Lorna Dane: Polaris Appreciation 2021

[raidensix]

I just realized with Lorna's recent resurrection in X-Factor, her powers are completely mutant in nature and no longer partly the Celestial tech Apocalypse grafted into her body after M-Day.

[Phoenixx9]

Thanks jmc247. It has been so long since I last read that story!

[salarta]

You've raised an excellent point, Sal.

Many readers forget that a lot has happened to these characters, not just Jean and Lorna, over the course of decades (STS not withstanding)...that will and should decidedly (and significantly, depending on the character) change characters as part of their ongoing, literary development.
The Lorna of 2021 Krakoa should be somewhat removed from the Lorna we see, post Inferno...not outright different but more three-dimensional with added layers and depth because of those many and sometimes traumatic life experiences.

So while Jean and Lorna have history as good friends, to expect them to suddenly reconnect that friendship as if nothing has happened to both of them in the intervening years, that's a little far-fetched.

They have a common foundation of friendship, but they're also very different people from who they were when they first met and became friends. There's definitely a lot of directions Marvel could go between the affection of who they were and the dynamics of who they are today shaped by their experiences. There's a lot of interest in what Marvel might write with them because there's a lot of potential so long as Marvel looks more than hair deep.

https://www.cbr.com/marvel-comics-fe...rs-own-series/

https://www.cbr.com/marvel-most-powe...emale-mutants/

Although I'm not keen on the "well-known for being in X-Factor" of this happening yet again, I like that she's #2 on their list of characters that could carry a solo series. It's nice to see her recognized in more articles.

I have mixed feelings about the regular mentions of her being Magneto's daughter in various articles I've seen online. It's a meaningful detail of who she is, and it's worthwhile to mention, but I also worry slightly about a risk of the impression that's her main/only "claim to fame" as a character. Sort of like when a celebrity is doing their own work but articles emphasize that they're the child of someone else that's more famous. I think it's overall fine for now, just don't want that to make people unable to see everything else valuable about her. It's about balance.

I just realized with Lorna's recent resurrection in X-Factor, her powers are completely mutant in nature and no longer partly the Celestial tech Apocalypse grafted into her body after M-Day.

She's actually been fully mutant for a while. X-Men Legacy's Five Miles South of the Universe back in 2012 very quietly confirmed she's mutant again with panels where Emma Frost confirmed the number of mutants present, and that number could only be achieved with Lorna recognized as a mutant.



Anyway, here's a little dose of Lorna and Jean from way back when that I stumbled on while looking through the Lorna folder on my computer.

[jmc247]

I just realized with Lorna's recent resurrection in X-Factor, her powers are completely mutant in nature and no longer partly the Celestial tech Apocalypse grafted into her body after M-Day.

Emma did a scan for X genes and Lorna came up positive. Though perhaps Lorna’s body is back to what it was when she was in her early 20s.

On the x-gene topic your unintended point that Lorna's mutant heritage has been fairly irrelevant to the character and her story since M-Day... that is something quite accurate and its one of the main reasons I believe she has had a lot of false starts.

Although I'm not keen on the "well-known for being in X-Factor" of this happening yet again, I like that she's #2 on their list of characters that could carry a solo series. It's nice to see her recognized in more articles.

I have mixed feelings about the regular mentions of her being Magneto's daughter in various articles I've seen online. It's a meaningful detail of who she is, and it's worthwhile to mention, but I also worry slightly about a risk of the impression that's her main/only "claim to fame" as a character. Sort of like when a celebrity is doing their own work but articles emphasize that they're the child of someone else that's more famous. I think it's overall fine for now, just don't want that to make people unable to see everything else valuable about her. It's about balance.

It’s a good question that those here can think about and answer if they have a good one. If they were a marketer for a Lorna product be it comic or action figure and had one sentence to sell her what would they say and terms would they use?

[Lucyinthesky]

Scarlet Witch y Polaris Fan art por Bosslogic

[UncannyLZ]

It’s a good question that those here can think about and answer if they have a good one. If they were a marketer for a Lorna product be it comic or action figure and had one sentence to sell her what would they say and terms would they use?

I’m ok with the consistent mention of Magneto being Lorna’s father. While I understand the fear of it being her only “storyline” or claim to fame, I don’t think it’s been emphasized to the point of being overdone. I feel like a vast majority of non-Lorna fans when asked who Magneto's daughter is would say Scarlet Witch before remembering Polaris is his actual mutant daughter. Lorna is both magneto’s daughter, a character who wants to see mutants thrive and wants to just chill and live her life. There’s a push and pull (no pun intended lol) in her personality and storyline on which route she’ll go. It’s why I think her tag is simply the “mistress of magnetism”

[Phoenixx9]

As well as expanding on Lorna's personality and friendships, I would like to see more aspects of Lorna's powers explored, sensing metals, ores, energy patterns, etc.

