Polaris: Queen of Mutants/Mistress of Magnetism Appreciation 2024

[jmc247]

Here's why I am good with a Zala connection...

While Zala's appearances have been sparse, she made memorable appearances, even despite looking completely different in all three of her major stories (the Fabulous Chicken, Z is for Zala, and Scale Mail Maiden). Her final appearance had her as a global threat, and Magneto had to execute her, officially cutting his association with the X-Men, which led to him on Asteroid M with his new Acolytes. Zala happened just before the relaunch, and is largely part of establishing Magneto's story shift.

If Zala returned, I would expect her to continue being a villain. I don't think she is redeemable, even if her backstory and connections were confirmed and canon. And these days, villains like that are extremely rare. But Polaris getting another "personal villain" would be a really good thing, imo. And Zala was memorable enough, and it's been long enough since her death, that I think her returning could be a great thing, especially if it's on an actual X-Men title, and anytime Zala appears, Polaris is the MC.

The problem with wanting Zaladane to be Lorna's version of Sabertooth to her Wolverine is multiple which I don't think those in favor of the prospect have really gamed out. It could very well have happened as Claremont wanted to revel both Lorna and Zaladane as Magneto's daughters on Genosha and then have Zaladane destroy the island.

Cassandra Nova in the end did the deed and Nova stayed dead. Austen also planned on reveling that Nova was playing a direct role screwing with Lorna by using Carter something that the last page of Nurse Annie leaving showed.

Cassandra Nova would frankly work as the mutant antagonist she needs. She is high enough profile. They have that connection to Genosha and its destruction and even screwing up her wedding. Nova will be in Deadpool 3 and therefore become a household name unlike Zaladane and they have a built-in connection.

Nova will be better known to the masses very soon then Lorna. That is a very good thing if Marvel saw fit to make her a rival for Lorna. Sabertooth on his own separate of Wolverine is quite popular for instance.

Right now, the House of M family dynamic is screwed up to high hell because of the decision to not have them be blood related probably due to waiting on the MCU. That means they have to play up their good feelings for each other beyond the max to justify them acting like a family. Once the retcon comes down I can see Lorna having real disputes and rivalries with Wanda and Pietro. House of M being a family again will be more popular then the Fantastic Four when it happens as long as it gets the writers it deserves.

In terms of the x-books Cassandra Nova was the replacement for Zaladane very thematically and while she doesn't bring the allure of having a new 'rival sister' to Lorna's storytelling Cassandra Nova vs Polaris has the mountains of background set up already done for it.

[GoingGreen]

The problem with wanting Zaladane to be Lorna's version of Sabertooth to her Wolverine is multiple which I don't think those in favor of the prospect have really gamed out. It could very well have happened as Claremont wanted to revel both Lorna and Zaladane as Magneto's daughters on Genosha and then have Zaladane destroy the island.

Cassandra Nova in the end did the deed and also stayed dead. Austen also planned on reveling that Nova was playing a direct role screwing with Lorna by using Carter something that the last page of Nurse Annie leaving showed.

Cassandra Nova would frankly work as the good pure evil mutant antagonist she needs. She is high enough profile. They have that connection to Genosha and its destruction and even screwing up her wedding. Nova will be in Deadpool 3 and therefore become a household name unlike Zaladane and they have a built-in connection.

Nova will be better known to the masses very soon then Lorna. That is a very good thing if Marvel saw fit to make her a rival for Lorna. Sabertooth on his own is popular for instance.

Right now, the House of M family dynamic is screwed up to high hell because of the decision to not have them be blood related. That means they have to play up their good feelings for each other beyond the max to justify them acting like a family. Once the retcon comes down I can see Lorna having real disputes and rivalries with Wanda and Pietro.

While I can understand what you're suggesting about Cassandra Nova...

I'm thinking Why Not Both?

I think Cassandra is too unique of a villain to be specifically tied to Polaris alone.

Someone made a great point recently that the story of Genosha is important for Polaris, but Polaris is not important for the story of Genosha, in public opinions (we would all likely disagree with that sentiment, of course, but we also come with a bias). That, I think, it was Cassandra Nova would be for Polaris. Maybe important for Polaris, but Polaris would not be important for Cassandra Nova. That pet-work went to Emma.

Quite frankly, psychic mutants are quite arrogant and exclusive, and frequently only think other psychics matter.

All this said, I agree, I would love to see a story where Cassandra targets Polaris, and to see how those dynamics happen...

