I AM The X-Men - Cyclops Appreciation 2023

[AJpyro]

Thanks, you just reminded me of the fanfic "Firebirds" by Antiochene.

Think I am going to have to spend my afternoon reading it now.

One of the best Cyclops fanfics ever.

[xiyon]

One of the best Cyclops fanfics ever.

Not just Cyke. It depicted everyone involved well-- even the Shi'Ar. Best retelling ever.

[TheDeadSpace]

Is the fanfic that good? Might give it a look considering the current lack of content.

[Fokken]

Thanks, you just reminded me of the fanfic "Firebirds" by Antiochene.

Think I am going to have to spend my afternoon reading it now.

LOOOOOOOVE that fic.
Omg all the Summers really SING in that fic. Scott! Nathan! Rachel! Hope!

[AJpyro]

Is the fanfic that good? Might give it a look considering the current lack of content.

It has Rachel mentoring and help Hope and NAthan before the AvX debacle.

[Neocide]

Covers are so misleading, on the bright side, that fanfic is amazing.

Also I think it's like a secondary mutation now, but it's like Writers just use Cyclops to be a punching bag, checked out the avengers annual for Scott's part, he's basically used to make Captain marvel feel good about blasting him. I don't understand what the mandate is in that event to just keep having carol **** on Scott.

Has she always had a grind against him? I'm liked confused it feels super personal.

[Gray Lensman]

Covers are so misleading, on the bright side, that fanfic is amazing.

Also I think it's like a secondary mutation now, but it's like Writers just use Cyclops to be a punching bag, checked out the avengers annual for Scott's part, he's basically used to make Captain marvel feel good about blasting him. I don't understand what the mandate is in that event to just keep having carol **** on Scott.

Has she always had a grind against him? I'm liked confused it feels super personal.

I thought that was chaos magic making people angry enough that they ended up fighting, which, while being "a wizard did it" level plot device, is still more explanation than is typically given when heroes start punching each other.

[maxi_miceli]

spoilers:

So, the cover and solicitation were just bait, the jailbreak is happening next issue, another month waiting for something to happen. Cyclops was barely in the issue at all I hope that at least the variant cover for next issue means something and he fights his way out. And/or that we get a nod to X-men 70 with the bomb in his chest, contrasting his current situation with the former and the difference with most of the team, and Jean specifically, not being there this time

end of spoilers

[Havok83]

Scott was on the cover to X-men 27 but if you were expecting it to be a showcase issue for him, you'd be disappointed. He does absolutely nothing per usual

[Kal-El Summers]

Expected no less from Duggan, honestly.

[Gray Lensman]

Expected no less from Duggan, honestly.

Expecting less from Duggan is a pretty safe bet, it's when you expect more from him that you get into trouble.

[AJpyro]

I got what I expected. See y'all in the restructuring.

[xiyon]

spoilers:

So, the cover and solicitation were just bait, the jailbreak is happening next issue, another month waiting for something to happen. Cyclops was barely in the issue at all I hope that at least the variant cover for next issue means something and he fights his way out. And/or that we get a nod to X-men 70 with the bomb in his chest, contrasting his current situation with the former and the difference with most of the team, and Jean specifically, not being there this time

end of spoilers

Oh. What a shame. I am so disappointed. Who could have expected this?

Heh.

There's a part of me that occasionally wonders if Marvel / X-Office are actively doing their damnest to erase Utopia!Clops and Right!Clops. 'Cause no way they're oblivious to how the other characters are written now.

#ItsOnlyWrongWhenCyclopsDoesIt

[maxi_miceli]

Oh. What a shame. I am so disappointed. Who could have expected this?

Honestly, thinking about it, the clue was right there, I spent the last week annoyed that they had chosen Noto to draw a chapter with a jailbreak, his art goes great for issues that are low paced and have little to no violence, not so much for action scenes. And he was chosen correctly for the chapter (I'm still annoyed that they keep drawing Scott with the suit in perfect condition when he should be drawn like in the cover of the issue, otherwise it implies that someone in Orchis mended his suit for some reason)
At least knowing that next issue is drawn by Caselli ensures that the jailbreak is actually happening

[Gray Lensman]

Let's try and get back to it here.....

Emma shifted to her diamond form and prepared for the onslaught of the Hand, but before her shift was complete the other woman had rushed into combat, sword flashing in and out, every stroke a lethal one. "No you fool! He'll mimic..." Her words trailed off as she saw Taskmaster's hands reach up to his head as he convulsed and fell to the ground. She ran over, not bothering to check on her temporary companion.

