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Here we have Cyclops' appearances by year. He started out as the centerpiece character and his presence/absence had huge cascading effects for other characters. #xmen @Xmentogether
Rogue goes Miniver Cheevy and longs for a fairy tale of Southern feminine romance, thus putting her at odds with how she too presents as a character, suggesting that she has hardened herself outwardly to the life she’s stuck with. 4/7 @LetsTalkRogue
Psylocke desires to quit presenting as gentle, feminine and heroic – to live honestly as the brutal warrior that she knows she is at heart, and to accept herself as that. 3/7 @LetsTalkBetsy
Havok desires to cut loose, to live unafraid of hurting people and to thus reach his full potential. This helps to further define him as a man in constant fear of the power he possesses. 2/7
Motivation is usually an underpinning to character but in a fantasy story like UXM Annual 11, where the X-Men glimpse their fondest desires, Claremont can define motivations more directly. Thus, it’s a great character study for the run. Here we go! 1/7 #XMen
On the sexual level, the age difference skews a little gross, but Rogue is starting fresh and having the time of her life as a result of the freedom/self-sufficiency she’s cultivated. The idea that she’d indulge in a dalliance after years of forced chastity makes sense. 4/5
Claremont’s Psylocke offers a compelling commentary on gender as a femme-presenting (masquerade, really) badass warrior afraid of her own brutality. In this role, she destabilizes (or queers) the same feminine archetype that she projects. #xmen @LetsTalkBetsy
In an innately masculinist genre, Claremont's Havoc stands out for his innate pacifism (despite extraordinary power), emotional vulnerability, and his constant struggle to live up to the superhero ideal. This is an underrated character who helped define the Australia era. #xmen
The Carol persona (a great metaphor for guilt) is perhaps the hardest/best part. In one scene, Rogue becomes confused when it surfaces, and the man she thinks she loves assaults her and expresses his desire to kill her – a desire she shares. It’s a powerful, heartbreaking scene.