Age of X-Man: The X-Tremists #3 (spoilers/discussion)

[Anduinel]

Some points of interest from this issue:

- Betsy's altered memories continue to play merry hell with her sense of here and now; we get a couple of spots where she's not sure if the memories in her head are actually hers or those she's picked up from elsewhere.

- Betsy does remember her time in Kwannon's body, and how she had fewer body image issues during that time because it wasn't her body. Just a tad creepy there.

- Nezumi's situation is still a nightmare - no hospital that Jubilee contacts is willing to take a pregnant woman. And they can't process (read as: mindwipe) her for admittance to the Danger Room because forgetting that she's pregnant isn't going to make the situation better in any way.

- The team hits fracture point: Moneta scans the offender we saw in the preview, despite the fact that it potentially endangers him, then accuses Betsy of failing to mindwipe him. Then she doubles down by accusing Betsy of being in the resistance. Unsurprisingly, her theories don't get a lot of traction with the team, and Fred tells her to take a walk before she says something she'll regret.

- Turns out that an anonymous tip allegedly about the location of the kids partying in an abandoned building was actually Moneta calling the team in on what she suspected to be actual resistance meetings of a "retrograde cult". When Dept. X raids the place, they wind up fighting a bunch of terrified, untrained mutants who'd just been sitting around talking about En Sabah Nur's philosophy of love, not actually breaking any laws.

- Fred isn't having it and tells Moneta she's off the team.



-This is Fred's POV spotlight, for the most part, and in keeping with his new literary bent, a line from TS Eliot keeps going through his head throughout this issue: "Do I dare disturb the universe?" The answer appears to be "yes" - both in his connection to Betsy, and in his willingness to aid Nezumi while denouncing Moneta.

-While I'm still not a fan of some of Jeanty's facial expressions, I outright cackled at Moneta's face the moment Fred told her she was being kicked to the curb. Yeah, that is the face of someone who is only just realizing how badly they've fucked themselves. But I do expect she'll be moving to repay the team in-kind next issue, so... yikes.

I have a couple of quibbles here, mainly that I think Fred's realization that he's leading a team of monsters comes late enough that it stretches belief a bit. But then, Fred's also been the one who's been trying his hardest to come off as a good guy while performing a despicable job. This just might have been the moment when he couldn't delude himself any longer, hence Moneta getting unceremoniously booted this time, as opposed to lectured.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. And, of course, I am intensely curious about what next month's issue will bring.

[Maestroneto]

Funny that two X-books deal with The Waste Land today.

[king81992]

Blob is a surprisingly good boss. This is the first time I've found him likable and I hope he stays semi heroic when this event ends. Moneta getting BTFOed and cast out made me happy.

[pandafarmer]

I love Leah's previous work but I really am not enjoying this. I think the whole event is very disappointing honestly. Maybe it's because it's such a stark contrast to the typical X-faire we get. Not a lot of action or obvious conflict, it's all very much internal dialogs and mysterious frameworks that don't seem like they have an easy resolution. Considering these books only have a couple issues left each I'm not really sure how they can wrap this up and not make it feel rushed and forced in every title.

[Snoop Dogg]

someone save that baby

[Anduinel]

I love Leah's previous work but I really am not enjoying this. I think the whole event is very disappointing honestly. Maybe it's because it's such a stark contrast to the typical X-faire we get. Not a lot of action or obvious conflict, it's all very much internal dialogs and mysterious frameworks that don't seem like they have an easy resolution. Considering these books only have a couple issues left each I'm not really sure how they can wrap this up and not make it feel rushed and forced in every title.

That's the $10,000 question, isn't it? The big boss-fight to wrap it all up is supposed to take place in Age of X-Man: Omega. And in the meantime, you have six miniseries that each have to pull off an ending to their own story while also dovetailing into that last issue. I'm enjoying most of these enough to wait it out and hope they stick the landing, though.

[Mutant X]

Terrible.

Betsy was always a confident woman.
While Brian was the shy kid, she was the outgoing one.
She was a supermodel and never had problems showing her body:



The only insecurity she overcome with the body swap was not be able to physically fight the enemies as a X-men.
It looks like the writer just wanted to express some of her own experiences on the character.

The rest of the issue was boring as hell.

[Killerbee911]

I understand the nature of this event, I am perfectly happy with books that don't focus on action but the pace is dragging a little. As with everything, the complete arc would make it read better but the pacing is dimming my appreciation.

[Park Slope Pixie]

I love Leah's previous work but I really am not enjoying this. I think the whole event is very disappointing honestly. Maybe it's because it's such a stark contrast to the typical X-faire we get. Not a lot of action or obvious conflict, it's all very much internal dialogs and mysterious frameworks that don't seem like they have an easy resolution. Considering these books only have a couple issues left each I'm not really sure how they can wrap this up and not make it feel rushed and forced in every title.

What a critique! Keep it easy to digest with action and convenient denouement?

[Maestro 216]

Blob is a surprisingly good boss. This is the first time I've found him likable and I hope he stays semi heroic when this event ends. Moneta getting BTFOed and cast out made me happy.

Look at poor Sabertooth.

[Kurolegacy]

Blob is a surprisingly good boss. This is the first time I've found him likable and I hope he stays semi heroic when this event ends. Moneta getting BTFOed and cast out made me happy.

I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to him joining the X-Men, even if only temporarily after Age of X-Man. He shows that he’s a pretty good person at heart here.

[Beetle]

I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to him joining the X-Men, even if only temporarily after Age of X-Man. He shows that he’s a pretty good person at heart here.

I mean just a few years back he helped keep Dazzler captive in a medically induced coma so he could harvest MGH from her, but sure he's good at heart

[Triniking1234]

He's only nice cuz brain washing.

[Kurolegacy]

I mean just a few years back he helped keep Dazzler captive in a medically induced coma so he could harvest MGH from her, but sure he's good at heart

And years ago Jean Grey abused her telepathy to force Warren to go along with what she wanted multiple times and she’s considered the patron saint of the X-Men. As I specifically said he’s good at heart here. Wouldn’t be the first time someone changed their lives around after an event like this wanting to be better.