#I just think the trope of: “Terrible horrible and completely awful people having a healthy relationship” is both really funny and quite cute

[some-pers0n]

Y'know, I'm really happy that Scarlet's husband is just as delightfully evil and horrible. I think they'd both love to spend their evenings cackling and sharing ideas of hypothetical matches that'll end the bloodiest and most brutal. They'd spend day and night in the arena, demanding battle after battle. After getting news of a successful seige they spend the night drinking and dancing and laughing to each other.

[newx-menfan]

Thoughts on quentin quire?

I…like Morrison’s Quentin Quire. Every other representation of him is…meh in my opinion.

The reason for this is, is Morrison did some really genius things with the character.

I’ve talked in length on other posts about how Quire was meant to represent extremism and how relevant that is to current social issues. Morrison’s arc with both Magneto and Quire asks the question of: ‘Does sympathy matter when people do awful things?’

Some of the other things I really liked about Morrison’s Quire are:

He is a subversion of Kitty Pryde, in the fact that where Kitty is intellectually ahead of her peers, she is emotionally still a teenager in Claremont’s work-yet Kitty is oftentimes treated like an adult by the other X-Men. They often forget she’s still a child, which is why you have moments like Kitty getting upset with Storms costume change.

But usually Kitty is able to cope with the pressure of being treated as an adult.

In the beginning, Quire has the same issues: ahead of peers academically and intellectually but not emotionally. You have Xavier also essentially treating him like an adult. Where Kitty was able to handle that stress- Quire ISN’T. He caves under the pressure because while he is VERY intelligent-his choices are still being directed by emotions he doesn’t quite have a grip or understanding on.

I also think it’s impressive that as much as Quire builds up his actions being about Carnation’s death and the greater good; at the end it’s revealed to be about his own fears and insecurities, along with impressing the Cuckoos. With comic books still be considered ‘male oriented’, it’s kind of impressive that Morrison represents this as TOXIC.

We see the Cuckoos side of things and that it’s UNWANTED attention. Quire’s treatment of Tattoo isn’t shown to really be any better-he basically treats her as nothing more than a henchmen/sex object. Quire humiliates another student who he perceives as getting female attention and his actions are framed as awful. Quire IS held accountable for Sophie’s death and countless others injuries-which he should be.

While Quire’s insecurities are shown-they’re represented as UNDERSTANDABLE but not JUSTIFIABLE of his behavior.

Quire’s backstory has all the build up for SYMPATHY-but Morrison never really gives it that tone in his writing. If anything Morrison focuses on the waste of talent and pity. You pity Quire for falling into this useless rebellion solely for the sake to rebel vs. characters like Beak or Angel who manage to find meaning in their lives and learning to care for one another, despite going through horrible obstacles themselves.

In many ways I do think there is also the subtle commentary there on the Punk movement and how most 'movements’ more or less sell out. How things start with honorable intentions only to slowly become tainted by consumerism and power.

The problem I have with his other appearances-

Most writers feed into the very thing Morrison DIDN’T WANT: Quire to be sympathetic. Writers essentially put more focus on the sympathy angle and not the terrible things Quire did.

Where Morrison more or less deconstructed the: 'I’m misunderstood’ trope, other writers feed into it.

Morrison’s WHOLE story WAS essentially that neither Quire’s gifts nor his mistreatment justified treating others poorly-other writers COMPLETELY miss that because they either A) Identity with Quire’s misunderstood/unpopular label or B) think his antics are funny…so he for some reason…gets a pass?

The most irritating thing for me with it- is you could MAYBE justify Quire’s rehabilitation to me if he faced ACTUAL consequences for his actions. But he never really does! Pretty much ALL the adults give him a pass.

Then there’s the fact that Morrison’s Quire WOULD NEVER be able to believe in Xavier dream. Quire is far too logical to EVER believe humans and mutants could one day get along. Quire RELIES too heavily on logic and is a nihilist. At least with characters like David you can argue they’re at least hopeful and have a more futuristic way of thought; you can make sense of characters like Prodigy continuing to stay at Xavier’s even if logically he doesn’t always agree. Quire you don’t really have a good argument for WHY he would stay, except to be with his friends that he regularly drops or treats poorly…?

