#about: charles braddock

[vocesincaput]

ABOUT: Charles Braddock

BIRTH NAME Charles Christopher George Cornelly

CHOSEN NAME Charles Braddock.

TITLE Lord (Charles does not use his title).

NICKNAME(S) Charlie (to friends, etc)

AGE Late 30s.

PLACE OF BIRTH Oxford, England.

GENDER Male.

PRONOUNS He/Him.

SEXUAL IDENTITY Bisexual

AFFILIATION(S) British Royal Navy.

RANK Captain.

FACE CLAIM Dan Stevens

HEIGHT 1.83m / 6’.

HAIR Blonde, slight wavy/curly, kept short.

EYE COLOUR Blue.

FANDOM: Age Of Sail.

FATHER Duke Edmund Archibald Isaac Cornelly, Earl Of Shaftesbury.

MOTHER Duchess Charlotte Isabella Elizabeth Cornelly (née Braddock).

SIBLING(S) Earl Edmund Percival Francis Cornelly (older brother)

// NOTE : Charles & every member of his family are created solely by mun and have no relation to any real person or history of the title ‘Earl Of Shaftesbury’ //

Braddock is his mothers maiden name. He chose to use it to honour her.

Charles was always seen as lesser than his older brother by his father as he didn’t stand to inherit anything and therefore his father didn’t see him as being able to bring value to the family.

As soon as he was old enough, Charles left the family home without a word and joined the British Royal Navy. Using his mothers maiden name Braddock to cover his true identity.

VERSES

TURN: WASHINGTON'S SPIES

Instead of joining the British Royal Navy, Charles joined the army and is a part of the war against Washington & the Continental army. Whether or not he stays on that side would depend on each individual interaction. Or whether he were to be recognised by anyone.

[lovecanbesostrange]

This is a shitpost for the lols, don't come at me. If you get it, you get it. Not pictured Charles Xavier and Cain Marco vs Cassandra Nova, because while other people had fun with Juggernaut on Krakoa, Charles wouldn't even sit with him, that jerk. :/

[kalinara]

I think my biggest problem with Xavier's vision of Krakoa (Watsonian critique, not Doylistic), is that he seems to think that just because permanent death isn't a thing anymore, then everything's safe and fine.

I'm not saying Xavier shouldn't have invited ex-villains onto the island, but it's obvious very quickly that there are no safeguards or protections for any of these villains' former victims. Or any future victims.

So we get some awful scenes like Jamie Braddock taunting Meggan or Mr. Sinister telling Scott that he's prettier when he smiles (that one in the middle of the fucking COUNCIL meeting) and there's apparently nothing that can be done about that?

The Shadow King gets to hang around children, leading to the death of Gabby Kinney (and in her case there was some question about whether or not they'd resurrect her because she was a clone.) Sinister, we're told in Hellions, still has an ORPHANAGE. There weren't kids there, at least, but still. The fuck?

And then there's Madelyne Pryor. And yes, I agree that, back in the 80s, she was screwed by the narrative. But she's done a lot of things since then. Maybe. I admit, I can't really keep track of whether or not the one who tortured Scott and company in the 00s was actually THIS Madelyne or another dimension's. But THIS version is introduced torturing people.

Alex pushes for her resurrection. And any counter argument is immediately neutralized by pointing out that Sinister is on the Council. And...well, yeah. But it's POSSIBLE that some of Madelyne's victims might not have been on board with her running free, but that's not a thing we get to hear. (We are told that Jean supported her resurrection much later. Which I do believe, but I also think the narrative doesn't really allow any other possibility.)

Xavier's very self-congratulatory about the no prisons on Krakoa thing. Of course, there's the Pit. You go in there if you're recalcitrant and break the rules. Even if you're a child. And then you get tortured by Sabretooth because no one bothers to check in on the prisoners, apparently.

To break immersion, in a Doylistic sense, I really enjoy that Krakoa has its darker sides. This isn't a paradise for every character, and it's no surprise, when you think about it that the Summer House is on the Moon instead of Krakoa proper.

But in a Watsonian sense... Any fan of the Wolverines can verify that you don't need permanent physical harm to have a massive amount of trauma and pain.

It makes sense. Charles has that King Arthur fantasy, and part of that involves seating some of his strongest enemies at the Round Table. And it makes sense that the man whose first X-Man was an abused child that he rescued and made into his field commander doesn't necessarily have an awareness or appreciation of long term trauma.

But somehow Cassandra Nova gets to be resurrected in a safely isolated place, away from any and all possible victims. Funny how that wasn't an option for anyone else.

[axolotlart]

HAYZIIO :V

The second image is just for fun, put the colors of Haytham's clothes on it

Context:

Possibly in this universe it would be like the DLC version of Assassin's Creed III. where Washington has the apple of Eden and is like a really evil king.

Haytham did not die (originally he does die) and as I said in the previous drawing, Connor dies at age 4 during the attack on the Mohawk village. Possibly there Washington took the opportunity to steal the apple of Eden, on the other hand Kaniehtiio possibly tried to save Connor from a long house, but Connor would die asphyxiated by the smoke of the fire or perhaps a stick would be left bald. And well, knowing that it was Washington, she would not blame Haytham, although she knows that Charles Lee arrived, but since they were denied passage, and they left but Washington arrived to attack (as in Braddock's expedition, she knows that Washington was like a possible enemy for Haytham. I don't think she sent him to attack the fucking town.)

well... Connor dies, she joins Achilles Devanport, but possibly finds out that Achilles supported Washington in part and why be with someone who supports assassination. of her son, that's why she looked for Haytham (I don't know, there would be romance, maybe a little but not in itself) and well possibly I'll just say that possibly she would die, maybe Haytham, maybe Washington had her hanged for making her an enemy of the nation and Haytham had already died before perhaps during an attack. (possibly kaniehti: io if he regrets the loss of her).

The drawing is only about her only holding Washington's head, the context is just theory

[the-unspeakable-tsar]

X-Manson Annotated Chapter One

Hello, I've tried these other places. And I've tried it on here. I'm trying to find anyone who has any thoughts on this. X-Manson was a fanfiction written for the X-Men fandom in 2000 by Doctor Benway. I'm trying to uncover all of its secrets so if you can, please help me. This will be the shortest annotation page because this chapter is the shortest, i'll probably break up the next into multiple chunks. If you have any thoughts please message me, comment on, or reblog with your thoughts and I will reblog it in turn.

The she of this is Kitty Pryde. I don't know how old she's meant to be here. As of this moment, this little slice of the present. She has been on the run for ten years (probably).

