Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain Appreciation 2022

[Wiccan]

She did a lot of character work for Betsy. Turning her into Captain Britain, exploring her relationship with Brian, with Saturnyne, with Otherworld and Britain. With alternate versions of herself, old teammates. Addressing and making a story out of all the issues surrounding her body, the bodyswap, Kwannon. Even some things people missed like more physical fighting and use of the butterfly eventually made in.

But most people in this thread, even if they won't admit it, care more about her just being "badass" and cool than anything. And that's not to go there.

[Rnap22]

She did a lot of character work for Betsy. Turning her into Captain Britain, exploring her relationship with Brian, with Saturnyne, with Otherworld and Britain. With alternate versions of herself, old teammates. Addressing and making a story out of all the issues surrounding her body, the bodyswap, Kwannon. Even some things people missed like more physical fighting and use of the butterfly eventually made in.

But most people in this thread, even if they won't admit it, care more about her just being "badass" and cool than anything. And that's not to go there.

Betsy was Badass before the body swap during most of her time on the team. Badass doesn’t alway mean winning or physical fights.

[Wiccan]

Betsy was Badass before the body swap during most of her time on the team. Badass doesn’t alway mean winning or physical fights.

Well, she had a bunch of badass moments on Excalibur, especially if you're not considering only fights. But it wasn't enough because...?

[CGAR]

The only good bad ass recognizable Betsy moment was when she punked Arthur but then the next issue after that basically made it not matter.

Everything else happened around her.

[MentalManipulator]

She did a lot of character work for Betsy. Turning her into Captain Britain, exploring her relationship with Brian, with Saturnyne, with Otherworld and Britain. With alternate versions of herself, old teammates. Addressing and making a story out of all the issues surrounding her body, the bodyswap, Kwannon. Even some things people missed like more physical fighting and use of the butterfly eventually made in.

But most people in this thread, even if they won't admit it, care more about her just being "badass" and cool than anything. And that's not to go there.

I completely agree she put great effort in exploring many aspects of Betsy's lore. The problem I have is that I just feel Tini's Betsy just feel a little bit boring. She doesn't have, for me, a great personality. It just does not feel I'm reading the same character you know? Apart some minor cases here and there in recent issues.

But I'm hopeful to see what's coming next. I just wish she had a better costume that also made her look more like the character I fell in love with in the 80's issues.

[Rnap22]

She did a lot of character work for Betsy. Turning her into Captain Britain, exploring her relationship with Brian, with Saturnyne, with Otherworld and Britain. With alternate versions of herself, old teammates. Addressing and making a story out of all the issues surrounding her body, the bodyswap, Kwannon. Even some things people missed like more physical fighting and use of the butterfly eventually made in.

But most people in this thread, even if they won't admit it, care more about her just being "badass" and cool than anything. And that's not to go there.

Turning her into CB is a name and costume change. She explored some of her relationship with Brian, but Saturnyne she dropped the ball. She made Saturnyne hate her for becoming CB and not Brian. The one time we could have gotten some actual relationship between those two women, she jumped ahead and we saw none of what transpired. She helped start the kingdom of Otherworld (which credit to her, I’m interested in), but we barely scratched the surface. I feel like there’s NO chemistry between old teammates, who most are like family. She’s pushed this Rachel thing and it’s awkward and forced while really ignoring the relationships she’s had with Rogue, Jubilee and Gambit.

The body swap issues handled Kwannon in more favorable light and made Betsy look childish. It also was more of a story for Malice.

Her bad ass moments were when she used her TP to give Arthur notice. When she returned to Otherworld to fight. And when she stood up to Xavier in regards to Malice. Other than that, her Betsy has been bratty, spoiled and incompetent at times.

That’s my opinion. You’re entitled to yours. This is a different Betsy for sure. Even in her earliest issues of Uncanny, she was made of stronger stuff and just seemed that she just wanted to be more of a warrior/fighter. She never had any body dismorphia issues. That was created by Leah. I think the best of addressing it was her getting ready for the Gala and the clothes didn’t fit right anymore because they were not made for her OG body (which was a great point, except Betsy has been in her own body for a bit, so where was she keeping these clothes?).

