Polaris: Queen of Mutants/Mistress of Magnetism Appreciation 2024

[knowmadic]

A new romance doesn’t negate her standing on her own and getting good stories about her and not some man. She can do both. My suggestion for a new romance is only in response to Lorna backsliding into the role of “Havok’s girlfriend”. I’ve expressed my ideas for how to further develop Lorna’s character and lanes for Polaris in the franchise here and directly to Marvel. Hopefully, they’ve listened some her momentum forward continues this summer during the relaunch.

Hopefully they listen to your ideas on development.

I am not that optimistic.

[GoingGreen]

I've said this before, but...

This is more than just a creative decision. It's a business decision. Polaris is like any other intellectual property. And examples of things that sell include romantic relationships, and in a genre like this, how far one will go for their partner. I do not think that Polaris' entire IP should be wrapped around a male character. And had you asked me before Krakoa, I would've said no - she should stay single for the foreseeable future. Today is the future. She's actively contributing to the lore and overall voice of the X-Men. They just let her be a major player with a funny nod - "Out of Knowhere!" They are shaping her character into this regal and sardonic, yet aggressive powerhouse that we've enjoyed. So long as a relationship is something that opens up opportunities for more stories and lore, then it should be seen as a positive. Rogue and Gambit have been tied together for 3 decades, and their individual IPs have only grown during that time. NOW, while Polaris is hot and trending, is the time to open more opportunities by exploring how she plays with another IP.

And I'm going to just... drop these here... Totally unrelated, I swear.

[jmc247]

Please.

I prefer they just put effort into developing good characterization and stories for Lorna rather than just stuffing her into a new relationship. She's spent enough time in the shadow of romance, I just want my girl to stand her on her own for a good bit.

Lorna has had one run in the last decade that was able to start to break from nostalgia for 80s and 90s themes with her. That writers time with her is now just about done. The core question for her in the near term is will her next run actually take the ball handed to them and move forward or will it be back to failed themes of another generation.

This issue is doubly prescient because most things x are likely going back hard to the 80s and 90s to synergize with X-Men 97 while the MCU cooks up its next steps.

If one gets the big things with her right about her motivation dealing with being a survivor of the worst mutant genocide, her desire to protect mutants and what she stands for, then other things like romance can work without swallowing the character whole. Romance failed for her in the past not simply due to it being with Havok, but because she wasn't allowed to be more than the ship.

Without her Genosha background and her own activism you are left with a character who will again like the 80s and 90s become one half a romantic relationship rather than it being an aspect of the character. Include the important parts of her background and her motivation and a relationship can add to the character instead of turning her back into half a relationship.

Bunn showed the limits of using the Magneto's daughter card on a 90s template of Lorna to give her less then real depth.

[juan678]

Polaris art by Phil Noto

[jmc247]

The risk for Lorna for the next year is entirely being sucked into the vortex of 90s nostagia and trying to make that work for the umteenth time.

Lorna is not going to benefit from the X-Men 97 push as she won’t be on the X-Men there nor will be a great antagonist / frienemy like we had in Wolverine and the X-Men. The most I expect from her there is a possessed loser as she was in the 80s during Inferno which the series will be re-enacting or a two second X-Factor cameo sometime before the series ends. I would love for them to prove me wrong, but there are enormous limits that can be had for Lorna when shoved into raw 80s/90s nostalgia storytelling.

If the comics synergize too hard with the series it may be a difficult two or three years for Lorna until they realize possessed, bipolar, or Havok’s Jean of the C list are not winning cards with her.

[DarkMagnus]

Lorna and Shiro?

Thats hot.

[marhawkman]

The risk for Lorna for the next year is entirely being sucked into the vortex of 90s nostagia and trying to make that work for the umteenth time.

Lorna is not going to benefit from the X-Men 97 push as she won’t be on the X-Men there nor will be a great antagonist / frienemy like we had in Wolverine and the X-Men. The most I expect from her there is a possessed loser as she was in the 80s during Inferno which the series will be re-enacting or a two second X-Factor cameo sometime before the series ends. I would love for them to prove me wrong, but there are enormous limits that can be had for Lorna when shoved into raw 80s/90s nostalgia storytelling.

If the comics synergize too hard with the series it may be a difficult two or three years for Lorna until they realize possessed, bipolar, or Havok’s Jean of the C list are not winning cards with her.