[jmc247]

I’m ok with the consistent mention of Magneto being Lorna’s father. While I understand the fear of it being her only “storyline” or claim to fame, I don’t think it’s been emphasized to the point of being overdone. I feel like a vast majority of non-Lorna fans when asked who Magneto's daughter is would say Scarlet Witch before remembering Polaris is his actual mutant daughter. Lorna is both magneto’s daughter, a character who wants to see mutants thrive and wants to just chill and live her life. There’s a push and pull (no pun intended lol) in her personality and storyline on which route she’ll go. It’s why I think her tag is simply the “mistress of magnetism”

I broadly agree most casual fans still primarily think of Wanda as Magneto's daughter. It made it easier a decade ago because they could reference Lorna by her connection to Wanda or Pietro. That will be back in time, but who knows how long. I like the Queen of Mutants title for Lorna, but I don't have a great deal of hope for Marvel picking it up. LOL. Until Lorna has a high profile iconic storyline or the Axis retcon comes down there isn't other options that I could find.

The Mistress of Magnetism title is an interesting one. Lorna primarily used that title for herself in the 70s thru early 90s and very rarely and sporadically after. It never caught on as well as it might have if it had used in a high profile way in a popular storyline the past three decades.

Thanks jmc247. It has been so long since I last read that story!

It was a powerful issue.

[Angleman70]

As well as expanding on Lorna's personality and friendships, I would like to see more aspects of Lorna's powers explored, sensing metals, ores, energy patterns, etc.

Yes! This needs to be explored and in detail. If Lorna can move a planet that would be super awesome. It’s time for her to reach to new levels in power.

[juan678]

I just realized with Lorna's recent resurrection in X-Factor, her powers are completely mutant in nature and no longer partly the Celestial tech Apocalypse grafted into her body after M-Day.

repost cover variant polaris resurrection x-factor n 4

[Phoenixx9]

Yes! This needs to be explored and in detail. If Lorna can move a planet that would be super awesome. It’s time for her to reach to new levels in power.

Yes, that would be a cool power feat moving a planet! While Lorna has been in space before, I do not think there was ever mention if Lorna's powers increased. Also, if Lorna was on another planet with a stronger magnetic field, this would increase Lorna's powers, at least while on that planet.

[jmc247]

Many readers forget that a lot has happened to these characters, not just Jean and Lorna, over the course of decades (STS not withstanding)...that will and should decidedly (and significantly, depending on the character) change characters as part of their ongoing, literary development.
The Lorna of 2021 Krakoa should be somewhat removed from the Lorna we see, post Inferno...not outright different but more three-dimensional with added layers and depth because of those many and sometimes traumatic life experiences.

So while Jean and Lorna have history as good friends, to expect them to suddenly reconnect that friendship as if nothing has happened to both of them in the intervening years, that's a little far-fetched.

When looking for outside of universe explanations for the problem with Lorna and Jean's friendship failure to take off once Lorna was a regular on a title I always go back to how Lorna was fit into 90s X-Factor in the first place. Lorna and the rest of the cast was dropped on PAD (who was prepared and ready to write Jean and the 05) by editorial. The last time Lorna was on X-Men for an arc a few years ago again she replaced teen Jean for that arc. The writers may tweak Lorna's attitude and persona a bit from Jean's, but when Lorna is filling in Jean role on a team its usually fairly obvious.

This is a different situation that will be coming up. Jean will be on the team (and most likely in her standard team role). That means that Lorna has two untaken roles available to her. One is similar to that of Storm as the teams heroic energy manipulator and best friend forever to Jean. Another route is more similar to that Lorna had pre-M-Day as the teams sort of reformed more militant member.

Regardless of what route is taken their interaction will likely be different then we have seen before. What route is taken for Lorna will heavily influence what the interaction with Jean may look like.

[salarta]

This is predictable of me to say, but if I were writing marketing copy for Lorna, I would emphasize her involvement on Genosha, having survived the genocide, and having been considered a Queen afterward in Magneto's absence. That would probably be the point at which I mention she's Magneto's daughter - after first mentioning her own drive and struggles there. She didn't go to Genosha because Magneto's her father, after all. She went because it was her personal choice and she only learned Magneto's her father right before Genosha was attacked. "I did all this cause my dad needed me" is a very different take from "I did all this cause I believed in the cause and later found out the man that led it is my father."

