Originally Posted by
BobbysWorld
The most interesting takeaway from this issue for me was the stealth twist with Exodus. Like, personally I wasn't hugely impressed by the resolution of the Selene thing mostly just because I found it anticlimactic, but on the other hand I do have to give it to Gillen that it took him all of one page to potentially ignite a huge game-changer for Exodus' character moving forward. And could be key to why Gillen's been hyping Sinister as particularly terrified of Exodus or something he might do or be capable of.
Like, its been long-established that Bennet's powers have an emotional/zeitgeist component, with his already enormous power levels increasing as a direct result of people believing in him and his capabilities. But he's never been previously confirmed to be AWARE of this aspect of his powers, with it usually being something talked about in captions or by others observing him. Its similar to how Gladiator of the Imperial Guard is empowered by his self-confidence....Exodus is augmented by the confidence others have in him.
But TRADITIONALLY, he's always stood in as a proxy for someone else, a leader he's fighting on behalf of. Because Exodus for most of his existence....has always been a follower. Even at times when he's led the Acolytes himself, its always been in the name of Magneto as a figurehead, or while identifying as his 'spiritual successor.' So the faith people have in him and his abilities, even when super-charging him in past battles, has typically been more about the faith they have in him as a champion for someone else's cause.
Even recently, as a confirmed omega-level member of the ruling council of Krakoa.....he's still actively directed and channeled attention towards others on the Council (like Magneto, and now Hope) or Krakoa as a whole. While nominally one of twelve leaders of their nation.....he's never shown any inclination towards wanting to rally people behind HIMSELF specifically. Never thought to ask them to put their faith in HIM rather than in his chosen cause or leader.
But as established by his conversation with Hope in this issue.....according to Gillen's take on him, until now he had no idea that the faith-augmentation aspect of his abilities even existed.
And Hope bringing that directly to his attention is potentially a HUGE catalyst for dramatically shifting his entire character direction.
Because now, for the first time, Exodus - who's spent pretty much his whole life in search of someone to follow, to devote himself and his cause to - has reason to contemplate the very idea of people putting their faith in HIM, personally. He's just been brought face to face with the notion that he has something TANGIBLE to gain by putting himself out there not as a proxy for another leader above him, or as just one of a body of leaders.....but as someone for people to follow DIRECTLY.
Ever since the forming of the Krakoa nation, Exodus has seemingly found a true sense of purpose for himself, and is one hundred percent committed to ensuring the longterm survival and success of the mutant race. And he's just been told that the more people believe in him specifically....the more this translates into literal power that can fuel and augment his already enormous abilities....and thus heighten his ability to fight for that purpose he's found, his own personal intent to see mutants flourish and survive at any cost.
In one single page, Hope just handed the dude who since his inception has ONLY ever really been limited by his lack of personal ambition, his ready willingness to be a right-hand man rather than the man in charge.....
The grand-daddy of all motivations to stop shilling for other people and start putting himself out there as a figurehead and rallying point.
Exodus the loyal follower and Exodus the ambitious leader are two entirely different characters....and we've never truly seen Exodus ever TRY to be the latter before, as its never seemed to be something he's had any interest in. But now that he has a reason to be interested in that? To seek actual followers of his OWN, rather than automatically steering them to follow someone else?
That has the potential to springboard him off in a brand new direction with pretty ginormous implications. Cuz thing is, as far as loyal number two's go...Exodus is GOOD at rallying people behind someone else. He's always been successful at recruiting people to a cause or amassing large followings for someone like Magneto. And there's zero reason to think he couldn't be equally good at doing that on his own behalf too.....if he ever decides to make THAT his focus, instead of always looking for the next mutant messiah to hand out pamphlets on behalf of.
Its also worth noting that Gillen's hyped up Exodus as leading the charge against the Eternals who'll attack Krakoa in Judgment Day.....and Exodus, historically, is one of the only mutants who already have precedence as being able to take on an Eternal like Sersi and fight her to at least a standstill, all by himself. And that was an Exodus at his 'base' power levels.
But an Exodus empowered by millions of Krakoans' faith in his ability to fight for them....
What could HE pull off?