X-Universe characters who shouldn't actually know each other that well but do so anyway

[ExodusCloak]

I got this idea from conversations on this board in regards to Storm and Jean Grey and Mystique and Magneto.

There are certain characters in the X-Universe who interact with each other as if they've known each other for years. The first example I'm going to use is Jean Grey and Storm. Jean Grey left the X-Men and moved in with Misty Knight circa Uncanny X-Men 94, she was replaced by the Phoenix at the end of Uncanny X-Men 100. There is a back story in Classic X-Men 2 where Jean and Storm initiate a friendship. Storm grows close to the Phoenix (not Jean), Jean gets the memories of the Phoenix but as an onlooker, having not felt any of it. So in Jeans return Storm should have an affection for Jean but in all honesty Jean shouldn't know Storm very well. The same goes for Wolverine, I believe Jean and Wolverine have a Classic X-Men backstory as well so it's a little bit bizzare of her reaction to him when she returns. Particularly when you count the real Jeans reaction to Cyclops intimate moments with the Phoenix Force because she was behaving as if it was another women (which it actually was but enough of that). Obviously Jean/Storm became good friends after but at the time the scene is a bit jarring.



The next two are Mystique and Magneto, yeah Mystique and Magneto do have some history. For example, Mystique arrested Magneto in Uncanny X-Men 200. But do they actually know each other? How many conversations can you think of between the two? The last one I recall was in No More Mutants by Mike Carey which was unusual.

The next one I'll use is Dazzler and most of the X-Men. Now in fairness this is one that writers tend to get RIGHT a lot. Her not knowing Jean at all in her return to the X-Men circa X-Men - Eve of Destruction was bang on. Dazzler shouldn't know Jean cause they've never met.

The other one which is interesting was Bendis stating that Jean and Kitty knew each other. Well, truth be it's possible they could have met each other during X-Men Blue and Gold but before that Kitty heard stories of Jean but Jean didn't teach Kitty anything. In any case Kitty was less then friendly to a fake Jean Grey in Excalibur 41. So again it would make sense given that they don't know each other at all. (I'd imagine Kitty would have said the same thing to the real X-Men anyway)



Frost is the next one, Frost like Dazzler is one that is/was written as an outsider to the X-Men quite well. The ones who had animosity towards her did, the ones who didn't have any history with her still did but not to the extent of the others.

So who else can you think of has interacted with each other as if they're BFFs or more then acquaintances when they really shouldn't be.

[JustAnotherFan]

First interaction between characters that shouldn't know each other all that well was between Nightcrawler and Polaris during the built up to the Twelve storyline. I was a new reader back then so I didn't notice it at the time but now looking back it is a bit strange that when Havok had died and Polaris was grieving him the one X-Men member to be worried about her was Nightcrawler. I know that Nightcrawler is a compassionate character who cares for all people, even those he doesn't know that well and he kind of ran into Lorna instead of going to see her intentionally but still his interactions with Lorna in those scenes was like old friends. Lorna was startled at first but once she recognized Kurt she hugged him immediately. However I can't remember them having worked together in any considerable capacity before that. I suppose Alex being dead she was emotional and was just glad to see a friendly face but it still seems a bit odd that she would treat him as old friend considering how little they had interacted on panel before.

Lorna & Alex left X-Men almost immediately after Kurt joined X-Men and they visited X-Men only occasionally during this time as far as I can remember. Then when Alex came back to X-Men during the Outback era, Nightcrawler was off X-Men and in Excalibur while Lorna was possessed by Malice so they didn't meet often during this time. Post outback era Lorna & Alex both join X-Factor run by government and Kurt continues in Excalibur and I don't think that they interact in any great capacity. Then Kurt rejoins the X-Men and it's not long after that until The Twelve story takes place. So Kurt acting like old friends with her is a bit odd.

Another interaction that I can think of was when Psylocke came back from the dead and rejoined X-Men. She and Emma had some playful banter back and forth despite the fact that I can't remember them interacting on panel all that much. I think that they were mostly aware of each other by reputation yet they immediately exchanged words that made it seem like they were rivals or knew each other to certain extent even if they weren't the best of friends.