There is a Schism between members of the X-Men. From the first day they put on costumes and tried to protect the innocent, the X-Men have always faced danger. As mutants, they have faced threats of being locked up or exterminated. The climate and hatred towards mutants has only gotten worse over the years. Professor X's vision was that humans and mutants could someday coexist peacefully. The problem is, people always fear the unknown. With certain mutants using their abilities for their own gain, mutants have become unpredictable in the eyes of the public.
Recently the X-Men have been confronted by a new threat. The new version of the Hellfire Club was made up of highly intelligent and deadly children. Not realizing the full threat, the X-Men were caught off guard and attacked at the newly opened museum for mutants. With no concern for innocent civilians, the Hellfire Club had defeated the X-Men and planned on detonating a bomb which would kill countless innocent lives.
This is where the debate began. The X-Men had all been captured. Only the young mutant Idie was left. Wolverine was racing to the museum to deal with the attackers. Cyclops was too far away. Despite Wolverine's protests, Cyclops told Idie to do what she felt she had to in order to stop the terrorists. This resulted in her killing a dozen men but saving hundreds. Cyclops and Wolverine would soon get into the argument of whether or not the children should be used as soldiers and allowed to kill. Be warned, there will be some spoilers from X-Men: Schism.
== TEASER ==The X-Men are not supposed to kill. This was always stressed upon Wolverine from the day he joined. As the attitude and threats against mutants intensified, it finally got to the point where Cyclops, as the leader of all the X-Men, made the choice to condone killing...on certain occasions. His solution was the black ops squad of mutants operating as X-Force. Wolverine lead this team and did what Cyclops ordered him to do in order for the other X-Men to be spared the decision or threats.
With Cyclops growing colder and making more tactical decisions for the greater good, Wolverine felt he'd gone too far. The children do need to know how to use their powers but they're not X-Men. They're not soldiers. They are still children, regardless of how much power they might possess. Their innocence needs to be preserved for as long as possible, even if that period is growing shorter and shorter with all the threats each day.
Cyclops feels they no longer have that luxury. The number of mutants has been reduced and they are near extinction. Wolverine's option was to run from the threat approaching Utopia. Cyclops felt that wouldn't accomplish anything. They would have no where to run to. They don't have other places or countries they could go since the world is pretty much all against them. They'd be stuck running for the rest of their lives. Standing their ground gave them a chance.
Who was right?
Here comes the hard part. The easy solution is both are right and wrong. But as the X-Men had to choose, so must we. As a father, of course I think children should be protected. They shouldn't be exposed to certain things. As Wolverine said, once you kill, that's not something you can come back from. You'll always be a killer.
Unfortunately, the X-Men don't live in a normal world. They don't have the luxury, option or resources to keep the children isolated and safe. As surprised as I am to say it, I have to side with Cyclops on this.
Being a leader isn't easy. Being a leader of an entire species facing annihilation is even harder. Cyclops has devoted his entire life to the X-Men. He's given up everything. Wolverine might have good intentions but taking a bunch of kids and trying to re-start the school is not going to guarantee their safety. Look at what happened to the New X-Men. How many mutants were killed by William Stryker? He killed one-fourth of the students when he caused a bus to explode. Even under the protection of the X-Men, they were not safe.
Is Wolverine willing to give up everything in his life? He runs around the world and is active in X-Force and the New Avengers. As Cyclops pointed out, the reason Wolverine wasn't there to help Idie was because he was sitting in a bar drinking. Where is he going to find the time to run a school and ensure the children are safe?
Wolverine's comment that they are children and not soldiers is ridiculous. The idea of the X-Men has always taken children and put them in harm's way in order to fight evil and protect the innocent. The original X-Men were in their mid-teens when they first put on their costumes and fought Magneto, a mutant terrorist. Teenagers but still not adults. Professor X may have had dreams of a peaceful co-existence but he also trained them to be soldiers.
Where does that leave Cyclops and his future as leader of his X-Men? Is it any surprise that Magneto is standing by his side? It has been said that Magneto was right. Wolverine has good intentions but with the state of mutant affairs in the Marvel universe and the fact that he is not one to settle down in one place, he's getting in over his head thinking he can safely run a school. It might be easy for him to say mutants shouldn't kill because he can survive just about any attack. When it comes down to a matter of survival, sometimes a superpowered individual might not have another choice, especially if it means their lives or the lives of other innocents.
As we make our decision and this topic turns into a conversation, let's hope it can stay that--a conversation. This is something that we should be able to discuss rationally and not resort to petty bickering (much like Cyclops and Wolverine did in the story). Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Just know that mine is the correct one.
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