Scott and Jean Appreciation Thread 2021

[Hizashi]

Yeah, sure. But junk is not the same as trash, right?

Right, good point.

Ugh… Then I’m definitely keeping my money.

I haven't been enthused by the MCU for a while, and while the X-Men can turn this around that won't be the case if we jump to Krakoa.

But even when they don’t… they force you to challenge/review your perspectives and that’s important. Otherwise you become mentally stagnant.

Yeah, that's another good point. First comes complacency then stagnation.

Which is why I love Matt Murdock!

Haha, and I agree.

Yeah… I mean, sure: whatever is happening, the hospitalizations are manageable. But the problem is the number of new infections. We lost the grip on that. And the danger is that the virus doesn’t need to cause symptoms to mutate. Who knows what’s the new variant we’re cooking by *refusing* to take this pandemic seriously and go for an eradication approach?

I'd hate to work at a hospital generally but definitely in this situation.

Seems like a good strategy.

Plus Christmas will be here soon, and she always makes tons of tamales in December for the holiday.

I’m only reading X-office stuff nowadays, but I’m so close to just dropping everything. It’s not just that I’m exhausted of the current BS and their lack of respect for their own era continuity. I just don’t see the point because nothing in the future seems to indicate it’s going to get better.

I’m not sure I’ll be around for the Wolverine event… I mean, do I want to see that train wreck? What are the chances Percy is going to leave Scott and Jean alone? What are the chances his portrayal of any of them won’t aggravate me to no end?

Who was it that decided feats and spectacle mattered more than characterization and narrative? And when? What motivates the lack of respect of their own continuity at editorial?

It’s even more than that. Languages have different structures.

(For instance, does Spanish have the actual Present Perfect tense?)

You have to learn how navigate them so you can express yourself. Take the verb “get”, in English. Think of how many different uses (not just meaning) it has.

I get you - understand
I’ve got your back - support
I’ll get you some water - retrieve
You don’t get to do that - allow
I’ve got a flu - contracted
She’s got three candies - have

And that’s not even talking about the multi-phrasal verbs (get out, get in, get away, get down, get up, etc…)

Ooh, do you have a Linguistics degree? These are the sorts of things most people don't consider about their own language, let foreign ones. I mean, I can't even get my friends or family to spell correctly in text messages.

So many people praise it. I really have to watch it.

I don't want to over-hype it, so I'll just let you watch it in your own time.

I think children’s animations are allowed to have “heart”, to be pure and, most especially, they’re allowed not to be cynical. That’s the difference.

After all, you can’t sell the idea of true love if you approach it through a cynical perspective. And if a person hears that and thinks “well, it’s because true love doesn’t exist”, then it becomes self-explanatory why its portrayal doesn’t work, right?

Are we living in the age of cynicism?

Nope. It's like the Hellfire Gala completely disrupted everything. They call this “style” decompressed. I call it bad pacing.

Decompression and deconstruction need to go away.

It’s been too easy for Bandages (Terunofuji).

Well, it'll have to wait until next week, Tobi's mom got the virus. Only mild symptoms, thankfully, she's on the mend. He's spending time with her over the weekend.

How do we grind XP in the real world? We can’t just go kill rats in the sewers, right?

Unfortunately the best spot is the gym. At least if the goal is physical stats; killing sewer rats might raise INT and DEX.

That’s what really annoys me.

I'm glad I was skeptical about them.

I used to have one scar for keeping a blind dog from touching a hot oven. But I’m so old even that scar has faded The one of my nose will be with me forever, though.

They won't scar, but just last week my left hand was riddled with large blisters while taking down an old parking lot light. They bubbled and bled pretty badly, stung like nobody's business.

Sure. Jean can “work” with that:



Seriously? I’d *love* them as a couple. The problem is that their power levels couldn’t be more different so, basically, she’d ruin his book.

I honestly think they’d be great friends, though. I can see Jean being *the* person who stops Matt from doing the stupid stuff he normally does. And I can see his being the person who is totally okay with the craziness of her life because of his faith, to a point even the other X-Men aren’t.

