Scott and Jean Appreciation Thread 2021

[lancer]

Like I was telling Lucyinthesky a while ago in Jean's thread, I'd love to see our favourite couple going out on a date in NYC, since their HQ is there now.

This is not exactly a date, but I love seeing their wearing something other than their costumes and doing something as ordinary as going to the movies (especially because I can't due to this stupid, neverending pandemic).







I've always thought they were the heirs of Xavier's dream. The leaders of the next generation. Here's to hoping one day, Krakoa will be in the past, and they can finally show us what their plan, which they came up with during their time in Alaska, for the dream was.

Cheers!

That's the issue. I always remembered the movie Scott was watching and Jean's, you Tarzan, me Jean line. Also, about the get a room line, not that long after( maybe a year or two, maybe three), one of the Superman titles had a very similar scene. Lois and Clark wind up kissing and someone in the audience says the same thing. I remember immediately thinking of X Men 59 when I read it

[lancer]

I posted it already.




And what if they were joined at the hip? Some couples are actually like that in real life, not because they are dependant of each other, but just because they really enjoy each other's company. It doesn't mean they don't spend time on their own or with their friends.

That is a different discussion that is more subjective. Like someone thinking they were stale or boring. There is more personal taste and interpretation there. That they weren't joined at the hip, I believe, can be disproven pretty objectively. There were just to many examples to the contrary.

Exactly. I judge the work for the work. That's how we judge any writer of other media, right? No reason why comic book writers - who are also professionals - should get special treatment.

I had divided feelings on Claremont. He wrote so many of my favorite X Men comics. A bunch of my favorite Cyclops issue. But he had this thing with Jean and Logan that he wouldn't let go of. Especially the retcon in CLASSIC 1. In his mind, there was a mutual attraction in the original stories, but, IMO, it sure wasn't shown on panel. For a JOTT fan, that was a pretty big strike against him.

[Grinning Soul]

That is pretty terrifying. Wow, Scott and Jean can't get far enough from Krakoa.

Yeah. I’m glad they are in NYC, but it’s still a Krakoa environment. I really hope that being away from the main island (and not isolated on the Moon) will start to have an effect in their minds and maybe allow them to keep questioning things about Krakoa.

That island is Stepford! :D

Where I live and where I work, there are plenty of characters and it's usually pretty interesting interacting with them. I haven't picked up many quirks, which I'm glad about - I've got enough to worry about.

What kind of quirk would those be? Feel free to tell me it’s none of my business, please. I just got curious. :)

Geez, that sounds worrisome! I'm not an extrovert by any means, but I enjoy being outside, pretty much on a daily basis. You're stronger or more patient than me.

Luckily, we are somewhat immune to cabin fever. Working from home, we go to the balcony when the neighbours aren’t there. We watch Sumo when there’s a championship going on (like now) or Netflix or Prime, we talk, we play games, etc… It sucks, but we’ve adapted. We’re doing our part. I can say for sure I didn’t infect anyone and led a person to die directly or indirectly. Thinking on those terms really helps me stay determined and do what needs to be done. But I admit, it’s just very frustrating when people are doing the opposite and being so careless all the time. It really makes you want to say: “oh, screw this” and join the masses.

Yep, I got plenty of his music on my phone (my favorites include Heroes, Starman, Changes, Lazarus), plus after his passing we changed a street in my city to David Bowie St. Only lasted for a few weeks, but it was neat.

I cannot pick my top 10 favourite songs of Bowie. I’d have to leave a song I love out and it would break my heart. :)

Same for Led Zeppelin and some other bands I love.

Cool homage of your city, by the way. :)

Exactly, that's what I was alluding to a few posts ago! I thought Scott and Emma's relationship should have been allowed to work on its own merits, not through disparaging Jean or Jott. Talk about disappointing.

Yeah. It was an interesting relationship. It wasn’t needed. Well, it never is, actually. But you know what I mean.

I think there was an idea (I can't remember if it was just someone on here positing it or if there was ever even a vague plan to do so from Marvel) that maybe Scott and Ororo could've been together. They were the team parents for a while, right? I think I would've welcomed that over what we got, but I guess it always comes down to execution.