She removed Taskmaster's skull mask only to see his eyes were rolled back into his head and his mouth was foaming. She crushed his telepathic dampener with her enhanced strength before shifting back to her normal form and tried to probe his mind, pulling back almost immediately. Somehow, trying to duplicate the style of his adversary was too much, and it had overloaded him. There wasn't anymore she could determine before being at risk of ending up like him. She looked up at the dark haired woman "Who, or what, are you?"

"More than he could handle, Queen of the Knitting Circle." The mocking had returned. "I have what I need. I leave the rest to you and your needles."

For Emma, the mocking over the Hellfire Club being so little had finally made her lose composure, and she shouted into the darkness the other woman was fading into "And what about you? What are you the Queen of?"

The reply came in a whisper. "Shadows...."

--------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, a metallic egg streaks down at near supersonic speed only to halt suddenly before crashing into the vestibule of a nondescript building in the French Quarter. It appears to melt rather than open, revealing three women who step out. Jean Grey, Lorna Dane, and Meghan Gwynn look around, and approach the front door, which opens before they can knock.

A dark skinned man with graying hair is in the doorway. "I suppose I should thank you for not crashing into the sidewalk. What is it you wish of Brother Voodoo?"

Polaris answers while the other two are still processing what was said before she launched the cocoon from Krakoa. "I need you to verify what this one saw, if possible." She gestured towards Pixie.

"I presume this is urgent?" He was already moving out of the doorway and motioning them to enter.

"I thought we would be seeing someone else." Jean said, still processing Pixie's last words.

"They'd be watching for us to go there. Mr. Drumm is easily as accomplished as anyone other than Strange, and I don't think the difference is all that much. Plus, no one seems to remember that fact." Polaris turned from Jean to Voodoo. "If we link you to a memory, can you use any mystic senses on what she saw? Or at least verify it?"

"I won't be able to see anything she didn't, I'm afraid." He continued "But I will be able to interpret better. A matter of experience and training you don't have yet, young one."

"I don't want to believe it." Jean said.

Meghan immediately blurted out in response "I can prove it!"

"Enough!" Chided the older man. "Link us so I can see her memories."

Jean concentrated and nodded that the link was done.

Pixie didn't start with the memory they were expecting. "This is Rachel. This is Bishop. This is Rasputin. They all have an aura that is slightly off, like anyone not from here and now has. Cable's is a strange blend, that doesn't seem to match..."

"Nathan was born in this timeline, but was sent to the future because we didn't have the ability to deal with his infection here." Jean filled in the blanks

"Which explains the oddity, but that isn't why you are here, is it?" Voodoo asked

"No, when Lorna was talking to some weird version of Mr. Summers...well....I scanned with mystical senses and got some weird stuff" Pixie continued.

Voodoo's voice picked up in interest as the proper memory came into view "I see...you saw more than you understand, child. He does belong to this world, but the really interesting thing is the additional auras you picked up on his head and back. It shouldn't be possible."

"What shouldn't be possible?" Lorna wanted to get all of the information possible now that more seemed to have been gathered.

He continued "These are from runic tattoos. It takes a decade or more to prepare just one, yet here are two in place on a mortal, and advanced ones at that. I can only identify the first, the second is....it will take some research, but it likely took a lifetime to prepare, so I can't figure out how he even has it."

Jean interjected "So he must have been altered by someone very old. This isn't him....not really."

"You don't understand, Miss Grey. Creating runic magic involves very complicated formulas that involve the subject being marked - that lifetime of research couldn't start until your Scott was present. When it will be done, where, what season, who, what intention...Runic magic is only truly understood by immortals, and...I'm so stunned by the second rune I forget to explain the first. The first protects the mind of the person it is on. I doubt even your considerable power could force this man to act contrary to his own will, no matter how you boost it. Maybe not even the manifestation of Eternity could do so now....THAT is the power of runic magic, and that is the LESSER of the runes on him."

Lorna spoke up while Jean and Meghan were still stunned by what Brother Voodoo had just said "So it would have to be some form of amnesia if he doesn't remember friends and family then?"

"Perhaps. No outside force could do anything....well, no outside force could cause him mental harm after the rune was in place. Perhaps something drastic was done previous, but that couldn't cause a change in Who. He. Is. The rune would prevent it, and it is beyond my power, even when I was Sorcerer Supreme." His voice broke for a moment as something else Meghan had picked up yet not understood "This man has been through the fires of Limbo..."

"Limbo...." Jean's voice trailed off as her face twisted into a mask of rage. "Limbo." She said again, in a voice colder than ice. Mental contact was broken and she burst out the front door and flew into the sky.

"Where's she going, Miss Dane?"

"I think I know where...just....stay here and try to learn something. I hate dealing with exes, especially when they have new loves and I don't." Polaris then flew out after Jean, hoping she could catch her before she started a fight.