Jokes aside, while having them work together as lawyers would be really cool, I don’t think Jean would want to work as a trial lawyer because she’s a telepath and she'd know any of her trials would be appealed and overturned over and over again. Since criminal law is what Matt mostly does (though he works with civil suits too), I don’t think they’d be working together full time. So, at most, he could use his legal kung-fun to help her set a good strategy.

So back to her actual partner (the one I *want* her to be with)…

Sometimes it's funny to remember that Daredevil exists in the same universe as Jean and the rest of the X-Men.

Why? Why can’t he have fun *and* be paid to do it? Let Jean make the big bucks.

(Or do you think he’s a very ambitious guy and he wouldn’t be happy?)

They don’t even need much, anyway. Remember they’re not allowed to have their own kids? And they can't leave what they build for the kids they have? What's the point of making more money than they need to pay their bills?

I suppose if money's not an issue than it doesn't really matter; I figure Scott would occupy his time with a job and then do handiwork as well. Jean making the big bucks reminds me of a Japanese manga about a former yakuza marrying a career woman and being a stay-at-home house-husband.

Not very well. He doesn’t have the best people’s skills, does he?

And if going to university for a new degree is an option, he’d be an awesome judge, though. Most especially in appeals courts.

Good point, I guess I figured that Scott's analytical mind would be very useful in those careers. Maybe he'd need a partner more attuned to others thoughts and feelings, but who knows where he'd find someone like that.

Why doesn’t that surprise me that you’d like that sort of thing?

Well, I'm a simple man.

Nope. The virus is still circulating, but the number of new infections have somewhat plateaued. I’m telling you, it’s super weird. Just the effect of the vaccines doesn’t explain it.

I should've paid more attention in biology and my other science classes. I mean, what explains that?

Yeah. It’s really hard for everyone. Are they back to school?

They are, I've picked them up a few times after school. I spoke to a teacher and the school district has safety protocols in place so I feel good about that.

You succeed. And you’re welcome.

Isn’t because people don’t get your jokes?

So my jokes are bad. But it’s actually worse than that: most of them require a certain wavelength for people to even recognize them as a joke. Others are just very silly and those are the ones that usually land.

So we graduated to Star Trek: The Next Generation now. My partner doesn’t really like Piccard, but he’s a sweetheart and he’s watching it to make me happy. Anyway, he asked me the other day: “So you want to watch some Captain Bald?”

And I replied with my best, solemn voice: “to baldly go where no one has gone before!” I might have said: “no man has gone before” because I was still stuck in the 60s series and he always skips the intro. But anyway, that’s an example of a silly joke people - well, nerds - would get.

It’s impressive how fast my jelly can be when it’s about coming up with those silly stuff. If only it’d work as fast for more important things…

Okay, that's funny; please tell me he laughed? That reminds me of a time a coworker asked me what it was called when someone is trained to have a reaction based on a sound or something (Pavlovian response) and I answered completely straight-faced "Provolone response", because I was hungry.

My friend's wife is the easiest person to get a laugh from, she will laugh at dry-heaving sounds or just saying words like "barf". I've known her for years, she's honestly just like that.

Well, I’m the youngest. So WTH!

Maybe your parents saw how responsible or prudential you were and just decided to roll with it?

Will do. Thanks for the tip.

I've got other recommendations, but we've gotta place ourselves.

[Hizashi]

You go ahead and enjoy the champagne. I'll stick to a nice bottle Jack Daniels. Seeing covers like this makes it taste that much sweeter.

Excellent choice, had some with friends just the other night.

[Lucyinthesky]

Well, this is a rather nice variant. Thanks for the post.

Welcome

I think heroes should be sober most of the times, but if I could, I'd feed Duggan champagne instead, every time he writes them as the couple they used to be! :P

Yes they are too busy right now.

I think I will join you there, I love what he´s doing on X-men for them, Rogue and Lorna and I loved what he did with Magneto on Planet Size. The man deserves his champagne.

You go ahead and enjoy the champagne. I'll stick to a nice bottle Jack Daniels. Seeing covers like this makes it taste that much sweeter.