I thought about it many times. I love both characters, but I don’t love them together… I’ve tried to imagine and enjoy the idea, because they work as friends so well. But as I couple, it’s hard for me to see it. I think they might be too similar and for it to work one of them would have to change? I don't want them to change exactly because I love them both so much...

I really cannot point my finger on it and it drives me crazy.

It might be because of their leadership styles? Or their more cold demeanor? Or the fact they can be so serious most of the times?

I really like her with T’Challa, though. So maybe it’s because Scott is just not “kingly” enough? Maybe I’m just afraid the writers would feel too tempted to write Scott as completely overshadowed by her? Or the other way around?

I don’t know what it is, Hizashi, but I’d really like to like them as a couple… I just don’t feel it. And it bothers me so much!

Yeah, I noticed that too - Morrison needed the characters to behave a certain way to get to his desired high-concept drama.

People praise him so much for his DC work. Did he do stuff like that on those comics too?

[Grinning Soul]

I like:

Scott's cap
Jean calling him "hubby"
Scott giving Jean his coat
How they can't keep their hands off of each other

How do we feel about Scott's facial hair? Yay or nay?

I love his cap too! I love those little datails! Since Jean once won a Captain America bear (that they even took it to Alaska with them) for him, in my head headcanon, that was another joke of hers. And, like the bear, he loved it. And I love they can have this sort of teasing each other that means no harm. I think it's another expression of love. :D

I like the "hubby" too. I think it's cute and tender and I think it's especially nice that she used such a term of endearment at that moment, since he wasn't feeling well.

Giving her his coat is such a gentleman's gesture. I love it. I think both of them are appreciative of those old-fashioned niceties. I know, people nowadays may even get upset or read it negatively, but I don't.

I love how they affectionate they are around each other. How they're always touching and how it's not a possessive thing (well, sometimes it is, but it's mostly not), it's just warm and loving and intimate. I love the way they nestle together to watch the movie. How they get lost in each other's eyes at the end (another thing that happened often). And, of course, the kiss! :D

I also love how he said he doesn't want to talk and then he starts talking. :D That's why I love them together. Jean knows she doesn't need to push him. She can just respect his time and he'll open up to her. When written in-character, I'm sure Scott's appreciative of that, control freak that he is.

And when it's the other way around, when her strong emotions are all over the place and she's having trouble to identify what they are, he waits for her to settle down a bit, then his organised, rational vibe help her sort through them.

The beneficial effect they have on each other is absolutely beautiful and it doesn't have to do with her power, but with their personalities. Lovely. :)

How do we feel about Scott's facial hair? Yay or nay?

Big nay for him. :D

He has light-coloured skin and dark hair so the stubbles really show. I think this kind of facial hair he can easily grow on a day if he doesn't shave in the morning. So I'm okay with an eventual five o'clock shadow as a narrative tool to express he's having a day off or he's obsessed about something or both, like it's the case in those pages.

But for the rest, I prefer a more military, clean-shaved look for Scott. I think it fits his personality better.

Same for the hair. Though he has a magnificent mane of warm, chocolate brown hair, I like his hair short on the back. I think there should be some volume on top just because it's full, thick hair, after all. But it should be cut close to the head on the back. Not on one of those fades, though. Something like this (without the facial hair):



Not that he wouldn't look sexy with a designer stubble or longer hair. I mean, look at AoA Scott! He looks awesome. But I think that's just not 616 Scott.

Same thing for Jean: short hair looks fantastic on her (check AoA Jean), but 616 Jean is about looking super feminine, so the more barbie-like style they draw her hair, the better, in my opinion.



Holding hands even on alternate realities where they were not supposed to be together... Yet, they are written as if they're supposed to be together? I rest my case. :D

[Grinning Soul]

That's the issue. I always remembered the movie Scott was watching and Jean's, you Tarzan, me Jean line.

Yes! I love the line too. It's the kind of quick, witty, light-hearted humour I think Jean should have. :)

Also, about the get a room line, not that long after( maybe a year or two, maybe three), one of the Superman titles had a very similar scene. Lois and Clark wind up kissing and someone in the audience says the same thing. I remember immediately thinking of X Men 59 when I read it

Was there? Interesting. I didn't know. I don't read anything from DC.

