Rachel Summers / Askani / Bright Lady 2023 Appreciation

[Scott402]

So big splash page in Jean Grey #1 where she is remembering her past. Of course there's a couple of shots of Cable but there is no hint of Rachel.

[Devaishwarya]

That's not surprising. While Rachel is her daughter from a future timeline there really isn't any deep emotional or psychological connection or history with her as she has/had with Cable. And they didn't interact significantly during those few times she was actually alive.

[LordAllMIghty]

That's not surprising. While Rachel is her daughter from a future timeline there really isn't any deep emotional or psychological connection or history with her as she has/had with Cable. And they didn't interact significantly during those few times she was actually alive.

True, though I did get a tear when Jean in the White Hot Room was protecting Rachel's soul.

[Askani's Flame]

So big splash page in Jean Grey #1 where she is remembering her past. Of course there's a couple of shots of Cable but there is no hint of Rachel.

I don't think there is an issue here. Outside of baby Nathan, the only two images we get from this splash are with Wi-Fi from Extermination. Which are seminal moments that Jean made a choice in. She chose to be Nathan's parent. She chose to go back in time. She chose to erase their memories. I don't think choosing to reject Rachel, or choosing to accept her, are honestly seminal moments for us or Jean in that it would change the outcome of the world. The only thing I think could have possibly changed the outcome was if she didn't leave Rachel to the wolves at the end of Extermination (as it could have made an impact on either Disassembled or Rosencanny). But otherwise what do you think that moment could have been with Rachel?

That's not surprising. While Rachel is her daughter from a future timeline there really isn't any deep emotional or psychological connection or history with her as she has/had with Cable. And they didn't interact significantly during those few times she was actually alive.

While true, this mini isn't exploring her relationship with Nathan. It's a search in her dying moments on her choices and 'what if' she made a different one to avert what has happened or learn from it. So it makes sense that Rachel isn't featured. And again am that's true, and mostly because Rachel sacrificed herself to allow Scott - Jean - Nate to be a family in the future.

True, though I did get a tear when Jean in the White Hot Room was protecting Rachel's soul.

You mean 811-Jean/Phoenix from Uncanny X-Men 140.5? I mean yes, I agree it was a great moment for that Jean but it doesn't reflect on 616—Jean tbh.

[whitecrown]

I can understand why Rachel wasn't included in the splash page but I would still have liked to have seen her there. Even though they've never spent much time together, Jean's reiterated on multiple occasions how important Rachel is to her so it would be nice to see that in play rather than their relationship being ignored as usual.

If it was Claremont writing, we'd probably see Rachel with Nathan ignored. But Simonson is the one who established Jean as Nathan's mother and Rachel was never a part of Simonson's writing for Jean, minus Days of Future Present, so I can see why she wouldn't consider Rachel a priority.

[Scott402]

I think the moment I would like to see there while she is contemplating her past is how she reacted when she first met Rachel. I'm probably being a little rash with it all but I found it curious she was not in any of it. I think it really shows where Rachel is viewed by the writers and editors.

[whitecrown]

I think the moment I would like to see there while she is contemplating her past is how she reacted when she first met Rachel. I'm probably being a little rash with it all but I found it curious she was not in any of it. I think it really shows where Rachel is viewed by the writers and editors.

I agree, that moment should have been in there especially since Louise Simonson wrote that issue I believe. If not that, then the moment at the end of The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix where Jean and Rachel say goodbye and Rachel asks her to take the Phoenix mantle.

[Scott402]

I agree, that moment should have been in there especially since Louise Simonson wrote that issue I believe. If not that, then the moment at the end of The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix where Jean and Rachel say goodbye and Rachel asks her to take the Phoenix mantle.

You are right therre. When it is revealed that Rachel had been with Cable all along to keep him safe and she tells Jean that she has been there. Should have been there. I guess I just get upset about the total lack of recognition of established history.

[Havok83]

I think its way too early to count Rachel out. The series presumably will go in chronological order and Jean hadnt been introduced to Rachel yet.

[Devaishwarya]

Even in this era...there wasn't any significant connection between Jean and Rachel. In fact, early on when they're all at the Summers House Rachel stands apart. She's there when they all go on a family vacation but again...no in-story interaction of any significance. It really isn't that big a deal for me as I never thought it was that big a deal way back when despite Claremont's emotional dramatics as it was clearly established this 616 isn't Rachel's actual past.

In fact it was always weird to me that Rachel would be so emotionally hung up on this Jean being her mother when clearly she isn't...as 616 Jean was never pregnant and never gave birth. I never understood why Rachel would think that 616 Jean would have the same deep emotional connection to her.

[Havok83]

Even in this era...there wasn't any significant connection between Jean and Rachel. In fact, early on when they're all at the Summers House Rachel stands apart. She's there when they all go on a family vacation but again...no in-story interaction of any significance. It really isn't that big a deal for me as I never thought it was that big a deal way back when despite Claremont's emotional dramatics as it was clearly established this 616 isn't Rachel's actual past.

In fact it was always weird to me that Rachel would be so emotionally hung up on this Jean being her mother when clearly she isn't...as 616 Jean was never pregnant and never gave birth. I never understood why Rachel would think that 616 Jean would have the same deep emotional connection to her.

