X-23 Appreciation 2021

[Nazrel]

It happened like we all thought. Laura died and forgets all of it so we can still have the same Laura and not have another giant bucket of PTSD shoved onto her. I'm still disappointed that we never got to hear Laura's thoughts on the resurrections/cloning before this, because now I'll always have the suspicion that she's only OK with it because when they brought her back they messed with her memories and emotions.

They didn't bring her back.
On the most basic level a backup is a copy created to replace the original, and the authors haven't established a reason why this would be different, or why anyone should think this is different; so lets call a spade a spade... she's just dead.

Thats a lie. They have a great romance there, if written well

Because a 300 year old, projecting on a 20 year girl a life they never lived together and a person she may never become, would go so well. (That is sarcasm)

[Triniking1234]

Because we never SAW it. The entire thing was TOLD to us through Sync's narration. We didn't get to see this develop. We didn't get to hear Laura's own words or perspective. And then she FUCKING DIES (in a setup which comes uncomfortably close to fridging) and the whole thing doesn't even matter in the end because she's reset back to where she started with no memories of the events. She is literally existing as nothing more than a prop for Synch's character development. THAT is what "without agency" means.

Rang said she had no agency but that would imply she has no say in the relationship and that Sync makes all the decisions. The things I mentioned in my previous comment already disprove that. This ain't 50 Shades of Sync. If two characters are introduced in an intimate relationship, you don't really need to see the setup to determine whether the characters have agency. If you think it's silly Hickman used a time-skip again to setup a relationship then that's fair.

Also there's no threat of fridging since all the X-Men are technically immortal unless they die in Otherworld and both of them were going to die but Laura stayed back for the mission to succeed which benefits all the X-Men and just not Sync.

[jwatson]

Rang said she had no agency but that would imply she has no say in the relationship and that Sync makes all the decisions. The things I mentioned in my previous comment already disprove that. This ain't 50 Shades of Sync. If two characters are introduced in an intimate relationship, you don't really need to see the setup to determine whether the characters have agency. If you think it's silly Hickman used a time-skip again to setup a relationship then that's fair.

Also there's no threat of fridging since all the X-Men are technically immortal unless they die in Otherworld and both of them were going to die but Laura stayed back for the mission to succeed which benefits all the X-Men and just not Sync.

The funniest part to me is no where in the issue did Hickman even have them kiss. They help each other, put their heads together, but not once did he show them sleeping together or kissing which to me says that he intends to show how or if they can connect. Also Xavier has had memories removed so what's to say Evertt doesn't decide to have the laura part removed from him, i doubt it but it's more possible than people assuming he is some 300 year old creeper but have no problem with logan dating women in their 20s and running around with teens. lol

[Ambaryerno]

Rang said she had no agency but that would imply she has no say in the relationship and that Sync makes all the decisions. The things I mentioned in my previous comment already disprove that. This ain't 50 Shades of Sync. If two characters are introduced in an intimate relationship, you don't really need to see the setup to determine whether the characters have agency. If you think it's silly Hickman used a time-skip again to setup a relationship then that's fair.

Also there's no threat of fridging since all the X-Men are technically immortal unless they die in Otherworld and both of them were going to die but Laura stayed back for the mission to succeed which benefits all the X-Men and just not Sync.

I don't give two shits if the death wasn't permanent. Plenty of characters have been fridged only to be brought back later (IE Elektra). Fridging is fridging.

[Kingdom X]

The funniest part to me is no where in the issue did Hickman even have them kiss. They help each other, put their heads together, but not once did he show them sleeping together or kissing which to me says that he intends to show how or if they can connect. Also Xavier has had memories removed so what's to say Evertt doesn't decide to have the laura part removed from him, i doubt it but it's more possible than people assuming he is some 300 year old creeper but have no problem with logan dating women in their 20s and running around with teens. lol

This is a really great point. Like I've said previously, I can only really decide on a how I feel about the relationship based on how it's handled in the future (a.k.a. beyond a singular very plot heavy issue). If we continue to only see one perspective then it's simply bad writing but I'm not going to jump the gun.

Personally I think Laura's time in Fallen Angels was far more "damaging" than this. Here she was treated like a capable and essential member of the team who could hold her own in almost any situation. Fallen Angels constantly had Kwannon talking down to Laura as if she's not one of the X-Men's most capable fighters.

[jwatson]

This is a really great point. Like I've said previously, I can only really decide on a how I feel about the relationship based on how it's handled in the future (a.k.a. beyond a singular very plot heavy issue). If we continue to only see one perspective then it's simply bad writing but I'm not going to jump the gun.

Personally I think Laura's time in Fallen Angels was far more "damaging" than this. Here she was treated like a capable and essential member of the team who could hold her own in almost any situation. Fallen Angels constantly had Kwannon talking down to Laura as if she's not one of the X-Men's most capable fighters.