The Balding Emaciated Man is #ScottSummers, one of the "Oriental" women is Betsy Braddock and the other, I cannot identify, but I speculate one is probably Jubilee or Karma. One of the other women is confirmed to be Jean Grey.

(The story Vanderbylt was sold by Xavier is true to comics Xavier. Xavier is directly descended from the Graymalkin family who are dutch in origin. Though, here Xavier's history is a mystery. That's a rhyme, so you know it's fun.

The Roster Stands at seven by Miss Grundy's count:

Charles Xavier

Logan

Bobby Drake

Hank McCoy

Scott Summers

Warren WorthingtonIII

Jean Grey

I think she is exaggerating about the nature of her being manipulated psychically by Xavier. Pay attention to the Pate Line.

Another reference to Tangiers.

(Erich, the more correct spelling of Erik. He has this name because it was written in 2000 before Magneto was given the name Max Eisenhardt. We see Tangiers again. Why was holocaust survivor Gabrielle Haller in Morocco? Cain Marko is referenced here, which is odd. Any thoughts on that?)

(Warning if you haven't read it yet, there is a description of S.A. This presents a darker version of the conception of David Haller.)

(I have no idea who Georg is, i googled his name and I was presented with Jörg Haider, former leader of the Freedom Party of Austria.)

Anti-Zionist Magneto

Worldbuilding shows how Erich Lehnsherr has changed the world by existing within it.

[cinnamon-ginger]

Minor Arcana for my X-Men/Mutant Tarot Deck

Wands:

King: Charles Xavier

Queen: Abigail Brand, Betsy Braddock

Knight: Deadpool

Page: Hope Summers

Ace:

II:

III: Angel

IV: X-Mansion

V: Stepford Cuckoos

VI:

VII:

VIII: Quicksilver

IX: Silhouette

X:

Cups:

King: Magneto

Queen:

Knight: Iceman

Page: Shogo

Ace: Meggan

II:

III: Jubilee

IV:

V:

VI: Honeybadger

VII:

VIII: Daken

IX: Gwen Poole

X: Cyclops, Jean Grey’s Wedding

Swords:

King: Beast

Queen: Mystique, Abigail Brand

Knight: Sabertooth

Page: Pixie

Ace: Blindfold

II:

III: M-Day

IV: Dust

V:

VI: Catseye, Wolfsbane

VII: Mystique

VIII:

IX: Shadow King

X: Phoenix, Genosha, Utopia

Coins:

King: Sebastian Shaw

Queen: Emma Frost

Knight: Warpath

Page:

Ace: Dazzler

II: Oya

III: Danger Room

IV:

V:

VI:

VII: Ursa Major

VIII: Forge, Prodigy

IX: Sunspot

X: Cannonball

Note: The bold ones are the ones I really like and the regular ones are the ones I’m just thinking about. I can also elaborate on why I chose certain ones as well.

Thoughts or Suggestions?

[fluffycow016]

Some Future Marvel Rivals Season thoughts (repost)

(Reposting bc I realized I could add pictures lol)

Been playing way too much Marvel Rivals lately instead of focusing on my new semester of law school and I may or may not have come up with a bunch ideas for future seasons based on how Season 1 has introduced the Fantastic Four

Assuming that the basic structure of a Marvel Rivals season is (1) an antagonist character consistent with the theme of arriving playable characters who is not really broadly appealing enough to be playable themselves; (2) 4 characters to be rolled out in pairs throughout the competitive season with at least one of each main role; and (3) 2 new maps, one for competitive play and one for an arcade game mode; the following are some of what I'd love to see

X-MEN

Antagonist: Henry Gyrich and/or Bolivar Trask and the Sentinels Maps: Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Master Mold Characters: Cyclops (Duelist), Emma Frost (Vanguard), Jean Grey (Strategist), Colossus (Vanguard) I'm honestly still stunned that Cyclops wasn't included at launch but here we are I suppose. I'm not gonna argue about Emma Frost being a vanguard, she's literally a diamond lady, let her shift forms to become invulnerable. Jean should summon the Phoenix for her ultimate to do huge healing and damage, and honestly, maybe have a self-ressurrection ability like Adam Warlock? Lastly, I refuse to play Hulk right now because the real fastball special is done with our big Russian farm boy, not some green science nerd.

EXCALIBUR

Antagonist: Opal Luna Saturnyne Maps: Otherworld, London Characters: Kitty Pryde and Lockheed (Duo Strategist), Nightcrawler (Strategist), Brian or Betsy Braddock (both Vanguard), and Rachel Summers (Duelist) I think that we need more mutants, more strategists, and anohter funny little non-humanoid guy like Lockheed who could be incorporated into Kitty's ability kit as an ultimate or something. There's also just so many mutants to add that i think grouping them by teams like this is a better way than to just add the most popular mutants all together, and leave little thematic cohesion between those left behind.

KRAKOA

Antagonist(s): The Sinister Clones (Dr. Stasis, Orbis Stellaris, Mother Righteous) Maps: Krakoa, Arakko Characters: Charles Xavier (Cerebro helmet version) (Strategist), Mr. Sinister (Strategist), Apocalypse (Vanguard) and Mystique (Duelist) Also how did this game not launch with a Krakoa map? Anyway, we gotta get Chuck in here because I know we'll get some fun voice lines between him and Magneto. I've seen people talk about him being in the chair, but I think since Magneto is so clearly a Krakoan version, Charles should be the same, therefore no chair, not even no fancy flying Shi'ar contraptions. I think that Nimrod would be a super fun character to play as, but I could see them passing over him. There's less clear opportunities for team ups with Nimrod, and Apocalypse is just the more popular one. With Chuck and Apocalypse, the other two being members of the Quiet Council of Krakoa just makes sense, so lets get some bad guys in here.

THE DEADPOOL+CABLE/X-FORCE SEASON

(OK, i swear this is the last one about mutants) Antagonists: Mojo Maps: Ashkahni Future, Marvel Studios Offices/Mojoworld Characters: Deadpool (Duelist), Cable (Vanguard), Domino (Strategist), Shatterstar (Vanguard) They can't just not do Deadpool eventually. It wouldn't make any sense to just leave out such a popular charcter, but I would love to tie him into some X-Force theming. Plus, shifting the season's focus to more Cable-related stuff would help avoid how Deadpool's constant 4th-wall breaking can get a bit repetitive. I'm imagining a map for Mojoworld that is kind of like if Mojo was Kevin Feige or something?

