Ororo Munroe: Storm/Hadari Yao/Regent of Sol Appreciation 2022

[BobbysWorld]

So there ARE elements of potential godhood to stories about omegas, if Marvel ever wanted to go the route of like, building a pantheon of mutant gods....BUT I fully believe even in that sort of scenario, Storm should play THE key role in LEADING the others to that kind of development because of the intersection of niches she's always occupied. And I don't think there's any other omega who could pull it off the same way.

A potentially interesting thing about omegas is the idea of mortals ascending to godhood is a fairly old one, obvsly - many cultures have myths about heroes who go to live among the gods and become gods themselves. BUT, most myths like those take for granted that these mortals only go on to ASCEND to godhood AFTER their mortal lives are over. Or else from the moment they DO ascend to godhood, they immediately leave to live among gods, they stop living as a mortal.

And of stories about gods living among mortals, like Thor, these gods' time among mortals is treated as just one experience among many in their long lives as gods. Their identities are firmly established as gods before they ever live among mortals. They already feel defined in their own divinity and this isn't changed just by whatever they feel/learn while living among mortals.

In contrast, omega mutants fall into this narrative niche, but also they DON'T. They break it in a way I've never seen explored elsewhere...cuz these few characters are ones who are almost or are outright deified by virtue of their power....AS mortals.

What I mean is, they're unique b/c of the way they straddle the line between mortal and divine, BUT without that line ever coming with a clearly defined before and after, like tales of mortals who ascend to godhood. For most omega mutants, there is no singular moment of ascension. They're effectively living gods (in terms of power, not worship, a key difference) who started out mortal but w/out ever fully getting to BE mortal, to have the life experiences of living as a mortal human being without the power, expectations and responsibilities of godhood....because they have all those things even AS mortals. That line is blurred for them in ways it isn’t for anyone else. Beings inherently born into two worlds, the mortal and at least a facsimile of the divine, but without ever fully being of either world because there's no point for them at which they're not at least still partially of the other.

Yet this isn't an abnormality for them, this isn't an unnatural state that falls outside the normal narrative confines because of some weird plot twist…cuz for these characters and their core concept, this IS natural for them. They're just born this way and go through life leveling up with their powers and feats and miracles as tho they just have growth spurts for their powers the same way they have them for their bodies as they age. This combo platter of mortal life and living godhood isn't breaking any rules, its just the usual rules don't apply to this fairly new small subset of characters for whom a kind of apotheosis is a natural organic process that literally starts at their births. Because this is just their life, not a myth about ascending to divinity that's created or shared because its an aspirational tale of heroism and the reward of living on in legends; not a story about a god banished to live among mortals to learn a lesson about humility or the price of power.

Like, all of those things do fall into the character arcs of more than one omega mutant, but the key thing that makes them such an interesting narrative niche IMO is none of those things are part of their character arcs BECAUSE of their godlike power or potential. Nor is said power/potential something they develop BECAUSE of their specific actions, life lessons learned, etc. They're just characters for whom the experiences of being human and the experiences of being literally, symbolically or metaphorically deified either in a narrative or the eyes of other characters…like, it all goes hand in hand for them. Its all intertwined, no separating any single strand of it from another.

Their natural life journey and character arc is just…trying to figure out how to go through life as imperfect, fallible people with no more inherent knowledge or rightness of purpose than what their own life experiences naturally grant them. While at the same time trying to figure out how to go through life as nigh all powerful, unlimited beings who feel the weight of worlds on them, the crushing expectations of ppl always looking at them to lead, to guide, to fix, to KNOW, because that's what gods do and ppl don't know how to look at beings capable of doing the things they can do and NOT see divinity. But even tho they have the look or power that comes with godhood...they don't actually have the surety of divine right guiding their actions or decision making, the experience or certainty accumulated over having lived thousands of lifetimes. Don't have the emotional distance divine characters are often cited as having b/c their inhuman, godly perspective on time, space & mortality allows them a kind of disconnect when doing things that will affect everyone on a planet, helps them view those things as needing to happen for a greater good no matter how they affect singular human lives...versus having trouble doing those things no matter how necessary they might be, because they can't reconcile that necessity with how specific human lives will be impacted.

