Your Unpopular/Controversial Opinions on the X-Universe

[Bunch of Coconuts]

I forget: Has it even been explained what the benefit of the Penance form is for Monet? Or why she has it?

[Nicoclaws]

I forget: Has it even been explained what the benefit of the Penance form is for Monet? Or why she has it?

Anger issues apparently, in X-Corp. Really dumb and superficial explanation. Let's hope Duggan dig into it (although he didn't do anything with the Pryde v. gates thing so...)

[Sutekh]

I forget: Has it even been explained what the benefit of the Penance form is for Monet? Or why she has it?

Easier to draw? That's about all I can think of, meta reasons, because it's not an upgrade of any sort for a woman who is already super-strong, bulletproof, able to fly, etc. and doesn't have any need for claws. Claws on a super-strong character is like, "Look out, that elephant has a knife! He's gonna cut you!"

Possible upside, takes away her objectification factor for some (monster form characters are more likely to be dudes like the Thing, not attractive women). Possible downside, minority erasure (by hiding her natural skin tone).

[Kingdom X]

Easier to draw? That's about all I can think of, meta reasons, because it's not an upgrade of any sort for a woman who is already super-strong, bulletproof, able to fly, etc. and doesn't have any need for claws. Claws on a super-strong character is like, "Look out, that elephant has a knife! He's gonna cut you!"

Possible upside, takes away her objectification factor for some (monster form characters are more likely to be dudes like the Thing, not attractive women). Possible downside, minority erasure (by hiding her natural skin tone).

You can’t tell me all them spikes and the very specific Penance shading is easier to draw.

Duggan definitely has to explain her willingness to go into that form, because X-Factor made a very big deal about her time as Penance being deeply traumatic for her to the point where she was suicidal on a daily basis.

Also side note… I think we found a “controversial” opinion that we all agree on haha.

[Daedalus]

I honestly think this is simply a function of the Penance form being the most recognizable form.

I've always found Monet insufferable, so I never paid much attention to what they do with her likeness. Is she heavily branded anywhere? Does she have any merchandise? If she does, I'd imagine it is in her Penance form.

[Kurolegacy]

Perhaps they feel that in her standard form she is basicly just another "Super Girl light" character and that the monster form gives her a more visual striking design, hence constantly having her switch into that mode despite it basicly not offering any truely big benefit compared to the powers she allready has.

Which from a certain point of view is somewhat unfair to many of the mutant characters who not only always looked mutated, but have only that as their distinct trait and super power.

But at that point, that’s her power set. If they felt that then they picked the wrong person to be using especially since with their usage of the Penance form, they’ve been largely ignoring her actual powers in favor of a transformation that basically came out of nowhere. And that’s saying nothing of how that form is basically linked to a traumatic experience for her and they’ve essentially turned it into a super mode. It’d be like if they suddenly gave Jubilee the power to turn into a vampire at will because they thought it was cooler than her usual powers. And with her set to be on the Uncanny Avengers with Rogue and Psylocke, you just know that they’re gonna further ignore Monet’s actual powers since they’ll already have another flying brick and psychic.

[Sutekh]

It just kind of annoys me because as a flying tank, Monet and Rogue were pretty much it, the only ones, and regardless of how long Rogue has had Carol's powers, they're still borrowed and not even her actual mutant powers. As Penance, Monet becomes a clawed scrapper, diving into combat claws first, like both Wolverines, Daken, Wolfbane, Scout, Feral, Thorn, Catseye, Marrow, Sabertooth, Deathstrike, etc, etc. Team schnikt-bub did *not* need another stabbie.

She went from fairly unique (since Rogue's mutation is not 'flying tank') to one of a dozen.

Plus, shallowest of all reasons, she had a great look.

[Kingdom X]

I honestly think this is simply a function of the Penance form being the most recognizable form.

I've always found Monet insufferable, so I never paid much attention to what they do with her likeness. Is she heavily branded anywhere? Does she have any merchandise? If she does, I'd imagine it is in her Penance form.

Idk… despite being a less known character Monet was featured in ongoings for pretty much all of the 2000s and a good chunk of the 2010’s as well. Part of that is the fact she was part of Peter David’s run which went on for a really long time but she was definitely still featured after that whereas Penance/ Hollow’s appearances have been way more sporadic.

I’d agree that Penance has a recognizable look, but that’s why they made her a distinct character instead of getting rid of her once the original Monet was freed.

