If you're reading ALL-NEW X-MEN, you know we're seeing two sides of the same coin with the young and old X-Men. The young versions from the past are learning just how much their world will change as time goes by.
For Cyclops, it's been the worst. As dedicated and committed he was in his brief time as an X-Man, he finds out that he will go down a path he never could have imagined possible.
In ALL-NEW X-MEN #7, Cyclops had to get away from the school. Even though he wasn't responsible for what his older version did, he feels completely separated from everyone else. He makes a trip to Manhattan to see if he still has a security deposit box he must have set up in his own time. Thankfully he discovers that he did keep the box all these years and he clearly added several items over the years. The question is why did he keep these items locked up?
== TEASER ==
The first thing he discovers, which is a relief, is a pair of ruby quartz glasses. They appear to be an older version but they still allow him the freedom of removing his mask and visor. Why would Cyclops keep a pair of glasses in his safety deposit box? It makes sense to have pairs in different strategic locations just in case something did happen to his visor. Keeping on in a safety deposit box is trickier in that situation. If he visor was damaged, he wouldn't be able to waltz in the front door to retrieve them.
He also has a passport in the box. The question here is whether or not that's his actual passport or a fake one. If it was his actual one, why would he keep it locked up in Manhattan when he's been living off the coast of San Francisco when they moved to Utopia? If it's a fake passport, why would Scott Summers feel the need to have a fake one? With access to the blackbird, Cyclops could pretty much fly to any country in the world. He should have a valid passport but in the middle of a mission, you don't take time going through customs and immigration.
There was a large amount of cash. Cyclops has been pretty much a straight and narrow fellow. If he was going to have money put away, he would do it through a regular bank account. That way he'd be able to access it form wherever he was. Keeping a big chunk of change is a little suspicious. There's also the question of where the money came from. He never really had a job. He didn't get an income for being an X-Man. Maybe Xavier allowed for some sort of salary aside from room and board when they taught at the Xavier Institute. But then again, you never really see mention of the school asking for tuition from the family of newly discovered mutants. The X-Men aren't like the Punisher in dealing with gang members that have mounds of cash lying around.
Finally there was his wedding invitation. It's believable that a married couple would keep an invitation or two as a keepsake of their momentous day. Maybe he kept it locked up in a bank in Manhattan since the school would get destroyed from time to time. You can't really expect to keep any personal possessions if that's known to happen.
Besides the massive amount of cash, other items include several photographs, some computer floppy discs, a necklace, a lock of Jean's hair, their wedding rings and two small cylindrical objects.
With all of these, there's also the question of when did Scott Summers deposit all these? Did he put the invitation there after the wedding to keep it safe or did he lock it up after he and Emma got together. It could be that keeping it in a secret security deposit box would be a way Emma wouldn't get ticked at him for hanging onto the memory of his time with Jean.
It makes sense he'd have keepsakes of Jean locked up away from the school (away from Emma or Wolverine). It is a little strange that Cyclops would have so much cash. Why would he keep a lock of Jean's hair if he wouldn't have many opportunities to 'visit' with it? Is knowing that the mementos exist and are safely tucked away enough to keep him going? Did he manage to keep this hidden from Emma and her telepathy? But where did he get all that cash?
Hopefully we'll find out when and why these items were there. It's one thing to be prepared when you're a great leader. But this looks like Scott was prepared to go on the run, which doesn't make a lot of sense. ALL-NEW X-MEN continues to be a surprise month after month but let's hope this moment is addressed in future issues.
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