Polyamory & the X-Men: A Poll

[Luckystar.]

I don't care either way, but I'd like them to develop it further and explain how the characters involved got into it just because they moved to an island. Teasing for the sake of teasing just won't do.

[Striderblack01]

I will give you my honest answer if you promised to keep a open mind to it.

I don't think anyone can do that.

That's too blank of a check.
I can promise you that, whatever you have to say, I've probably already heard it, so it won't be shocking.
I can also say that I'm not out to argue today - I'm just trying to ascertain and understand.

[Fokken]

What I enjoy most about the polyamory of these characters is first and foremost that its FRESH and unexpected. I feel that its a tremendous mirroring of the mutant/human relationship being established. Its FRESH and NEW and yes, controversial. Such a jarring (for some) shift in the relationship dynamic of these characters (Jean, Scott, Logan and possibly/probably Emma) juxtaposed with the dramatic relationship SHIFT of mutants & humans only amplifies this concept of moving away from "norms" and more common societal expectations for what identifies as "normal" or even "acceptable". Its quite thrilling.

The mutants are creating a culture. They have their own freaking LANGUAGE.
EVERYTHING is fresh and new -- including their attitudes, biases, opinions and even their "hang ups" or lack thereof in this case.

I understand and recognize that polyamory makes people uncomfortable (I felt that way once) and ignites many questions about intimacy and sex and love and all of those things are more often than not difficult to approach and confront. With that in mind, however, the idea that these mutants are unencumbered by these insecurities (I don't know if that's the appropriate word, but its all I can come up with at the moment as I speed type this before heading out the door) -- sounds entirely LIBERATING and an amazing statement about who they have become emotionally, considering the VAST and often tiresome baggage they once carried.

So.
Yeah.
Its Fresh and New, and yes, even titilating.
And lets be real, the soap opera that is the X-Men has ALWAYS been titlating.

[SpiderClops]

So.

Your first post indicates that you would be neutral to polyamory in the X-men.
However, the second and third posts indicate a strong dislike for polyamory itself.

Do you hate polyamory, or do you just hate reading about it? Or both?

It's not something I'm a fan of. But comics have a tendency to utterly butcher these kinds of things, and that I'm really not a fan of. If they really wanted to do it, do it seriously and with characters that it'd make sense with(so basically they'd have to create new characters). Not this utter joke.

[Sutekh]

The whole reason I made this thread is because I wanted to divorce the polyamory discussion from "The Rectangle", and see how people felt about it and its potential presence in the X-books in general.

I've got no issue with polyamory, if handled tastefully, but I'm not even sure the Jean/Scott/Logan thing counts.

But if some poly relationship does happen, and it seems plausible, sure. (And it doesn't have to perfectly align with their previous life choices, since, *obviously*, none of them have been poly before, so that's just a stupid prerequisite for failure anyway.)

I could see 'Berto and Izzy's adversarial relationship turn into fight, fight, kiss, kiss, and end up creating a 'Berto, Sam, Izzy triad, for instance. Obviously none of them have gone there before, but that's how things go in the real world, if nobody who'd ever tried sex before had sex ever, then nobody would ever have sex!

There's always gonna be a first time, when it's 'out of character' to do something.

The question then is, yeah, but do they seem like the sort of people who would be open to that? Scott seems unadventurous in that area, and very much *not* the sort of person who would initiate anything like that, *but* he also seems very much the sort of person who would roll over for Jean in a second if she said, "I want to try something new." So I can buy it happening, even if Scott might not be the person to first suggest it.

Same with a hypothetical Sam, 'Berto, Izzy triad. 'Berto has been jokingly portrayed as having a thing for Sam, recently. 'Berto and Izzy seem to get along like oil and water, but the genre *often* uses the trope of a couple bickering and squabbling until they fall into each others arms and resolve their differences by smashing bits (which seems terribly unhealthy way to start a relationship, but, whatevs, nobody's here to read about 'healthy relationship strategies,' we're here for the big drama garbage-fires that end with teary recriminations, smashed crockery and paternity suits). I could see Sam take on the Scott role of getting dragged into a triad by two other people he loves, even if it's 'not his thing.'