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY/ANNIHILATION WAVE

Antagonist: Annihilus Maps: Xandar, Knowhere Characters: Drax (Vanguard), Gamora (Duelist), Moondragon (Vanguard or Duelist), and Cosmo the Space Dog (Strategist) We know they have to round out the core guardians roster eventually, but I think that the Annihilation Wave would be a cool backdrop for it as a storyline. I could also see perhaps a different map instead of Xandar like the Negative Zone because it would have significance for our cosmic characters and the Fantastic Four.

ALL-NEW AVENGERS

Antagonist: The Leader Maps: Palos Verdes (West Coast Avengers HQ), Avengers Mountain Characters: Giant-Man and the Wasp (Duo Vanguard), She-Hulk (Vanguard), Vision (Strategist), and Captain Marvel (Duelist) I know I'm always gonna choose my X-Men over the Avengers but we gotta show them some love. We're missing huge characters in the Avengers lineup here, and this would fill those gaps pretty well. A duo Vanguard like Cloak and Dagger in Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne would be so cool. Maybe an ultimate that shinks or grows allies or enemies? I'm also missing my beautiful green attorney Jen Walters, so let's fix that. And both Vision and Carol Danvers are big enough characters to demand inclusion too.

CHAMPIONS

Antagonist: Gwenpool Maps: Jersey City, Carefree, Arizona Characters: Ms. Marvel (Vanguard), Spider-Man (Miles Morales) (Duelist), Sam Alexander (Duelist), Viv Vision (Strategist) Kamala is so precious and perfect and wonderful I must play as her as soon as possible. Miles should have more of a focus on his electric venom powers but still play pretty similar to Peter. I neglected to put Richard Ryder on the GOTG season because I just think Sam is a better pick for the mantle in this game. Lastly, the fourth member would have a problem: Viv would be very hard to differentiate from Vision, and our alternatives have the same problem. Amadeus Cho is not meaningfully different in powers from Bruce Banner, and Kid Cyclops is literally just Cyclops but younger. Idk how to fix it but i want it. I also think that Sam Alexander's town of Carefree AZ would be a fun, super suburban nuketown-style map.

MIDNIGHT SUNS

Antagonist: Nightmare Maps: Nightmare Realm, Everglades Characters: Man-Thing (Vanguard), Blade (Duelist), Ghost Rider (Duelist), Doctor Voodoo (Strategist) I'm not a huge Ghost Rider head so I dont have a huge preference for Robbie Reyes vs. Johnny Blaze but I think I prefer Robbie's design. Maybe some kind of gestalt between the two or just a skin would make me happy. Definitely prefer him to ride a motorcycle than drive a car though. It was wild IMO to do Fantastic Four vs. Dracula for Season 1 and not save Dracula for these guys. Other than that, yeah get more of the supernatural side of marvel in this game.

SPIDER-VERSE

Antagonist: Morlun and the Inheritors Maps: NYC Loomworld (mash-up of NYC Noir, Spider-Ham's NYC, and Nueva York 2099), Oscorp Labs Characters: Spider-Gwen (Duelist), Green Goblin (Duelist), Doc Ock (Vanguard), Black Cat (Strategist) Gwen and Cat are gonna bring in a certain kind of fan but lets be honest thats the business model here. I think that this season would launch with SO many skins for our spider-characters too. Would be cool to get some more bad guys in here. I'm most excited about the Loomworld map though. Just the clashing art styles making a city environment would be super unique.

I also think to partly solve the problem of characters being too similar or having alternative versions, perhaps some characters can just have complete model swaps and keep the same controls and kit? Like I love Laura Kinney Wolverine/X-23, but yeah she would just play like Logan. What if you could take a page from Smash Brother's book and do Echo fighters perhaps? Let me play as X-23 with unique voice lines and team ups, but just essentially play Logan's kit? Not sure how this would work balancing-wise having two Wolverines on the field.

Other characters I'd love to see which I couldn't really fit into this format include Hisako Ichiki aka Armor, Fantomex, Elixir from Academy X, Exodus, Kid Omega, Forge, Polaris, Iceman and probably a bunch more I'm not thinking of just yet.

Would love to hear anyone else's ideas formatted like this in the replies! Or just thoughts in general! Hope everyone is enjoying the game as much as I am! Also definitely looking for mutuals who wanna do competitive together and yap about comic books lol.

[dhampiravidi]

marvel form for Fantomex/Jean-Phillipe

template inspired by this one!

—- BASIC INFO Full Name: Charlie Cluster-Seven

Alias(es): Fantomex (main); Jean-Phillipe Charles (preferred name)

DOB: he's somewhere in his 40s (but he'll look 30 for a while)

Sex/Gender: Cis-Male

Sexual/Romantic Orientation: Pansexual & Panromantic

Species: Mutant (Homo sapiens superior) + Super-Sentinel

Occupation: thief, adventurer (anti-hero), mercenary

—- APPEARANCE (FC: Warren Christie)

Jean-Phillipe appears as a typical male in his thirties, standing at approximately 5'9" (1.75 m) with a toned physique and light skin that tends to tan under intense sunlight. His black hair is always shaved close to his head (probably because he wears his mask 95% of the time). His eyes are blue-grey, appearing almost black from afar. On the rare occasion when he wears civilian clothing, he'll be in something very subtle, like a plain sweatshirt or top (always long sleeves) with jeans or tailored pants--in white, grey, or beige, of course (he's a sucker for his signature colors!). He wears a white tactical one-piece with a white trench coat, utility belt, boots, gloves & a face mask (which has night-vision goggles & telepathy-blocking ceramics). Sometimes the outfit is completely white, other times it has black accents.

--- BACKGROUND

He was born as 1 of 2, twin boys of a human woman carrying the mutant gene & Super-Sentinel engineering. To be brief, he was designated as Weapon XIII (13) & placed in The World, a contained environment full of deadly machines that forced him to grow up fighting. They wanted him to hunt mutants, but he said "fuck that" & found a way to break out. He met the X-Men when he helped them take down the violent Weapon XII. He'd go on to help them defeat other international threats & he personally destroyed all he could that was connected to the Weapon Plus program (an extension of the Weapon X project that sought to enhance & control Wolverine). He's had a few people get close to him...Ultimaton aka Weapon XV is his twin, who he was forced to kill, but then he remade him & let him live in The World. Similarly, he killed the child clone of Apocalypse, then later took another clone & enrolled him in the X-Men's school as "Evan Sabahnur", taking on the role of Evan's "uncle". Finally, he shared a brief romance with Betsy Braddock. Initially, they had a romantic/sexual threesome between himself, a female version of himself (long story) & Betsy, but Betsy broke things off when he insulted her love for Angel/Warren Worthington III. This mun ships the fuck out of Fantomex x Gambit, because the two had a brief partnership (yay bisexual sexy thieves!).

