Readthrough: Classic X-Men 13
31 Mar 2019 11:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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x_men_classicNo pictures today--my scanner wasn't cooperating; all of the scans I took had large blurry edges. From now on I may be at the mercy of Marvel Unlimited.
In this one, Misty Knight guest stars. She punches a shark!
This story opens with Jean Grey staring into a bonfire, watching the electrons move as one state of matter gives way to another. She's tired--too much so to keep from reading Misty Knight's mind, picking up on her worries, her angst about how much she's enjoying this break from her usual life, her idle curiosity about where Colleen Wing and Danny Rand are right now. (The four of them are all staying at Danny's beach house; Danny and Colleen went back for snacks, and will stay there for the duration of the story.)
Misty drifts into sleep, and Jean follows her into her dream without meaning it.
First she dreams of a city--harsh, cruel, a place of eternal danger... but one where her partner, Colleen Wing, is at home:
In the other direction, she sees Danny Rand, dressed as a superhero but standing in a peaceful meadow. Misty is torn between Colleen's duty and Danny's joy: she loves both of them, explicitly, and cannot choose either one. And then a third party asks, "What about me?"
It's Jean, the Phoenix as firebird, alien and terrifying.
Misty wakes. Jean is still staring into the fire, looking haunted. Before she was the Phoenix, she couldn't have done this; now, it's easy.
Misty points out that they've become close awfully fast, and that Jean has changed drastically of late. She mentions Jean's question to her a little while ago, how she'd feel if she had died and brought herself back to life, and realizes now that that literally happened.
Staring into the flame, arms tight about her knees, Jean says that it's the truth: she can't remember what happened, she believe she's Jean Grey--but she knows that she's becoming something else, and she's afraid.
And then--perhaps conveniently--she's startled by a cry for help, and leaps into action. A family is in danger out at sea, she says, and leaps into Danny's boat before Misty can even ask what she's up to. (Although when Misty finishes the question, Jean picks her up and takes her along, telekinetically.)
After a bit, Jean dives into the water, having decided that this is the place and time to act. Misty stays awkwardly in the boat (she's not a big fan of the ocean) until she sees a shark's fin, and decides that she'd better go back her friend up.
The shark gets a bit too close, and she punches it in the nose with her bionic arm. This fails to chase the shark off, but a dolphin appears and repeatedly rams it, until it leaves in search of easier prey.
Misty hauls herself aboard the boat, and Jean explains that she sent the dolphin--and that it was glad to help, because Misty was helping its family.
Jean points out that dolphins are in fact mammals; Misty isn't impressed. Fish or mammal, she risked her life for humans, and isn't happy to have done so for animals. "That depends on your point of view," Jean replies.
She links Misty's consciousness with one of the dolphins, lets her share in their view of the world, and understand why Jean cared; then move out, seeing the shark in turn as a part of life rather than a mindless destroyer, "the shadow, without which the light has no meaning".
Misty is uncomfortable with Jean's power--reading her thoughts, sharing her dreams, sending her mind to visit another body. "Nobody should have that power."
Next Thursday: Meet the Imperial Guard!
Next Sunday: Lilandra, on her way to Earth.
In this one, Misty Knight guest stars. She punches a shark!
This story opens with Jean Grey staring into a bonfire, watching the electrons move as one state of matter gives way to another. She's tired--too much so to keep from reading Misty Knight's mind, picking up on her worries, her angst about how much she's enjoying this break from her usual life, her idle curiosity about where Colleen Wing and Danny Rand are right now. (The four of them are all staying at Danny's beach house; Danny and Colleen went back for snacks, and will stay there for the duration of the story.)
Misty drifts into sleep, and Jean follows her into her dream without meaning it.
First she dreams of a city--harsh, cruel, a place of eternal danger... but one where her partner, Colleen Wing, is at home:
Our world, Misty.
Someone has to stand up for the helpless.
Cut the sharks down to size.
I say it's us!
Colleen Wing!
Misty Knight
Daughters of the Dragon!
In the other direction, she sees Danny Rand, dressed as a superhero but standing in a peaceful meadow. Misty is torn between Colleen's duty and Danny's joy: she loves both of them, explicitly, and cannot choose either one. And then a third party asks, "What about me?"
It's Jean, the Phoenix as firebird, alien and terrifying.
Misty: What are you?!
Jean (taking human form): A friend...
... who needs a friend.
Misty wakes. Jean is still staring into the fire, looking haunted. Before she was the Phoenix, she couldn't have done this; now, it's easy.
Jean: You cried out.
Anything wrong?
Misty: You.
Misty points out that they've become close awfully fast, and that Jean has changed drastically of late. She mentions Jean's question to her a little while ago, how she'd feel if she had died and brought herself back to life, and realizes now that that literally happened.
Staring into the flame, arms tight about her knees, Jean says that it's the truth: she can't remember what happened, she believe she's Jean Grey--but she knows that she's becoming something else, and she's afraid.
And then--perhaps conveniently--she's startled by a cry for help, and leaps into action. A family is in danger out at sea, she says, and leaps into Danny's boat before Misty can even ask what she's up to. (Although when Misty finishes the question, Jean picks her up and takes her along, telekinetically.)
After a bit, Jean dives into the water, having decided that this is the place and time to act. Misty stays awkwardly in the boat (she's not a big fan of the ocean) until she sees a shark's fin, and decides that she'd better go back her friend up.
The shark gets a bit too close, and she punches it in the nose with her bionic arm. This fails to chase the shark off, but a dolphin appears and repeatedly rams it, until it leaves in search of easier prey.
Misty hauls herself aboard the boat, and Jean explains that she sent the dolphin--and that it was glad to help, because Misty was helping its family.
You mean, I scared myself silly--I almost got killed--
-- for a family of fish?!!?
Jean points out that dolphins are in fact mammals; Misty isn't impressed. Fish or mammal, she risked her life for humans, and isn't happy to have done so for animals. "That depends on your point of view," Jean replies.
She links Misty's consciousness with one of the dolphins, lets her share in their view of the world, and understand why Jean cared; then move out, seeing the shark in turn as a part of life rather than a mindless destroyer, "the shadow, without which the light has no meaning".
All things have their place, Misty--
--even me.
Misty is uncomfortable with Jean's power--reading her thoughts, sharing her dreams, sending her mind to visit another body. "Nobody should have that power."
But I'm stuck with it.
Maybe that's why I need my friends to stand by me.
And Misty promises to do so. It's a sweet end to the story.
In conclusion: this one suffers from the "oh wait, we need something to punch!" problem that the Storm-and-the-writer story had, but it is redeemed by the fact that Misty literally punches a shark. It's nice to see a bit more of Jean and Misty's friendship, and (as someone who knows who the characters all but not a lot more) the exposition of Misty's feelings for Colleen and Danny worked well for me.
Next Thursday: Meet the Imperial Guard!
Next Sunday: Lilandra, on her way to Earth.