However, more to my point: Why not both? Why not a high profile Cassandra story, and a more personal, intimate story with the villainy of Zala.

For me, a Polaris/Zala dynamic wouldn't be a Wolverine / Sabretooth story where they hate each other for being so similar. I think the Polaris / Zala dynamic would be more akin to Xavier/Cassandra Nova, where they are polar opposites, with Zala having all the reason in the world to hate Polaris, and vice versa, and they each work to dismantle the other. For example, I imagine there's a future somewhere where Polaris gets to lead Genosha again, this time in the open as opposed to using a Magneto mask... and I could see Savage Land declaring war on Genosha.

[jmc247]

While I can understand what you're suggesting about Cassandra Nova...

I'm thinking Why Not Both?

I think Cassandra is too unique of a villain to be specifically tied to Polaris alone.

Someone made a great point recently that the story of Genosha is important for Polaris, but Polaris is not important for the story of Genosha, in public opinions (we would all likely disagree with that sentiment, of course, but we also come with a bias). That, I think, it was Cassandra Nova would be for Polaris. Maybe important for Polaris, but Polaris would not be important for Cassandra Nova. That pet-work went to Emma.

Quite frankly, psychic mutants are quite arrogant and exclusive, and frequently only think other psychics matter.

All this said, I agree, I would love to see a story where Cassandra targets Polaris, and to see how those dynamics happen...

However, more to my point: Why not both? Why not a high profile Cassandra story, and a more personal, intimate story with the villainy of Zala.

For me, a Polaris/Zala dynamic wouldn't be a Wolverine / Sabretooth story where they hate each other for being so similar. I think the Polaris / Zala dynamic would be more akin to Xavier/Cassandra Nova, where they are polar opposites, with Zala having all the reason in the world to hate Polaris, and vice versa, and they each work to dismantle the other. For example, I imagine there's a future somewhere where Polaris gets to lead Genosha again, this time in the open as opposed to using a Magneto mask... and I could see Savage Land declaring war on Genosha.

The situation you are imagining is a world possible if Lorna was an A+ list character and respected as such like Wanda is right now. Wanda is getting her own Trigon like personal antagonist in Scarlet Witch #2 the issue Lorna is on the cover. Wanda has her own ongoing separate from the many teams she is on to build side stories and antagonists.



Wanda's first attempt at an ongoing didn't sell even with her A list level push and needed to play on Wandavision/HoM to work with the second one and Magneto's barely sold with Duggan kicking ass and using the Holocaust, Genosha, his family, and a lot of bloody revenge to keep fans interested.

Lorna these days is treated as coffee and a set of relationships and still that is better than it was. Lorna only for the current moment has been treated like a B lister due to winning the fan vote and Duggan's take being quasi popular. She was treated like a C lister before that.

Marvel hasn't proven to me even they have figured out the big idea with Lorna's character that will unlock her A list potential. Duggan's was two steps closer than Williams or Brubaker and a step closer than Bunn or second run PAD, but he wasn't there either. Austen wasn't quite there either, but he was in the right ballpark.

I have prepared myself for a bad era for Lorna over the next two or three years due mainly due to decades old nostalgia and Lorna's Genosha erasure in X-Men 97.

The Zaladane issue is something to think about when Lorna is an A lister with her own ongoing, the Genosha issue is again part of Lorna's character and history, and the House of M is a blood family again. It is not something to think about in Lorna's current position.

A fight with Nova makes sense as a story for the next five years. If Lorna makes it the way Wanda has right now and has her own successful ongoing then way down the road expanding her family outside of Wanda and Pietro who are not currently even family is something to consider, but we are a long way away from that and I suspect Lorna's story which was starting to move in the right direction in a couple ways may revert to things that won't work in the meantime.

If Lorna is a bike rider whose goal is to get to Wanda or her father's status, she has a huge number of hills to get to the promise land. We think of her as A list, but to most of Marvel she is still C list or at best B list. Marvel still haven't figured out how her relationships with her immediate family should work and those relationships are still broken.

[Magnetic]

I understand Marvel's problem - Who will be Den Mother of X-Factor if we remove Polaris? Polaris is X-Factor.

Keeping an open mind - Make a list of possible candidates for Mother Hen of X-Factor with the absence of Polaris - and who will be their Alpha?

[jmc247]

I understand Marvel's problem - Who will be Den Mother of X-Factor if we remove Polaris? Polaris is X-Factor.