—- PERSONALITY

He's been through some shit. In the most simple terms, he's thematically & emotionally the lovechild of Deadpool & Gambit (I'm sure Wade would love to hear that). Once he accepts a job or plans a heist, he always follows through. He tells himself it's because he has a reputation to maintain as "Le Fantomex, the World's Greatest Thief (& occasional assassin)", but he's truly determined, dependable & prideful. He doesn't let himself get close to many more than a handful, yet he can be incredibly loyal when he's joined a team (like the X-Men). In his day-to-day talk, he has no problem bragging about his impressive abilities, or flirting with either sex (he really does like himself, though most peg him as an arrogant jerk). When it comes down to it, he's a utilitarian/greater good kind of guy. He also loves to live a hedonistic lifestyle, spending his free time stealing artwork & ordering room service at 5-star hotels.

—- ABILITIES

Powers

E.V.A: she's essentially a small aircraft with an A.I. who has a symbiotic relationship with him. He can see through her "eyes" & remotely pilot her with intense effort on his part. She can fire blasts of bioelectric energy. While connected to her, he can ignore injuries, because he won't feel the pain.

Body Supremacy: he has nanites that enhance his willpower, to the point where he will push on even if he's near death or attacked by someone attempting mind control. They sometimes even make him sociopathic on the rare occasion when he meets someone better than him. Jean can also will his body to push out shrapnel, bullets & splinters--& he can slightly speed up his healing factor (it's not much faster than that of a regular human's).

Misdirection: it's the ability to change people's perceptions & feelings from what they are, to what he wants them to be. He sometimes does this using illusions, which even skilled telepaths have trouble seeing through.

Reduced Aging: a lot of Weapon Plus/X experiments have this.

Enhanced Agility: he's always jumping across rooftops. Think of Catwoman, but...male & wearing all-white.

Enhanced Strength: this is somewhere on the level of your usual experimental super-soldier (think Bucky Barnes or Deadpool).

Enhanced Senses: others perceive this as him simply being very observant.

Inodorosity: he has no scent, which makes it difficult for people who rely on their augmented senses (like Wolverine) to track him.

Weaknesses

Some of his weaknesses are directly linked to his powers. If E.V.A. is hurt, Jean-Phillipe will feel her pain. If he unlinks himself from her, he can only see in black & white & he can no longer ignore his own pain from injuries. Because of how he was "raised", he sometimes has trouble relating to people, despite his ability to manipulate & read them. His drive can come across as cruelty.

Skills

Marksmanship: his "training" while in the World has made him a good enough shot to use handguns as his primary weapons, against Weapon Plus guards, other assassins & superhuman opponents.

Hand-to-Hand Combat: like the others in the Weapon Plus/X program, he was originally designed to hunt & kill. As such, he's an extremely formidable combatant.

Fluent in Body Language: his enhanced intelligence aids him in understanding the subtle vocal & physical cues of others, enough for him to predict movements & seemingly read people's thoughts.

Accent: some people think Jean is French. He's not. He's just weirdly obsessed with France & French things. He doesn't even SPEAK French (though he knows a few phrases). But he has noticed that people tend to become distracted by his speech when he fakes his accent...which is nice when he's trying to do something sneaky with his hands.

[verstappentime]

superposition ch. 1, extended author’s notes

i’m going to be doing these for every chapter, just to give anyone who doesn’t read the comics a bit more context, and make some notes i’d like to share. this fic has been in the works for a very, VERY long time, and now i don’t have to shut up about it anymore!

first off, this fic was inspired by michael fassbender’s road to le mans show on youtube, which is incredible. all the pictures of him in his racing gear are real! his trainer being named “felipe” is a reference to felipe laser, michael’s coach, teammate and good friend — because sometimes you just gotta add a reference only you will understand.

the first song for this chapter is, predictably, superposition by young the giant. “when things fall into place, superposition…” i mean, these two meeting is kismet, right? the second one is the night we met by lord huron. ignore the sad part — this song is the tentative beginning of something. and, i mean… this is the night day they met.

the daily bugle is the publication where most mutant news comes out in the comics. trish tilby is a human reporter from the x-books — she actually works for a made up TV station, but that’s fine.

charles accidentally pulling erik’s coffee order out of his head is an homage to tough little baby telepath, where charles accidentally orders erik’s thai food without having asked what he wanted. in the same way, he doesn’t even realize he did it.

we get a light introduction to a couple of characters here:

emma frost (our dear white queen of both the comics and movies, of course — but i’ll be relying more on her comic characterization, where underneath she’s just in it for the people she loves, and terrifyingly brilliant), erik’s best friend & agent

a couple mentions of scott summers, a driver who races against erik & emma’s boyfriend (our beloved cyclops, of course.)

a one-off mention of miss lorna dane (the crown princess polaris). if you haven’t read the comics and don’t know lorna, you’ve probably seen her used as erik’s child in lots of fics. while she’s cannonically erik’s daughter, in this fic she’s not — just a badass who has erik’s same power set and incredible green hair. y’all are going to love her. :) (don’t worry, we may see dad erik yet.)

and yes, erik’s ex-team lead is brian braddock, the brilliant captain britain! i adore brian, but someone had to play that role. if you’re not a comic fan, i don’t think you need to worry much about this one.

p.s. if you’re confused about why erik’s life sucks so much right now, don’t worry, you’re supposed to be.

feel free to hit the replies or inbox if you have any questions. :-)

[sonofcoulson]

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., series 3

Episode 1

"Mystique":

The events of X-Men: First Class have made the world aware of and scared of mutants.

This coupled with the racist backlash against the now off-world Blue Marvel allows Henry Peter Gyrich to convince the President to let him run Project:Wideawake in early 1970. This is a top-secret government initiative with full and plausible deniability seeking to control, imprison or execute mutants before they become a threat.

Tension is high in American society too. Known mutants are treated poorly and abused in work, in school and on the streets.

The next scene is set on the 15th of July 1970. As a reaction to the disappearance of several mutants and discrimination against them in public, a mutant rights March is in progress in Dallas, Texas.

We don't see any mutants we know, but there are a few dozen.

Human onlookers start to bait them, scuffles break out, police try to stop them, some police exacerbate the situation. We switch to the park. Again, we don't see anyone we know but there are worried citizens listening to the commotion. Gunshots are fired.