For Scott and Jean, I guess they hear it quite often? I know that you know that, but there were even some moments like this in The Cyclops and Phoenix Adventures. They didn't use exactly the "get a room" line since it's set 2000 years in the future, but the characters around them got annoyed with so PDA all the time! :D

That is a different discussion that is more subjective. Like someone thinking they were stale or boring. There is more personal taste and interpretation there. That they weren't joined at the hip, I believe, can be disproven pretty objectively. There were just to many examples to the contrary.

Totally agree.

That was my point: people have an emotional reaction to the stories and they base their interpretation solely on that, not the facts. And then they speak of it as if it's detrimental to the characters. I was just arguing that even if being joined by hip was factual for Scott and Jean - which is not - it wouldn't mean it would be unrealistic or that the characters wouldn't be able breathe without each other, because there are real couples who are always together without losing their identity or independence.

I had divided feelings on Claremont. He wrote so many of my favorite X Men comics. A bunch of my favorite Cyclops issue. But he had this thing with Jean and Logan that he wouldn't let go of. Especially the retcon in CLASSIC 1. In his mind, there was a mutual attraction in the original stories, but, IMO, it sure wasn't shown on panel. For a JOTT fan, that was a pretty big strike against him.

Yeah... everything changed because of X-Factor. He never got over it.

[Hizashi]

That is a different discussion that is more subjective. Like someone thinking they were stale or boring. There is more personal taste and interpretation there. That they weren't joined at the hip, I believe, can be disproven pretty objectively. There were just to many examples to the contrary.



I had divided feelings on Claremont. He wrote so many of my favorite X Men comics. A bunch of my favorite Cyclops issue. But he had this thing with Jean and Logan that he wouldn't let go of. Especially the retcon in CLASSIC 1. In his mind, there was a mutual attraction in the original stories, but, IMO, it sure wasn't shown on panel. For a JOTT fan, that was a pretty big strike against him.

I couldn't agree more, Claremont has done so much for Scott but also, unfortunately, to him.

[Hizashi]

Yeah. I’m glad they are in NYC, but it’s still a Krakoa environment. I really hope that being away from the main island (and not isolated on the Moon) will start to have an effect in their minds and maybe allow them to keep questioning things about Krakoa.

That island is Stepford!

Stepford Scott is what I see. Jokes aside, I think I could accept this behavior a little more if there was an undercurrent of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" from Scott or Jean, etc.

What kind of quirk would those be? Feel free to tell me it’s none of my business, please. I just got curious.

Mostly speech tics (adding letters to words or using plurals interchangeably) or pretty nonsensical (to me) hypothetical questions, or singing songs but changing lyrics. Or methods, in my line of work.

Luckily, we are somewhat immune to cabin fever. Working from home, we go to the balcony when the neighbours aren’t there. We watch Sumo when there’s a championship going on (like now) or Netflix or Prime, we talk, we play games, etc… It sucks, but we’ve adapted. We’re doing our part. I can say for sure I didn’t infect anyone and led a person to die directly or indirectly. Thinking on those terms really helps me stay determined and do what needs to be done. But I admit, it’s just very frustrating when people are doing the opposite and being so careless all the time. It really makes you want to say: “oh, screw this” and join the masses.

Sumo? Interesting. I occasionally watch pro-wrestling, I used to really be into that as a kid.

For places that are opening up, I think there's a level of proper caution that should be observed. It's tough, but I also place a premium on personal responsibility, so I don't want compulsion/enforcement exactly... The entire thing is a mess.

I cannot pick my top 10 favourite songs of Bowie. I’d have to leave a song I love out and it would break my heart.

Same for Led Zeppelin and some other bands I love.

Cool homage of your city, by the way.

After the last conversation, I marathoned Bowie and you're right, there are so many songs I completely forgot about! Space Oddity, Rebel Rebel, Modern Love, Fame just to name a few more. Led Zeppelin are also great - as are Depeche Mode, Dio, Rush, Iron Maiden, etc.

Yeah, it was neat, people setup a shrine and everything.

Yeah. It was an interesting relationship. It wasn’t needed. Well, it never is, actually. But you know what I mean.

Yeah, I think we're on the same page.

I thought about it many times. I love both characters, but I don’t love them together… I’ve tried to imagine and enjoy the idea, because they work as friends so well. But as I couple, it’s hard for me to see it. I think they might be too similar and for it to work one of them would have to change? I don't want them to change exactly because I love them both so much...

