Originally Posted by
BobbysWorld
I get what you're saying and I don't think I agree when it comes to Xavier and David's relationship, but this does segue into an actual really big problem I have with Spurrier's work, and his whole attempted take on restorative justice, and the fact that he does NOT apply it equally.
Let me explain:
I'm a big believer in the idea that forgiveness has to be a choice, for it to have any power. Not an expectation. And what that means, in practical terms, is that we DO have to sometimes have stories and characters that choose NOT to forgive. And I'm actually totally fine with David's clear feelings towards his father and resentment of him, because a key thing to remember is that READERS may be critical as hell of Xavier, but in universe? (At least before the events of today's Sabretooth issue, lol). Like, Xavier's reputation for most of David's life has flat out NOT reflected the kind of man Charles continually chooses to be when it comes to David. For years David's lived with seeing his father hailed as a near saint-like figure for his work on behalf of every mutant who ISN'T him, while this man flat out tells him he would argue for him not to be resurrected, to be denied the same opportunities Charles fights to give every single other mutant. For David's entire history, Xavier has over and over treated him as damaged and dangerous, rather than take risks or leaps of faith in him the way he's been willing to give even some of his biggest enemies. And David's his SON. I think its absolutely valid for David to NEVER get over the fact that Xavier's more willing to sit down at the table with the likes of Sinister and Apocalypse than he's willing to extend the benefit of the doubt to his own son.
Like, as far as I'm concerned, every single thing David's ever said about his father is valid, and he's got more than enough reason to bad-mouth him at any available opportunity. The thing is, Legion HAS been shown giving Xavier the benefit of the doubt FAR more often than the reverse has ever been true. He's tried over and over to be what his father wants, or to get his acceptance or love, and the best he ever seems to manage is occasionally getting his father's pity. Its not David's responsibility to continually try and take the high road with his dad when his dad always defaults back to assuming the worst of him.
(And frankly, Xavier is ableist as **** when it comes to his son. Waaaaay too many writers have written Xavier acting like its inconceivable to think that there could ever be any kind of future where David is healthy or happy, and when your own dad, who will absolutely go to bat for even the slightest chance for literally every other mutant who's ever lived to have a bright, hopeful future....when that same man has spent your entire life looking at you like you're a lost cause because you're that perfect combo of 'too crazy' and 'too dangerous' for him to act like you 'deserve' that same championing....its gonna be an eternal Yikes from me, y'know? That's waaaaay too close to how too many families treat their disabled or neurodivergent kids, PARTICULARLY supposedly progressive parents who say all the right things when it comes to everyone else's kids.....but who still see their own kids as a reflection of themselves and their parenting, and so are more likely to act like their kids are a stain on their otherwise great reputation instead of like....their children, who they are supposed to be advocating and fighting for).
So like, I'm fine with Spurrier writing David as just being DONE with his dad, and fed up with his hypocrisy and not interested in giving him the benefit of the doubt anymore. By all means, have David unwilling to accept being treated like he's the problem in their relationship when quite frankly, Xavier's never put as much effort into having a relationship with his son as Legion has, and Xavier's the PARENT there. That characterization is earned, IMO, and David's choices there are things I can totally understand and empathize with.
The problem I have though, with Spurrier's overall approach to the power dynamics between the harmful and the harmed, who gets to hold a grudge and who doesn't, his approach to restorative justice, etc....
Is that its very problematic IMO, how willing he is to uphold David's grudge against his father as righteous and understandable, something he's ALLOWED to maintain as his status quo whether its 'what's best for him' or not.....
While at the same time, Spurrier does NOT apply that same energy to characters like Lost holding similar grudges against, oh idk, people who murdered her parents.
And quite frankly, I DO think the difference comes down to the race of the characters, and other marginalizations. Throughout Spurrier's work, not just in the current era but in all his comics I've read, he DOES consistently play around with themes of accountability and responsibility, forgiveness vs the right to refuse to forgive when the person who did the harm shows no interest in changing, apologizing or even asking or thinking they NEED forgiveness.
And there's a very clear difference between what characters Spurrier upholds as being ALLOWED to resent those that did them harm, who GETS to hold grudges or refuse to dole out forgiveness....and which characters are treated by the narrative as 'needing to get over it' for the greater good, or because they're self-harming by not letting go of the past or refusing to accept that some people will just never allow you to hold them accountable or take the blame for their actions.
And that bothers me. A lot. To be clear, I don't think Spurrier makes that distinction out of malice, or even intentionally. I'm fairly certain he doesn't even realize this IS a pattern in his work. But there is a long, long history in our media of straight white characters being validated in holding on to injustices that've been done to them, and refusing to forgive people who have hurt them, versus marginalized characters or abuse/sexual assault survivors, any character who occupies a position regarded as 'weaker' in society.....instead being constantly centered in narratives that insist or take for granted that they HAVE to forgive and forget for their own good and that of everyone else, that its not even a question.
So yeah, like, I'm fine with David bitching about Xavier. He's earned it. Xavier needs to take his lumps there, or finally commit to doing better by his son and sticking to that for longer than a single story arc. But I'm gonna continue to side-eye the **** out of Spurrier if it continues to ONLY be his white characters who get the luxury of having their forgiveness being seen as their choice to make, rather than an expectation the narrative demands of them.....all while characters like Lost just so happen to be the ones chosen to star in the forgiveness parables that end with her expected to be colleagues with her parents' murderer, without her ever seeming to get a similar chance to badmouth those who've done HER harm, every time they're on page together.
I'm just saying, its a very noticeable pattern, once you look for it. And its really NOT a good look for a book that's supposedly all about social issues, societal reform, and accountability and reparations.