Plus, Quire LIKES having power; you see it with the way he uses his intelligence AGAINST people or even the way he uses his power. Much like Empath/Manuel De la Rocha-he does enjoy hurting people. For that to suddenly change or for him to be part of an organization promoting peace: again makes little sense. (Let’s be honest-Quire has A LOT of similarities to Empath: the difference is, is Empath is treated as a villain and Quire isn’t…)

Then there’s the whole Quire vs. Hellion thing and how writers often times utilize Julian for Quire’s benefit. The thing about this is, is it’s STILL playing into toxic beliefs. Julian is less sympathetic than Quire despite Julian’s actions NEVER leading to people dying, Julian having just as much of a sympathetic backstory, and Julian regularly SHOWN to have healthy dynamics with other women-because Julian fits into the Popular Male Chad type. Quire is sympathetic despite his extremism and questionable treatment of women: because he fits into the unpopular misunderstood smart guy trope.

Then there’s ALSO his relationship with Idie-who he STILL essentially treats the same as the Cuckoos. In Generation X he still feels entitled to be with Idie despite him being the one to regularly treat her terribly in WATXM. Idie being younger than him also comes off as potentially a bit creepy, considering his backstory: that he may be using the inequality for manipulation and control.

Even his relationship with Gwenpool-it starts from Quire REPEATEDLY putting her down for her personality, likes, and dislikes.

So yeah-I personally think writers stripped Morrison’s really well thought out character and a character we REALLY need at this point and time where we as a society are justifying this kind of awful behavior.

[ladyhatty]

TW:Medical Talk TW: Dystopian tropes I can’t mention without killing a fun reveal but it’s in the tags

I was living in an arcology (y’know, like you do ) going on cool water slides, rock climbing, just having fun around the place. I was just wandering around thinking about grabbing some dinner when I met a lovely young lady. She was smart and funny, with cute short ruffled brown hair and a great laugh. I was completely smitten. Then I noticed when she laughed a lot or got excited or angry she’d get these big purple splotches on her skin. Not a human color, but bright amethyst purple. And at the center of a few of the larger blotches were small black/green splotches that never went away. She noticed me looking and said “You look surprised” I blushed “I am, I’ve never seen anything like that before, are you ok?” She looked disgusted “You people are killing us on mass and you say you don’t even know?” “What?” She looked dejected and deeply hurt “You really don’t know?” I nodded “Follow me” She lead me to the nearest elevator and up 80 floors, near the industrial areas. High enough that that air waste wouldn’t bother the outdoor gardens, parks, and other fun outdoor areas but low enough to not bother the ultra rich with the fancy views. We headed off the elevator down an industrial hallway towards a more run down area near the outer wall. There was a strange smell in the air that got stronger the further we went. We came to a door with a man behind a desk next to it. He looked at me critically and asked “You sure?” I looked at the girl, she took my arm and lead me to the door “She’s sure” He shrugged “Your funeral” and there was a beep and the door opened. The smell I’d been sensing got stronger and I thought I could identify it, smoke, medicine, and cooked meat. It wasn’t terribly pleasant but the girl seemed unphased so I just followed her.

The room we were in was large and cavernous, from my estimate it must have gone straight to the outer walls. The light was dim, it looked like there were large fluorescent lights in the ceiling but the glow was dissipated by the light smoke in the air.

People were mostly hunched around tables and going in and out of what looked like tents. I looked at the girl “What is this place? Nothing is supposed to be like this here.” I was confused and starting to feel sick, something was terribly wrong here.

She no longer looked disgusted, just sad “This is where we live. Can’t have us sickies around you regular people.”

“But you were out?” I felt like she was being intentionally vague or I didn’t know the right questions to ask.

She pointed to one of her sickly green black patches, the horrible word ‘gangrene’ sprang to mind “ Only 6%, once I’m over 25% I can’t leave, over 90% and it’s game over. Of course I’m still only allowed in the less crowded places.”

“You’re sick?” she nodded, “But with what? And is it contagious?” I tried not to look as uncomfortable as I felt.

She noticed anyway and took a small step closer to me, she was getting those purple patches again and I could see a purple tint to her eyes as well “Only at 100%, so don’t worry, they don’t let that happen.”

I knew the answer before I asked but I had to ask just to keep hope, “Can’t they cure you sooner.” It wasn’t even really a question.

“They don’t cure us.” she started walking past me “Come on”

I followed her to the edge of the room where there were a series of rooms built into the wall with barred doors. The smell there was almost overwhelming, no more smell of medicine, just the smoke and meat with an undercurrent of strong bleach. There were large guards standing nearby. One came towards us and pointed at me. “She doesn’t go any closer.” My guide nodded. 

“I know, just showing her”

He grinned maliciously “Show doesn’t start for another 15 minutes.” As he laughed I could see his own purple patches come in, I guessed everyone in the room must be sick. Everyone but me.

She just gave him a withering glare. He just laughed and walked back to his post leaving us alone. I was trying to see what was behind the bars when a figure slammed against the door.