I really cannot point my finger on it and it drives me crazy.

It might be because of their leadership styles? Or their more cold demeanor? Or the fact they can be so serious most of the times?

I really like her with T’Challa, though. So maybe it’s because Scott is just not “kingly” enough? Maybe I’m just afraid the writers would feel too tempted to write Scott as completely overshadowed by her? Or the other way around?

I don’t know what it is, Hizashi, but I’d really like to like them as a couple… I just don’t feel it. And it bothers me so much!

Hey, it's not for everyone. I like the idea, the possibility is interesting - the opportunity is long past of course.

People praise him so much for his DC work. Did he do stuff like that on those comics too?

Of his DC work, I've read his Animal Man, JLA, All-Star Superman, Action Comics, Batman (which is a large saga across multiple books) The Flash, Final Crisis, and The Green Lantern - and I've loved all of it. Some of it has been divisive among the DC fandom but usually what I see is that the divisions rise from concepts and a sense of too much going on - but it is clear through the work that Morrison truly loves these characters and comics. Morrison's DC work can sometimes get too dense or pretentious, I'm not blind to that, but that love for the characters and comics? That buys a lot of goodwill from me.

I think that, being charitable, Morrison thought he had a better grasp of the characters and what makes the X-Men work as a concept than he actually did, or he narrowed his focus to high-concepts. And editorial didn't step in to reign in some of his more eccentric tendencies - but they sure left Jean dead for years despite Morrison giving them an easy way to bring her back.

[Hizashi]

I love his cap too! I love those little datails! Since Jean once won a Captain America bear (that they even took it to Alaska with them) for him, in my head headcanon, that was another joke of hers. And, like the bear, he loved it. And I love they can have this sort of teasing each other that means no harm. I think it's another expression of love.

I like the "hubby" too. I think it's cute and tender and I think it's especially nice that she used such a term of endearment at that moment, since he wasn't feeling well.

Giving her his coat is such a gentleman's gesture. I love it. I think both of them are appreciative of those old-fashioned niceties. I know, people nowadays may even get upset or read it negatively, but I don't.

I love how they affectionate they are around each other. How they're always touching and how it's not a possessive thing (well, sometimes it is, but it's mostly not), it's just warm and loving and intimate. I love the way they nestle together to watch the movie. How they get lost in each other's eyes at the end (another thing that happened often). And, of course, the kiss!

I also love how he said he doesn't want to talk and then he starts talking. That's why I love them together. Jean knows she doesn't need to push him. She can just respect his time and he'll open up to her. When written in-character, I'm sure Scott's appreciative of that, control freak that he is.

And when it's the other way around, when her strong emotions are all over the place and she's having trouble to identify what they are, he waits for her to settle down a bit, then his organised, rational vibe help her sort through them.

The beneficial effect they have on each other is absolutely beautiful and it doesn't have to do with her power, but with their personalities. Lovely.

Gentlemanly behavior does seem to have become this thing that's perceived as condescending at times, but I think it has its place. And possession doesn't have to be a bad word either, it can be more about "belonging" in a healthy, reciprocal way. There's really so much to appreciate about Jott.

Big nay for him.

He has light-coloured skin and dark hair so the stubbles really show. I think this kind of facial hair he can easily grow on a day if he doesn't shave in the morning. So I'm okay with an eventual five o'clock shadow as a narrative tool to express he's having a day off or he's obsessed about something or both, like it's the case in those pages.

But for the rest, I prefer a more military, clean-shaved look for Scott. I think it fits his personality better.

Same for the hair. Though he has a magnificent mane of warm, chocolate brown hair, I like his hair short on the back. I think there should be some volume on top just because it's full, thick hair, after all. But it should be cut close to the head on the back. Not on one of those fades, though. Something like this (without the facial hair)

Not that he wouldn't look sexy with a designer stubble or longer hair. I mean, look at AoA Scott! He looks awesome. But I think that's just not 616 Scott.

Same thing for Jean: short hair looks fantastic on her (check AoA Jean), but 616 Jean is about looking super feminine, so the more barbie-like style they draw her hair, the better, in my opinion.



Holding hands even on alternate realities where they were not supposed to be together... Yet, they are written as if they're supposed to be together? I rest my case.

