Polaris: Lorna Dane Appreciation 2019

[Soulsword323]

I think one of the things I love so much about Lorna is her journey, and how her character has evolved. She's gone form someone who didn't want to be involved in all of this, to a woman working alongside Magneto. It's a nice arc IMO. It took a bit for Lorna to get there, but going through all that, I think makes me appreciate where she is so much more. Hickman's interpretation seems to be on the stronger end thus far, and I'd imagine will stay that way (hopefully). Still need to see more though, and how she interacts with others outside of Magneto. The Lorna/Scott scene was nice, but a little too brief.

Still got my fingers crossed for something in wave two for Polaris. While I haven't read anything she's written, I know Leah Williams is getting something in the second wave, so there's a chance maybe she ends up there, or whatever Vita is doing.

[jmc247]

Teen Jean worked alongside Magneto and I felt had a more complex relationship then Lorna had with him on Blue. Briar had a vastly more interesting interaction as well.

Thankfully, the fundamentals have changed in a good way. Hickman moving away from the two adviser problem that Bunn's run fell into has already paid dividends. Briar as the complex woman behind Magneto was able to be adviser, right hand and debating partner. Lorna because of that set up really didn't advise, debate, or even know what Magneto was doing behind the scenes and was just there to spend some time with dad and save her ex.

I was worried about the potential for a similar set up to develop between Esme/Magneto and Lorna/Magneto. I would not even be surprised if Esme was not early on in the planning the character in X-Men #1 with Magneto as that was most certainly her outfit in at least two panels of X-Men #1 that weren't fixed. If it was or wasn't Hickman made the right call and it feels so far like they gave up on any two adviser plans.

This Lorna actually feels like she is advising him, is in on his planning process and we know is actually able to have a philosophical conversation with him. That is a significant step up from before. I am hoping for some House of M or GoT type politics which is actually possible at the moment.

House of X #5 was one of the best selling books she has been on since the heyday of the X-Men and it was a role the character got fans talking unlike back then. I expect in terms of sales X-Men #1 to do even better perhaps overtopping the 200K mark in first edition sales. That increased awareness will pay dividends in time.

[AbnormallyNormal]

Speaking of the Cuckoos where are they? They were prominent in HoX and then just gone since.

[jmc247]

Speaking of the Cuckoos where are they? They were prominent in HoX and then just gone since.

They made one of the House of X/Powers of X covers which is more then can be said of Lorna, but look closely at ‘Lorna’ in the first panel Magneto appears of X-Men #1. My guess is that Esme will be appearing more around Emma. But, the big role they were seemingly heading for with Magneto has been backed off on.

I know you are fan of them, I like them as well, but Esme would have created a Briar like problem for Lorna right off the bat of creating a good cop/bad cop situation that would have been a built in loser for Lorna.

I have the feeling that we won’t see as much of them as we would have if The Gifted continued which was not going to happen do the the buy out and the ratings fail, but they will be around now and again.

[AbnormallyNormal]

I'm also upset about Briar Rahleigh being gone but pretty much everything Bunn did has been rejected now so :shrug: it's of a piece

I'm with salarta and I don't want Lorna to be Mags' shadow or "advisor" as you put it. She should be striking out on her own. That picture posted a few days back of a hypothetical "Acolytes" team she could lead or be part of, would be nice. Or just in general her exploring things.

I was excited about the Cuckoos because all five of them are back and yet I think they gave Esme distinctive coloring on her uniform compared to the others.

I still feel that X-23 solo dropped the ball when they got rid of Esme after bringing her back. People constantly whine there are no good mutant villains, we have a resurrected Esme Cuckoo and she psychically takes over and absorbs Gabby. What's not to like about that? But we can't have nice things now can we

[jmc247]

I am sorry Briar doesn’t have a place yet as I know you care about her, but rarely do writers pick up other writers new characters and make them stars of their story unless they really break out.

Magneto’s right hand helping him build his power base on Krakoa I could get behind that as it’s an idea that was so half assed on Genosha and wussed on on in the middle of it to the level it’s not been really done justice to outside the HoM universe and it would allow her a story of her own on a ongoing with Exodus and the Acolytes as building a power base.

I want the House of M which is a real place on the island also to be a real faction.

Lorna as the POV character and voice of reason. No. It’s not an either be on X-Men or be on some other title. The only regular character on X-Men is Scott. Everyone else is reoccurring character doing their own thing. As part of that I would like to see factionalism on the island and GoT type politics.

[salarta]

Billie Eilish has been a highly appropriate musician tie for Lorna, so fanart in that vein is too. Also appropriate for me on a personal level. Because while perhaps other people knew her plenty, I stumbled onto one of her music videos through looking back on Silent Hill and skimming the Twitter feed of someone who was involved in that series. My current fave song from her is bury a friend.




I think Lorna doing things with her father is good. I think Lorna's focus being primarily about serving as a support to Magneto is a backstep, and a risky one at that. She already has the huge problem of decades spent misrepresented as a supporting character for Havok's stories, and I think Marvel's repeatedly shown this past decade that they find it difficult to see her as her own character when interacting with men as a whole. What Magneto has to his advantage is that since work on their relationship is relatively new, the need to course correct is easier to identify within Marvel. Less toxic nostalgia. But it requires vigilance.

Overall, I do think Lorna is better off doing her own thing but with meaningful moments with Magneto from time to time. The urgency for them to interact that we had 2015 or earlier is no longer present. Though of course, it would return with a vengeance if Marvel restores the twins and simultaneously tries to pretend Lorna isn't one of Magneto's daughters.