They did interact in the Trial of Magneto mini at least. Jean asks Rachel to assist her with Magneto.

As far as Rachel and Jean, I guess I would trump that down to trauma that Rachel had when her mother was killed that she never dealt with. She comes to this universe and sees a version of her and irrationally wants a connection but is denied one bc its not the same person. For the most part I think it was handled alright until Claremont returned to the Xmen and used Rachel after Jean died. She seemed to regress and while I appreciated that she got to grieve Jean, she did get a bit annoying with it.

[Askani's Flame]

Even in this era...there wasn't any significant connection between Jean and Rachel. In fact, early on when they're all at the Summers House Rachel stands apart. She's there when they all go on a family vacation but again...no in-story interaction of any significance. It really isn't that big a deal for me as I never thought it was that big a deal way back when despite Claremont's emotional dramatics as it was clearly established this 616 isn't Rachel's actual past.

Yeah for all the touted family core it was really just Wi-Fi, Jean, and Scott. Rachel was given the Meg Griffin edit and appeared in scenes with Jean but they never spoke on panel to each other until AFTER X of Swords in the Cable series. Which was wild because Rachel is sharing information with Cable, who then shares it with Jean instead of Rachel just sharing it with Jean and Cable at the same time. And then Jean needs powerful telepaths to break into the Otherworld but excluded Rachel. Leah was the first to write a decent exchange with them in Trial of Magento and showed them working together, which we seldom see. And then it's been nothing really. Granted they both have been busy.

In fact it was always weird to me that Rachel would be so emotionally hung up on this Jean being her mother when clearly she isn't...as 616 Jean was never pregnant and never gave birth. I never understood why Rachel would think that 616 Jean would have the same deep emotional connection to her.

See I'm less inclined to feel weird about this because of how emotionally and psychologically messed up Rachel was for a while. Imagine losing your mom at a young age (I'm ignoring the trash from Guggenheim right now) and then essentially having the worst things in your life happen to you and your loved ones. Then years later as a teen you suddenly have another chance with almost everyone except the woman that would have been your mom. Then she's alive again and you are conflicted. Do you reach out and make yourself known? Do you hide and suffer knowing you want to embrace this woman but she might not embrace you? We all know what happened and I think both positions were understandable. And I get the deep emotional connection thought from Rachel, as she was getting some from Jean right before and at the wedding. And then Rachel sacrifices herself for Brian and then again for Jean, Nate, and Scott to be a family. The only push back I would offer is that in the time that Rachel was gone, Jean gave Nate Grey a deep connection. And since her return outside of that one Red annual there has not been a lot for Rachel.

[whitecrown]

And since her return outside of that one Red annual there has not been a lot for Rachel.

Even in X-Men Red, Jean seemed to equate Rachel with Laura which always felt strange to me because whereas Jean didn't know Laura, she at least did have a history with Rachel. But she places them in the same boat as both are "daughters" of the two men she's ever loved. It seemed like Jean's interest in Rachel here was more because of her being connected to Scott than Jean feeling she and Rachel were connected.

Ironically enough, a deleted scene from the movie Logan had Laura ask Logan if Jean was her mother. If that scene had made it into the final film, we'd have more media of Jean being Laura's "mother" than ever being Rachel's.

[Sha'ul]

Different Topic:
Do you think we will ever find out Who the Librarian is and why Rachel/Askani has a third Eye? It seems so similar to Doctor Strange his Eye of Agamotto?
Screenshot-2023-05-30-220032.jpg Screenshot 2023-09-05 at 09.00.48.jpg

Also some thoughts on the sacred timeline she is supposed to protect: I think it has something to do with Threshold The first Mutant Society so many eons ago.
I spotted Blaquesmith in the Background of a Threshold panel: timetravel y'all? Screenshot 2023-09-05 at 08.22.56.jpg

[JB]

Different Topic:
Do you think we will ever find out Who the Librarian is and why Rachel/Askani has a third Eye? It seems so similar to Doctor Strange his Eye of Agamotto?
Screenshot-2023-05-30-220032.jpg Screenshot 2023-09-05 at 09.00.48.jpg

Also some thoughts on the sacred timeline she is supposed to protect: I think it has something to do with Threshold The first Mutant Society so many eons ago.
I spotted Blaquesmith in the Background of a Threshold panel: timetravel y'all? Screenshot 2023-09-05 at 08.22.56.jpg

That's an interesting possible link, Threshold. Isn't that where Stryfe currently is or something like that? I've been digging into the Askani lore recently and was just reading Cable #6 (1993) when an Askani sister encounters Stryfe and that's when he learns from her that he's a clone I think. I forgot that Blaquesmith was spotted in Threshold as well.

I think Steve Foxe will be picking up on the librarian and the timeline, third eye and all that. When it was hinted recently that he would be writing her (before he officially confirmed it), it was because a fan asked "the summers family seems to be going thru a very rough time at the start of the fall of x… will we find out how rachel is dealing with what has happened to her family?" Duggan responded that Steve Foxe will be in touch about that. Those Cable issues stressed the importance of the Askani protecting the Summers kin so I wonder if that's what will be explored.