Illyana Rasputina: Magik Appreciation 2020

[Andru]

I have never bought the whole asexual thing for Yana anyway it always seemed more like fans wanting to tick boxes more than any real evidence shown from the character.

The fact that she is one of the only characters I can think of (I am sure there are more) who has not had any type of romantic relationship/feelings with/for another person is pretty good evidence she could be asexual.

[ermac]

I don't get the "**** or fight" joke. Would never imagine Illy saying that...

[Astroman]

It's been years since I read it but didn't Claremont imply in the original Magik mini-series that there was a certain amount of hedonism going on in Limbo that she was a part of.

[Andru]

It's been years since I read it but didn't Claremont imply in the original Magik mini-series that there was a certain amount of hedonism going on in Limbo that she was a part of.

Ummm, definitely not

[lucius121]

The fact that she is one of the only characters I can think of (I am sure there are more) who has not had any type of romantic relationship/feelings with/for another person is pretty good evidence she could be asexual.

If we don’t count au versions than she hasn’t but that’s not evidence. The fact is the majority of stories she has been written in ever since she became an adult haven’t really had room for it.

[Kisinith]

I read it as her attempt at witty banter and it being as off as you'd expect from someone raised by demons. I doubt she thought there was any real chance of someone actually taking her up on it and was always just a precursor to a fight. I loved it, really loved the whole issue.

[Andru]

If we don’t count au versions than she hasn’t but that’s not evidence. The fact is the majority of stories she has been written in ever since she became an adult haven’t really had room for it.

How is it not evidence? Someone can surely make a strong case based on just that. If all of the other New Mutants throughout their 30+ year history can have even a panel of romantic interest for someone else, surely there was plenty of room for Illyana.

I don't have a dog in the fight. It doesn't matter to me whether she is/is not asexual. I just don't think it is fair to say someone who believes she is asexual is just "ticking a box".

I read it as her attempt at witty banter and it being as off as you'd expect from someone raised by demons. I doubt she thought there was any real chance of someone actually taking her up on it and was always just a precursor to a fight. I loved it, really loved the whole issue.

It was indeed witty banter. Never did I think she would be swapping spit in the next panel if someone had said yes...But then again, never thought she would propose it either.

[lucius121]

How is it not evidence? Someone can surely make a strong case based on just that. If all of the other New Mutants throughout their 30+ year history can have even a panel of romantic interest for someone else, surely there was plenty of room for Illyana.

I don't have a dog in the fight. It doesn't matter to me whether she is/is not asexual. I just don't think it is fair to say someone who believes she is asexual is just "ticking a box".



It was indeed witty banter. Never did I think she would be swapping spit in the next panel if someone had said yes...But then again, never thought she would propose it either.

We'll have to agree to disagree, the whole 30+ year history is misleading given she spent quite a few years of that history as a child or dead, and you ignore the au versions of yana who have been in relationships. I think it's reach to say she's anything and if 616 yana is shown to ever actually be in a relationship I'm sure the same people who are reaching will claim it is out if character.

But enough of the back and forth, I really enjoyed this issue I'd interested to see why her friends referrer to her an an animal though.

yana10212.jpg

[The Quiet Councilor]

I read it as her attempt at witty banter and it being as off as you'd expect from someone raised by demons. I doubt she thought there was any real chance of someone actually taking her up on it and was always just a precursor to a fight. I loved it, really loved the whole issue.

Right. Banter designed to unsettle because that’s what our Snowflake does.

[Andru]

We'll have to agree to disagree, the whole 30+ year history is misleading given she spent quite a few years of that history as a child or dead, and you ignore the au versions of yana who have been in relationships. I think it's reach to say she's anything and if 616 yana is shown to ever actually be in a relationship I'm sure the same people who are reaching will claim it is out if character.

But enough of the back and forth, I really enjoyed this issue I'd interested to see why her friends referrer to her an an animal though.

yana10212.jpg

I am not sure how an alternate version of Illyana has any influence on the 616 version? And in terms of the 30+ years...Doug was dead for even longer but still had a crush on Psylocke and had a little fling with Wolfsbane. And OK, let's remove her time as a child & when she was dead...She has still been back for 10 years now.

I get that you do not find Illyana asexual and I respect your opinion. I personally don't agree with those who consider her a lesbian. However, I wouldn't dismiss them as "ticking a box".

[sunofdarkchild]

Illyana was depicted as having a crush on Sunspot back in the 80s. Plus it's possible to read her interactions with Doug during the Claremont run in a romantic light considering how overprotective of him she seemed before Simonson took over. I've thought for a long time that Simonson's entire run would have made a lot more sense in and of itself and been more consistent with Claremont's run if she made Illyana the one who liked Doug instead of Rahne.

[Havok83]

I also prefer the notice of Illyana as asexual and that tends to fit more in line with most portrayals of her. It makes her unique among others as well

[Andru]

Illyana was depicted as having a crush on Sunspot back in the 80s. Plus it's possible to read her interactions with Doug during the Claremont run in a romantic light considering how overprotective of him she seemed before Simonson took over. I've thought for a long time that Simonson's entire run would have made a lot more sense in and of itself and been more consistent with Claremont's run if she made Illyana the one who liked Doug instead of Rahne.

I always interpreted that as Illyana "playing" with Bobby because she knew she made him (and Rahne) uncomfortable. She did the same with Empath.

Am I missing something specific?

[sunofdarkchild]

I always interpreted that as Illyana "playing" with Bobby because she knew she made him (and Rahne) uncomfortable. She did the same with Empath.

Am I missing something specific?

It wasn't just playing. It was also what she thought to herself, whether it be in her first issue with the team when she was watching them play in the snow or when she saw an aged version of him approach in the annual where Doug and Psylocke had their thing and thought to herself it was a "yummy improvement." The biggest moment between them was when he mistook the demons of Limbo trying to help Illyana for trying to hurt her and came to the rescue. When he said he'd have done the same for any New Mutant and she replied "what matters, chum, is that you did it for me." That whole scene had a romantic edge to it from both sides. At the very least the fact that she thought about Roberto in the same manner in which she teased paints the teasing as more genuine.

[Meta jon]

It wasn't just playing. It was also what she thought to herself, whether it be in her first issue with the team when she was watching them play in the snow or when she saw an aged version of him approach in the annual where Doug and Psylocke had their thing and thought to herself it was a "yummy improvement." The biggest moment between them was when he mistook the demons of Limbo trying to help Illyana for trying to hurt her and came to the rescue. When he said he'd have done the same for any New Mutant and she replied "what matters, chum, is that you did it for me." That whole scene had a romantic edge to it from both sides. At the very least the fact that she thought about Roberto in the same manner in which she teased paints the teasing as more genuine.

I personally hate it when writers use the word "chum" just rides me the wrong way, no matter how old the book is