Enjoy it, now I wonder what Duggan would like more champagne or Jack Daniels?

[MarvelMaster616]

Excellent choice, had some with friends just the other night.

You have good friends, indeed.

[Grinning Soul]

I haven't been enthused by the MCU for a while, and while the X-Men can turn this around that won't be the case if we jump to Krakoa.

If we start on Krakoa, I’ll skip it entirely.

Yeah, that's another good point. First comes complacency then stagnation

And if you don’t use it, you lose it. Gotta keep those jellies working.

I'd hate to work at a hospital generally but definitely in this situation.

It must be so frustrating for them… Wave after wave and people (and governments) don’t learn.

Plus Christmas will be here soon, and she always makes tons of tamales in December for the holiday.

How does she normally fills them?

Who was it that decided feats and spectacle mattered more than characterization and narrative? And when? What motivates the lack of respect of their own continuity at editorial?

Generation X and their love for special effects. In the late 90s (think about how successful the movie Independence Day was).

The lack of respect for their own continuity has to do with being arrogant: they think their current work matters more than the previous and they love taunting the fans.

Ooh, do you have a Linguistics degree? These are the sorts of things most people don't consider about their own language, let foreign ones. I mean, I can't even get my friends or family to spell correctly in text messages.

Nope. I just like languages and I have a brain with a life of its own that thinks too much about stuff. :P

I don't want to over-hype it, so I'll just let you watch it in your own time.

I’ve been over hyped about it before. Maybe that’s why I haven’t watched it yet… Mmm, I hadn’t considered that.

Are we living in the age of cynicism?

Since the mid-late 90s. Yes.

Decompression and deconstruction need to go away.

If they don’t know how to do those things well, yes! They only become excuses for bad stories.

Well, it'll have to wait until next week, Tobi's mom got the virus. Only mild symptoms, thankfully, she's on the mend. He's spending time with her over the weekend.

I hope she recovers soon and doesn’t get any long-haul symptoms.

Unfortunately the best spot is the gym. At least if the goal is physical stats; killing sewer rats might raise INT and DEX.

Oh, so in real life XP isn’t a general thing you get by killing stuff? You need to earn XP at the thing you want to improve?

Interesting… :P

They won't scar, but just last week my left hand was riddled with large blisters while taking down an old parking lot light. They bubbled and bled pretty badly, stung like nobody's business.

Ouch…. I’m so sorry, Hiz. Is your hand better now?

Are you left-handed and could you work the next days?

Sometimes it's funny to remember that Daredevil exists in the same universe as Jean and the rest of the X-Men.

He knows very few X-Men.

As far as I know, he has been in the same space as Jean and Scott three times (maybe four times, if you think it was him walking near the group in X-Men #98): but they never spoke a word to each other.

- Sue and Reed Richards wedding - Matt leaves early to stop some small-time villain from ruining the party
- The cross-over with the Avengers and X-Men - The X-Men and some Avengers are controlled by Magneto. The other Avengers ask Matt and Natasha for help. During the fight, Jean attacks him with her tk and he knocks Scott down. But they don’t speak once the fight is over.
- A story in the 90s with some doubles - there are tons of heroes together in the same room. Jean goes with other heroes to the cosmic part of the story (Jeez… I can’t remember if Scott goes too or not) and Matt stays behind.

That I remember, until quite recently, Matt only knew Remy and Logan from actually fighting/cooperating in his book. But he certainly met some others after the schism because he was representing the school (so I guess Hank and Kitty at least?). And he fought some X-Men during AvX. But that’s it.

I suppose if money's not an issue than it doesn't really matter; I figure Scott would occupy his time with a job and then do handiwork as well. Jean making the big bucks reminds me of a Japanese manga about a former yakuza marrying a career woman and being a stay-at-home house-husband.

I’ve heard of this manga. Is it good?

