Lorna Dane: Polaris Appreciation 2020

[rhaenylis]

I might be in the minority, but I found it wasn't a bad year for Lorna (except the infamous X-Factor #4)
She's one of the main characters in a book (without being just an extra like Iceman or Pyro), plays a vital role in Krakoa as an investigator, has a new outfit, had a fun cameo in Deadpool # 6 and was an important character in the first X-event since the relaunch
And Hickman seems to like her (which is definitely a plus, in my opinion, as he's the one who oversees everything)
And her exchanges with Alex were strictly friendly

[UncannyLZ]

I might be in the minority, but I found it wasn't a bad year for Lorna (except the infamous X-Factor #4)
She's one of the main characters in a book (without being just an extra like Iceman or Pyro), plays a vital role in Krakoa as an investigator, has a new outfit, had a fun cameo in Deadpool # 6 and was an important character in the first X-event since the relaunch
And Hickman seems to like her (which is definitely a plus, in my opinion, as he's the one who oversees everything)
And her exchanges with Alex were strictly friendly

I really wish I felt this way about Polaris in the Krakoa era but it’s been such a dud for me. Like you said, X-Factor #4 was terrible for Lorna and not a good representation of her character which sucks since too many “don’t know her personality”. Now they know her as someone who wants to fade away which is sooo not Lorna. What vital role does she play that literally any other mutant could’ve filled? She hasn’t really done anything besides be out of character crying over Rockslide. She’s only on X-Factor because that’s the team people who don’t know much about her associate her with. The only good moment she had was x of swords creation. It showed off her personality, how powerful she is and further emphasized that she and Havok are not dating. The March x-factor solicit is about the boneyard being haunted. Why is Lorna in haunted house stories with people she’s barely spent time with (other than Rachel)?

[salarta]

I might be in the minority, but I found it wasn't a bad year for Lorna (except the infamous X-Factor #4)
She's one of the main characters in a book (without being just an extra like Iceman or Pyro), plays a vital role in Krakoa as an investigator, has a new outfit, had a fun cameo in Deadpool # 6 and was an important character in the first X-event since the relaunch
And Hickman seems to like her (which is definitely a plus, in my opinion, as he's the one who oversees everything)
And her exchanges with Alex were strictly friendly

She's a supporting character for a team bearing the name of a team she keeps getting put on after 30 years, and she's not even leading it like she was 6 years ago or doing anything meaningful outside of it. Her only purpose there seems to be as a sales booster for characters Marvel actually cares about. The investigator role clearly doesn't need her as the other characters on X-Factor are covering it (Rachel being the resident powerhouse), but being on it presents a convenient excuse for her not to be allowed to do other more appropriate things like sit on the Quiet Council. None of the things done with her thus far actually acknowledge she's existed for over 50 years let alone 10. And of course X-Factor #4. Then add to that how Marvel clearly knew she should've taken part in Empyre given she's on the cover for it, but then didn't have her in it for even so much as a cameo, despite her deep connections to both Genosha and Wanda.

The few positives of the year as I see them are her appearance in Deadpool #6, and getting added to the video games Marvel Puzzle Quest and Marvel Super War. Other than those cases, the comics have just proven my worst thoughts about Marvel and reinforced why I was right to stop buying and engaging in Disney content at the start of 2019.

[Soulsword323]

I don't think this year has been too bad for Lorna.

XoS: Creation was a really strong showing for Polaris, and my personal favorite. I loved seeing Lorna present in a major event, and actually doing more then just popping up in the background. She might have just had a minor role, but its better than what we've gotten before.

I don't personally think X-Factor #4 was as bas as everyone else. There was some choices that I think Leah made that wasn't necessary IMO, but it had some strong moments as well. Specifically the end, where Lorna gives her speech about going to war. I don't think this was the issue to try to dig deep with Polaris, as she has no connection to Rockslide, but I understand why it was done (following Creation). Leah did highlight the dichotomy of Lorna as a character, and I give her credit for that.