Scott having a thick but neat beard works for me - i agree with you about his hair.

lol, the defense rests your honor.

[Gray Lensman]

I couldn't agree more, Claremont has done so much for Scott but also, unfortunately, to him.

And Scott's fans aren't close to having it the worst where Claremont is concerned. If your favorite character is Polaris, for example, Claremont seems to be considered the single worst writer of all time, seeing as how he basically wrote Lorna as a semi-sentient meat puppet whose purpose was to be brainwashed or possessed in order to bet an emotional reaction from a different character. Ouch.

Concerning Scott and Jean, CC has justifiable anger at how X-Factor was launched, and how Maddie was so OOC from what had been previously established. However, he transferred his anger from the real people who did it to a fictional character and refuses to give him the same level of forgiveness he himself has served up for others.

[Hizashi]

And Scott's fans aren't close to having it the worst where Claremont is concerned. If your favorite character is Polaris, for example, Claremont seems to be considered the single worst writer of all time, seeing as how he basically wrote Lorna as a semi-sentient meat puppet whose purpose was to be brainwashed or possessed in order to bet an emotional reaction from a different character. Ouch.

Concerning Scott and Jean, CC has justifiable anger at how X-Factor was launched, and how Maddie was so OOC from what had been previously established. However, he transferred his anger from the real people who did it to a fictional character and refuses to give him the same level of forgiveness he himself has served up for others.

Absolutely true, which is why I (and Grinning Soul, I'm sure) don't think he's a despicable monster, just like any human who makes mistakes.

Shame about Polaris.

[Legaldrugdealer]

I had divided feelings on Claremont. He wrote so many of my favorite X Men comics. A bunch of my favorite Cyclops issue. But he had this thing with Jean and Logan that he wouldn't let go of. Especially the retcon in CLASSIC 1. In his mind, there was a mutual attraction in the original stories, but, IMO, it sure wasn't shown on panel. For a JOTT fan, that was a pretty big strike against him.

I remember wanting to throw x-men forever in the garbage after read issue one �� And I tortured myself reading the annual out of morbid curiosity, where jean realized she loved Logan lol

[Gray Lensman]

Absolutely true, which is why I (and Grinning Soul, I'm sure) don't think he's a despicable monster, just like any human who makes mistakes.

Shame about Polaris.

My biggest issue with Claremont concerning Scott isn't his mistakes (we all make them) but rather his inability to realize it, coupled with his constant doubling down on it.

Shame, he used to be great.

[Grinning Soul]

Stepford Scott is what I see. Jokes aside, I think I could accept this behavior a little more if there was an undercurrent of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" from Scott or Jean, etc.

Scott's version: "I'm so happy. If I'm wrong, I don't want to be right.".

:P

Seriously, now: like I told you, I spent days thinking about the angle of the trauma and how not experiencing it in a first hand basis could affect Scott (and Rahne and other characters).

And really: it took me days. And I think that could explain a lot, but it doesn't explain the changes to the extent we're seeing them. Core characteristics of the character are just not there anymore. It's not that they're softened... there're not there!

I mentioned it yesterday, but this conversartion was mirrored in the "Your Unpopular/Controversial Opinions on the X-Universe", so I shared the panels about trauma (which were briefly discussed in the X-Factor book) and what happened to Domino.

Mostly speech tics (adding letters to words or using plurals interchangeably) or pretty nonsensical (to me) hypothetical questions, or singing songs but changing lyrics. Or methods, in my line of work.

Oh, I know what you mean! I usually don't pick those up either, but I find them fascinating. :)

Changing methods in your like of work is super dangerous, isn't it?

For places that are opening up, I think there's a level of proper caution that should be observed. It's tough, but I also place a premium on personal responsibility, so I don't want compulsion/enforcement exactly... The entire thing is a mess.

I'm big on personal responsibility as I guess you can imagine by now.

So while I partially agree with you. But certain things have to be enforced when they don't affect only the person engaging in the dangerous behaviour. That's why there are laws that enforce that a person can't drink and drive...

After the last conversation, I marathoned Bowie and you're right, there are so many songs I completely forgot about! Space Oddity, Rebel Rebel, Modern Love, Fame just to name a few more. Led Zeppelin are also great - as are Depeche Mode, Dio, Rush, Iron Maiden, etc.

