Resurrection Protocols and Mutant Body Modification

[Thirteen]

There seemed to be enough intelligent discussion sprinkled through disparate threads, that I thought the topic warranted its own...
The RESURRECTION PROTOCOLS of Krakoa grant the opportunity for Mutants have "corrections" made to their bodies when they are brought back by the FIVE. Recipients of the gift are restored to peak age vitality and can have other requested adjustments made to their bodies by pre-mortem request.
We've seen mutants go through the Crucible in order to regain their powers etc but there are some whose resurrections bring about changes beyond that X-gene restoration/reactivation.
What "adjustments" have been made? What are some that are some glaringly omitted "improvements that some mutants would want to have made when they are processed through the protocols? What's your head cannon for why some mutants don't fix obvious physical disadvantages?



As seen elsewhere...

While I understand Cable having a prosthetic body parts. I'm not sure why Xi'an and Forge still do, especially with the rebirth process.

I don't understand at all how that even is supposed to work! Do they resurrect them minus their limbs , or do they amputate them again after they hatch from the Five's Eggs? Why couldn't they just both have TRANSMODE-VIRUS TECHNO-ORGANIC limbs like Cable?! And Forge's own right leg right now does look like it could be , but Karma's does not , which does not make any sense whatsoever.

I mean, there are lots of mutants who have physical aspects that some would interpret as "not ideal", but continue to "own" despite the potential "editing" that resurrection affords.
Off the top of my head we have:
Forge maintains HIS cybernetic leg, in place of the leg he was born with & lost in the Vietnam war.
Cyclops hasn't had his visor-dependent-vision adjusted.
Surge seems to continue relying on the regulatory gauntlets created for her by Forge.
Hellion may or may not still have prosthetic hands (I'm sincerely uncertain on this one)
Wolverine, arguably had his skeleton altered without consent right? And yet it remains.

We, as readers and unofficial/informal-bastions of this particular brand of fiction (as fans) recognize that an AESTHETIC or VISUAL BRAND can overrule logic, in some of these cases, but a savvy writer can noodle an appropriate narrative around just about anything. Will that narrative make sense to everyone? No. But that's the tricky thing about identity politics. They're very delicate and personal, and we don't always understand them. Like, WHY did Cerebella (Martha) decide to keep her brain exposed when she acquired a new body? I don't understand it but, sure -- you do you, Bella.

Karma's history is fraught with trauma and "body horror" experiences. I've yet to lose any of my limbs or have any of my motor or sensory functions impeded or discontinued, but I don't reject Karma's decision simply because I believe I would make a different one. I don't know that. I haven't been through what she's been through, or processed her level of grief, pain, loss, etc.

Now, Hellion on the other hand (too soon?) -- his emotional journey with HIS prosthetics feels very different, and I could absolutely understand if HE were to request biological-hand restoration upon resurrecting, but again, we come back to the AESTHETIC / BRANDING conundrum and the arguments of "But he stands out now!"

I want more depth and complexity to my stories.

Some of this may be a little beyond the scope of this thread...

If there are mutants keeping their disabilities after resurrection...fine. They have their reasons. But what about the other side of that equation.

[Devaishwarya]

I would think that the reasons for having those corrections made during the Resurrection process would be as varied and individualistic as the mutants requesting them.
We know Emma's reasoning would be absolute vanity.
Forge's might have been he's had it for so long that it's an intrinsic part of him.
Karma's might be she accepts who she is and the journey getting here.
Some might not want to go through the process of dying.
Others might simply not see it as "disability" in their eyes and therefore it doesn't need fixing.
The reasons can be as numerous and plausible as we head-canon.

And while I quite agree with Chris0013 that we really haven't seen a mutant who wants to correct his/her "disability", and we should...it does in a some small sense go against The X-Men foundational belief: "Accept Us For Who We Are" which would include "we accept ourselves as we are" (eventhough there is a magical cure all at our fingertips)

Additionally, as I'm typing this I vaguely remember the small backlash Marrow received for looking "too pretty" after she had gained control over her mutant abilities. Which says...even if a writer were to correct the effects of Jono Starmore's mutation there are those fans who would be in favour of keeping it.

[Chris0013]

Thanks for this thread...

Again, quite understandable.

The problem with the "one or two" you want is that they don't factor in the stories the writers are telling. Has Face ever showed up, anywhere since this era started?

I suspect one of the main reasons why they haven't gone the way of "correcting one's disability" is because it inherently goes against one of the foundations upon which The X-Men stand..."Accept us for who we are, as we accept ourselves"

That's not to say a writer can't devote a story or two to air those grievances...they absolutely should. In fact, I think that's what the digital/unlimited line should be doing instead of the **** and fockery for storytelling and nonsense charactersations they've done so far. But again...the main stories in the main books we're reading are telling quite different narratives that have nothing to do with the grievances of a few.