Point is…they're all just making 'how to be an omega mutant' up as they go along, just coming up with what they think is best each time a new moral wrinkle presents itself to them. Cuz unlike other stories about characters who straddle the worlds of both mortality and divinity or show a character adjusting to a new paradigm based on a fundamental shift in their nature (an ascension to godhood or a demotion to mortality)...the difference here is for omegas, not knowing the answer isn't because someone is hiding it or refusing to share it in order to teach a lesson. When frustrated cuz its like they don't know what the rules are for having the kind of power they do and no idea if they're using it the right way....in their case, it isn't because they're not asking the right questions to the right people or just haven't leveled up yet to being granted access to the playbook.

For omegas, those aspects of their character arcs are simply because for them, THERE IS NO PLAYBOOK. Its like they're all making it up as they go along because they literally are. There's no real precedent for most of them TO look to for how else they should be doing things or by which to gauge their own growth. Nobody can give them the answers to the questions they have even just about themselves and their own powers and futures...cuz nobody HAS those answers. Characters and readers alike are literally just waiting to see what omegas come up with or are written coming up with THEMSELVES as the answers to all these questions...because those answers, those rules, that playbook.....will be what someday future omega mutants look for or are given.

But this sparse handful of characters we have here now? First they have to literally invent all that stuff based on their own choices and experiences. They're the forerunners for a niche and unique character archetype, w/nobody but themselves to look to for guidance, cuz like.....even for mutant gods, lol, somebody has to actually come first, in order for others to follow in their footsteps later.

And out of all of them - cuz of her own history even before the emergence of the omega mutant concept - Storm is pretty much the character who has more of that kind of unique experience and perspective than anyone else, even other omegas. Which to my mind makes her an obvious, natural fit to show initiative in shaping and guiding her fellow omega mutants into something more cohesive, something rooted in their shared experiences and what it means to be omega mutants, beyond what little they have to define themselves as such now. Which is pretty much just a scientific taxonomy style blurb about unlimited potential and power, lol.

Someone who out of all of them, can step up and say (and make the others listen):

"I know what you're going through, because I've been there. I can tell when you're feeling overwhelmed by what you did or its implications or what you're capable of…and I can only tell b/c I know what it looks like when I feel those things. For most of our respective histories, we’ve never had ppl to share that with, to compare notes with, who might understand, so we've just gone through it all on our own in silence, hoping for the best and picking up the pieces when that wasn't good enough. But now we have something we didn't before, that can make everything different: a group of us all going through the same things, making the same journey, and a chance to figure out our answers to our as yet unasked questions...together. As a whole that's greater than the sum of our parts. A circuit of omega mutant life experiences and guesswork, all synergized to work together in pursuit of answering the single most important question of any and all our lives, with it having more potential to affect the future of our people, humanity and the universe itself than any other question: What can we become?"

Like, the point is…if there ARE stories to be told about mutant godhood, a pantheon of omegas…Storm’s still the natural choice to pave the way there, because out of all of them, only she’s been living in two worlds - one where she knows she’s only human, and one where she knows ppl are looking at her and seeing divinity - since she was a child.

[butterflykyss]

My problem isn't with Bobby, it's with the writers, the way they treat Storm Iceman about deities is different (I know they've both had a hard time) but it infuriates me that Xoffice has an easier time accepting and approving the Iceman's divinity (which is also very underdeveloped), than Storm (without telling the stories with the damn Stormcaster)

I've also read a few times from the X Mens Fandom itself that Iceman was more God than Storm, for being "immortal" and being more powerful (haters lol)



I read it in a Brazilian article, but in the last issue of Marauders #27, it shows that Bobby is adventuring, to test his powers, discovering his limits, in Niffleheim (if I'm not mistaken, realm of the Frost Giants), and in a comic a little old it is said that Bobby in the future he will take Ymir's place.

I do vaguely recall them linking Bobby to the frost giants. can't remember the exact place i read this though. how they would tie Bobby to the frost giants is beyond me but im certain it would require a huge rercon.

[butterflykyss]

So there ARE elements of potential godhood to stories about omegas, if Marvel ever wanted to go the route of like, building a pantheon of mutant gods....BUT I fully believe even in that sort of scenario, Storm should play THE key role in LEADING the others to that kind of development because of the intersection of niches she's always occupied. And I don't think there's any other omega who could pull it off the same way.