As for our couple having jobs… that would require them to lose their powers, right? And some other clever motivations because otherwise they’d still be trying to do something full-time heroic. And that’s not headcanon talk. It’s canon that they know being heroes is their lives. I can think of two scenes in which they talk specifically about it (but there might be more I don’t remember):



Madelyne never got that, which is one of the reasons why he was unhappy with her. And it’s one of the reasons why I think any romantic partner for either Scott or Jean has to be a hero like they are, someone who understands the craze and the sacrifices, instead of simply accepting them or trying to emulate them. Someone who both relates and admires that trait instead of resenting it.

Good point, I guess I figured that Scott's analytical mind would be very useful in those careers. Maybe he'd need a partner more attuned to others thoughts and feelings, but who knows where he'd find someone like that.

Don’t tempt me! :D

Argh! Too late!

Now I want a time-travel Noir mini with them in which they lose their powers for some reason (because if she has her telepathy it would be too easy) and they have to work as detectives! :D

Imagine, Jean acting all 40s mysterious femme-fatale.



And Scott’s broodiness fitting like a glove in the style! :D



“We’ll always have New York” :D

Unfortunately for their lungs, they’d have to learn how to smoke like chimneys! :D

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Now I want to read that! Don’t do that to my jelly! It’s a very excitable jelly! :D

Well, I'm a simple man. :p

Maybe. But it was the “I can see the tangible progress I make” that sounded logical. :)

I should've paid more attention in biology and my other science classes. I mean, what explains that?

I honestly don’t know. Look, this virus has acted weirdly from the start. It seemed super contagious but, in different parts of the world, they found out deaths by COVID months before the epidemic started. It’s like it needs to build up before it explodes and when it does it goes fast.

But the possible mechanism behind it has puzzled me from the beginning and still does.

Now it’s worse, though, because this plateau is just… It doesn’t make sense. Is the proportion of the asymptomatic cases increasing? Then people just don’t get tested because they don’t know?

You see, if the proportions would be the same, we should still see an increase in the number of infections.

Let’s say 50% of the infections are asymptomatic.

. On day 1, there are 10 new cases, but we don’t see 5 of them, so we record 5.
. On day X, there are 100 new cases, but we don’t see 50 of them, so we record 50.

For us to still be recording 5 at day X, we would need to have got to 95% of the cases as asymptomatic. But while that could explain the numbers, what would be causing it???

We’re not increasing the vaccinations at this rate anymore.

Now, restrictions and vaccines alone don’t explain the plateau either, because you very rarely have those things reaching a perfect balance with the virus infectiousness. Either they’re working well and you see a decrease in the number of new infections, or they aren’t and you see an increase.

It does not make sense.

They are, I've picked them up a few times after school. I spoke to a teacher and the school district has safety protocols in place so I feel good about that.

I’d be so worried. I’m glad you aren’t. :)

Okay, that's funny; please tell me he laughed?

He did. It became an internal joke. In this house, The Next Generation never boldly goes anywhere. :D

That reminds me of a time a coworker asked me what it was called when someone is trained to have a reaction based on a sound or something (Pavlovian response) and I answered completely straight-faced "Provolone response", because I was hungry.

Oh, my god! :D

Even though you were hungry, was it an intentional joke? It’s brilliant anyway (it might even be more brilliant if it was a slip). But I’m curious.

My friend's wife is the easiest person to get a laugh from, she will laugh at dry-heaving sounds or just saying words like "barf". I've known her for years, she's honestly just like that.

Oh, I love people like that! :D

Maybe your parents saw how responsible or prudential you were and just decided to roll with it?

It’s not fair. *pouts*

I've got other recommendations, but we've gotta place ourselves.

You mean “pace”? If so, please, don’t be upset. I’m not being a spelling Nazi, I’m just not a native and I always wonder if I didn’t get something because of a language barrier.

[Grinning Soul]

Yes they are too busy right now.

I think I will join you there, I love what he´s doing on X-men for them, Rogue and Lorna and I loved what he did with Magneto on Planet Size. The man deserves his champagne. :D

No, no. I'm only sending the champagne if he starts writing Jean and Scott as the dreamy couple they used to be. The more sighs his writing gets from me because of them, the more champagne (or whisky) he gets. :D

[lancer]

Boy, the holding hands brings back memories.