Yeah, it was neat, people setup a shrine and everything.

Some others I love (and I'm sure I'm not including some that will make me kick myself later): "She Shook me Cold", "The Man Who Sold the World", "Queen Bitch" (that reminds me of "Mr. Brightside", which is another cool song), pretty much the whole "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" album (start with "John, I'm only dancing" if you love bass), pretty much the whole "Aladdin Sane" album ("Panic in Detroit" for the same reason), "Diamond Dogs", "Sweet Thing" + "Candidate", "Young Americans", "Station to Station", "Wild is the Wind" (not his, but his version is beathtaking)... Those and the ones you mentioned were just the best, but it doesn't mean there aren't other great ones. I also love "Absolute Beginners" and "Loving the Alien", for instance for more poetic reasons than musical.

NOTE 1: don't listen to those near children. Some are pretty adult-themed.

NOTE 2: if you do feel like listetning to the Alladin Sane album, please, don't think I fancy myself as impressive as Lady Grinning Soul! :D It's just a joke because I use a lot of smilies. :D

Hey, it's not for everyone. I like the idea, the possibility is interesting - the opportunity is long past of course.

Yeah. I've struggled with this idea for so many years now. But after Ororo was married to T'Challa... I cannot see her settling for anyone else. As much as I love Scott, for Ororo, he'd be "settling".

As much as I love Jean, after Ororo, T'Challa being with our redhead would also be his "settling" with someone else.

It's such a shame Ororo and T'Challa are so important to their corners of the MU, because, really, they're *so* superlative, they're perfect for each other.

Of his DC work, I've read his Animal Man, JLA, All-Star Superman, Action Comics, Batman (which is a large saga across multiple books) The Flash, Final Crisis, and The Green Lantern - and I've loved all of it. Some of it has been divisive among the DC fandom but usually what I see is that the divisions rise from concepts and a sense of too much going on - but it is clear through the work that Morrison truly loves these characters and comics. Morrison's DC work can sometimes get too dense or pretentious, I'm not blind to that, but that love for the characters and comics? That buys a lot of goodwill from me.

If I had read those comics may disagree with you, but I get what you mean. Like you, I'm also able to enjoy things of which I can make some pretty negative criticism, just because the positive outweighs it.

And yes: feeling the creator loves those characters does help! :)

I think that, being charitable, Morrison thought he had a better grasp of the characters and what makes the X-Men work as a concept than he actually did, or he narrowed his focus to high-concepts. And editorial didn't step in to reign in some of his more eccentric tendencies - but they sure left Jean dead for years despite Morrison giving them an easy way to bring her back.

I honestly don't think Morrison wanted to kill her off. I think he even left a clue in the books himself.

- Jean: I had to die to come back, Logan. But I don't know how long they'll let me stay.

I mean, WTF was that other than his telling us that editorial was going to make him kill Jean?

[Grinning Soul]

Different post because I can only add one video per post.

Sumo? Interesting. I occasionally watch pro-wrestling, I used to really be into that as a kid.

Sumo *is* interesting. I love that as long as you have a certain height, you're free to join. There's no weight category so sometimes you see a fight that looks like David against Goliath.

The actual fight starts at 1:45



Unfortunaly, the little guy lost too many times and he was kicked out of the main league and hasn't come back yet. But, you know, a tiny guy like him made it to the main league!

Now, the most fun part of watching it, for us, is that we have nicknames for some of the wrestlers and we don't understand Japanese (which is the language of the videos we watch, not the one I posted), so we make our own commentary. :D

[Grinning Soul]

Gentlemanly behavior does seem to have become this thing that's perceived as condescending at times, but I think it has its place.

I don't expect any man to open doors for me, but if they do, I don't assume they think I'm not able to do so. I understand they are trying to be nice and I'm appreciative of that.

And possession doesn't have to be a bad word either, it can be more about "belonging" in a healthy, reciprocal way. There's really so much to appreciate about Jott.

I agree with you.

Everything is nuance, right? And the world nowadays don't really seem to get it.

What I meant is that, sometimes, it's a bit like a social cue and I totally get. I don't see it as hostile.