X-Factor is alright, but is just so-so for Lorna. Nothing really earthshattering yet, but nothing horrible either. I do enjoy seeing Lorna develop rapports with JP and Daken. So that's something.

Overall, its been rather decent, and I hope things go up form here.

[jmc247]

The 2020 Best and Worst for Polaris

Best:

Gold: Lorna in Marvel games for the first time since 2014. For Marvel Super War we have amazing graphics and the game play looks solid. Great concept art for Polaris and top notch versions of both her modernized green outfit and her post-Genosha outfit. For Marvel Puzzle Quest the character was well crafted with a nice intro storyline.

Silver: Polaris in Deadpool. It was a short depiction that felt like Lorna. A bit snarky and a bit ruthless, but overall a quick witted warrior that has been missing from Lorna in the comics.

Bronze: Polaris covers this year and comic art in general. She has had some really bad assed covers this year and some good interior art overall. If only comic Lorna this year was as a fraction as kick ass as many of her many covers. Ah well.

Worst:

Gold: A very youthful feeling Lorna who tries at times to act tough, but comes off anything but that. Lorna had what I felt was one of the most personally weak depictions she has had since some darkest periods of the character in the 80s in X-Factor #4. I see what the author was trying to do, but this one story that badly needed more balance and to take into account some of Lorna's history to construct a similar story using the same base model. Lorna isn't a teen who never experienced death before, but this certainly felt like such a teen.

Silver: The bait and switch for Lorna appearing on Empyre dealing with Genosha and Wanda was a terrible choice. It not only set expectations for her appearing that led to a major let down. It also led in a very straight line to the disaster that was X-Factor #4 because if her history there had been taken into account Lorna wouldn't have felt like a weak emotionally damaged teen who never experienced death.

Bronze: Lorna feeling like a stand in on her current title mainly due to it not tying her own story to mutant resurrection. There are good places to take the character using the format of finding murdered mutants, but so far the ongoing hasn't picked a decent path.

Overall for the year there were really big highs for the character mainly due to the games, Kelly Thompson, and comic artists. There were also a great many fairly deep lows.

[seccruz]

Ep94xYZXAAM0SGA.jpgEp94xYZW8AsgtDC.jpg
MCU Lorna by Lukas Werneck.

[Soulsword323]

Ep94xYZXAAM0SGA.jpgEp94xYZW8AsgtDC.jpg
MCU Lorna by Lukas Werneck.

Thanks for posting! Was looking forward to seeing Polaris' design.

Lorna looks great. Prefer it with the cape though.

[seccruz]

The cape is a nice callback to her OG cape.

[rhaenylis]

Ep94xYZXAAM0SGA.jpgEp94xYZW8AsgtDC.jpg
MCU Lorna by Lukas Werneck.

It was worth the wait
She's gorgeous

[Ferro]

she looks stunning while the other two rejects looked like toes, i stan

[salarta]

Because I'm waiting for a call and can't really do anything else until I get it, here's a few more pieces of Polaris fanart I found.



Polaris Illustration - X-Men by Orb78



Medieval Comics - Offsprings by SacraiCross



Polaris by Thuddleston

[4sake Baned]

Ep94xYZXAAM0SGA.jpgEp94xYZW8AsgtDC.jpg
MCU Lorna by Lukas Werneck.

Too cool.....

[allthingzamasing]

How Lorna appears in her costume now...(not the X-Factor one)

B2CD9AA4-AB6E-4B9F-A88A-5234A980166C.jpg
3A186C3C-CA02-4B01-86DC-1EA0171FA43E.jpg

How I wish she would appear as a new costume, and her having actual meaningful place in stories these days...but hey...that’s Marvel for you.

