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Off My Mind: Has Cyclops Saved Mutants or Doomed Them All?

He may have restored the mutant population but what will be the price?

There's been a lot of discussion and arguments over Cyclops' actions in AVENGERS VS. X-MEN. Cyclops has made it his goal to protect mutants since their number had been reduced during Decimation and House of M. He knew his species was endangered and was determined to protect them at any and all cost.

Hope Summers was meant to be the mutant messiah and when the Phoenix Force was headed towards Earth, it appeared Hope was the target. Due to other circumstances, the Phoenix Force was split five ways (and equal portions were shared by what we call The Phoenix Five). Driven by the power of the Phoenix Force, Cyclops continued to do what he felt was necessary to make the planet a better place and to safeguard the future of mutants.

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There were lots of casualties and destruction but it appeared that as a result of everything, Cyclops had helped bring the return of mutants on Earth. The x-factor in many kicked in and new mutants started popping up all over the place. Cyclops may have been right in doing all he set out to do but now it appears there is a price to pay for his actions. Has Cyclops really doomed all the mutants?

== TEASER ==
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In the first issue of ALL-NEW X-MEN, we discover that Beast is having some hard times. He is the first to go through a third mutation (secondary mutations became the norm for many and added a second ability). Unfortunately this third mutation is killing him. His body cannot cope with the change. It's his decision to try to right things that result in bringing the original X-Men from the past to talk to the present day Cyclops.

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In the third issue, Magneto tries using his powers to stop a truck and discovers he's having difficulty. When Cyclops steps in to use his powers, his optic blasts become so intense, he can barely control them. When talking to Emma, she mentioned her powers not being the same as they used to be. She can no longer use her telepathy.

What we're seeing is two different results. Emma mentions having a portion of the Phoenix Force changed them and "broke" their mutations. That explains why she, Cyclops and Magneto are having difficulty with their powers. We could expect Magik to have some problems (she mentions feeling more powerful) and Colossus (perhaps in the pages of CABLE AND X-FORCE). We'll have to see if Namor is affected. When the question was raised why Magneto's power would be affected since he wasn't in possession of a portion of the Phoenix Force. He was hit by a blast of it when he stood against Cyclops in the end.

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What about Beast? What about other mutants? We don't know the full details about why Beast is going through a third mutation which his body can't handle. It could simply be another natural evolution such as when mutants started getting secondary mutations. It seems too much of a coincidence that he happens to be mutating further just after new mutants started popping up. If this mutation is potentially killing him, could the same happen to other mutants? Is it only those in close proximity to Cyclops when he had the Phoenix Force or is he still causing mutant powers to go haywire? Will this carry over to new mutants he tries to recruit as well?

Is this what Beast meant when he told Cyclops' younger self that he needed him to stop the older Cyclops from committing mutant genocide?

It might appear that the mutant population is back on its way to becoming a thriving population. Now we can see that there may be a catch. Mutants may have returned but it looks as if that return could be short lived. Cyclops may have helped bring mutants back from extinction but the results could end up with more than the previous few remaining dying out. Now it appears that each new mutant and existing mutant could be a ticking time bomb sentenced to death.

Cyclops may have been right in the Phoenix Force being able to bring back mutants but how long will they be back before they all permanently go away?

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irmensul

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Edited By irmensul

Ha! still got Avengers X-men to read yet

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trutrutru

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@Outside_85 said:

@jaydee98: Actually he didn't try to do anything in regards to mutants other than sending Utopia a mile into the air, the rest of his time appeared to be spent breaking weapons, beating avengers and try to make the world a better place. As for consequences, you didn't need to be a precog to know what would eventually happen when the Phoenix around. In regards to the government; I haven't seen them park tanks within sight of either Utopia or Westchester, what Scott is doing now could very well lead to that.

umm...did we not already see the government overreacting and discriminating against mutants in All new x-men #1?.....this issue exists..despite cyclops just getting out of prison.....its just what human and mutant relations are like.....has little to do with Scott's current efforts, as it is a problem that existed before cyclops started going around recruiting.

at the very least they arent on the brink of extinction

can it get worse...very likely it will...but whats the alternative....letting humans just discriminate against mutants...to let injustices against mutants continue without standing up for them?

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Outside_85

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Edited By Outside_85

@trutrutru: You mean against one unknown mutant that had freaked out and trapped how many people, holding them frozen in time for several hours? How exactly do you expect a local government to react to something that could suddenly turn out to be another Magneto. While I know the problem existed covertly before Scott started, he certainly is not doing mutants any favors by running around sounding like North Korea.