A potentially interesting thing about omegas is the idea of mortals ascending to godhood is a fairly old one, obvsly - many cultures have myths about heroes who go to live among the gods and become gods themselves. BUT, most myths like those take for granted that these mortals only go on to ASCEND to godhood AFTER their mortal lives are over. Or else from the moment they DO ascend to godhood, they immediately leave to live among gods, they stop living as a mortal.

And of stories about gods living among mortals, like Thor, these gods' time among mortals is treated as just one experience among many in their long lives as gods. Their identities are firmly established as gods before they ever live among mortals. They already feel defined in their own divinity and this isn't changed just by whatever they feel/learn while living among mortals.

In contrast, omega mutants fall into this narrative niche, but also they DON'T. They break it in a way I've never seen explored elsewhere...cuz these few characters are ones who are almost or are outright deified by virtue of their power....AS mortals.

What I mean is, they're unique b/c of the way they straddle the line between mortal and divine, BUT without that line ever coming with a clearly defined before and after, like tales of mortals who ascend to godhood. For most omega mutants, there is no singular moment of ascension. They're effectively living gods (in terms of power, not worship, a key difference) who started out mortal but w/out ever fully getting to BE mortal, to have the life experiences of living as a mortal human being without the power, expectations and responsibilities of godhood....because they have all those things even AS mortals. That line is blurred for them in ways it isn’t for anyone else. Beings inherently born into two worlds, the mortal and at least a facsimile of the divine, but without ever fully being of either world because there's no point for them at which they're not at least still partially of the other.

Yet this isn't an abnormality for them, this isn't an unnatural state that falls outside the normal narrative confines because of some weird plot twist…cuz for these characters and their core concept, this IS natural for them. They're just born this way and go through life leveling up with their powers and feats and miracles as tho they just have growth spurts for their powers the same way they have them for their bodies as they age. This combo platter of mortal life and living godhood isn't breaking any rules, its just the usual rules don't apply to this fairly new small subset of characters for whom a kind of apotheosis is a natural organic process that literally starts at their births. Because this is just their life, not a myth about ascending to divinity that's created or shared because its an aspirational tale of heroism and the reward of living on in legends; not a story about a god banished to live among mortals to learn a lesson about humility or the price of power.

Like, all of those things do fall into the character arcs of more than one omega mutant, but the key thing that makes them such an interesting narrative niche IMO is none of those things are part of their character arcs BECAUSE of their godlike power or potential. Nor is said power/potential something they develop BECAUSE of their specific actions, life lessons learned, etc. They're just characters for whom the experiences of being human and the experiences of being literally, symbolically or metaphorically deified either in a narrative or the eyes of other characters…like, it all goes hand in hand for them. Its all intertwined, no separating any single strand of it from another.

Their natural life journey and character arc is just…trying to figure out how to go through life as imperfect, fallible people with no more inherent knowledge or rightness of purpose than what their own life experiences naturally grant them. While at the same time trying to figure out how to go through life as nigh all powerful, unlimited beings who feel the weight of worlds on them, the crushing expectations of ppl always looking at them to lead, to guide, to fix, to KNOW, because that's what gods do and ppl don't know how to look at beings capable of doing the things they can do and NOT see divinity. But even tho they have the look or power that comes with godhood...they don't actually have the surety of divine right guiding their actions or decision making, the experience or certainty accumulated over having lived thousands of lifetimes. Don't have the emotional distance divine characters are often cited as having b/c their inhuman, godly perspective on time, space & mortality allows them a kind of disconnect when doing things that will affect everyone on a planet, helps them view those things as needing to happen for a greater good no matter how they affect singular human lives...versus having trouble doing those things no matter how necessary they might be, because they can't reconcile that necessity with how specific human lives will be impacted.

Point is…they're all just making 'how to be an omega mutant' up as they go along, just coming up with what they think is best each time a new moral wrinkle presents itself to them. Cuz unlike other stories about characters who straddle the worlds of both mortality and divinity or show a character adjusting to a new paradigm based on a fundamental shift in their nature (an ascension to godhood or a demotion to mortality)...the difference here is for omegas, not knowing the answer isn't because someone is hiding it or refusing to share it in order to teach a lesson. When frustrated cuz its like they don't know what the rules are for having the kind of power they do and no idea if they're using it the right way....in their case, it isn't because they're not asking the right questions to the right people or just haven't leveled up yet to being granted access to the playbook.

