How the comics should have handled Matthew Malloy (SPOILERS)

[GMikey]

One of the things that made many fans angry with Michael Bendis is how he handled Matthew Malloy.

I'm gonna kinda spoil it, so warning, spoiler is below...

Very basic plot: Basically, in Bendis' Uncanny X-Men, Matthew Malloy was an Omega level Mutant with powers registered by Cerebro as the most powerful ever recorded. Matthew is an incredible reality warper, psionic powerhouse and an energy generator capable of mass destruction. Xavier (in one of the chapters, don't remember which) indicated Matthew's powers are inter-dimensional, with unlimited potential and effect. The big problem for Matt is his powers are tied to his emotions. After suffering so much lost due to the destruction his powers caused, Matthew grew to be a recluse, fearful of any and everyone, and fears creating relationships, after losing family members to his psionic/energy blasts. SHIELD as attempted approaching and capturing him, all ending in loss and failure. Matt was also capable of resurrecting himself, due to his reality warping capabilities.

SPOILERS HERE: Where's where the brilliance of Michael Bendis shines... Matt had the potential of exploring some very otherworldly powers, through the most layman type of individual, and it would have been awesome to see how a simple type, dealing with this overload, what kind of misadventures to ensue, and build a character that's really trying to figure their way in this world. However... that's to complex apparently for Bendis, and this is what he does... Xavier and Tempest pull a time travel stunt, to make his parents never meet. This was infuriating and idiotic, as well as a cop out.

With that said, I'm just curious as to what other fans think of this, if it infuriated you if you read this run, and what Bendis should have done. That's all.

[Zelena]

No, it didn’t infuriate me.

The whole story went against the idea that everyone can be saved, control his powers and use them in a useful way which is the usual idea. So powerful that most of the mutants were terrified by him. I found interesting that the mutants were faced with him like the ordinary humans were facing with the mutants. Matthew Malloy was a doomed character. The interesting part is how people around him were reacting to him. In a way, he didn’t need to be well-defined. He was more a plot device.

Too powerful characters are more a burden to the stories anyway to last, anyway…

[Veitha]

They should have just not have created him.

[MYCMTSC]

They should have just not have created him.

This. I feel like this story derailed some of the momentum Bendis was building.

Plus I am so over omega level characters, esp reality warpers. It is a hollow and tired attempt at raising the stakes and I have yet to see it offer anything grand. Leave the reality warping to Wanda.

[GMikey]

No, it didn’t infuriate me.

The whole story went against the idea that everyone can be saved, control his powers and use them in a useful way which is the usual idea. So powerful that most of the mutants were terrified by him. I found interesting that the mutants were faced with him like the ordinary humans were facing with the mutants. Matthew Malloy was a doomed character. The interesting part is how people around him were reacting to him. In a way, he didn’t need to be well-defined. He was more a plot device.

Too powerful characters are more a burden to the stories anyway to last, anyway…

I agree with that point about the story, and where it went wrong. The problem is, this WAS the opportunity to explore how to overcome the impossible. And, it would have been much greater if Matthew could have been directed into a narrative where, he had to face his own fear of himself, and do something creative to express no situation being hopeless.

I felt like it was a missed opportunity for something really good.

They should have just not have created him.

Well... I'll say they never should have created him, if they had no more creativity than what they came up with.

This. I feel like this story derailed some of the momentum Bendis was building.

Plus I am so over omega level characters, esp reality warpers. It is a hollow and tired attempt at raising the stakes and I have yet to see it offer anything grand. Leave the reality warping to Wanda.

I've read other bits from Bendis and... I'm not at all impressed with his style. He's a worse version of J.J. Abrams, as Abrams is someone with good ideas, but sometimes... doesn't know how to manifest them well. Bendis is a worse version of that as, he straight squanders good opportunities.

I'm over with omega levels too, to a certain degree. I do feel like Matthew Malloy had incredible potential to being a very different type of character, with some unique storytelling experiences. I feel there's nothing wrong with creating a character that is a reality warper, problem comes from the writer's inability to be creative with how to portray that, and come up with some grounded function of said powers.

[Mutant God]

Sent him to space for his own series PLANET MALLOY

[thechronic92]

He was a plot device. I couldn't wait for him to be gone. His powers made no sense.

[cranger]

So separating this from the story criticism, the idea in the spoilers would have been interesting. The problem is for too long Marvel has equated mutant with X-Men and X-Men with militarism. A story of a power individual who happens to be a mutant just happening to live in the Marvel U -- but not in some way bogged down by the X-Men -- would have been cool and refreshing, but they can still do that and maybe with someone not as story breaking as Matthew, being able to just end everything is never something you want there but not touched and once you do touch it you can't go back.

[Zelena]

I agree with that point about the story, and where it went wrong. The problem is, this WAS the opportunity to explore how to overcome the impossible. And, it would have been much greater if Matthew could have been directed into a narrative where, he had to face his own fear of himself, and do something creative to express no situation being hopeless.

I felt like it was a missed opportunity for something really good.

It’s also Bendis who wrote Ultimate X-Men #41 where Wolverine had to kill a teenage boy who killed everyone around him and he did it with the consent of the young boy.

I guess Bendis loves depressing stories.

Personally, I like when stories sometimes don’t end well. It’s more in line with the real world.