A fiery ball of light begins to build up over the city. We cut the picture to black but keep the audio running until we hear the explosion and immediate aftermath.

These two scenes are brief.

We then cut to a few months later with Magneto receiving a distress call from Mystique. He is not happy that she has found him, as this means the government can find him too. She says she has no one else to turn to. Charles is falling apart after losing his ability to walk, being betrayed by his best friend, losing his fiancée (Moira) and most of his young charges being drafted for the war. The Brotherhood is gone and everyone else is dead, drafted or after her. He reluctantly agrees and clandestinely goes to her location, a nearby dive bar. When he meets her, she charms him into momentarily letting his guard down. She immediately clamps a hidden power dampening collar on him. A squad of government enforcement agents with plastic rifles and rubber bullets cram into the bar followed by Dr Valerie Cooper.

Mystique: Is that it? Are we finished?

Cooper: You apprehended the most dangerous mutant on the planet without bloodshed…you are an asset to the team...

I will talk to him.

Erik Lehnsherr, I am arresting you for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy…

Magneto (while Cooper continues): Why did you betray me?

Mystique (quietly): Erik, everything I said is true. You will be much safer where you're going.

Cut to Peggy in discussion with her team, which now consists of:

Howard Stark - R&D (and science)

Hank Pym - science (and R&D)

Jacqueline Falsworth - demolition, espionage 

Brian Falsworth - combat, espionage 

James Braddock - pilot, combat, espionage

Having first been made aware of mutants through their battles with Fenris, Xavier's X-Gene theory and the events of First Class, S.H.I.E.L.D. are deeply concerned about the prevailing attitude towards mutants and the events of 7/15.

They are urged to look into the disappearance of Evangeline Whedon, a noted human rights lawyer who is secretly a mutant. She had been working for the U.N. when she vanished. The urging came from Moira MacTaggert who has seen a number of her mutant contacts disappear.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. team head to the U.N. building in New York. They are interviewing building staff and diplomats and investigating Whedon's office. Stark and Pym have found singed carpet fibres in an otherwise immaculate office. The interviewees remember Whedon arriving that day but no one saw her leave.

Suddenly Valerie Cooper marches in with her men, and demands to know what they think they're doing. They explain who they are and why they're there. She tells them that the matter they are investigating is a matter of national security and is highly classified. Jacqui asks if that means they knew where Whedon was. Cooper repeats that it is highly classified and forces them to halt their investigation. Braddock goes to call Peggy. Stark and Pym get in an argument with Cooper's men who are trying to confiscate their gathered evidence and equipment. Forge, all suited and booted, tries to reach a compromise where the evidence is confiscated but not the equipment. Cooper is not keen.

In all the commotion, Jacqui is pulled aside by a diplomat and is told that he saw Whedon being taken away by Cooper and her team. Jacqui tries to encourage them to come forward but they are very reluctant and manage to break away and go round a corner. When Jacqui catches up there is only a young woman coming towards her.

Jacqui (to woman): Have you seen a gentleman come this way? Older gentleman, grey hair?

Woman (pointing to the stairwell): Oh, I saw a man duck through those doors there.

Jacqui (hurrying to the doors): Thank you Miss…?

Woman (calling after her): Darkhölme, Doctor Darkhölme.

Raven smiles to herself and goes to join Forge and Cooper.

The next day, Peggy is in a debrief with the team as Val is with hers.

We switch between them:

Peggy wants to know what happened to the mystery diplomat. Jacqui is still surprised that he was sprightly enough to get away from her.

******

Val, meanwhile, is telling off Forge for undermining her while she was trying to control the situation. Forge insists he was trying to calm things down so that they could get what they needed and leave without conflict. Val snaps that he shouldn't back down to a rival agency when there's so much at stake.

*****

Howard informs the team that the singed carpet fibres did not match the carpet in the office (he knows as the analysing machine had already finished before the samples were confiscated). And Brian had informally charmed Whedon's secretary and she confirmed that the office had been completely redecorated the day she disappeared.

*****

Forge: Would it be so bad if S.H.I.E.L.D. found out? We could cooperate, share resources…

Val: No. We cannot risk Project:Wideawake becoming public knowledge. When we have the situation under control…we can talk again.

Irene Adler: Miss Whedon, you have been very quiet. It is you they're looking for after all.

Evangaline (now revealed as part of Val's team): Val, you know my feelings on the matter. I'd much rather go home.

Val: NO! You cannot go home. Not until we have-

Raven (interrupting): When will that be!

(Meeting descends into chaos)

*****

Peggy wonders if anybody found out what agency they were with, as they didn't show their badges. James believes, from their uniforms, that they were CIA. Peggy resolves to talk to President Nixon about it.

Pym is irate that his technology nearly fell into the CIA's hands. “Your technology?” queries Howard. They bicker over whose technology it is. (Meeting descends into chaos)

*****

A man wearing a dark green suit and glasses, and sporting a crop of bright orange hair enters the fray.

It is Henry Peter Gyrich.

Gyrich: Enough! Agent Cooper answers to me and my answer is also no! No one is going home, we are not cooperating with anyone and we will deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. when the time comes.

Now, more importantly, you have your new target.

Raven: Magneto wasn't enough?

Gyrich: Oh Magneto was just the beginning…

*****

Peggy: Moira MacTaggert has had a tip off about another target. We believe this man, known as Azazel, is next. He is known to S.H.I.E.L.D. from an attack on one of our U.S. bases in ‘62. Very dangerous, killed several agents. Also believed to have been part of a mutant terrorist organisation known as the Brotherhood. Believed to be hiding in Germany.

Howard (looking at his photograph on the projector screen): Shouldn't be too hard to spot.

*****

Gyrich dismisses everyone and reminds them that they will receive their assignments from Agent Cooper separately from now on and that information will be given on a need to know basis only, no more leaks! And vows that they will find the traitor, with warnings of dire consequences for them. Dr. Darkhölme does not leave and sits staring at the image on the projector screen.

Val: Dr. Darkhölme, is there a problem?

Raven: I thought, as Miss Whedon is staying on base, I could complete her profile. I haven't had a chance to speak to her yet.

V (crouching next to Raven's seat, speaking quietly): I know you were once…close…with Azazel. But he's one of our most wanted. Very dangerous. And we can't bring him in without you.

R (also softly, looking down): I can't. 

V: The deal was for the Brotherhood. All of them. You know this. So if you want that pardon…

Gyrich (noticing the furtive conversation): Problem, Darkhölme? 