Their eyes were almost pure purple, with only slightly lighter and darker shades for the pupil and iris. All the skin I could see, their bald head, face, and hands, were almost entirely covered in that horrible brackish green with only two smaller blotches of dark purple.

I jumped, startled and they let out a horrible harsh laugh “Try seeing it in the mirror” they rasped out then pulled away from the bars, sinking back into the darkness of their cell. 

“That’s what 90% looks like.” My new friend said quietly, almost reverently. “That will be me in a few short years.”

I once again asked a question I didn’t want to “So what happens in 15 minutes?”

She sighed, “You really don’t want to see, let’s go somewhere more pleasant  and I can explain.” I nodded and she lead me back to the exit of the room.

There was another desk inside of the room, this one also flanked with guards. she stopped at the desk “Bridget, 486392.” she told the desk attendant. Bridget, I hadn’t even asked, thinks had gone too fast.

He nodded and typed into his computer “And her?” I automatically rattled off my own name and number “Paige, 486536.”

He typed on the computer again then looked up  “She’s not sick.” Bridget nodded. He looked me dead in the eye.“Get out of here while you can girl.”

I followed her out of the room without another word.

We walked back towards the elevator taking it back down to the floor of my apartment, the 19th. We sat down in my living room, after everything I’d seen it felt surreal to be home. Like I was showing off to have her here after seeing where she lived, but I didn’t know where else to take her for privacy for our conversation.

“You really didn’t know.” She said quietly.

“I don’t think most people do.” I said sadly. “But it’s not like it’s hidden, they just let me walk right in.”

She shrugged, “More people than you think know, they just don’t want to think about us.”

“So what is it? I’m sorry if that’s rude it’s just...insane.” I held my hands in front of me and realized I was shaking. I felt numb.

She shrugged “They haven’t told us a whole lot. You’re either born with it or you’re not.”

“It’s a genetic thing?” that just made the treatment of them feel even crueler.

“Not...really?” she sounded uncertain, “Your kids have a better chance to get it than mine. There’s something in the disease that makes the kids almost immune but it doesn’t get passed down. It makes us more fertile too.”

Suddenly so much made sense. Our society used a foster system for all children. You left your birth parent at birth and were given to a couple or person who wanted a child. We were always told it was a kindness, it meant the birth mother could recuperate from childbirth and fertile people could give birth without being stuck with parenting. Many people weren’t fertile anymore so it let people parent who otherwise couldn’t.

Or maybe that was all a lie. Maybe instead sick purple babies were taken from their healthy birth parents and sent off to the awful place I had just been. While healthy babies were taken from their sick parents and taken downstairs to a better life.

She said it made them more fertile. Falling birth rates had been a problem since long before I was born. It was another explanation for the foster system. Fertile adults could have as many babies as possible without being stuck raising a brood of children.

“So they just let you have our babies then die of being sick?” The percentages she mentioned flashed across my mind. “90%?”

She nodded sadly, “At 100% the disease has fully activated and we become super contagious,” She paused, from the look on her face I didn’t know if I wanted her to continue. “The skin dries , flakes off, becomes airborne. If they let someone get to that point the whole arcology would get sick.”

She bowed her head and when she spoke her voice was  on the edge of breaking “The person you saw in the cell, he’ll die in there. 15 minutes after we left they’ll fry the cell then bleach it, making sure nothing gets out.”

“We’re not just letting them die.” A voice said from behind me. Bridger and I both jumped.

I whipped around and there stood my roommate. I hadn’t even thought to check if he was home. ”Dylan..”

“We don’t just let them die,” he repeated himself, sitting down next to me. “We’ve been trying, we’re supposed to just be doing research on it.” He had just last year finished his doctorate and gone to work in the labs for infectious diseases. “But after seeing them, how could we not try to help. Dr. Pelton,” his lead at the lab,” and I have been working on a way to keep the upped fertility and immunity but cure the organ shutdowns.” I must have looked confused. “It’s not just the skin, the liver, kidneys, and so on break down as it progresses.”

Bridget had tears streaming down her cheeks. She whispered, “You’re looking for a cure?”

He got down on his knees in front of her and took her hands, looking her straight in the eyes. Not phased at all by the purple spreading across her face. “I promise you, we are doing everything we can to help. We just keep running into one major issue,we can’t try them without a volunteer. Will you help us.”

I expected her to be upset or offended but she didn’t even hesitate for a moment. “Yes. I’ve seen to many people die. It would be an honor.”

~~~~

So this was the first part of a dream I had last night and just had to get out. It’s not great, I haven’t written in ages but hopefully someone can still enjoy it. I want to keep it going if I can get the motivation going. We’re moving and have a toddler so my motivation tends to get eaten up pretty quickly.