Honestly, the X-factor angle is probably the best option for Lorna. They were setup as a not-the-X-Men hero team and could be allies in crossover eps.

[jmc247]

Honestly, the X-factor angle is probably the best option for Lorna. They were setup as a not-the-X-Men hero team and could be allies in crossover eps.

It’s the second to worst angle. The worst is 80s mind control nonsense. The second worst is appearing very briefly in an episode of TAS as X-Factor’s Jean and it leading the other mediums to think that should be her role everywhere else again. Better to not appear at all.

X-Factor used as minipulated antagonists for the X-Men is a possible option and that wouldn’t be good, but it would be better then mind control.

The only good angle would be filling the void that was left by the anti-Xavier faction when Mags left Genosha, but that isn’t likely. There is no winning for Lorna with TAS I suspect. The version of the character is too out of date taken when she just started rebuilding after two decades of her deconstruction.

[salarta]

The key problems for Lorna regarding X-Factor are nostalgia, character/theme mismatch, and perception of what it means for a character to be on that specific team.

For the past decade, the X-Men comics kept putting her on teams named X-Factor. Instead of giving her a good platform, it buried her in isolation and obscurity. Joining 2010s X-Factor, despite being where her origin story was told, kept her from doing anything meaningful in the broad scheme of the X-Men franchise. Her origin story being told didn't even get any promotion except for a single Marvel.com article that wasn't pushed out there. All-New X-Factor got no promotion beyond the initial announcement, and Lorna kept getting undermined in the comic (while White was its editor) until it was too late to matter - and again, she was completely excluded from Axis, where you would expect her to show up given Red Skull was misusing the dead of Genosha AND the stupid retcon on the twins happened. Finally, we get the more recent X-Factor, where she wasn't even the leader or doing anything on it, and kept getting mistreated to make other characters look better.

The impact of this is a little clearer when you look at X-Men stuff before she won the vote and see cases where she's labeled as an X-Factor character but not an X-Men character. Despite being made in 1968, as the second woman to join the team, decades before being put on 90s X-Factor, she was treated like X-Factor is her be-all end-all.

It's understandable for people who like that time period to want it acknowledged. But the reality is, today it's holding her back.

The recent storyline of her attacking Orchis with the Brood only happened by Lorna getting acknowledged as a character relevant to the entire franchise. And that only happened by not acting like Lorna's only relevant with X-Factor.

I've mentioned how Prisoner X had a memory of Lorna and Havok kissing, but not one of the Genoshan genocide. What I usually don't put focus on is the fact that memory has them dressed in 90s -Factor costumes. It would've been real easy for the comics to have them wearing their most iconic individual costumes, or civilian clothes, but they chose 90s X-Factor for a reason. And that reason included a belief that those elements are "more important" to highlight than being a genocide survivor.

They could have easily shown both, but they didn't. Why? What led to thinking that representing 90s X-Factor with Lorna and Havok kissing was an important part of Lorna's story and lived experience, but not a genocide?

Until the cause is understood and dealt with, X-Factor presents a risk to Lorna's potential and development. Instead of opening doors, it holds her back to views that she's not allowed to progress past the 90s.

The goal should always be for past work to serve as building blocks, not as a cage. That holds true for everything. Unfortunately, bad actors have used X-Factor as the latter instead of the former too often. It took the most recent X-Factor for me to realize that.

[marhawkman]

The key problems for Lorna regarding X-Factor are nostalgia, character/theme mismatch, and perception of what it means for a character to be on that specific team.

For the past decade, the X-Men comics kept putting her on teams named X-Factor. Instead of giving her a good platform, it buried her in isolation and obscurity. Joining 2010s X-Factor, despite being where her origin story was told, kept her from doing anything meaningful in the broad scheme of the X-Men franchise. Her origin story being told didn't even get any promotion except for a single Marvel.com article that wasn't pushed out there. All-New X-Factor got no promotion beyond the initial announcement, and Lorna kept getting undermined in the comic (while White was its editor) until it was too late to matter - and again, she was completely excluded from Axis, where you would expect her to show up given Red Skull was misusing the dead of Genosha AND the stupid retcon on the twins happened. Finally, we get the more recent X-Factor, where she wasn't even the leader or doing anything on it, and kept getting mistreated to make other characters look better.