[Will Evans]

Only because the hints/subtexts/evidence has only involved those four...presently.
That may change but...I don't see the other writers investing that effort and energy in trying to make the other characters openly polyamorous. All other recognised relationships on island has been pretty standard, so far.

But the only other relationship in the books is Remy/Rogue, correct?

Brian/Meggan and Sam/Izzy don’t even live on Krakoa.

And as far as we know no one else on Krakoa is in a set relationship, right?
Which makes me think it could be open relations/Poly could be the Krakoa norm. While Remy/Rogue are the odd ones out.

[SpiderClops]

And it seems some people are taking it way too seriously.

I like it...and I'm having fun with it while taking it as a serious plot point presented by the writers.

I take characters and their relationships very seriously. I know Hickman clearly doesn't, but that doesn't mean I'm going to lower my standards.

[SpiderClops]

Well, like I predicted over in the Krakoan Love thread, it certainly didn't take long for someone to invoke the "Think of the children!" argument, based upon prejudices and ignorance over the choices families make.

Before someone argues that polyamory in parental relationships negatively affects the children's lives, they should maybe talk with poly couples who have raised healthy and functional adult children. You'll be surprised that reality doesn't conform to your prejudices.

I never said children should be negatively affected by it. I said they should be affected by it. It's not something they could practically ignore. That's terribly lazy storytelling.

[Veitha]

I never said children should be negatively affected by it. I said they should be affected by it. It's not something they could practically ignore. That's terribly lazy storytelling.

They're kinda happy about it. Rachel doesn't have any mother/daughter relationship with Jean.

[Will Evans]

They're kinda happy about it. Rachel doesn't have any mother/daughter relationship with Jean.

Rachel should be trying to get a poly relationship of her own. Cable’s already beaten her to it.

[Alan2099]

The thing just feels too fanfictiony to me.

[Striderblack01]

It's not something I'm a fan of. But comics have a tendency to utterly butcher these kinds of things, and that I'm really not a fan of. If they really wanted to do it, do it seriously and with characters that it'd make sense with(so basically they'd have to create new characters). Not this utter joke.

The argument that things could be better will always be relevant.

I'm curious, if you can, is there an example of a narrative/story that had initially presented a character as straight/monogomous/etc. and transitioned that character away from that in a way that you thought was really well done?
The reason why I'm expanding the requirements is because I remember similar discussions taking place in this forum regarding Bobby coming out as gay.
People talked about how it was poorly handled and a bit sudden / jarring.

[Snoop Dogg]

i hope every famous character gets in a poly so kids can be free of the monogamous brainwashing their parents are already infected with

[bell]

I don't think anyone can do that.

That's too blank of a check.
I can promise you that, whatever you have to say, I've probably already heard it, so it won't be shocking.
I can also say that I'm not out to argue today - I'm just trying to ascertain and understand.

Give me a polyamory relationship and keep it always. Dont try to sell me a comic today and slap me tomorrow saying your fav character now is no longer representing your way of life it was all a AU or something else. If they had written new characters and make them be in a polyamory relationship i would be over the moon. At this point they would bs me with Cyclops try this but it was not for him.

DC gave me The Superman I always wanted with New 52 then kick me and said nope he is not real. I drop all Sups book when new 52 ended and have not pick one seen then. Same stuff going to happen with x men if they make Cyclops into a having a monogamous relationship and they drop that he is not in a open one.

[Rev9]

It has shock value alright, but 1.I know this is not exclusively a mutant phenomenon,but to put it across as almost Krakoan culture/ethos is just trying too hard to set mutants appart from humanity.If it was a thing perpetuated by Jean-Emma-Scott-Logan ,that would be understandable as a unique choice but it comes across like everyone on Krakoa is partaking not by explicitly codifying it but showing the 'original' archetypes as leading examples.That is a weird choice

2.I still hold that from a storytelling perspective instead of building new interesting emotional dynamics we're just by passing the how and just jumping into the status quo without any preamble.How did Scott and Jean go from couple to rectangle? It is not the type of thing we can have laid out in retrospect

3.It's strange but now perhaps the only saving grace is 'counter culture' is normal and so normal is odd.Perhaps now a monogamous relationship can be looked at with more uniqueness than was previously afforded it