X-Lapsed, Episode 102 – Hellions #4 (2020)
X-Lapsed, Episode One Hundred and Two
Hellions #4 (November, 2020)
“Love Bleeds”
Writer – Zeb Wells
Art – Stephen Segovia
Colors – David Curiel
Letters – VC’s Ariana Maher
Design – Tom Muller
Head of X – Hickman
Edits – Bissa, Amaro, White, Basso, Cebulski
Cover Price: $3.99
On-Sale:
In which Madelyne Pryor and your humble host continue sharing an X-istential crisis!
We talk a lot about legacy… what does it mean to exist, and when you can be sure that you actually do! It’s a half-hour of a marblemouthed idiot trying to sound as deep as a high school freshman who’d just discovered Nietzsche – you won’t wanna miss it!
Plus – Our customarily awesome mailbag including more #XLapsed100 chatter!
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@acecomics / @cosmictmill / 90sxmen@gmail.com
Wow! You really got my little brain whizzing with your thoughts about life, death and legacy in this episode. Madelyne Pryor is a fascinating character and her existential concerns are completely justified within continuity. She is the perfect character to explore themes of free will and determinism. Did she freely love Scott Summers or was she solely compelled to by Sinister's reprogramming? Did Scott love her or did she influence him with the telepathy she didn't even know she possessed? The Inferno retcons put a question mark over every element of her life.
Wells is very cleverly picking up on these questions and I think there is even a metatextual element. Maddie was a real character with real impact on the story of the X-Men who had to be changed in order to make Cyclops back into a viable character after the launch of X-Factor. If she had remained the woman she had been then Cyclops was a bad guy and Cyclops had to be a hero.
What I find most interesting is what is not mentioned. People often talk about your legacy being your children. Those of us who are not parents are often thought of as lesser contributors to society as we are not creating the future. It's notable that Cable is not seen as proof of Madelyne's existence. I suppose she might see him as more a product of Sinister's manipulations than of her.
It really is phenomenal that Wells is able to put so much psychological depth into what is ultimately a campy, violent, action adventure story. He really makes me feel for Maddie. I suppose it's logical that the damaged team would fight damaged villains.
The ultimate decision by the Quiet Council not to resurrect Maddie is like a knife in my guts. The fact that they don't see her as real when all she wanted was to be acknowledged is heartbreaking. I have no doubt that Scott argued for her resurrection but I do wonder how the various Council Members would have voted. As you say it's probably best that we don't see their deliberations and have to construct them for ourselves.
The fact that Greycrow has to wait for the original Marauders to be resurrected does make me wonder how Kid Omega keeps jumping the queue. Do they really think he is vital to Krakoa?
The close of the issue with Nanny threatening Sinister is a great scene. I love seeing things seeded for future stories. It's so Claremontian. I feel like I'm going to be reading this book for years. Post Ecchs of Tens the only books I am still buying are Marauders and Hellions. Can you believe the man that hated Fallen Angels with so much passion is loving a book featuring Kwannon? I wouldn't have believed it.
Anyway, until Kwannon has to house train Wild Child- Make Mine X-Lapsed!