Keeping an open mind - Make a list of possible candidates for Mother Hen of X-Factor with the absence of Polaris - and who will be their Alpha?

How about the original team mom of X-Factor Jean?

Wanda’s in the cat bird scene on a popular ongoing with the Avengers interacting with A listers like Thor and Tony and with her own popular ongoing that out ranks in sales your typical X-Factor run of late by a fair bit. She also gets into Marvel crossovers like the current blood stuff that further burnishes the character.

Lorna is being used in terms of Wanda’s ongoing right now to burnish Wanda and most of us are ok with that because we all know it will help Lorna down the road when Marvel stops its nonsense there.

Wanda has so much behind her she can afford to take 6 months out of her ongoing to build up a personal rival. For Lorna she needs prepackaged enemies right now and Nova could offer her that.

We don’t know Lorna is on X-Factor, but why is it when it was announced there would be an X-Factor we all assumed she would be on it? For the reasons you stated.

X-Men 97 will make things worse if all Lorna is happens to be an X-Factor/Havok support character or a Magneto support character or foe which most of us suspect she will be sans her Genosha depth.

[Magnetic]

How about the original team mom of X-Factor Jean?

WandaÂ’s in the cat bird scene on a popular ongoing with the Avengers interacting with A listers like Thor and Tony and with her own popular ongoing that out ranks in sales your typical X-Factor run of late by a fair bit. She also gets into Marvel crossovers like the current blood stuff that further burnishes the character.

Lorna is being used in terms of WandaÂ’s ongoing right now to burnish Wanda and most of us are ok with that because we all know it will help Lorna down the road when Marvel stops its nonsense there.

Wanda has so much behind her she can afford to take 6 months out of her ongoing to build up a personal rival. For Lorna she needs prepackaged enemies right now and Nova could offer her that.

We donÂ’t know Lorna is on X-Factor, but why is it when it was announced there would be an X-Factor we all assumed she would be on it? For the reasons you stated.

X-Men 97 will make things worse if all Lorna is happens to be an X-Factor/Havok support character or a Magneto support character or foe which most of us suspect she will be sans her Genosha depth.

My mind didn't consider OG Den Mother Jean for X-Factor. She is allowed to star in multiple titles. I was automatically thinking of d-list ladies when I think of X-Factor leading lady.

X-Factor has a bad reputation - lowest tier of x-book. Used to be X-Force until they started prioritizing A-List star power there - now it's solidly X-Factor. No one wants their favorite character there unless their favorite is never on any new lineups. X-Factor: Haven of supporting c/d-list characters.

Good news: Lorna is lucky and in a weird position - her feature in a cartoon canceled many years ago (WATXM) and leading role in live action (The Gifted) - the gifts that keep on giving. This still creates conflict against Marvel's vision of yesteryear for the character. Casual follower comments largely don't identify with the X-Factor version. It's more old-time fans.

[jmc247]

My mind didn't consider OG Den Mother Jean for X-Factor. She is allowed to star in multiple titles. I was automatically thinking of d-list ladies when I think of X-Factor leading lady.

X-Factor has a bad reputation - lowest tier of x-book. Used to be X-Force until they started prioritizing A-List star power there - now it's solidly X-Factor. No one wants their favorite character there unless their favorite is never on any new lineups. X-Factor: Haven of supporting c/d-list characters.

Good news: Lorna is lucky and in a weird position - her feature in a cartoon canceled many years ago (WATXM) and leading role in live action (The Gifted) - the gifts that keep on giving. This still creates conflict against Marvel's vision of yesteryear for the character. Casual follower comments largely don't identify with the X-Factor version. It's more old-time fans.

That was my thinking when faced with the X-Force vs X-Factor issue when it came down to both books. X-Force has been allowed to get its hands dirty and fans like that even if some loud old-time fans still believe in the heroes never kill rule. X-Force has received a lot more sustained love from Marvel as a title and attempts to make it relevant. X-Force in the Krakoa era managed 50 issues without a super star writer at the helm. That is a real success.

Your comments on The Gifted and Wolverine and the X-Men are apt. In terms of WATXM by splitting the series into two main core factions with the House of M on top of the counter faction Lorna was able to fight with and against the X-Men and have her own character story.



Being an A list honorable antagonist of an animated series has its perks namely you get to be a real character and matter in a way the character will never matter if all she does is appear on a fringe protagonist side team for an episode or two.