The impact of this is a little clearer when you look at X-Men stuff before she won the vote and see cases where she's labeled as an X-Factor character but not an X-Men character. Despite being made in 1968, as the second woman to join the team, decades before being put on 90s X-Factor, she was treated like X-Factor is her be-all end-all.

It's understandable for people who like that time period to want it acknowledged. But the reality is, today it's holding her back.

The recent storyline of her attacking Orchis with the Brood only happened by Lorna getting acknowledged as a character relevant to the entire franchise. And that only happened by not acting like Lorna's only relevant with X-Factor.

I've mentioned how Prisoner X had a memory of Lorna and Havok kissing, but not one of the Genoshan genocide. What I usually don't put focus on is the fact that memory has them dressed in 90s -Factor costumes. It would've been real easy for the comics to have them wearing their most iconic individual costumes, or civilian clothes, but they chose 90s X-Factor for a reason. And that reason included a belief that those elements are "more important" to highlight than being a genocide survivor.

They could have easily shown both, but they didn't. Why? What led to thinking that representing 90s X-Factor with Lorna and Havok kissing was an important part of Lorna's story and lived experience, but not a genocide?

Until the cause is understood and dealt with, X-Factor presents a risk to Lorna's potential and development. Instead of opening doors, it holds her back to views that she's not allowed to progress past the 90s.

The goal should always be for past work to serve as building blocks, not as a cage. That holds true for everything. Unfortunately, bad actors have used X-Factor as the latter instead of the former too often. It took the most recent X-Factor for me to realize that.

I'm going with.... Genoshan Genocide hasn't happened yet in TAS. that's a story they can do later or flashback to in the new season?

[GoingGreen]

"For the past decade" - you and I remember the last decade very differently then. All New X-Factor and X-Factor (Krakoa) happened in the last decade. But so did her time in Magneto's title, X-Men Blue (which she led), her time back on Uncanny X-Men, her time in Age of X-Man, X of Swords, her time as the first fan vote leading to her on the premiere Krakoan X-Men team, Trial of Magneto, her own unique Infinity Unlimited arc, her time in Captain Marvel, and a handful of important cameos, like in Devil's Reign, Marauders, and now Fall of the House of X. Ignoring this stuff hurts your point.

Also, I disagree that her time in X-Factor Investigations and All New were not good platforms. At the very least, PAD gave Polaris purpose and an angle that no one else was or would have, and her panel time was not just some X-dude on panel telling her what to do. She got some great bullet points on her resume that wouldn't have happened anywhere else at the time.

To suggest a character's history is holding her back is the same old embarrassing mistake committed by certain writers. Some of the stories I mentioned above are rich with potential. She led X-Factor during The Hell on Earth War, while maintaining that aggressive tactician energy we like. The right writer considering that could build on that story in a main X-title.

And I want to point out the hypocrisy I'm reading again - and I'm not saying that to sound mean. I just want to call attention to it. The amount of times Genosha gets brought up here, but that's not holding her back? Why is surviving Genosha, something that spiraled her into PTSD psychosis (understandably), during which the fear and terror took over to the point she just ran and was not portrayed as a hero at all (and sure, it led to her celebrated ideology shift)... but we should ignore Polaris leading the last stand in the Hell on Earth War; when Polaris single handedly defeated Danger, who once upon a time took out all the Astonishing X-Men and had the entire school in a hostage state; Polaris leading and building relationships with Gambit, Cypher, Warlock, Danger, and Sunfire; Polaris being the first to see through the Age of X-Man; Polaris leading X-Men Blue against the Mothervine... etc...

I think you are just way too focused on minute details not seeing a bigger picture. That entire Prisoner X panel was full of bizarre moments, which didn't come close to epitomizing Polaris' history. By focusing on that, you've completely lost her purpose in Prisoner X, which was pretty cool, and a play on Polaris' unique and understated ability to cut through mind control.

Now - 90s X-Factor was important for the character. It was a turn around after a decade of possession, and constant mind control before that. It was her most stable and consistent lot of appearances. And we have no clue where she would be or if she even would still be alive if she wasn't on X-Factor in the 90s. And what's funny is... you two are the people who bring 90s X-Factor up the most! Every few posts is how much you two hate 90s X-Factor. And it's, quite frankly, total bs to me. It's not a risk, you just didn't like it. You know what's a risk? Boring writers who want to promote the same 5 characters. Rich history that people love is not a risk.