For instance, one day we were at a party and this girl was talking to my partner. She wasn't flirting per se, but she was clearly interested. Now, I don't blame her: he's awesome. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be with him. So, I got near him and I placed my hand on his arm, to let him know I was there. Something I'd have done if he was distracted anyway, just not to startle him. It wasn't like: "back off, b***c, he's taken". But it was enough for her to understand he is indeed in a relationship. And she was really cool about it, she immediately lost the interest and we kept talking the three of us and it was light-hearted and fun.

So sometimes Scott and Jean start walking and he has his arm around her. It's something he normally does anyway, but it also shows that she's with him. It's just a social cue. It doesn't mean he thinks he owns her. I mean, we're talking about Jean. He knows very well he doesn't own her.

Like I wrote once in a story, there's a difference between your belonging to someone and their owning you. :)

Scott having a thick but neat beard works for me - i agree with you about his hair.

As a retired guy, taking care of his grandchildren, having time to actually take proper care of his facial hair? Yeah! I can totally subscribe to Scott having a think, neat beard. I think it would fit and I actually love the idea now that I'm thinking about it.

But wearing uniforms that often hide a part of his face? Not only it would look weird, wouldn't it be very uncomfortable?

lol, the defense rests your honor.

He actually was the responsible for her first capture. And, once she was a prisoner, seeing the hero and the woman she was made him turn against the system and start to help humans. He was so stricken by her, he had made a plan and was about to let her go when Logan came to rescue her and ruined everything (which is when they maimed each other).

I mean... Do I need to say more?

--

Some excerpts of the story:

"He was unprepared for this... unprepared for the senses-reeling shock he feels at finding this woman so close and so real... this woman whose image has haunted him since their first encounter... Three years ago, in a pitched battle with Magneto's X-Men, he prevented her escape with the rest of the rebel mutants, destroying the second and third level processing bays before bringing her down.

Sinister was ecstatic at the telekinetic's capture, going on at length about finding the second blueprint for what he called his "trump card".

For months Jean Grey was treated as an ALPHA ELITE. Given the best the empire had to offer. And still, she resisted. There was something about her spirit and dedication to her past life that caused Scott to find himself inescapably drawn to the rebel. In time, it became something... more.

And Scott Summers found himself contemplating the unthinkable - returning Jean Grey, the woman who'd come to mean so much to him - to her friends.

It all would have gone as planned, if her feral teammate, WOLVERINE, hadn't broken rank with Magneto to return to the pens in order to free the woman he loved. And when the two finally come face to face, things went terribly, terribly wrong and cost him an eye?

Since her escape, she has wondered. Did she imagine imagine this man - this son of Sinister - and his innate goodness? And today she knows - she did not.

- Jean: I know that you once tried to help me, but have you really been helping other prisoners escape this pit?
- Scott: Yes.
- Jean: In my heart, somehow I knew you would.
- Scott: Your willingness to stand up to Apocalypse mande me wonder why I followed him blindly. This place began to make less and less sense, after that.
- Jean: Funny. I can't deep read people, but when I first saw you... I felt something... different about you... I came here looking for help and I think I've found it.
- Scott: You're asking me to openly rebel against Apocalypse? I made that choice the moment I met you. (...)

(...)

- Jean: This may sound crazy but I think in another world, things might have been very different for us.
- Scott: Maybe but we can only play the cards we've been dealt and try to keep in the game. I can get you in through the service tunnels, but do you think you can take on six telepathic brains by yourself?
- Jean: Since our encounter with Nate, I've felt like a floodgate's been opened in my mind and I'm more psionically charged than I've ever been. I felt something between the three of us as well...
- Scott: A connection?

(they hold hands again)

(...)

- Jean: He's out, but not dead. That could prove problematic.
- Scott: Then I'll deal with that then. I won't kill my brother. My hands are stained with too much blood from the years I blindly followed Sinister and Apocalypse.
- Jean: This war's made us all do things we regret, but for what is worth, there's a part of you Sinister couldn't manipulate, some - place that wasn't corrupted by the cruelty and hatred around you.
- Scott: I wonder if that's enough?
- Jean: I believe in redemption. And now, more than ever, I believe in you, Scott Summers.
- Scott: That means a lot to me... You mean a lot...
(...)

--

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn! :D

And yeah, Alex being alive does prove to be problematic indeed!