[GMikey]

Sent him to space for his own series PLANET MALLOY

LOL there's almost a comedic thing I could see here... like cosmic horror meets comedy in some strange, almost cruel way X'DD

So separating this from the story criticism, the idea in the spoilers would have been interesting. The problem is for too long Marvel has equated mutant with X-Men and X-Men with militarism. A story of a power individual who happens to be a mutant just happening to live in the Marvel U -- but not in some way bogged down by the X-Men -- would have been cool and refreshing, but they can still do that and maybe with someone not as story breaking as Matthew, being able to just end everything is never something you want there but not touched and once you do touch it you can't go back.

Yeah I agree; the comic writers suffer from lack of creative thinking I feel, and YES, anything Mutant related is always gonna go back to the X-Men. And that's what I'M trying to say, Matthew could have been that opportunity to explore something very fresh and new. A Mutant outside the X-Men's corner, and we could see him exist, within the MU. I personally want THAT story, one of that type of layman having to learn his powers through a series of unfortunate events lol, and I'm totally not against some dark twists and turns, even having stories that end on a gloomy note... but still, this would have been the opportunity for a new character with a new kind of journey.

[GMikey]

It’s also Bendis who wrote Ultimate X-Men #41 where Wolverine had to kill a teenage boy who killed everyone around him and he did it with the consent of the young boy.

I guess Bendis loves depressing stories.

Personally, I like when stories sometimes don’t end well. It’s more in line with the real world.

Yeah I have no problem with stories ending on a sad or dark note. Problem is, how well done and well conceived is it? And how well are you utilizing the story's potential?

I wouldn't mind Matthew having a tragic ending (starting off), however... this was a character with the potential to give us a break from the same type of superhero stories. Aamof Matt doesn't EVEN have to be a superhero. He could just be the story of a simply layman, caught up in a plight way over his head, born with powers he doesn't know how to control over. I wish that's what we got ._.

[Snoop Dogg]

the bendis uxm story is GOATed because in the former it was acknowledged that the kid was ridiculous and had to fucking die even if that sucks while in the latter there's all this hand wringing and talking, if bendis repeated the same approach of showing that martini maloni or whatever had to be stopped immediately and having the x-men grapple with that it could have been an interesting internal conflict with the themes of the revolutionary era, you don't even have to change the ending, eva having to kill him is good

but for the love of god just make it shorter, please god just 2 issues, not like a third of the run that then gets erased!

[Kingdom X]

I agree with that point about the story, and where it went wrong. The problem is, this WAS the opportunity to explore how to overcome the impossible. And, it would have been much greater if Matthew could have been directed into a narrative where, he had to face his own fear of himself, and do something creative to express no situation being hopeless.

I felt like it was a missed opportunity for something really good.

I think this is a really good point. People talk about how the X-Men have giving up on their ideals and endless optimism now, but I think there's no worse example of them giving up on their ideals than deciding that it was okay to erase a mutant in need from existence.

[Zelena]

I think this is a really good point. People talk about how the X-Men have giving up on their ideals and endless optimism now, but I think there's no worse example of them giving up on their ideals than deciding that it was okay to erase a mutant in need from existence.

Except it’s not really about that, it’s about being stuck a rock and a hard place.

It’s acknowledging that there’s the ideal and the reality. Letting Malloy live is endangering all the mutants and all what they have built.

And it’s about who takes the responsability to do something morally wrong for the greater good. And who follows the textbook…

[GMikey]

I think this is a really good point. People talk about how the X-Men have giving up on their ideals and endless optimism now, but I think there's no worse example of them giving up on their ideals than deciding that it was okay to erase a mutant in need from existence.

TRUE. And... Matthew to me was their biggest test, and according to good ol' Bendis, they failed, miserably. With a creatively thinking writer, the X-Men would have found just the key for Matthew to help him ground himself. OR... Matthew in running from everyone, and running from himself, his own destiny, would stumble upon that one key, that would be his breakthrough. THEN, he could be shown at the nick of time, to effectively use his power by his will, and do something to really impress the X-Men. One or the other should have been the story. What Bendis did, amounts to saying, if the situation is hopeless, suicide is the answer (and let me make myself clear saying HELL NO, there's always hope... but I'm just trying to really stress a point here).

Except it’s not really about that, it’s about being stuck a rock and a hard place.

It’s acknowledging that there’s the ideal and the reality. Letting Malloy live is endangering all the mutants and all what they have built.

And it’s about who takes the responsability to do something morally wrong for the greater good. And who follows the textbook…

Well... here's a catch to that... suppose that person, that Mutant... is you? Would YOU want to be erased from existence? Would you yourself ever want that to be the answer?

I'll assume not. Bendis' ending to that was to say, if it seems hopeless, give up hope, and take the easy route out. That's not what it means to be a superhero. Superheroes are supposed to achieve the impossible, and be inspiring. That's what makes them "super". And I'm not at all saying every superhero has to be straight right all the time, with happy endings... no, suffering, tragedy and bad decisions are good to depict and show development. However, with Matthew, this was a cop-out and a cowardly way to address Matthew without creative thought. Even tf if they did a stupid "just believe in yourself" type of cliche trope, that'd been more satisfying than killing Matt, cuz he needed help in learning how to control his abilities.

Despite the damage Malloy caused, had he been given help, or found realization of how to overcome, he could use his resurrection/reality warping, to restore a lot that was damaged. Under the right tutelage, he'd be an incredible asset, and Matthew was actually a timid type of person, he would have wanted nothing more than to right the chaos he unintentionally caused.