[From The Shadows]

For the 70's threads.

[Grinning Soul]

For the 70's threads.

It looks very 70s indeed but it looks good on them. There's always something so elegant about the way they carry themselves. What a beautiful couple! :)

Thanks for sharing, From The Shadows. :)

[From The Shadows]

It looks very 70s indeed but it looks good on them. There's always something so elegant about the way they carry themselves. What a beautiful couple!

Thanks for sharing, From The Shadows.

Yeah, they look quite hip too. And you are welcome.

[Grinning Soul]

Yeah, they look quite hip too. And you are welcome. :)

They were hip indeed! Good times...

If only the writers would allow Jean to regain the fashion style she was given back in the 60s... But nowadays, we don't even get to see her wearing something that isn't her green uniform, a longer version of her green uniform or a green bikini... Well, there was the pink pjs once, I suppose...

Anyway, they both looked hip and gorgeous together and that's yet another silly thing that would make me happy: seeing them going out on a date in NYC wearing civilian clothes and looking elegant and stylish at it. :)

Make it happen and there's more champagne (or whisky) for you, Mr. Duggan! :)

And if we don't get that, we can always post old scans, I suppose... *shrug*

[From The Shadows]

They were hip indeed! Good times...

If only the writers would allow Jean to regain the fashion style she was given back in the 60s... But nowadays, we don't even get to see her wearing something that isn't her green uniform, a longer version of her green uniform or a green bikini... Well, there was the pink pjs once, I suppose...

Anyway, they both looked hip and gorgeous together and that's yet another silly thing that would make me happy: seeing them going out on a date in NYC wearing civilian clothes and looking elegant and stylish at it.

Make it happen and there's more champagne (or whisky) for you, Mr. Duggan!

And if we don't get that, we can always post old scans, I suppose... *shrug*

Yeah, Jean especially has suffered. They called her mom Jeans eventually in the 90's. She looked good in that jacket and grey turtle neck though during the Morrison years and something outside her green dress would definitely be nice change. She had that halter top outfit too during The End. So there were bright spots.

[Lucyinthesky]

They were hip indeed! Good times...

If only the writers would allow Jean to regain the fashion style she was given back in the 60s... But nowadays, we don't even get to see her wearing something that isn't her green uniform, a longer version of her green uniform or a green bikini... Well, there was the pink pjs once, I suppose...

Anyway, they both looked hip and gorgeous together and that's yet another silly thing that would make me happy: seeing them going out on a date in NYC wearing civilian clothes and looking elegant and stylish at it.

Make it happen and there's more champagne (or whisky) for you, Mr. Duggan!

And if we don't get that, we can always post old scans, I suppose... *shrug*

I still think Mr Duggan already has earned his whisky but I agree with you that it would be nice to see more Jean and Scott moments, just talking between each other and also more interaction inside the team, that was the strong point of his Uncanny Avengers run.

[Grinning Soul]

Yeah, Jean especially has suffered. They called her mom Jeans eventually in the 90's. She looked good in that jacket and grey turtle neck though during the Morrison years and something outside her green dress would definitely be nice change. She had that halter top outfit too during The End. So there were bright spots.

In the 90s, everyone was dressing horribly quite often. It’s the like the artists competed, trying to see who could create the worst look. :D

The problem is that, some reason, the fame stuck with Jean of all people. Why? Well, it was part of a campaign of taking as much as possible from the character and only allowing her to be powerful, then dead, of course. Because she can’t be too powerful either.

[Grinning Soul]

I still think Mr Duggan already has earned his whisky but I agree with you that it would be nice to see more Jean and Scott moments, just talking between each other and also more interaction inside the team, that was the strong point of his Uncanny Avengers run. :D

Unfortunately, we’ll have to disagree on that, Lucy. I think the book (when it comes to the writing) has been okay. Not bad, but not stellar either. It reads better than it is because the other books are really weak and the art is superb, but none of that has to do with Duggan’s work.

It’s been only 2 issues at the time of this post, so who knows? Maybe it will get momentum and become amazing. I certainly hope so. :)