R (standing): No problem.

(Shoots Val a dirty look before she leaves)

Flashback to around a year earlier. We see Raven in an off the book, makeshift maternity suite. She is close to giving birth. The ‘doctor’ has the ‘nurse’ mop their brow. The medical team look nervous. An anxious Azazel paces the room.

Azazel: Is there a problem with the delivery?

‘Doctor’ (sweating and shifty): No, no problem.

A (to Raven): I don't like this, we're too exposed.

Raven (tersely): Where would you have me do this? Mm? On the stained linoleum floor of that crappy ‘safehouse’ apartment? The neighbours would have heard me screaming and called 911 on us.

A: This doctor seems nervous. What school did you say you graduated from anyway?

‘Doctor’ (shakily): I've been very honest with you. I told you I dropped out of medical school, but I can deliver babies. I've done it successfully 14 times.

A: How many times have you done it unsuccessfully?

R: Have you considered they may be nervous because there's a man who looks like a demon angrily questioning their credentials?

A: …

R: What normal hospital would let you stalk around the delivery room? I told you to disappear before we got here…

A: No way. I'm not leaving you. Not here with these Sapiens.

R: …and it's not like Eric gives us health insurance. I should never have reached out to you in the first place.

There is a disturbance down the hallway. Raven tells Azazel to go as she can pass as a Sapien but he obviously can't. He wants to take her but she doesn't want to risk teleportation with a baby still inside her.

He bampfs away just as Val Cooper and her agents burst into the room despite the protestations of the staff.

Val (brushing off a ‘nurse’): May I remind you that the only reason you aren't all being arrested for running an illegal maternity hospital is the information we were given.

I am pleased the information was good. But where is the demon?

‘Doctor’ (sheepishly): He left.

Raven (glaring at the doctor as she is cuffed and has a power dampening collar fitted): Azazel was right. It was you.

‘Doctor’ (sighs): Yes. They offered me a medical license and funding for a legitimate community clinic.

V: Do remember, there are to be no more mutants here. That was the deal.

‘Doctor’: Do remember that we are delivering a baby here! You were supposed to wait outside.

V: We couldn't risk an escape…do what you need to do. 

The staff, trying to ignore the armed agents, and Raven successfully deliver the baby. The baby is blue, marked from birth as a mutant. Cooper offers to take care of the baby. Raven is having none of it and calls for Azazel. He bampfs in and grabs the baby, he tries to get to Raven but is met with lots of gun barrels pointing at him.

Kayla, a nurse, grabs Cooper by the back of the neck and tells her to point her own gun against her head. She is compelled to do so by Kayla's touch as she is a mutant too.

As Azael reaches out for Raven an agent sneaks up behind Kayla and snaps a collar on her. Cooper is released and lowers her weapon. In the confusion Raven screams at Azazel to leave with the baby. Reluctantly he does so.

Raven (both devastated and furious): You are lucky I still need medical treatment,  otherwise I would have wiped the floor with your agents and dived through the window. 

Val (to Raven): We'll make sure you get the care that you need.

Val (to ‘Doctor’): Any other mutants in here I should know about?

Our deal is now off, by the way.

Val (to agents): This nurse may be of interest to Stryker. Take them away.

[frontproofmedia]

Ray Arcel Tribute

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

By Sina Latif

Follow @Frontproofmedia!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id))(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

Published: August 30, 2023

Ray Arcel was born on August 30, 1899, in Terre Haute, Indiana, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents.

Arcel's mother passed away when he was only four years old, and Ray was brought up by his father. Before passing away, Ray's mother, born in Brooklyn, wanted to leave the Midwest and return to her New York roots. The Arcels subsequently relocated to Manhattan, first to the Lower East Side and then to West 106th Street in Harlem.

Growing up in New York in those days, Arcel told Ronald K. Fried in Corner Men: "You had to fight in those days. You lived in a neighbourhood where you were challenged every day. We were the only Jewish family there, but that's an old story. Wherever you go they tell you the same story." Arcel continued to say: "If you didn't fight you were yellow."

While training to be a boxer at Grupp's Gymnasium on 116th Street and Eighth Avenue, Arcel was under the tutelage of two great trainers in Dai Dolling and Frank "Doc" Bagley. Bagley once managed the great Gene Tunney and taught Ray the art of being a Cutman. Dolling was a Welshman who had trained the likes of Tunney, Al Brown, Jimmy McLarnin, Jack Britton, Ted Kid Lewis, and Johnny Dundee. Dolling taught Arcel about the individuality of each fighter and the need to train them accordingly.

After a short career as a fighter, Arcel became a trainer, and that is when he established his greatness.

Arcel's first world champion was Frankie Genaro, who won the Flyweight world title in 1923. In 1924, Ray led Abe Goldstein to victory against Joe Lynch for the bantamweight title.

This was only the start. Arcel's subsequent success with numerous all-time greats cemented him as arguably the greatest trainer in boxing history.

Arcel's beginnings as a trainer were during the days when boxing was the sport of all sports—when Jack Dempsey was the heavyweight champion.

"A Dempsey fight was magic. The minute he walked into the ring you could see smoke rising from the canvas," said Arcel when reminiscing decades later on the heyday of Dempsey in the ring. "You knew you were going to see a tiger let loose."

Arcel's career as a renowned boxing trainer spanned from the 1920s, training Benny Leonard, all the way to the '80s, when perhaps most famously, he trained Roberto Duran.

Arcel was the oracle of boxing. A man who saw Jack Dempsey fight in 1916; befriended and trained Benny Leonard; was in Barney Ross' corner the night Henry Armstrong became welterweight champion in 1938 and was with Ross in the following days while tending to his wounds; worked opposite Joe Louis on countless occasions, including the night Louis first became heavyweight champion in 1937 against James J. Braddock, and the night Ezzard Charles defeated Louis in Louis' final title fight in 1950. Arcel was then in Duran's corner in 1980 in both historic fights against Sugar Ray Leonard and then in Larry Holmes' corner in 1982 in the momentous heavyweight showdown against Gerry Cooney.

Between the '20s and '80s, the only full decade Arcel did not train fighters was the 60's.