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Jenkale

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Edited By Jenkale

mutants were on the brink of extinction and now their not so yeah he save them. cyclops was right

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Kain

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Edited By Kain

@VeganDiet said:

I don't get the whole "Cyclops was Right. Cyclops saved the mutants" thing. No, he didn't. Hope did. She's the one who gave up her phoenix powers to help mutant kind. Cyclops kept his when, apparently, he could have sacrificed the power to reactivate the x-gene the world over.

Sounds a lot more like a selfish prick than a savior to me.

"Cyclops was right" is true because he said the Phoenix was there to reignite the mutant race. Nobody said he did it and he's not claiming to have been the one to have done it. He was however right about the phoenix being there to bring back mutants.

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trutrutru

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Edited By trutrutru

@Outside_85 said:

@trutrutru: You mean against one unknown mutant that had freaked out and trapped how many people, holding them frozen in time for several hours? How exactly do you expect a local government to react to something that could suddenly turn out to be another Magneto. While I know the problem existed covertly before Scott started, he certainly is not doing mutants any favors by running around sounding like North Korea.

yeah that is one of the occurrences..when the government showed up..they showed up armed and with guns pointed, looking to take someone into custody or even take them down.

Knowing damn well there are mutants popping up, most of who have no idea they have acquired powers till something like this happens.

Also, how many people got hurt? if anything, this mutant stopped a massive brawl. I would expect the local government to act according to the information they have. That there are mutants out there just randomly getting these abilities, without any real control, nor any bad intention with them. How could you have bad intentions with some power you didnt know you had till just then? see where im going with this

the approach being taken by the government is a guilty until proven otherwise approach. Its prejudice, "racists", and uncalled for. Does the government have reason to be concerned or watchful of these situations, yes. But it shouldnt get to the point where just being a mutant gets you treated like a criminal..which is exactly the state of human mutant relations before any of what Cyclop's team has done. It will certainly make things worse. But again. What is the alternative? to allow this to continue? To let the humans trounce over the rights of mutants?

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Outside_85

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Edited By Outside_85

@trutrutru: The solution is through diplomacy, Scott has abandoned diplomacy at this point and is out to carve out an empire for his true believers. And I might add the woman wasnt even aware of the government being outside of her time bubble, meaning they had done nothing other than secure a perimeter. And really what do you expect from the government when they don't know who or what they are dealing with.

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dernman

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Edited By dernman
@Outside_85: You need to stop using logic. People don't like that.
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UltraBiel

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@Perfect 10 said:

mutants were on the brink of extinction and now their not so yeah he save them. cyclops was right

This.

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trutrutru

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Edited By trutrutru

@Outside_85 said:

@trutrutru: The solution is through diplomacy, Scott has abandoned diplomacy at this point and is out to carve out an empire for his true believers. And I might add the woman wasnt even aware of the government being outside of her time bubble, meaning they had done nothing other than secure a perimeter. And really what do you expect from the government when they don't know who or what they are dealing with.

Is it though? We have the Avengers supposedly increasing its efforts diplomatically, all the while cyclops had been locked up having not yet started on his current path. And yet still, this was the state of human and mutant relations.

carve out an empire? thats an exaggeration.

Also, since when are issues of rights resolved without some form of protest. Diplomacy is all well and good, but is hardly ever effective on its own. The fact that even with the Avenger's public stance and new team (uncanny avengers) has done nothing to improve mutant and human relations, should be testament to the ineffectiveness of diplomacy alone. Sometimes we need more than just words.

If the government did nothing but secure the perimeter it is because that's all they could do.

Nobody could get through, which is why Cyclops and team were communicating with the woman telepathically with the help of Emma Frost. You think they ONLY kept a perimeter out of good faith? no. Its because it was the most they could do in that situation.

If they dont know who or what they are dealing with, then why are they so aggressive? Especially after the bubble is down and they get in to find what? a minor brawl between a group of males? Yet here they are in force with guns drawn straight at her. Yes, a very logical response indeed.

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Agypt2020

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Edited By Agypt2020

I am ecstatic for the return of Mutant kind and leading to social acceptance in a world. What I would like to see is Mutant involvement in geopolitical affairs and new terrors to all Mankind to rely upon Mutants (Hint: take a chapter from Al Qaida).

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LaryKing

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Cyclops is the greatest leader and savior of the mutantkind.HE did what was necessary ,despite what could happen to him,and that's what makes him a great leader.Cap wouldn't have the guts to do so.

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deactivated-60e87a786cc9c

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He saved mutant kind but doomed himself.