[Psycwave]

Queenie

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comi...-of-mutantkind

[Wiccan]

Turning her into CB is a name and costume change. She explored some of her relationship with Brian, but Saturnyne she dropped the ball. She made Saturnyne hate her for becoming CB and not Brian. The one time we could have gotten some actual relationship between those two women, she jumped ahead and we saw none of what transpired. She helped start the kingdom of Otherworld (which credit to her, I’m interested in), but we barely scratched the surface. I feel like there’s NO chemistry between old teammates, who most are like family. She’s pushed this Rachel thing and it’s awkward and forced while really ignoring the relationships she’s had with Rogue, Jubilee and Gambit.

The body swap issues handled Kwannon in more favorable light and made Betsy look childish. It also was more of a story for Malice.

Her bad ass moments were when she used her TP to give Arthur notice. When she returned to Otherworld to fight. And when she stood up to Xavier in regards to Malice. Other than that, her Betsy has been bratty, spoiled and incompetent at times.

That’s my opinion. You’re entitled to yours. This is a different Betsy for sure. Even in her earliest issues of Uncanny, she was made of stronger stuff and just seemed that she just wanted to be more of a warrior/fighter. She never had any body dismorphia issues. That was created by Leah. I think the best of addressing it was her getting ready for the Gala and the clothes didn’t fit right anymore because they were not made for her OG body (which was a great point, except Betsy has been in her own body for a bit, so where was she keeping these clothes?).

It would be just a costume and name change if she changed from Psylocke to any other random identity. But Captain Britain is a mantle and a role that means something in-story. Most of what happens in the book depends on Betsy being Captain Britain.

The fact that the relationship with Saturnyne was antagonistic doesn't mean that it wasn't developed? It just wasn't what you would've liked.

I think the body swap situation was treated a lot more fairly here. It's acknowledged that Betsy isn't the one responsable for what happened to them and was a victim too. While books like Fallen Angel and Hellions acted like she was the one who went and body-snatched Kwannon or whatever.

It was a Malice plot, yes, but Malice is used as a parallel for Betsy and Kwannon. Betsy can empathize with Malice due to what happened to her, and she's the one who pushes for her to get a second chance. Her allowing another woman to finally be herself in her own body instead of inhabiting others is a significant thing for her when you think about it.

About the body dismorphia thing: Yeah Leah went with the idea that Betsy liked being in Kwannon's body more than her own... But I don't think that this narrative was continued in Excalibur? I can't remember any time where she expressed something like this. I'm not thinking about specific scenes but I get the feeling that if anything she comes across as relieved to be back to herself, like she did in the MIM mini. The moment you mention doesn't imply anything about her feeling better in Kwannon's skin, it's just a little awkward thing that would happen in this situation. And she was looking for something to wear in a Gala, which she hasn't attended since she went back to her body. Plus with the sliding timescale, it has probably been less than a year since it.

[CGAR]

Ok this cover got me excited but then I remember the TH Betsy dialogue.

[PoP]

Queenie

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comi...-of-mutantkind

wow that is a really cool cover! i don't want her to date Rachel, but she'll be a nice change in the cast.

[Saithor]

My prediction borrowed from another: This series will end up with Betsy’s secret daughter with one of her brothers done while under mind control killing her after stealing Rachael away.

We’ll see where this goes. I can at least attempt to pretend Excalibur didn’t happen. Give it a clean slate

[Psycwave]

I will say it also looks like her color scheme has changed? Since she’s not protecting Britain anymore the Union Jack colors seem to be gone and she’s sporting the black/gold/red of Avalon like Brian. Could just be a coloring error but the only other things that are blue (Shogo and the flowers in her hair) very much give off a blue feel.

[Saithor]

I will say it also looks like her color scheme has changed? Since she’s not protecting Britain anymore the Union Jack colors seem to be gone and she’s sporting the black/gold/red of Avalon like Brian. Could just be a coloring error but the only other things that are blue (Shogo and the flowers in her hair) very much give off a blue feel.

Might be the light of the book. We'll see in...3, 4 months? How long are we stuck with the Canadian again?

[JB]

I will say it also looks like her color scheme has changed? Since she’s not protecting Britain anymore the Union Jack colors seem to be gone and she’s sporting the black/gold/red of Avalon like Brian. Could just be a coloring error but the only other things that are blue (Shogo and the flowers in her hair) very much give off a blue feel.

Yeah I'm getting kind of a chain mail feel to her costume on this cover. I'm definitely digging it.

[MentalManipulator]

This cover looks really pretty. I wish he was the artist doing the interiors as well.

I need to see more of her costume but I feel I already like it better. Seems less clunky and the colour scheme more muted.