What kind of relationship should the X-Men and the Avengers have?

[LordUltimus]

So in the most recent issue of X-Men: Red, Jean Grey explicitly calls the Avengers "friends" and calls Captain America by his first name, to which Steve says something like "We should have been here from the beginning". So my first thought was "This is a far cry from AvX!" (Though to be fair, Jean wasn't around for that.)

Though it does make me wonder, what should the default relationship between the two teams be?

[ChildOfTheAtom]

[Ambaryerno]

So in the most recent issue of X-Men: Red, Jean Grey explicitly calls the Avengers "friends" and calls Captain America by his first name, to which Steve says something like "We should have been here from the beginning". So my first thought was "This is a far cry from AvX!" (Though to be fair, Jean wasn't around for that.)

Though it does make me wonder, what should the default relationship between the two teams be?

Steve's also right: They SHOULD have been doing more from the start. The Avengers have failed horrifically when it comes to helping mutants. Someone go find those scans of Emma taking Carol to task over M-Day and its aftermath.

[Vegeta]

As long as the Avengers are functioning as the strong arm of the government and/or SHIELD the X-Men should maintain a level of skepticism/ distrust when working with them.

[Huntsman Spider]

Steve's also right: They SHOULD have been doing more from the start. The Avengers have failed horrifically when it comes to helping mutants. Someone go find those scans of Emma taking Carol to task over M-Day and its aftermath.

Pretty much this. I see those panels all over the Internet, but they're worth showing again. Hell, get the exchange between Cyclops and Captain America in AvX #1 where Captain America says, "You're too close to this," and Cyclops retorts, "And you're too far away from this, like you've always been."

That said, my personal take is that the Avengers should be allies of the X-Men, should be willing to show solidarity with those members of the X-Men they've fought beside again and again, enough times to know that they're heroes, too. Then they should show the world that the X-Men as a whole, checkered pasts or more dubious members aside, are just as heroic as the Avengers, are just as willing to fight for humanity as the Avengers are, and that the Avengers will not stand for or quietly abide anti-mutant bigotry, even if it means having to call out or outright oppose the U.S. government. That's the kind of relationship I want to see.

[phoenixzero23]

Friends. It's time to leave the nonsensical schisms, hero vs hero and bad drama in the past. They are both superheroes, in fact i would like more members of the X-men in the Avengers and viceversa.

[nightw1ng]

I'm honestly exhausted from feeling like the X-Men are at odds with *everyone*. The Avengers, the Inhumans, other X-Men, other mutants, humans, world governments, every single alien race, etc. AvX was years ago (with other stuff like Civil War, M-day, and so forth even years before that). With Jean back, now's as good a time as any for the X-Men to at least have a fresh start with other heroes.

[Star_Jammer]

They should be on friendly terms; both fight to save the world/stop crime/etc.

BUT...too much Avengers in X-Men (or vice versa) kind of defeats the purpose of having dedicated books to each team.

AND!...to hold the Avengers "accountable" for not helping mutants with every single mutant issue is a bit silly, considering the above. I doubt anybody wants the X-Men narrative to take over the Avengers book, as well as seriously doubting anyone wants the Avengers solving the X-Men's problems they face.

Yes, "in-universe" the "Avengers weren't there when Genoshan babies burned" (and the X-Men were nowhere to be seen when Slorenia was being demolished, but hey), but c'mon...fans should be able to understand in the meta-sense.

I'm fine with it being used for light fare in the books, but using it as counter-points to arguments over ideals or catalysts for in-fighting is a bit much.

[ariwl1]

Agreed that the X-Men and Avengers should have a more mutually beneficial relationship. Jean remarked to herself that all the hero v. hero stuff that went on while she was dead was pure nonsense. She's made it clear the welfare of mutants is her #1 priority, but the X-Men and Avengers are all heroes and there's no reason they can't co-exist.

[Kusanagi]

I really dislike the' "Avengers are never there" narrative that focuses on Genosha, and kind of skips over X events like Onslaught. You remember, that time the Avengers all died cleaning up the X-men's mess? Honestly as big a hot mess as that story was I'd take it over all the hero vs hero events. But anyway...

As for what their relationship should be, cordial, professional, with some members being openly friendly, and some members being cold to each other. Neither group should have a lock step mission statement for the other team.

[Noek]

I'm honestly exhausted from feeling like the X-Men are at odds with *everyone*. The Avengers, the Inhumans, other X-Men, other mutants, humans, world governments, every single alien race, etc. AvX was years ago (with other stuff like Civil War, M-day, and so forth even years before that). With Jean back, now's as good a time as any for the X-Men to at least have a fresh start with other heroes.

Since you mentioned Inhumans and fresh starts maybe a member of the House of Agon to act as an Inhuman ambassador and adviser for Jean since she is trying to establish a nation of super powered beings. Would be a way to mend fences.

[TheSupernaut]

I'm tired of the hero vs hero era. The Avengers and X-Men should be allies and even friends. Openly rebuking bigoted humans would be a good place for the Avengers to start.

[mikeb]

Rogue should have had a liaison role to the Avengers. She spent 5 years serving alongside some of the longest-serving Avengers. Even Captain America thought well of her. What happens instead? When Rogue returns to the X-Men, she becomes just another lackey for Kitty Pryde.

[Kal-El Summers]

As long as the Avengers are functioning as the strong arm of the government and/or SHIELD the X-Men should maintain a level of skepticism/ distrust when working with them.

Agree with all of this. As long as the Avengers are government/SHIELD lapdogs, then they should always be kept at arm's length.

[spirit2011]

AvX was a mistake. time to everyone move on.
Avengers and x-men should be allies.