What Do You Think... About The Mystery 'Age of X' Characters?
By xerox_kitty 140 Comments
Please forgive another new 'Age of X' thread, but I wanted to create a topic that was focused purely on specific figures. We've been dazzled by a lot of beautiful promotion art for the Age of X, but there's still a lot of mystery surrounding some of the redesigned characters. I know there are a lot of theories flying around. Some of us are convinced, while others remain undecided.
Bezerker ~ CONFIRMED: Warpath
A character who is often overlooked in our threads. His design is a little too 'Village People' for my liking, but with his Western fringed leather clothes, long black hair, stereotyped Native American tattoo and wacking great big tomahawk... it seems like that he's a Proudstar. But which one?Age of X focusses on the generations of mutants who would have been involved with the X-Men. Both John & Proudstar fit the bill. Given the recent popularity of seeing Thunderbird return from the dead (twice, in one year) then perhaps this isn't Warpath?
Mike Carey has confirmed that John Proudstar died during an early Exonim sweep of Arizona, while younger brother James survived. He managed to kill seven Exonims in an ambush & crushing them in the canyon known as Wasted Effort Rock. His half-sister Bethany committed suicide when the Exonims held her as a hostage, yet Beserker managed to successfully retrieve her body.
Nightmare ~ CONFIRMED: Pixie
As far as I'm aware, this hasn't been confirmed yet... but most of us suspect that this pink-haired lady with demonic bat-wings is an alternate version of Pixie.This seems to make sense. If Pixie had more of her soul removed, then perhaps her physical mutation would have warped into something more suited to life in Limbo? Also, the name 'Nightmare' suggests that she can give horrific hallucinations; again, a warped version of Megan's Pixie Dust.
But a popular alternate theory is that she may be an alternative design for Illyana Rasputin's corrupted alter-ego; Darkchilde. It seems that the main argument to support this is the character design sketch, where she is stood in front of Colossus. Why should that be of any significance? Well, it was that series of promotional sketches that tipped us off to Storm's relationship with Namor in the Age of X. So some people believe that their position in the sketch suggests a familiar connection.
Also confirmed by Mike Carey. Deported from the UK, Pixie was a refugee on a small group of islands in the Irish Sea. She, Jonothon Starsmore & Betsy Braddock were saved by the Mutant Liberation Front and taken to Sagueney in Canada. She grew darker & more demonic over time. She worked for Carcotti organizatoin in the East Coast mafia. She seems to have adopted the name Nightmare during the 'Bleecker Street Massacre'.
So far we're lucky that 'Bezerker' & 'Nightmare' have been named. But there are plenty of characters remaining who haven't been named...
Avalanche?
This is purely based on costume design only. A male figure with a distinctive domed grey helmet. However, so far we've yet to see a demonstration of personality or powers. In fact, we haven't even seen him without his helmet on. So based on his helmet, many people suspect this is Avalanche. He has been seen in promotional material using the similar powers. Yet could this be a powered up Rictor with a different fashion fix?Cypher ~ CONFIRMED: Cypher & Warlock
There's a young blond man dressed in black. So why do so many of us suspect that this is Cypher?It's more obvious in the cover to X-Men: Legacy #246... This mysterious young man has golden circuitry woven throughout his body. So maybe he isn't just Doug Ramsey any more. It seems likely that the Gestalt merge that he & Warlock performed several times in the past may have become more permanent. Perhaps this is Douglock for a different reality? Or perhaps he was resurrected like 'our' Cypher was, but is body retained more technarch circuitry than ever before?
Mike Carey has provided us with Cypher's backstory. Considered a non-threat with his passive powers, he was incarcerated with minimum security. However, he managed to form a relationship with his native American guard by speaking to her in Navajo. While on the run he was at ground zero when a meteor struck the Finger Lakes area. He seemed to have been infected with something inorganic and was heard screaming in pain. The Exonims on site all died when their suits turned against each other & opened fire. However, a strange modem-like speech was heard in the surviving recordings. People reporting hearing the phrase "help me" in five different languages. This strongly suggests that this world's version of Cypher is the being we would recognise as Douglock. However, instead of becoming best friends, they lost any sense of identity when they merged to create a new being upon first contact.
Magma ~ CONFIRMED: Magma
Once again, Mike Carey has shed light on the matter. The Exonims have tracked her origin up from Brazil. Yet most of her background is unknown. When showered in a napalm flamethrower she walked up to the Exonim and melted the armour. Based on this evidence, it is believed that she generates up to 5000 degrees Fahrenheit. It is believed that she was searching for Magneto when he was nearly killed during Operation Iron Pig. Her appearance seems to have saved Magneto and resulted in an unofficial bounty on her head among the Exonims.
Sunspot?
Still with the New Mutants, there has been a popular belief that the male figure who is completely enveloped in black flame is Sunspot.And why not? After all, when Sunspot powers up, he bristles with fire-like flare. But there hasn't been a lot of discussion about this 'Sunspot'. For instance, he resembles the 'upgraded' version of Sunspot after his encounter with his evil alter ago; Reignfire.