For nearly twenty years, from 1954, Arcel had quit boxing and was working as a purchasing agent for a metal company. Then, in 1972, Arcel received a call from boxing manager Carlos Eleta Almarán. Arcel returned to work with Alfonso (Peppermint) Frazer, who won the title under Arcel's training from Nicolino Loche on March 10, 1972. The relationship between Arcel and Eleta developed further, and Eleta had a wild kid from the slums of Panama City, Panama, whom he wanted Arcel to train. Arcel's link-up with this kid from Panama cemented his legend, as Duran became arguably the greatest lightweight in history, rivaling another great 135-pounder, Arcel's previous student, Benny Leonard.

No other trainer has ever arguably worked with as many all-time greats, with names that Arcel trained including Benny Leonard, Ross, Armstrong, Kid Gavilan, Freddie Steele, Tony Zale, John Henry Louis, Charles, Holmes, and Duran.

In a sport of toughness and meanness, Arcel was an anomaly. He was a very humble, polite, and respectful man. Arcel was described by sportswriter "Red" Smith as "the first gentleman of fistfighting."

Just like great trainers typically do, Ray always gave credit to the fighters, saying the trainer would be nothing without the fighter. He would merely give them pointers.

As Arcel told Ronald K. Fried in Corner Men, "Nobody had to teach Duran how to fight. The first day I saw him - not in New York, I saw him in Panama - I told everybody around him, 'Don't change his style. Leave him alone. I don't want anybody to ever tell him what to do. Let him fight."

Of course, Arcel did have a real impact on Duran's boxing. Alongside an old friend, Freddie Brown, a former cut-man of Rocky Marciano, they molded a young Duran into an all-time great champion. They fine-tuned Duran's style, with this power-punching brawler becoming a very defensively acute fighter while applying that pressure, boxing unlike any lightweight had for years. Under the tutelage of Arcel and Brown, Duran became one of the best and most crafty fighters in history.

An insight into Arcel's involvement in the career of his fighters can be seen through his handling of Charley Phil Rosenberg, who won the bantamweight title in 1925. Rosenberg, preparing for a title fight against Cannonball Martin on March 20, 1925, had three months to shed 37 pounds and meet the 118 pounds limit after having ballooned up to 155 pounds. Arcel went everywhere Rosenberg went and did everything Rosenberg did. Arcel did roadwork with him, prepared his meals, and slept in the adjoining bed.

In Ray Arcel: a Boxing Biography by Donald Dewey, Arcel spoke of the nights leading up to Rosenberg's fight against Martin. "I always had to sleep with one eye open. Charlie would get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and I would stand there with the door open. He kept cussing me. 'I just want to gargle,' he'd say. And I'd tell him, 'I'm watching your Adam's apple, Charlie. Don't swallow that water.'"

"After this fight is over," Rosenberg told Arcel, "I'm going to kill you."

Rosenberg beat Martin via a 15-round decision, and Arcel lived for another 69 years.

Arcel's wisdom was the stuff of legend.

"Ring sense is an art, a gift from God that flows out of a fighter like a great painting flows out of an artist, or a great book flows out of an author," Arcel once said. "Ring sense is a natural ability to cope with any situation in a fight. It cannot be taught."

Arcel's last appearance in the ring was in the corner of Holmes when the "Easton Assassin" stopped Cooney in 1982. Arcel worked alongside long-time friend Eddie Futch on this night.

Arcel trained three men who can be regarded as the greatest in the entire history of their divisions. Benny Leonard and Duran are regarded as two of the greatest lightweights ever. Ezzard Charles is arguably the greatest light heavyweight ever. To create such great fighters, Arcel's greatness as a trainer is evident.

Nobody taught boxing better while carrying them-self with the same sincerity and humility as the great Ray Arcel.

(Featured Photo: The Ring Magazine via Getty Images)

[vocesincaput-arc]

tag drop - about muses

[vocesincaput-archive]

New Muse Added

Captain Charles Braddock ( Age Of Sail original character) ( Formerly at @charlesbraddock​​ )

GOOGLE DOC

[scottcyclopssummers]

Does Cyclops still have a fragment of Void in his head? If so, we need a storyline on this.

First Apocalypse, then void, then phoenix. Poor Scott.

[kalinara]

Honestly, so much of Krakoa's fall can be traced directly back to Xavier's Arthurian fantasy.

He wanted a round table of his former adversaries and allies. But somehow he ends up prioritizing some of the worst, most abusive of said adversaries for said council.

He's happy to make decisions like rejecting resurrection for Wanda (which I still suspect was part of why Magneto becomes so jaded about the whole deal), giving the Hellions to Sinister, allowing Hank to continue with his Kissinger bullshit, and anything involving the Pit. (I don't seem to recall ANYONE getting a fair trial), clones not being permitted resurrection and so on.

Don't get me started on his treatment of Mystique. It was a stupid idea to put her on the Council (gosh, I wonder if the chronic backstabber will betray us!), but it was even stupider to keep dicking her around with the promise of resurrecting Destiny, when they never had any intention of doing that. They COULD have left her alone, but instead it was always "do this one more mission for us".

Yeah, her betrayal was probably inevitable, but you didn't have to help it along!

Non-mutants aren't allowed to settle on Krakoa (unless married to a mutant), but Sinister, whose mutant gene is literally stolen, is on the Council. (And somehow he's immune from the no-resurrecting clones rule.)

And there seems to be no acknowledgment that mutants can mistreat each other, so Jamie Braddock could taunt Meggan as he will. The Shadow King could be involved with murdering children. (Cassandra Nova, on the other hand, can be exiled to an isolated part of the island. But no one else gets that kind of special treatment. It kind of reminds me of the great line from one of the old Animated Series episodes, where Logan asks why they have to go all out against XAVIER's enemy - either Max or Cain I think? but go easy on LOGAN's.)

And actually, let's rant about the Pit for a moment, because it's entirely wrapped up in Charles's flawed idealism as well. "We don't have prisons on Krakoa", he says. As though the Pit isn't a literal prison. Which don't just contain the unrepentant murderers who refuse to play ball, like Sabretooth, but also people who genuinely misunderstood their duties when trying to protect the island (Idie), literal CHILDREN (Idie, Curse, Nature Girl?), and...Toad? Did Toad even DO anything aside from confess to Wanda's murder in front of the Avengers? Because we know he didn't actually kill her! And SO DO THEY.

Krakoa has a PRISON. What they don't have is trials. No due process. No real ability to defend. No legal arguments about the fairness or applicability of the law. No mitigating circumstances.

Apparently there are parole hearings, but given that Sabretooth was either torturing the other prisoners or literally already escaped at the time of his, they're clearly not doing any real oversight.

Krakoa was a beautiful dream. And I will always love how it gave us a way to get back so many characters that were needlessly used as plot point cannon fodder over the years. But as long as it existed as an extension of Xavier's own ego, it was going to be doomed.

