brand Jean has established. Jean's story is all about control. Her powers begin with control of objects, and ends with control of her own fate. Rachel is the continuation of that story, having considerable power over people and objects, but very little ethic to control that power. She LEARNS that ethic by interacting and finding acceptance with second and third generation X-Men.

Psychic powers, even without Phoenix Force amplification, are terrifying in their subtlety and overt capability. In the "hands" of a weak-willed user, as Rachel has shown, they are almost too dangerous to continue to sanction... exhibited by Wolverine's famous belly snikt.

That's not to say she hasn't grown or matured; my favorite X-book is Davis' Excalibur. But she DOES retain a level of unbridled hotheadedness that is unique among other psychics, and continues to plague her interactions with them. She's seemingly only praised for her relatively innocuous mastery of the Phoenix by fans, and her friendships are almost always with persons more reserved. It's as if she was designed to remind people Wolverine is a penitent man.

In any case, Rachel isn't considered a round character, and clearly objectified as a weak wielder of considerable terrifying power... so she's a weapon in the hands of Bogan, Nova, Mesmero, etc.

[Askani's Flame]

Which is why I suggested the codename "Weapon".

As much as I rail that Rachel should not associate with her mother in the books, that it's boring and unnecessary, I completely acknowledge that her story BEGINS with the brand Jean has established. Jean's story is all about control. Her powers begin with control of objects, and ends with control of her own fate. Rachel is the continuation of that story, having considerable power over people and objects, but very little ethic to control that power. She LEARNS that ethic by interacting and finding acceptance with second and third generation X-Men.

Psychic powers, even without Phoenix Force amplification, are terrifying in their subtlety and overt capability. In the "hands" of a weak-willed user, as Rachel has shown, they are almost too dangerous to continue to sanction... exhibited by Wolverine's famous belly snikt.

That's not to say she hasn't grown or matured; my favorite X-book is Davis' Excalibur. But she DOES retain a level of unbridled hotheadedness that is unique among other psychics, and continues to plague her interactions with them. She's seemingly only praised for her relatively innocuous mastery of the Phoenix by fans, and her friendships are almost always with persons more reserved. It's as if she was designed to remind people Wolverine is a penitent man.

In any case, Rachel isn't considered a round character, and clearly objectified as a weak wielder of considerable terrifying power... so she's a weapon in the hands of Bogan, Nova, Mesmero, etc.

You're not wrong. Starting with Ahab she has been used as a tool or weapon against those closest to her. Maybe Weapon P lol?

[CRaymond]

So what do you think about the idea of Rachel leading an animated X-Men cartoon?

She'd be like Furiosa-as-Dorothy, brought to a softer, friendlier wonderland where she's absolutely safe, but always ready for a fight. Could give kids a vessel to discuss trauma and security, and show a clumsy girl master her powers. I'm thinking a cross between the episodic Wolverine & the X-Men and DC's Super Hero Girls.

[raidensix]

Ahab should't really scare/bother Rachel much. She defeated Ahab and sent him packing back in her own timeline in one of the Excalibur arcs.

[Havok83]

So what do you think about the idea of Rachel leading an animated X-Men cartoon?

She'd be like Furiosa-as-Dorothy, brought to a softer, friendlier wonderland where she's absolutely safe, but always ready for a fight. Could give kids a vessel to discuss trauma and security, and show a clumsy girl master her powers. I'm thinking a cross between the episodic Wolverine & the X-Men and DC's Super Hero Girls.

Nope. She is a guest star at best. After being non-existent for so long, I dont think its a good idea to bring the X-men back to the animated space and build it around Rachel as one of the leads.

[Askani's Flame]

So what do you think about the idea of Rachel leading an animated X-Men cartoon?

She'd be like Furiosa-as-Dorothy, brought to a softer, friendlier wonderland where she's absolutely safe, but always ready for a fight. Could give kids a vessel to discuss trauma and security, and show a clumsy girl master her powers. I'm thinking a cross between the episodic Wolverine & the X-Men and DC's Super Hero Girls.

While I don't agree with her being the lead of a cartoon moving forward (Havok puts it best below), i DO think that she would be a compelling starting character for a new X-Men Legends game. I really hated the use of Magma in the first one. And given the nature of Rachel's arrival in this time line, it would make a lot of sense to use her as a character in that game. Following parts of her trajectory and incorporating her into people's knowledge that way.

Nope. She is a guest star at best. After being non-existent for so long, I dont think its a good idea to bring the X-men back to the animated space and build it around Rachel as one of the leads.

Yes to this.

[CRaymond]

Yeah! A game context would be better fit.

[Askani's Flame]

Ahab should't really scare/bother Rachel much. She defeated Ahab and sent him packing back in her own timeline in one of the Excalibur arcs.

Yeah, but once again Rachel's history or experience doesn't fit the narrative. Also this Rachel is written WAAAAAAY differently than post Necrom Rachel in Excalibur was. She was far more confident than she is portrayed now. Also, as some writer will point out, "Rachel was hosting the Phoenix Force last time she battled Ahab...." eyeroll

Yeah! A game context would be better fit.

The first arc would be Rachel being a hound and tracking mutants. You see a mutant being killed, and it finally makes her snap and she fights and defeats a bunch of hounds, Sentinels, and maims Ahab. Next stage is her in DoFP where they are trying to destroy everything (cue 811 versions of Storm, Colossus, and Wolverine to battle with her) and Nimrod. Kate Pryde says the magic words at the end of the battle and Rachel gets shunted to the past. She now appears at the school and you can write a variety of things from here making her no longer the main character but a playable one.

[CRaymond]

The first arc would be Rachel being a hound and tracking mutants. You see a mutant being killed, and it finally makes her snap and she fights and defeats a bunch of hounds, Sentinels, and maims Ahab. Next stage is her in DoFP where they are trying to destroy everything (cue 811 versions of Storm, Colossus, and Wolverine to battle with her) and Nimrod. Kate Pryde says the magic words at the end of the battle and Rachel gets shunted to the past. She now appears at the school and you can write a variety of things from here making her no longer the main character but a playable one.

It'd be interesting to see a game format where you play both sides, cyclically. Like, you play as a hound, then you're freed and play as a rebel, then you're caught and play as a hound, freed, caught, freed, caught, until you finally manage to put all the pieces into place to throw yourself back in time. Not exactly canon or text, but it would be fun and frustrating. Things you do a rebel would prevent you from collecting the things you can collect as a hound, and vice versa.