Give us some insight into what you want for Polaris, because everyone knows what you, personally, don't want. These aren't quarantined Polaris topics. 90s X-Factor was great for Polaris.

On the note about potentially appearing in X-Men 97, I actually could see her in a role in a number of ways. Magneto taking over the X-Men has some minor promise if they want to humanize him in the show more, and give him some kind of solace or hope he can be better or some cartoony sentiment. Or maybe we'll see a full on House of M! They've also said we'll see Val Cooper, so there's potential there for, yes, more 90s X-Factor appearances.

[jmc247]

Val Cooper will be a major X-Men foe supposedly.



As for Lorna she was at that point a functionally a different character. I did read early 90s X-Factor meaning first run PAD when it came out and wasn’t a fan of the character at the time. She slowly grew on me, but it took a decade and only happened when she started caring about things bigger then her own tiny world.

X-Men TAS 97 can do what it will. Have Lorna on X-Factor or not. I would rather her do something new like end up with the Hellfire Club, but it is what it is. I somewhat regret bashing the second season of The Gifted as hard as I did, but I felt they deserved it at the time.

One thing to keep in mind Lorna’s parentage is not even established on X-Men 97 though Wanda and Pietro’s is established. There is a lot of story to go through to get to a Lorna that resembles the one that exists in the modern era. Magneto, Genosha, etc.

My main concern is not what TAS does it’s that Lorna in the comics not regress again to the 90s. Duggan didn’t go out of this world trying hard with Lorna, but it didn’t feel like he was stuck in the past with her and that was the first run I felt that way about in a decade.

The x-line seems to be trying to cash into the animated stuff coming up, but for now what role if any she will have there is small enough to be unknown. The inclination in the x-office has a not small chance to try to bank nostalgia for her. Won’t work. Fall of X has won a modest uptick in Lorna interest, but my sense is unless it’s built upon it will be gone in 6 months.

[juan678]

https://twitter.com/RPHutch1975/stat...88296045760748

[marhawkman]

Val Cooper will be a major X-Men foe supposedly.



As for Lorna she was at that point a functionally a different character. I did read early 90s X-Factor meaning first run PAD when it came out and wasn’t a fan of the character at the time. She slowly grew on me, but it took a decade and only happened when she started caring about things bigger then her own tiny world.

X-Men TAS 97 can do what it will. Have Lorna on X-Factor or not. I would rather her do something new like end up with the Hellfire Club, but it is what it is. I somewhat regret bashing the second season of The Gifted as hard as I did, but I felt they deserved it at the time.

One thing to keep in mind Lorna’s parentage is not even established on X-Men 97 though Wanda and Pietro’s is established. There is a lot of story to go through to get to a Lorna that resembles the one that exists in the modern era. Magneto, Genosha, etc.

My main concern is not what TAS does it’s that Lorna in the comics not regress again to the 90s. Duggan didn’t go out of this world trying hard with Lorna, but it didn’t feel like he was stuck in the past with her and that was the first run I felt that way about in a decade.

The x-line seems to be trying to cash into the animated stuff coming up, but for now what role if any she will have there is small enough to be unknown. The inclination in the x-office has a not small chance to try to bank nostalgia for her. Won’t work. Fall of X has won a modest uptick in Lorna interest, but my sense is unless it’s built upon it will be gone in 6 months.

Yeah, this... TAS had the Lorna and Alex relationship as a main plot point for her. I don't see why they'd change that suddenly.

It'd make more sense to carry forwards much like in the comics... although maybe not do the Annie Ghazakhanian story? Unless it's gonna be a major plot point and the center of an episode?

It's a retro-continuity series... so... use period accurate story lines. They seeded the idea of X-Men vs Acolytes... but only the OG Acolytes... maybe it's time for the Exodus team, or one of Magneto's later teams? Having X-Factor fight Exodus's Acolytes could be a load of fun.

Oh and if this is the right era of Val Cooper... this is when she was trying to get various Evil Mutants to work as a govt "hero" team.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

We also have wonder how much Lorna or Alex will even show up before anyone gets worried about things...