[Kurolegacy]

Idk… despite being a less known character Monet was featured in ongoings for pretty much all of the 2000s and a good chunk of the 2010’s as well. Part of that is the fact she was part of Peter David’s run which went on for a really long time but she was definitely still featured after that whereas Penance/ Hollow’s appearances have been way more sporadic.

I’d agree that Penance has a recognizable look, but that’s why they made her a distinct character instead of getting rid of her once the original Monet was freed.

And what’s ironic is that by giving Monet that firm as a combat transformation (and giving it to her sisters for some reason), they’ve basically overshadowed Penance to the point where there’s a good chance that she’ll become an editorial oversight for years in which people forget that her and Monet are 2 distinct characters especially as the form becomes more recognized by new readers as something belonging to Monet. And then in another vein, as she uses that more, her other powers end up being forgotten about and it ends up defaulting to Penance form. So at that point, they’re hurting both characters with this.

[Harasar]

Penance form would have worked better if it was given to M-Twins instead of Monet. They had previously merged together to act like M, so it would make sense what now, when an actual real Monet returned, they could still merge together, but instead of M they now take the appearance and powers of Penance. So we could have both Monet and Penance, sort of like how Marvel restored Betsy Braddock to her original body and reintroduced Kwannon and gave her "Psylocke" moniker and role of a psychic ninja.

[marhawkman]

But at that point, that’s her power set. If they felt that then they picked the wrong person to be using especially since with their usage of the Penance form, they’ve been largely ignoring her actual powers in favor of a transformation that basically came out of nowhere. And that’s saying nothing of how that form is basically linked to a traumatic experience for her and they’ve essentially turned it into a super mode. It’d be like if they suddenly gave Jubilee the power to turn into a vampire at will because they thought it was cooler than her usual powers. And with her set to be on the Uncanny Avengers with Rogue and Psylocke, you just know that they’re gonna further ignore Monet’s actual powers since they’ll already have another flying brick and psychic.

honeslty, Monet was, for marvel, quite unique. calling her "Supergirl Lite" Is interesting since there's very few other DC characters like that. "But all Kryptonians can.."... yeah and that is what makes Kryptonians powerful and rare.

[Kurolegacy]

honeslty, Monet was, for marvel, quite unique. calling her "Supergirl Lite" Is interesting since there's very few other DC characters like that. "But all Kryptonians can.."... yeah and that is what makes Kryptonians powerful and rare.

Heck, it was just that power set that that made her such an important mutant upon her return in Age of Apocalypse. It’s genuinely a shame that now that she’s finally back on a team again, they advertise her with the Penance form when, until House of X, that hadn’t even been anything she was known for since Generation X, this overshadowing everything else about her.

[Nicoclaws]

TBH about Monet I really wish the Penance plot had been completely dropped. Hama's "explanation" that she was "the real Monet" made no sense, and it took one of the better aspects of the M character away. I am STILL pissed off at it.

[Kingdom X]

Don’t know if this is controversial, but the Krakoa era has done a really poor job of keeping up with concepts that were introduced as somewhat essential to the ongoing functions of the island. Primarily thinking about X-Factor, X-Corp, and the Hellfire Trading Company. The former seemed like a necessary step when it comes to keeping resurrections going, and the latter two were presented as highly influential to Krakoa’s finances and international relations. Obviously, these concepts don’t have books anymore but you’d think they’d show up in the background of current ongoings or that they’d present matters for the QC to deal with (if it wasn’t the Sinister show). It makes the world building seem really shaky when these things get totally dropped.

[Nicoclaws]

Don’t know if this is controversial, but the Krakoa era has done a really poor job of keeping up with concepts that were introduced as somewhat essential to the ongoing functions of the island. Primarily thinking about X-Factor, X-Corp, and the Hellfire Trading Company. The former seemed like a necessary step when it comes to keeping resurrections going, and the latter two were presented as highly influential to Krakoa’s finances and international relations. Obviously, these concepts don’t have books anymore but you’d think they’d show up in the background of current ongoings or that they’d present matters for the QC to deal with (if it wasn’t the Sinister show). It makes the world building seem really shaky when these things get totally dropped.

X-factor still appears in the background or are mentioned here and there, especially in Unlimited.
X-corps has been mentioned in Legion of X, but the book was so bad I fear the writers want to avoid it (Gillen outright ignored it in Immortal, by taking out Selene).
The HTC could totally be more prominent especially in Immortal. It would fit the "power plays" tone of the book.