I agree. In fallen agnel she felt like a child learning to be an x-man for the first time which was truly jarring coming off taylor amazing run. Here she is competent and she gets the hero moment. No powers, no nothing, she pops her claws, which had to be painful and did what needed to be done. And i loved the first time we saw Synch's aura was in that last panel, i think it means something.

[Kingdom X]

I agree. In fallen agnel she felt like a child learning to be an x-man for the first time which was truly jarring coming off taylor amazing run. Here she is competent and she gets the hero moment. No powers, no nothing, she pops her claws, which had to be painful and did what needed to be done. And i loved the first time we saw Synch's aura was in that last panel, i think it means something.

This was me reading Laura every issue of Fallen Angels.

[Triniking1234]

I don't give two shits if the death wasn't permanent. Plenty of characters have been fridged only to be brought back later (IE Elektra). Fridging is fridging.

And it still isn't fridging because she died for the sake of the mission just like the Space Squad did in HoX/PoX.

[Ambaryerno]

And it still isn't fridging because she died for the sake of the mission just like the Space Squad did in HoX/PoX.

It's fridging because the narrative purpose of her death was to drive a MALE CHARACTER'S development. All of the narration made it about Sync. What HE thought and felt about her sacrifice.

[Rang10]

They didn't bring her back.
On the most basic level a backup is a copy created to replace the original, and the authors haven't established a reason why this would be different, or why anyone should think this is different; so lets call a spade a spade... she's just dead.



Because a 300 year old, projecting on a 20 year girl a life they never lived together and a person she may never become, would go so well. (That is sarcasm)

That is extremely creepy, not a good love story

This is a really great point. Like I've said previously, I can only really decide on a how I feel about the relationship based on how it's handled in the future (a.k.a. beyond a singular very plot heavy issue). If we continue to only see one perspective then it's simply bad writing but I'm not going to jump the gun.

Personally I think Laura's time in Fallen Angels was far more "damaging" than this. Here she was treated like a capable and essential member of the team who could hold her own in almost any situation. Fallen Angels constantly had Kwannon talking down to Laura as if she's not one of the X-Men's most capable fighters.

In personality Laura was much better on Fallen Angels, that was a better continuation for Laura.

On x-men by hickman she is just a brainwashed female wolverine.

Laura lived outside of mansion, helping people around the world

It's fridging because the narrative purpose of her death was to drive a MALE CHARACTER'S development. All of the narration made it about Sync. What HE thought and felt about her sacrifice.

Yes, it is only his perspective. very lame

[Havok83]

I don't give two shits if the death wasn't permanent. Plenty of characters have been fridged only to be brought back later (IE Elektra). Fridging is fridging.

She was literally brought back 3 pages later and said male character also died

[Ambaryerno]

She was literally brought back 3 pages later and said male character also died

It doesn't matter if she respawned instantly right next to him. Fridging is fridging.

[Kingdom X]

It doesn't matter if she respawned instantly right next to him. Fridging is fridging.

This isn't me being combative, but asking a legitimate question. Isn't fridging largely about the context and effects of the killing, maiming, etc.?

For example female characters often don't get heroic deaths or don't have the effects of the event reversed as quickly as male characters (ex: Barbara Gordon being in a wheelchair for over 10 years vs. Bruce Wayne recovering immediately from Knightfall).

Again this has just been my understanding of the trope and I'm very open to discuss.

[Ambaryerno]

This isn't me being combative, but asking a legitimate question. Isn't fridging largely about the context and effects of the killing, maiming, etc.?

For example female characters often don't get heroic deaths or don't have the effects of the event reversed as quickly as male characters (ex: Barbara Gordon being in a wheelchair for over 10 years vs. Bruce Wayne recovering immediately from Knightfall).

Again this has just been my understanding of the trope and I'm very open to discuss.

Fridging is ultimately where the death or maiming of a female character's sole narrative purpose is to affect a male character. Laura's death wasn't about her development. The only purpose it served was to provide Synch with character development. How long it lasts doesn't matter, what matters is how it's used in the story.

[Kingdom X]

Fridging is ultimately where the death or maiming of a female character's sole narrative purpose is to affect a male character. Laura's death wasn't about her development. The only purpose it served was to provide Synch with character development. How long it lasts doesn't matter, what matters is how it's used in the story.

Thanks for the response. I guess I'm struggling, because the issue that Marvel published yesterday would have been "problematic" regardless of who survived or whose POV it was from.

Like you mentioned the way it was written Laura was propping up a male characters' storyline. But if it was reversed, it would have been black characters dying for the sole development of a white character's storyline.

Maybe in the future they can take notes and just spend equal time developing both parties.