For omegas, those aspects of their character arcs are simply because for them, THERE IS NO PLAYBOOK. Its like they're all making it up as they go along because they literally are. There's no real precedent for most of them TO look to for how else they should be doing things or by which to gauge their own growth. Nobody can give them the answers to the questions they have even just about themselves and their own powers and futures...cuz nobody HAS those answers. Characters and readers alike are literally just waiting to see what omegas come up with or are written coming up with THEMSELVES as the answers to all these questions...because those answers, those rules, that playbook.....will be what someday future omega mutants look for or are given.

But this sparse handful of characters we have here now? First they have to literally invent all that stuff based on their own choices and experiences. They're the forerunners for a niche and unique character archetype, w/nobody but themselves to look to for guidance, cuz like.....even for mutant gods, lol, somebody has to actually come first, in order for others to follow in their footsteps later.

And out of all of them - cuz of her own history even before the emergence of the omega mutant concept - Storm is pretty much the character who has more of that kind of unique experience and perspective than anyone else, even other omegas. Which to my mind makes her an obvious, natural fit to show initiative in shaping and guiding her fellow omega mutants into

"I know what you're going through, because I've been there. I can tell when you're feeling overwhelmed by what you did or its implications or what you're capable of…and I can only tell b/c I know what it looks like when I feel those things. For most of our respective histories, we’ve never had ppl to share that with, to compare notes with, who might understand, so we've just gone through it all on our own in silence, hoping for the best and picking up the pieces when that wasn't good enough. But now we have something we didn't before, that can make everything different: a group of us all going through the same things, making the same journey, and a chance to figure out our answers to our as yet unasked questions...together. As a whole that's greater than the sum of our parts. A circuit of omega mutant life experiences and guesswork, all synergized to work together in pursuit of answering the single most important question of any and all our lives, with it having more potential to affect the future of our people, humanity and the universe itself than any other question: What can we become?"

Like, the point is…if there ARE stories to be told about mutant godhood, a pantheon of omegas…Storm’s still the natural choice to pave the way there, because out of all of them, only she’s been living in two worlds - one where she knows she’s only human, and one where she knows ppl are looking at her and seeing divinity - since she was a child.

I think there is a distinction between mutant power and divinity. adversary explained this long ago back in uncanny. omega power albeit super powerful still operates within the natural aspects of reality. it wouldn't or shouldn't affect energies of divine nature in any way:

[BobbysWorld]

Oh for sure. That's why I drew the distinction between godlike power versus having acts of worship. I'm not attempting to treat them as interchangeable, just saying that even just approaching omega level mutants as beings of godlike power conceptually, in the context of just the kinds of expectations, responsibilities and optics that go hand in hand with that level of power, like, there's still built in room for Storm to take a lead focal position in stories exploring that kinda angle, given how much of her life has been defined by balancing all of those things from a very young age.

[Subliminally]

Read The Marvels. After Storm was KOed and revived this is pretty much all she had to say

But I think the other victim here is Iron Man. Baby it's struggle city when that armor gets fried and you've only got 1 working repulser ray.

[jwatson]

Bobbyworld this is a response to your post but quoting it would have made the character count to long and i don't like editing someone else's words.


This here. I been pimping a mutant pantheon for awhile. LOL i mean every other species has one including the shiar, asgardians , and so on so mutants should have one. I am so in love with the idea of Storm's divinity playing into whatever circuits she creates which imo hickman did hint on by saying even beyong her weather powers her place was invocation when it came to the circuit with the cuckoos and trinary and the president has already been set that the more circuits work together like the five who resurrect it becomes easier and they become more in sync and tend to hang out so imagine this with omegas and one with divinity to boot. It is a really interesting concept i thought they were going to touch on in this era as hickman did lay some crumbs perhaps ewing may be the one to bring it to life as the hint for red is Storm thinks they need more than a queen. Mar's has no gods right now.

[jwatson]

Read The Marvels. After Storm was KOed and revived this is pretty much all she had to say

But I think the other victim here is Iron Man. Baby it's struggle city when that armor gets fried and you've only got 1 working repulser ray.

And i still LOVED it. lol. Am i going to have to do a cersei walk of shame?

