Warning: Spoilers for X-Men #3!Cyclops has just revealed a hidden truth about these X-Men New base of operations. In the fallout from Krakoa’s case, Cyclops has crafted a new X-Men roster for him to lead, and they’ve repurposed a former Orchis base into their headquarters, crafting the perfect insult to their anti-mutant enemies. The origin story is dark in its own right, but there are even darker implications beneath the surface.
in X-Men #3 by Jed MacKay, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Livesay, Marte Gracia and VC’s Clayton Cowles, Cyclops has a sit-down conversation with ONE agent Lundviqst, during which it is revealed that Cyclops won the former Orchis Sentinel factory as part of A negotiation with the government. The base was given to him as compensation for the tortures and trials he underwent during the last days of the Cracow era..
Not only does this add another dark layer to the X-Men living in a home base built by their oppressors, but a dark layer to Cyclops, who says he “Could have won so much more.”
Cyclops won the Orchis factory for the X-Men
But he could have won much, much more
In the final days of Krakoa, dating back to the 203 Hellfire Gala, Cyclops is captured by Orchis and tortures him, rebranding him as Prisoner X (10) in the process. In addition, framed for the murders by Captain Krakoa, Scott was made into a scapegoat, and thus was forced to a trial where he almost received the death penalty. He narrowly avoided that fate, but it seems that, as compensation for illegal punishment, he was gifted the plant that he uses for X-Men operations.
The X-Men turn the home base of their rivals into their home is already dark in itself, but they know that these are the scraps – the reparations, if you will – they get for the torment they have endured, makes it Even darker. On some level, the fact that an outbreak factory that was used to create weapons against mutants is what the government deemed fit to gift these mutants is almost inhumane. Nevertheless, it explains why the X-Men keep it so close to them already, because they are literally trying to make the most out of the little they are given.
Cyclops accepted the base as a gift of kindness
What happens when Scott Summers stops being good?
As much as it offers a dark layer to the X-Men’s relationship with the plant, it also exposes the dark layers that Cyclops hides beneath his usual demeanor.. In the same breath, Cyclops says that he accepted the gift as a compromise, maybe even a kindness, because he could get so much more from the United States if he was so happy. This is cyclops at its finest. Whereas later, he implies that if he decides not to keep his X-Men busy, he can prime them into more of a brotherhood of evil mutants.
Readers have seen Cyclops when he’s not nice. This led to some unfortunate results, such as launching a war against the Avengers and killing Professor Xavier. In his worst moments, he is immediately confirmed to be a villain. Not a misunderstood hero, but a full-on super-will, a part that Cyclops has shown he has no problem playing if he feels he has to.. Considering the fact that he compares himself to Magneto in his worst moments, Cyclops won’t hesitate to follow suit if he decides he wants more from the world than just accepting an Orchis plant. When the day comes that Cyclops decides to stop being nice, everyone should run from the X-Men.
This wouldn’t be the first time Cyclops has gone bad
A revolutionary retrospective
As said before, while the moment hints at Cyclops’ villainous potential, readers have seen how dangerous Cyclops can be when he becomes an actual villain. One prime example readers would be quick to point to is his revolutionary era, seen in the 2013-15 Invisible X-Men Title by Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo. At this time in his life, Scott joins forces with the likes of Magneto (ironically enough) and Emma Frost under the impression that Professor X’s dream is dead. The only way they see to fight back against mutant oppression is to actually fight back against those who oppose mutants.
Being a revolutionary is largely ingrained in Cyclops’ character and, in many ways, his more worried image is only the latest update of this facet. However, knowing how blindly driven by his mission statement he can be, Scott Summers actually can drive his X-Men to become his brotherhood, without even intending to. And if it is in his intention, and he requires a path of destruction that a government approved factory is not going to cover, then Cyclops‘New team of X-Men May be rebranded as a group of Marvel’s next terrifying antagonists.
X-Men #3 is now on sale from Marvel Comics.