The issue is one of roles not nostalgic moments. I was a bit hostile to X-Men 97 as the showrunner (who according to Emma fans admitted on twitter, he never read the 2000s era comics) started on social media to be basically saying that the early 90s characterizations are definitive.

That may be a winner if you are a fan of some of the A listers at the time. It's an absolute loser if you are Emma or Polaris unless you are a hyper nostalgic old-time fan who wants everything back the way it was in 1992. That isn't very many new fans as you said. They have seen better roles for.

[Will Evans]

That was very much the 70s era for Lorna though the page says it was drawn in 1980. It's also why she started flopping from her promising start in 1968. Her two 60s roles were snatched from her. First by undoing her parentage and second by being replaced as the #2 x-woman and team energy manipulator.

Then what role was left for Lorna? Diet Jean with her diet Scott was the role she fell into. Claremont on some level realized that to not be workable, but his solution to deconstruct her completely in the 80s and make her a new character was wrong. 1990s X-Factor did not have an answer to that problem either though it convinced many it worked even though the book mainly coasted on readers from the 05 era and the comic book bubble who left until the title was living on fumes.

This is the core problem with some fans online who understandably want Lorna in X-Men 97 and are trying to signal to the creative staff with 90s Lorna in an X-Factor uniform to please include her. What role do you want her in so that she can do something?

She offers almost nothing as the diet Jean of the universe as Jean exists there. She offers almost nothing as well as Magneto's daughter with a conflicted relationship either, given they already have one vastly more popular daughter established there.

The same problem in the comics. What unique role exists for her? The daughter role isn’t good unless combined with a role impacting the main books.

I want her to confront Zaladane.

[jmc247]

I want her to confront Zaladane.

Resolving the curiosity and getting pay off for hard core fans online interested in seeing a plot from the 1980s tied up is a reason to do so. Just not a very important one. There is a time and a place for resolving that plot line and if I had to give it that time would be the second or third year of a Lorna ongoing title.

[Will Evans]

I understand Marvel's problem - Who will be Den Mother of X-Factor if we remove Polaris? Polaris is X-Factor.

Keeping an open mind - Make a list of possible candidates for Mother Hen of X-Factor with the absence of Polaris - and who will be their Alpha?

Mystique and Destiny

Also, A-listers like Iceman, Bishop, colossus, and Archangel aren’t on teams yet either. What if they were on X-Factor?

Still, I myself wouldn’t mind government-sponsored X-Factor returning in the post-Krakoa era.
According to Bishop’s history, the XSE is what X-Factor would have evolved into.

[Magnetic]

Mystique and Destiny

Also, A-listers like Iceman, Bishop, colossus, and Archangel aren’t on teams yet either. What if they were on X-Factor?

Still, I myself wouldn’t mind government-sponsored X-Factor returning in the post-Krakoa era.
According to Bishop’s history, the XSE is what X-Factor would have evolved into.

Dump a bunch of A-listers there....that might draw initial interest. Still sounds like 10 steps back. In the era of X-Men '97 - this may become reality.

I vote to keep Polaris far away if X-Factor's purpose is defined that way. Too vanilla - too generic - too X-Factor. Title dead in 12 issues or hopefully much less. Nobody reading that.

[GoingGreen]

There's word X-Factor is spinning out of Weapon X-Traction, an 8 chapter summer event across a bunch of Avengers and solo titles. That said, it almost implies X-Factor won't even be an X-Franchise exclusive, but a liaison book.

I have not seen this confirmed anywhere, this might be some fake press. But thought I'd share.

See Post Here

[salarta]

I don’t really care what X-Factor is or does as long as Lorna’s not on it. And to make sure I’m clear, I mean I don’t want her on it, at all.

[Magnetic]

I don’t really care what X-Factor is or does as long as Lorna’s not on it. And to make sure I’m clear, I mean I don’t want her on it, at all.

Then it is decided - Lorna will not now nor ever be on X-Factor again. On to bigger and better things for the Queen of the Mutants. X-Men or bust.

[juan678]

https://www.marvel.com/articles/comi...mutant-history

I guess it's not the whole set, since it covers only 30 years of X-history and not 60.

Poor Catseye, away from her friends, between an X-baby and a freaking Warwolf.
When did Tigra interact with the X-Men? The FF or Spider-Man, I get it, they had many team-ups, but I can't remember Tigra making signifiant appearances in X-books..

Polaris in the Cover 700