(I am glad that the White Hot Room version still exists though, where a whole bunch of people get to live in peace without him.)

So as someone who immensely enjoys disliking Charles Xavier, I have to admit, I was utterly delighted when the X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (in Krakoa age, one of the rare times it did not involve Nature Girl murdering people) decided to do what is, essentially, an "It's a Wonderful Life" plot for the guy.

So if even if you've never seen the original movie that the plot comes from, you've undoubtedly seen a parody or homage, (at least if you're American). Sitcoms particularly like to use the idea, but occasionally even serious shows will do it too. A character goes through some shit, is dreadfully unhappy, and is shown what life would be like without him.

Now the thing about X-Men, is that we did see what the world would be like without Charles Xavier in the Age of Apocalypse storyline. And admittedly, it's pretty bad. Scott has long hair. Enough said.

And of course, the gist of this story is that Xavier ends up in the Age of Apocalypse world (or maybe just dreaming about it), and introduces them to the Krakoa concept and gets a big ego boost.

It is what it is. The part that amuses me is what drives Xavier to the point of needing this ego boost. And it is an AMAZING level of petty.

Since there are a lot of scans, I'm going to put them behind a cut. Enjoy! (These are all from X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #62, by the way.)

So we start off with Xavier's daily schedule:

It's a pretty busy itinerary, admittedly. So now, let's see how Xavier's day actually goes.

We actually start off with Xavier waking up, disgruntled, at 6:00 AM. I'm not actually going to show this, because I am not a morning person either and can't make fun of him for it.

Also, he's shirtless, and not being named Max or Erik, I am not into that. Sorry.

But, let's look at the rest.

6:30's resurrection of Rusty Collins

Xavier was apparently a bit slow, and Hope decided to resurrect the dude without him. That happens. You can hardly blame a teenager for leaping at the chance at grown-up responsibility.

Also, she's a Summers. So it's pretty much inevitable.

--

So then we get the 7:45 meet and greet.

A small child adores Kitty. Kitty is a little meta here, but not wrong. After all, part of what the Marauders do, at this point, is rescue people.

Now, Xavier looks kind of neutral here, but given that this is part of the litany of disappointment, contextually, one must interpret this to mean he is disappointed.

But here's the thing, Chuck. You're not an "X-Man". You're the dude who sends them out from the shadows. You didn't even publicly admit to being a mutant for decades. And while, yes, you did have some physical issues that made being a field operative impossible, it's not like you're going out on rescue missions NOW.

Sorry, I shouldn't rant. There's more to mock.

--

So how does the 9:15 teaching session go? We don't actually know. Presumably it's not notable. Despite the fact that teaching is the one thing Xavier can claim he actually does.

Instead, we skip ahead to the 11:05 parole hearing:

I mean, you can't actually be surprised by this. I'm not even sure that Sabretooth is still IN there. But he's busy torturing people, if he is. So no, he's not getting out.

You could let the kids out though. Poor Idie.

--

This bit makes me laugh:

Got stood up by the guy whose mind you forcibly wiped. You can't be shocked by this, Chuck. That was a fucking dick move and you know it.

(Especially since you decide that Franklin isn't a mutant after all.)

--

How about the X-Corp Review?

Huh, who'd have thought that multi-millionaire business people would have the business shit handled?

I mean, to be fair to Charles, he does seem to never lack money, so he likely has business sense himself. But meh. I can't blame Warren and Monet for wanting to go off and canoodle or whatever.

--

I admit to some sympathy here, just a bit:

I've mentioned that I'm not a really a fan of the Arakko focus on Omega mutants, and how that kind of spoils my enjoyment of Storm basically being amazing up there. (I feel like it'd be more satisfying to have a non-Omega show them that sheer power isn't the only measure of awesome. I did like watching her use teamwork to kick Vulcan's ass though.)

That said, why did you not realize this would be a thing, Xavier? Arakkans make no secret of how their society works.

--

Now, sadly, we skip the legal conference about the X-Babies. Presumably it goes well and no one mocks Xavier, but I'm kind of fascinated by the idea.

But then we get the official Treehouse lighting ceremony:

...are you really feeling left out because your two former child soldiers are getting honored as "mutantkind's greatest heroes".

Fucking REALLY?

Are you living among humans and saving them from various threats? Heck, are you sticking around to help hand out meals, as the mayor mentions? Because you're not down there, and your itinerary says you'll be having a meeting about Orchis with Beast in like an hour.

It presumably goes well, because we skip ahead to sparring with Logan.

This goes pretty straightforward. They have a heart to heart, which I appreciate, because I'm still utterly boggled by that bit in X Lives of Wolverine where he claims that, despite their respective ages, Logan sees Chuck as a father figure.

By the way, Logan doesn't act like a "son" in this scene at all. He does give some legitimately good advice though and asks the question that's the point of all this:

And for FUCK'S SAKE, Xavier. The fact that this is apparently an armor piercing question, after a day where the WORST thing that happened to you was having a few appointments go on without you, getting stood up by a dude who's got every reason to dislike you, and seeing Kitty, Scott and Jean get SOME MEASURE of weak recognition.

THAT's what leads to the "It's a Wonderful Life" moment?

I mean, presumably, the interview with Trish Trilby which happens before the sparring match goes well. Meaning you're going to be on the fucking news as the face of Krakoa again. But that hardly matters because the Mayor of New York considers your SURROGATE CHILDREN to be the greatest heroes.

You couldn't even be HAPPY for them?!

(I also can't help but note that upon meeting AoA Cyclops, who assumes Xavier is an escaped clone and tries to kill him, we see no sign of the ACTUAL character's complexity or depth. He's just a random villain here. Because in the end, it's all about Xavier's ego.

He does refer to Scott as "the most pragmatic man I've ever known", which is a really interesting description that I'm not sure I agree with. But that's an analysis for another day.)

Anyway, as mentioned, the rest of the story is basically just fueling Xavier's ego. I mean, Age of Apocalypse IS a hellhole. (Though a friend of mine suggested once that possibly the only thing Age of Apocalypse proved that Xavier was necessary for is preventing Mr. Sinister from regaining control of Cyclops. I think I'd have to reread the story to see if I agree, but since I hate Xavier, I DO like that thought.) And he does bring them Krakoa and joy.

But I'm just going to bask in the fact that Xavier's deepest pain on Krakoa is that someone occasionally recognizes other people instead of him. I bet he hated Scott's Rolling Stone cover too. :-D