I mean she is literally more effective outdoors. *wank wank wank I mean i don't want a building falling on me or earth.

[Reigna]

Read The Marvels. After Storm was KOed and revived this is pretty much all she had to say

But I think the other victim here is Iron Man. Baby it's struggle city when that armor gets fried and you've only got 1 working repulser ray.

I think you are mistaken my dear I only see drizzle talking. That must be storms cousin from the fox xmen franchise. She needs open air to do stuff basic stuff.

[Reigna]

And i still LOVED it. lol. Am i going to have to do a cersei walk of shame?

I mean she is literally more effective outdoors. *wank wank wank I mean i don't want a building falling on me or earth.

Yes fam sorry.

But really I get it. I was prepared for this dry fast aside the crumbs we got in black panther there are no storm stories coming out till April. Hence I why I understand why some would enjoy seeing her just be present in something. Also you might like some of the cast aero and warbird are pretty cool. I love black cat too.

[Subliminally]

And i still LOVED it. lol. Am i going to have to do a cersei walk of shame?

I mean she is literally more effective outdoors. *wank wank wank I mean i don't want a building falling on me or earth.

LMAO! Never that, Jwat.

But I do think that most of them would be more effective outside which to his credit I'm glad Busiek had Aero agree. I'd also throw Torch in that group too.

Obviously we know Storm is perfectly capable of using her powers in small spaces. Hell I'm sure you know her feats better than I do so I wont insult you by posting scans of her operating in tighter spaces than this.

[Subliminally]

I think you are mistaken my dear I only see drizzle talking. That must be storms cousin from the fox xmen franchise. She needs open air to do stuff basic stuff.

Lool. When Lightning Lass has to tap out.

Well playing devil's advocate she did say open air allowed her to be "far more effective". While not entirely accurate to what we've seen in the past, it's not like that excuse hasn't been used before to limit her power for the plot.

Astonishing X-Men #26 by Warren Ellis.




I'd also point out that either as a running gag or just "for some reason" she was incapable of lifting Wolverine with the rest of the team because he was too heavy. I tend to lean more towards the gag since Armor also teased him about gaining weight from the mass amounts of beer he drank.

[Subliminally]

Yes fam sorry.

But really I get it. I was prepared for this dry fast aside the crumbs we got in black panther there are no storm stories coming out till April. Hence I why I understand why some would enjoy seeing her just be present in something. Also you might like some of the cast aero and warbird are pretty cool. I love black cat too.

I need her and Storm to team up. Like please!

[jwatson]

LMAO! Never that, Jwat.

But I do think that most of them would be more effective outside which to his credit I'm glad Busiek had Aero agree. I'd also throw Torch in that group too.

Obviously we know Storm is perfectly capable of using her powers in small spaces. Hell I'm sure you know her feats better than I do so I wont insult you by posting scans of her operating in tighter spaces than this.

I mean i'm not saying she couldn't pull some stuff off in that space that took everyone else out. All i'm saying is she is literally more effective in open space. like literally in the most literal of sense. like more wind, more range, more boom pow and less restraint. ^_^ im a good wanker. lol

I mean at least he didn't have aero in the next panel turn around and whip out hurrican force winds. I really can't fault it. But the lightning, even i can't wank that.

[HeraldOfStorm]

as much as I didn't want Storm to be present in AXE I don't know how the Regent of Sol can escapes this conflict... I think at least we'll have an issue where she will have the focus, probably will have a one of the main fights in with some eternal... Gillen dont let me down again.

[jwatson]

as much as I didn't want Storm to be present in AX I don't know how the Regent of Sol can escapes this conflict... I think at least we'll have an issue where she will have the focus, probably will have a one of the main fights in with some eternal... Gillen dont let me down again.

I just am saving my energy on that. I will wait to see what others say and decide based on the energy i feel at the time but never say never. I do still think gillien is a good writer personally but it's also okay to know not everything is for you if it takes your mind to ideas you'd rather not live in or a space that requires more energy to get through than enjoy.

His doc alphra and vader are the only time i've read star wars comics so it's very much just a so far the story doesn't speak to me personally. I'm not saying it will be bad or is inherently a bad thing but i do think the deviant thing definitely sends a bad message and gives both sides ammo in a sense and a reason to be angry or to provoke and seems pointless.