Age of X-Man: The X-Tremists #5 (spoilers/discussion)

[Anduinel]

Whew!

After the way Nextgen and The Amazing Nightcrawler wrapped, my big fear for this finale was that there was going to be an event-mandated mindwipe for all these characters. Nope! Instead, we got a glorious riot and some really nice moments for each member of the team:

- In brief flashback, Jubilee remembers Shogo, realizes they're trapped in a lie, and proceeds to start burning **** to the ground
- Picking up from the end of the last issue, Northstar, Rictor, and Bobby join her in wrecking the joint
- Ric goes off specifically to blow the doors off the Danger Room, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the Prisoner X finale
- In a feat of enormous psychic badassery, Besty restores the memories of every mutant whose mind she was supposed to have erased, which starts secondary riots
- Fred gets his own moment of badassery as he stands between Betsy and a mob the size of a small town



- Bobby gets his memories back and has a moment where he just sort of... breaks.



- Jean-Paul acts as the team's bedrock. Vengeful, vengeful bedrock.



This book was definitely slow to build momentum, but these last two issues were superb. Great way to close things out, and I really hope this crew gets their licks in during the Omega issue.

[Tycon]

They referenced it. Leah, the madness of it all.

[Beetle]

Well this had a much better ending than Marvelous X-Men or NextGen. I'm glad that it didn't end with another mindwipe

Although apparently in Marvelous X-Men when they've found Moneta's body, Betsy has already betrayed Department X

[tornshattered]

No, you're crying!!

[comeatmebro]

No, you're crying!!

Not at all

[Dante Milton]

This had the best conclusion of the AoXM books I've been reading so far, very cathartic. I kind of loved Jubilee's reaction to dead Moneta, like oh well she's probs not real anyway. I just hope some of them are around for the final confrontation with Nate in the Omega issue.

[Tycon]

I’m still hung up on “otter-pup.” So it’s canonical that Bobby held onto that ““““one-sided”””” infatuation and nickname since he was deeply closeted. I guess we could’ve guessed that even without X-Tremists, but it’s nice seeing it actually acknowledged on an actual published page in Marvel Comics.

Also, Jubilee robbing stores. Love her.

[Anduinel]

I’m still hung up on “otter-pup.” So it’s canonical that Bobby held onto that ““““one-sided”””” infatuation and nickname since he was deeply closeted. I guess we could’ve guessed that even without X-Tremists, but it’s nice seeing it actually acknowledged on an actual published page in Marvel Comics.

I think you might be reading that sideways. Bobby wasn't aware of JP's crush; we've got that twice over even before Williams. But we can almost certainly say he was aware of JP's sexuality, despite that ugly no-homo moment with Nurse Annie. So Jean-Paul referring to him as an "otter" probably stood out for less than positive reasons, like fear of being outed. Which might retroactively fit with Bobby going horndog during Austen's run, come to think of it.

"Look at how very heterosexual I am as I hit on this blue chick, new guy!"

[Tycon]

I think you might be reading that sideways. Bobby wasn't aware of JP's crush; we've got that twice over even before Williams. But we can almost certainly say he was aware of JP's sexuality, despite that ugly no-homo moment with Nurse Annie. So Jean-Paul referring to him as an "otter" probably stood out for less than positive reasons, like fear of being outed. Which might retroactively fit with Bobby going horndog during Austen's run, come to think of it.

"Look at how very heterosexual I am as I hit on this blue chick, new guy!"

Oh, I didn’t mean that he immediately latched onto the nickname, but I assumed he had found out at some point and did a bit of introspective thinking on the matter and how Northstar treated him. Plus, I thought Northstar meant ‘otter’ in the gay slang sort of sense, like Hercules is a ‘bear’. But Bobby was definitely overcompensating during his closeted days but it worked somehow-

[Anduinel]

Oh, I didn’t mean that he immediately latched onto the nickname, but I assumed he had found out at some point and did a bit of introspective thinking on the matter and how Northstar treated him. Plus, I thought Northstar meant ‘otter’ in the gay slang sort of sense, like Hercules is a ‘bear’. But Bobby was definitely overcompensating during his closeted days but it worked somehow-

OK, got ya. I do agree that JP was testing the waters while he and Bobby were snarking at each other way back when, yeah.

I do wonder how unknowing Bobby was about gay slang/culture sometimes. He never went to a gay bar, never made a move with a guy, sure, but never surreptitiously visited a message board? A wiki page?

[jwatson]

I'm still trying to figure out if Betsy is asian in this or in her own body. Between the artwork and the muted colors i can't tell and it's been driving me crazy.

[Tycon]

OK, got ya. I do agree that JP was testing the waters while he and Bobby were snarking at each other way back when, yeah.

I do wonder how unknowing Bobby was about gay slang/culture sometimes. He never went to a gay bar, never made a move with a guy, but never surreptitiously visited a message board? A wiki page?

Jean-Paul: Otter-pop, shut up. You’re annoying me.

Iceman: haha. oh, Northstar.
Iceman: ........*rushes home to google “what does it mean when your gay friend calls you an otter pop”*

[Anduinel]

I'm still trying to figure out if Betsy is asian in this or in her own body. Between the artwork and the muted colors i can't tell and it's been driving me crazy.

It's post-Disassembled, so back in her own, recently restored skin.

[Harpsikord]

I'm still trying to figure out if Betsy is asian in this or in her own body. Between the artwork and the muted colors i can't tell and it's been driving me crazy.

As much as I like the art it's easier to tell in other books. To and the last artist of NextGen very much drew her as white.

Also that scene with Bobby was beautiful

[Havok83]

I'm still trying to figure out if Betsy is asian in this or in her own body. Between the artwork and the muted colors i can't tell and it's been driving me crazy.

She's Caucasian