To be honest, I'm just playing Devil's Advocate. After all, I do think that he's an Age of X version of Sunspot. I'm just suspicious about whether he'll will be a darker character (personality-wise, not just in appearance). After all, being a New Mutant helped him cope with several of his personal demons. Would he be the same debonaire ladies man without the leadership of Professor Xavier or without Cannonball's friendship?
Legion ~ CONFIRMED: Legion
In a world where Professor Xavier didn't conceive the X-Men , did he manage to successfully conceive a son? Xavier's psychologically troubled son always used to be depicted with a crazy gravity-defying hairdo. Design-wise, take that spikey-hair one step further et voila... instead mohawk! Perhaps the chains hanging from his wrists are symbolic of how he's been a prisoner inside of his own mind? Or are they security steps others had to take in order to prevent his Legion of personalities when they take control over his body?Or maybe this isn't Legion at all? Other popular theories suggested that it might be one of the Morlocks. It's the little electrical spark from his eyes that throw suspicion away from Legion. Berzerker also sported a mighty mohican hair style. Although he was originally blond, there's nothing to say he can't dye it in an alternate reality. But Berzerker wasn't the only electrically charged Morlock. Erg's powers specifically discharged an electrical bolt from out of his right eye. Could it be that both his eyes were active in another reality?
Although not referred to as Legion by the other mutants, he is part of the powerful psionic Force Warriors who are idolised by the younger mutants. Particularly 'Nightmare' lusts over "Davey". He is the adopted son of Moira MacTaggert which mirrors the patient-doctor bond they shared on Muir Island in regular continuity. Mike Carey did refer to him as Legion in an X-Communicated article.
Wind Dancer? Or Unuscione? ~ CONFIRMED: Unuscione
Then there's this pretty auburn haired girl with mysterious green swirls around her feet. Out of everyone, she had people divided.
It seems that the most popular theory is that she's Wind Dancer. As the Scarlet Witch was killed, then there wasn't an M-Day. As such, Sofia would still have her mutant powers. So does that mean that the strange aura around her feet is artistic interpretation of her control over the wind?
Or is it a demonstration of another known power? Who do we know has psionic control over emerald constructs? The daughter of Unus the Untouchable, Unuscione inherited her father's abilities and was able to control them to a greater degree. In the end, her force field resembled that of a Green Lantern; someone who could create green objects of light force fields. It's possible that Frenzy wasn't the only Acolyte who has become a central figure in the Age of X.
Or maybe she is someone else, completely? After all, who does she look like? A Caucasian girl with brown curly hair? One of the first young mutants that Professor X inducted into his school... Kitty Pryde. Perhaps the swirls that block out part of her legs are a new & unique take on her phasing powers? And that the scar on her cheek is a permanent reminder of how she can be touched in battle?
The most debated character wasn't revealed in the comics. However, Mike Carey did reveal the identities of all five Force Warriors in an X-Communicated article.
Spider-Woman?
However, the colouring is all wrong. Instead of Jessica Drew's traditional red with yellow design, she's sporting black with a red design. The trademark colours of the Black Widow. We already know that the mantle of the Black Widow doesn't exclusively belong to Natasha Romanov. So perhaps Jessica became the Black Widow instead? A Black Widow with the powers of a Spider-Woman?
And More...
Yes, there are a few extra random images to scour over. The recent Age of X: Alpha preview has given us glimpses into what the world of the Age of X is like. However, it has raised more questions than answered. Check out the images below for some examples.- The first image has a naked blue woman stood in the background. She almost seems to be glowing. Is she pure energy, or a living sapphire? CONFIRMED: Trance
- There are a variety of mutants around the camp fire, but can you name them all? CONFIRMED ~ (From Left To Right) Bezerker, Magma, Jubilee, Nightmare, Basilisk, Namor, Storm & Karma
- Arcade uses Basilisk to execute other mutants. It's pretty difficult to see who they are, but people have successfully guessed from smaller clues in the past. Arcades addresses them as Gentlmen & Lady (singular Lady), and there's someone with long red hair & a gag over their mouth. Perhaps Siryn?
- Wolverine seems to know Dr Kavita Rao, but who is the other man? CONFIRMED ~ Richard Palance (Pandemic)
- A strange person with a red left eye. CONFIRMED ~ Graydon Creed
- A group of mutants watch Magneto fight the police on the street below. The trenchcoat of the man at the back looks a lot like Mastermind CONFIRMED ~ Mortimer Toynbee (Toad). There's a man with a metallic arm & a red headband. CONFIRMED ~ Forge Could this be a Brotherhood? Who else is there? CONFIRMED ~ (From Left To Right) Dust, Cecilia Reyes, Forge, unconfirmed blond male in black is posibly Cypher, Toynbee, Martinique & Regan (Mastermind & Lady Mastermind)
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