34B0F166-57D1-4146-AE3A-C0255024FEF0.jpg

This is Magneto’s heir...on par with Jean Grey, Wolverine, Cyclops, Iceaman, Storm, and others. And yet we all see the way Marvel treats her...

Edit: (The Last two photos were made by me)

[allthingzamasing]

Marvel, honestly, will need to establish Polaris as being an A-lister...or at least a B-lister that is majority important before giving her a romance person.

If they do that...(which they probably won’t...at least not in the near or moderate future)I support her being with (in this order) 1.Emma, 2.Storm, 3.Exodus, 4.Legion.

The only reason I don’t really want her with Jean is just because of the fact that Jean is such a...a do-gooder and obviously Lorna isn’t evil but she just isnt really on the green for pure goodness category like Jean is. And I feel Marvel might do her wrong and make her this way if they put her with Jean. OR it could go a better way where because they have some differences they clash and fight, but in a healthy way, and both characters are pushed to new heights and have difficult choices to make. It would certainly make for one heck of a relationship.(or Emma and Jean can leave Scott and get together, and Polaris can have both Storm and Exodus)

No, but if I wrote X of Swords Creation and Polaris was chilling out and then Havok just popped up I wouldn’t even have had her glanced back. Just would have had her roll her eyes because she could sense his magnetic signature and think ‘why does he keep popping up? Doesn’t he know we’re done. Forever’ and then I would have had Havok say something like ‘You look great’ and have Lorna say ‘You don’t Scott 2.0’ and then walk away. Man...I really dislike Havok. I think it is possible for her and Havok to work, but they need to do to work on Lorna alone before getting them together...but I personally jus5 don’t want it. I got off the Havok train and then I crushed said train.

[allthingzamasing]

I mean...in the context of just everything Marvel has done with Polaris. Has there been better years for her? Heck yes! Have there been worse years for her. Also heck yes! But I think this year was still in the negative...at least for me. IDK, Polaris just has so much potential and Marvel could do so many things with her...imagine if they wished to use her meaningfully...within a few years casual comic fans would know who she was the second she showed up on a panel and she’s be many more people’s favorite character, and I’m sure she’s skyrocket in traditional popular people like Jean Grey, Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm...you know, the usual bunch.

I think the reason why this year was pretty bad wasn’t even because of how Marvel could have used her in more ways than they did, though that is certainly part of it, it was because when they did use her she was either very generic and bland and anyone could have done it...or because she was just out of character. For goodness sakes Polaris witnessed and survived a genocide? Remeber Marvel? And yet she’s breaking down when one person, who’s like a teenager or a young adult...not even like a child...who she wasn’t particularly close to, did? Are you kidding me?

One yell from Magneto just like sends her over the edge? Are you kidding me?

I was calm...but I just...uh-uh...X-Factor #4 and how they used(or didn’t would be a better word)use her in Empyre is what’s making me upset. I felt that her role in X of SWORDS was fine, pretty good actually. I didn’t need her to be a swordbearer...there could only be 10 and in terms of who had the most to offer with the Otherworldly...Arakko...Amenth situation as well as the most popular X-Men well I see why they didn’t place here there even though it breaks my heart and she should be as popular as some of those others.

Now next year.

Will she get a seat on The Quiet Council? Nope.
Will she be made leader of X-Factor? Probably Not.
Will she leave X-Factor and do something more important? This is probably the least likeliest thing to happen IMHO.
If what Al Ewing says about moments dealing with the whole Magneto/Hulkling/Wiccan/Wanda thing will be explored in SWORD as it continues is true...will Polaris have a central role? Nope.
Will she even have a small role or cameo despite it having so much to do with her?!? Probably not!
Will they even mention her name? Maybe.
Is that good enough? No.
Will Marvel keeping shuffling her in the background and not even keeping her in character. Probably.

Anyways guys, here’s to hoping 2021 will be a better year. I don’t have much faith it will be, but hey we can hope, right?! And remeber we can’t let 2020 win or else 2021. Get it?��