Would it be better or worse if everyone is being mind controlled?

[pkingdom]

Among the many, many theories about what is going on in the Hickmen books, mind control is thrown around a lot. Xavier has done it before, and wearing Cerebro 24/7 would let him do it to pretty much everyone all the time. But I'm wondering which is better.

If everyone is being mind controlled, or at least manipulated and nudged into supporting this 100%, it would explain the out of character moments (looking at you, Storm). The total lack of dissent has been bizarre, and it would honestly make a large amount of sense. But if they are being controlled/manipulated, it would really undercut any enjoyment or interest in what's going on. To put it plainly, I don't want to read and buy years worth of books only for all the character developments and changes to be fake. I had the same problem with Age of X-man. Cyclops, Jean and Wolverine putting aside their differences and being friends/family/whatever is charming. But them doing it while under control/high off their minds/whatever is creepy, and kind of insulting. Its the kind of character story I would want to see happen for real, and teasing us with it only to pull the rug out from under us is kind of a dick move.

But if everyone isn't being controlled or manipulated, what does that mean? Those weird out of character moments with characters like Storm and Nightcrawler are the real deal. At the drop of a hat they essentially decide that Magneto was right and mutants are better off on the moon. Everything they've worked and fought for since the beginning of the X-men was a waste. And working with Apocalypse and Sinister is a great idea, as is forgiving all of their crimes.

Full disclosure I'm not a fan of this new status quo. I find it to be one of the most cynical stories in a series that has been starved for genuine optimism for a decade. But I want to hear the opinions of others, including people who like it. If I'm being unfair or wrong about any of the characterization let me know. Its been a bit since I sat down and read some of HOXPOX

[Havok83]

It would make more sense if there was mind manipulation but definitely not everyone. It doesnt make sense that everyone is cool and down with Krakoa. It makes no sense that some of these characters are now allies and friends. I find it more believable if Cerebro has been used to make dissenters into believers

[RamaBird]

It would make more sense if there was mind manipulation but definitely not everyone. It doesnt make sense that everyone is cool and down with Krakoa. It makes no sense that some of these characters are now allies and friends. I find it more believable if Cerebro has been used to make dissenters into believers

Cerebro doesn't need to do that. Living in a paradise with endless joy and beauty might do the trick in getting them "high" though...

I think it'd be worse mainly cause it's so cliche and predictable excusing everyones actions away.

[Tycon]

Worse. It’s a boring story and no one wants to invest themselves in years of storytelling just to find out they weren’t really reading about their favorite characters.

[Snoop Dogg]

It is more interesting to get into each character's individual's thoughts and opinions on recent events like we already have for Cyclops than it is to say "the mind machine did it" after several years.

[pkingdom]

That's kind of my thinking. Mind control is overused in comics, and in the X-men in particular.

But if there is no mind control, what does that mean for all the characters like Storm that are acting so weirdly? Does knowing that everyone is 100% on board with the entire thing, the clones, the superiority complexes, the villains working with them and junk, change the way you view certain characters? For some of them it makes me care a lot less about them, and makes it hard for me to root for them. And I have a hard time reading stories that use those characters if that's the case. For example, I'm reading FEARLESS, the anthology focusing on female heroes, and Storm appears. That Storm and HOXPOX Storm read like 2 different characters, and if this is the 'real' Storm then I have a very different impression of the heroics and speeches she gives in FEARLESS

[Tycon]

Storm isn’t acting OOC or weird. She is acting in the best interest of mutantkind, that doesn’t mean she is automatically all buddy-buddy with Sinister or Apocalypse. Also, I feel like it’s been discussed to death: THERE ARE NO SUPERIORITY COMPLEXES besides the Magneto we’ve known for 80 years, the resurrected mutants aren't clones, most of the X-villains are simply mutants who take wanting to be seen as equal too far. No one said every mutant is 100% on board but why does going with a plan despite differences automatically translate to mindlessly following someone?

If I saw Genosha happen to a minority group, I’d support what they were doing on Krakoa right off the bat.

[Omega Alpha]

Mind-control would be a cheap cop-out.

[spirit2011]

It would make more sense if there was mind manipulation but definitely not everyone. It doesnt make sense that everyone is cool and down with Krakoa. It makes no sense that some of these characters are now allies and friends. I find it more believable if Cerebro has been used to make dissenters into believers

There is too few that aren't on krakoa and even less dissenters; Yeah mind control on some seems relaly believable

[powerpax]

Full disclosure I'm not a fan of this new status quo. I find it to be one of the most cynical stories in a series that has been starved for genuine optimism for a decade.

They're not mind controlled. There is genuine optimism. Done. Can we maybe have a few less all-new threads earnestly asking, 'are the X-Men now mind controlled/baby eaters/traffickers/etc' and always arguing for the answer 'yes?' Put this stuff in the existing HOX threads.

[nandes]

Is it really just "these characters are acting OOC" or actually "these characters are in a different situation than during their entire time in comics, but we haven't got the time to understand how they reached that point since HoXPoX starts when Krakoa is already a fully made thing"?

We also still have no idea if Storm and Nightcrawler are totally alright with working with Selene and Apocalypse, and if everyone's okay with cloning or any other issue, because the intent of HoXPoX was to introduce readers to this new status quo - there is a lot of time to explore everyone's reaction and the new relationships inbetween mutants on the island.

[spirit2011]

That's kind of my thinking. Mind control is overused in comics, and in the X-men in particular.

But if there is no mind control, what does that mean for all the characters like Storm that are acting so weirdly? Does knowing that everyone is 100% on board with the entire thing, the clones, the superiority complexes, the villains working with them and junk, change the way you view certain characters? For some of them it makes me care a lot less about them, and makes it hard for me to root for them. And I have a hard time reading stories that use those characters if that's the case. For example, I'm reading FEARLESS, the anthology focusing on female heroes, and Storm appears. That Storm and HOXPOX Storm read like 2 different characters, and if this is the 'real' Storm then I have a very different impression of the heroics and speeches she gives in FEARLESS

It's really hard to X-men and Hoxpox Storm, she seems completely different from her usual herself.

I really want to see her in black panther after the book catch up with Krakoa

[powerpax]

But if there is no mind control, what does that mean for all the characters like Storm that are acting so weirdly?

We differ on how Storm is behaving.

[Vegan Daddy]

Even with Cerebro, I don’t think Xavier is powerful enough to mind control mutants like Emma, Jean, Apocalypse, Selene, Exodus etc.

[Havok83]

Even with Cerebro, I don’t think Xavier is powerful enough to mind control mutants like Emma, Jean, Apocalypse, and Exodus.

He mind controlled Jean last year w/o Cerebro and she's the only one in that group considered an omega telepath. Besides not everyone needs to be mind controlled as Im sure plenty would go along with this