I think they are too afraid of offending people with a "fixing a disabled person" story as well. A while ago they had a New Mutants issue where Kosmar wanted to be able to end her life and be resurrected without the deformities her own mutant power gave her and Dani Moonstar was all like "you just need to embrace your true mutant self". Kind of tone deaf coming from someone who is portrayed as attractive as Dani has been her whole existence.

As far as Face he has not been seen in quite a while and any story with him wanting to go through resurrection to "fix" his face may not be something they want to tell for the reasons you posted.

Trimming down for this one point..

Some might not want to go through the process of dying.

But think about how a story like that could play out. Would he even have to go through resurrection? We know there are healers who can regrow limbs and organs. Elixir regrew Prodigy's heart in Limbo way back in the day...how hard would it be to help Face like that. Add in that maybe he doesn't want his power because of the damage it does to his body. How does the QC respond to that? Will they deny him using a 'mutant cure' to do away with his power? What about Krakoan public opinion? Are people going to hate him simply for wanting a 'normal' life? Can they find a happy medium that they can regrow Face's face and also give him immunity to his own power so he can have a more 'normal' life?

[Jackraow21]

Cable was pretty clear that he wanted to continue studying the T/O virus and felt he'd mastered his basic containment of it, hence why he specifically asked to be brought back with it. Now he's able to do things like this with by manipulating it with his TK, with a level of precision and control of it that he has never displayed before...



So in his case, I think it's been explained. Now I hope to see Ewing continue to expand on this new ability/powerset of Nathan's where he's essentially weaponized his T/O.

[Devaishwarya]

The situation between Cosmar and Dani is a tricky one as by the end of Ayala's story Dani did realise she wasn't listening so it was written specifically to come across as her being tone deaf.

Masque has been using his gifts in exactly that way in the Madripoor Hospital. So you're right...there other options available, which tells me that those who haven't corrected simply don't want to for whatever reason me as readers might concoct.

[Thirteen]

NO-GIRL/CEREBELLA "upgrading" from the Brain in the floating sphere to a embodied mutant with an exposed brain (ala DC's Psimon) is a serious downgrade as a visual brand but understandable that the character would want that. In another time, I could see her story being a cautionary tale and having the character experience some sort of trauma that would lead her to ask for the process to be reversed.

[Will Evans]

I’m assuming Sunfire got his legs back and Bishop got his arm back.

[Phoenixx9]

NO-GIRL/CEREBELLA "upgrading" from the Brain in the floating sphere to a embodied mutant with an exposed brain (ala DC's Piston) is a serious downgrade.

Do you mean DC's Psimon? (I never heard of Piston.)

[Devaishwarya]

There is that converse aspect to Cable's upgrade as well...the correction being a "downgrade" in terms of originality and uniqueness.
Starsmore is also one of those with a very unique look that many fans love and appreciate. They correct his powers and they take away exactly what made him stand out. Granted Martha didn't become a Floating Brain in a Bowl by her own powers, this was done to her...so the choice to have a body now that she can, is perfectly understandable. As much as we prefer "Martha in a Jar" this makes sense. What would be Jono's reason?

Which raises another point...it has to make sense for the character and ultimately their story.

[Thirteen]

Do you mean DC's Psimon? (I never heard of Piston.)

Thanks. Corrected.

[danielsan52]

It’s unknown if The Five “fixed” Jetstream upon his resurrection.

[Ambaryerno]

Laura was given a full adamantium skeleton when resurrected after (apparently) dying in the vault. Though that was less a conscious choice than Proteus making an oopsie (and given Duggan's repeatedly demonstrated unfamiliarity with her character and insistence on writing her as if she were Logan, I wonder if the Proteus thing was done to cover his ass when HE screwed up and got called on it).

[Rift]

There was some discussion about Hellion in the Academy X thread. For example, CGAR had a really nice headcanon that also ties into his past characterization.

My head canon is that Julian keeps it that so that he always remembers what they went through and he always will hold that anger in him even if his friends came back he will always have a memory of what the humans and villains are capable of doing to them for just existing.

I don't have a headcanon, so much as I have a story I like to imagine. Basically, he bonds with Surge's younger brother, who ends up losing a limb in an accident. Julian decides to keep his disability because it'd be a dick move to toss off his disability while his human friend can't. And he decides to become this sort of role model for other amputees, turning what was once a source of shame and difficulty into something that can reach out and inspire others like him.

[Phoenixx9]

What did Goldball's balls do before they decided he was Egg and to hatch people? What were their uses before that?

[Thirteen]

What did Goldball's balls do before they decided he was Egg and to hatch people? What were their uses before that?

Bounce *poink!*