I also think Lorna does need to be shown that she's philosophically distinct. But my view of it is that the hardships she's endured lead her to be more willing to question and explore philosophically tough matters that others take for granted. The whole "straddle lines and find where she fits" thing goes back to her intro issues, and echoed in Austen's Uncanny #442-443.

Lastly, I think people are putting too much stock in current affairs. I can understand why, but if I'm being frank, today is not tomorrow, and there are much bigger matters in play.

[Factor]

I'd love to see Lorna leading a new set of Acolytes (Frenzy and Quicksilver would be musts).
They could be Krakoa's police force or something related to Genosha.

[jmc247]

I'd love to see Lorna leading a new set of Acolytes (Frenzy and Quicksilver would be musts).
They could be Krakoa's police force or something related to Genosha.

While my dream is for Lorna to be involved GoT type politics, its worked great when its happened in the past, it may not happen with her non-inclusion in the council. I have bee trying to come up with ways to try to make it happen of course because I think she is really good at public speaking and from the comics I have seen her involved in politics she is pretty good at it.

But, if it doesn't happen certainly I wouldn't mind to see her state building on Genosha, but to what end? Krakoa already exists and its popular, creating Genosha as a separate base and contingency if things go South on Krakoa would be wise contingency planning the kind her father would do if he wasn't ego tripping. The problem is her defenders right now on the internet are all pro-Krakoa and lets be frank its more her dream then what one would expect of the traditional X-Men so her rebelling against mutant separatism the second it happens again would make her look like an inconsistent flake. For all the talk of Lorna 'is middle ground' between Magneto and... there is no middle ground. They are all united striving for the same overall purpose on Krakoa. Magneto may be ego tripping like crazy, but he is just one council member who is subject to the councils rules and Scott Summers orders as we saw. I don't see clear factions arising inside the island for at least another year.

Anyway AIPT review of Uncanny X-Men 425-436. This line stands out.

How did Polaris get so crazy, you might ask? Well, the ultimate origin isn’t exactly revealed, but she really goes off the deep end when Havok stands her up at the altar because he decided he’s in love with a mutant-hating nurse he barely knows, so she goes all Magneto and tries to kill several people in Uncanny X-Men #425 and #426. The X-Men have always had their soap opera elements, but when reading this, it’s easy to think it’s all a little much.

https://www.adventuresinpoortaste.co...-think-he-was/

I won't quibble with the rest of their review, but the story couldn't have made it any more textual that the character had just been through a mass genocide including showing it in those issues and the only person she felt she had left in the world just told her he didn't love her on their supposed wedding day.

Do people need her Genosha issues, New X-Men 132 and Uncanny X-Men 443 to be included just to understand the Genosha arc and genocide wasn't a one-two issue and over story for the character, but a long running arc influencing her entire story for a half decade? I suspect its a combo of some expecting comic arcs to be one and done affairs and for no particular story unless its DPS level acclaimed to have a lasting impact on a character and some unhappy with the storyline so they ignore what they don't want to see. It doesn't get more textual then Xavier getting into her head in those issues and going over her memories and her saying her feelings about it all and the wedding. That ignored portion was also pretty important because other writers half way got it up to hint and undoing her parentage retcon, but those issues finally did it.

If the Axis retcon comes down I believe it will be in the next year or two. Kevin F. now runs the line including the comics and will likely be the one deciding something as big as the long term future of Wanda and Pietro as in if they are allowed to be mutants again. Based on the rumors from Bleed It Cool News they were heading for undoing the retcon then it stopped, perhaps due to Kevin F.'s take over and just waiting for guidance from the MCU... which might come soon or not we don't know.

[Soulsword323]

I'd love to see Lorna leading a new set of Acolytes (Frenzy and Quicksilver would be musts).
They could be Krakoa's police force or something related to Genosha.

This is what I'd want for Polaris, and what I'm hoping for. I've always wanted to see Lorna and Joanna together on a team too. I think they could work really well together personally. As for Pietro, while I love his dynamic with Lorna, I don't think we'll be seeing him anytime soon. I'd love to see them together again, but I'm not holding my breathe (would love to be wrong though).

[jmc247]

It gets into the question of what the Acolytes could actually do. I certainly admit Lorna's relationship with them is woefully underdeveloped at least on panel. It’s a strong idea in principle.

I will say that after the success of HoX Marvel is going to try hard to bank in on the success of Krakoa and those involved next year. We already see the early signs of it with the flashback story, but that is the tip of the iceberg don’t be surprised if the Marvel games like Future Fight don’t have HoX/DoX updates.

[Soulsword323]

I don't play Future Fight, but I'm annoyed that they've yet to add Polaris.

[jmc247]

I don’t play any of the games these days. Contest of Champions and all these other games have gotten down to mining the C and D list of the x-line and still haven’t made it to Lorna. Future Fight is one of the more egregious I would agree.

Anyway, a Polaris cosplayer with gold headgear. The cosplayer also with Wanda at her daily pics post.

[salarta]

Hard to say Marvel doesn't have something against Lorna when actual interest in her is disproportionate to how they treat her. Recent tweet says it well:



Also, fanart by DavidHutajulu, commissioned by Colette Collects

[AbnormallyNormal]

^ I like that art salarta thanks for sharing it here

Wow I didn't know Lorna isnt in Future Fight that sucks

I'm definitely glad she appeared at all in HoX5 and had a decent sized role in XM1 but we need more