Warning: Contains spoilers for Uncanny X-Men #7!!
The original X-Men have been through hell and back since the team's creation and everyone has hit a low point. Jean Gray had her Dark Phoenix era, Warren Worthington became Archangel, but Beast spent most of the Krakoan era acting like someone entirely different. Now, with Beast Prime over and the “new” Hank McCoy working with the X-Men, the character is finally exploring his heroic roots again.
In Mysterious X-Men #7 – written by Gail Simone, with art by David Marquez – Jubilee, Calico and Beast are imprisoned within the confines of Greymalkin Prison, built on the former Xavier Institute. Greymalkin is only meant to take down the X-Men and destroy them in one way or another, but it serves as the perfect platform for the Beast to return to his true roots as a hero.
Even after suffering a violent beating and being confined for defending Calico, Beast seizes his first opportunity to protect his new friends, taking down four prison guards in a single stunning attack.
The Beast is finally breaking free of his dark Krakoa legacy to become a great mutant hero again
Strange X-Men #7 – Written by Gail Simone; Art by David Márquez and Edgar Salazar; Color Matthew Wilson; Clayton Cowles lyrics
Hank McCoy's villainous era lasted longer and grew darker than most of his X-Men counterparts. The pressure to protect Krakoa's sovereignty led Beast Prime to turn his genius against his friends, force Wolverine to become a weapon again, and essentially abandon the ethics and values he held dear. The villainous Beast is dead, but the current cloned Hank McCoy still struggles with his legacy and the original's lack of several years of memories. Consequently, finding his place with the X-Men again was difficult, but Greymalkin Prison proves once and for all that he has all the Beast's heart.
Hank doesn't remember Jubilee and has never met Calico, but he has full access to the spirit that made him one of the founders of the X-Men. He without hesitation helped Becca with the guards X-Men #8 and ignored his injuries by launching a full-scale attack after being released from his cell. In a single panel, the “new” Hank McCoy acts more like the Beast than fans have seen in years. He is not isolated in a base or laboratory, and his incredible strength and speed are on display along with the heroism and selflessness that have defined him for so long.
The new version of Hank McCoy continues to overcome the tarnished legacy of the original
Beast currently appears full-time at Jed MacKay's X-Men Series
While the current Beast isn't the only clone replacing his original counterpart, he has the biggest obstacles to overcome. In general, mutants are still struggling to unite after the fall of Krakoa, and there is a lot of pressure on the X-Men to protect their people and act as an example of what the team is still capable of. For Hank, this means making up for years of “lost” memories and knowledge, while distancing itself from the immense pain its predecessor caused. It's a difficult task, and until Greymalkin's arrest, he seemed unsure of his own worth.
The leaping blue beast is a hero again, reminding everyone why he's one of the greatest X-Men there is.
By enduring violence from guards to protect two people he technically knows and then displaying a classic fighting style against the Beast, he ensured that valor was no longer in question. He's the Hank McCoy that his friends (and fans) have missed for so long. Even though he lacks some of the scientific knowledge and know-how that Beast Prime possessed, he has all the parts that matter most. After years of horrific behavior on Krakoa, the leaping blue beast is a hero again, reminding everyone why he is one of the greatest X-Men around.
Mysterious X-Men #7 is now available from Marvel Comics.