The latter also has a bit of appealing Greek drama to it. It transforms decades of Lorna and her father not interacting into a feature.

As for titles, I think Mistress of Magnetism fits her very well and is her best shot. But if I'm being very honest, its difficulties in gaining traction may be because it easily reads as derivative of "Master of Magnetism." Everyone knows who the Master of Magnetism is, and knows he got that title first. So Lorna having a similar name with a single word changed can come across as just her copying her father, similar to Laura getting "the best there is at what she does" applied to her.

If Marvel's willing to put marketing and usage into it, to the level where people associate it with her own nature and history, then I think Mistress of Magnetism can work well. Otherwise she would probably need a different title. Queen of Mutants would harken back to her first storyline and post-Genosha, but would be pretty arrogant; it would require Magneto being considered a current or former King of Mutants as well. Something involving the magnetic poles could work. My first thought was "Polar Princess" but I don't really like the princess part, and polar is more likely to be thought of as involving cold (e.g. polar bears) rather than magnetic poles.

Or Marvel could call her their Lean Mean Green Queen and call it a day.


Edit: I forgot to talk about powers. I said before that given the current criteria for Omega, Lorna should be considered Omega if Magneto is. But that aside, I'd like to see creative uses for her powers too. One of the few positives I have to say about recent writing up to today is that it's used her powers in new ways. Encoding a message with electromagnetism that only Lorna could decipher was an interesting idea that could prove very valuable in a world full of telepaths.

[Angleman70]

This is predictable of me to say, but if I were writing marketing copy for Lorna, I would emphasize her involvement on Genosha, having survived the genocide, and having been considered a Queen afterward in Magneto's absence. That would probably be the point at which I mention she's Magneto's daughter - after first mentioning her own drive and struggles there. She didn't go to Genosha because Magneto's her father, after all. She went because it was her personal choice and she only learned Magneto's her father right before Genosha was attacked. "I did all this cause my dad needed me" is a very different take from "I did all this cause I believed in the cause and later found out the man that led it is my father."

The latter also has a bit of appealing Greek drama to it. It transforms decades of Lorna and her father not interacting into a feature.

As for titles, I think Mistress of Magnetism fits her very well and is her best shot. But if I'm being very honest, its difficulties in gaining traction may be because it easily reads as derivative of "Master of Magnetism." Everyone knows who the Master of Magnetism is, and knows he got that title first. So Lorna having a similar name with a single word changed can come across as just her copying her father, similar to Laura getting "the best there is at what she does" applied to her.

If Marvel's willing to put marketing and usage into it, to the level where people associate it with her own nature and history, then I think Mistress of Magnetism can work well. Otherwise she would probably need a different title. Queen of Mutants would harken back to her first storyline and post-Genosha, but would be pretty arrogant; it would require Magneto being considered a current or former King of Mutants as well. Something involving the magnetic poles could work. My first thought was "Polar Princess" but I don't really like the princess part, and polar is more likely to be thought of as involving cold (e.g. polar bears) rather than magnetic poles.

Or Marvel could call her their Lean Mean Green Queen and call it a day.


Edit: I forgot to talk about powers. I said before that given the current criteria for Omega, Lorna should be considered Omega if Magneto is. But that aside, I'd like to see creative uses for her powers too. One of the few positives I have to say about recent writing up to today is that it's used her powers in new ways. Encoding a message with electromagnetism that only Lorna could decipher was an interesting idea that could prove very valuable in a world full of telepaths.

It is interesting that no one has developed a in depth familial relationship for Lorna and Erik. So much time has passed yet all we get is one liners or tiny spats between the two. This needs to be put in motion or their father/daughter bond means nothing.

As for her powers again, I would love to see more power feats. Throwing metal around is nice but let’s get more detail on expanding her powers. From what I’ve seen it’s going in the right direction.

[UncannyLZ]

As for her powers again, I would love to see more power feats. Throwing metal around is nice but let’s get more detail on expanding her powers. From what I’ve seen it’s going in the right direction.

I made a thread on Twitter of some of my favorite Polaris feats! She did some pretty big stuff while in space with the Starjammers. I don’t need Lorna to be a listed Omega. She’s already pretty powerful. I just need her to actually get to use her powers which it looks like she’s finally going to be able to based on the X-Men #1 promo art