So, as we all know at this point, someone is going to die at the end of AvX. It is commonly believed to be Cyclops, however I disagree with that. While it is likely, I think they're making it too likely. As if they're teasing us with it. People think that the Cyclops from the Marvel Now promo image is the 1960's Cyclops, but if that's so why is he wearing a new (horrible) costume while Jean Grey isn't? Plus Bendis said something about Cyclops and Wolverine's reaction to seeing Jean again in an interview, which he very well could have said just to avoid spoiling the finale.

Now, take a look at this image.

The one on the left doesn't really matter for this topic, I'm focusing on the one on the left. Seeing as the only people seen are Avengers, this leads me to believe it's going to be an Avenger. Now, the other popular theory for a death was Iron Man, but he has a movie coming soon and you can see his feet on the cover. In a recent New Avengers arc a connection was built between the Phoenix Force and one of the past Iron Fists. So far that hasn't really moved into the main AvX storyline, but I think it's coming very soon, and I think it will lead to the death of Iron Fist. Fans of Danny Rand know he is a very noble character and if put into the situation, would sacrifice himself to save others. I think that Danny will end up being forced to contain, ward off, or "destroy" the Phoenix Force to save Hope, his friends, or the Earth itself.

This is just my theory, however, and I'd like to hear your own as well as your thoughts on mine.

EDIT: Another solid theory is Namor. Namor has connections to both sides, so his death could be used to hit them both hard, even though anyone's death would probably do that. It's possible that it could be Red Hulk as that is a very big crack in the ground and he could revert back to his human form. Not to mention that he is being replaced with his daughter as the star of his ongoing book. Luke Cage is another possible option, as his death could symbolize the end of Bendis' Avengers era and give reason for the New Avengers to break up, which they supposedly are, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

Let me start by saying I like the X-Men. I really like the X-Men. Sometimes I even love the X-Men. The story of society's outcasts in a world full of superpowered, spandex-clad heroes. Coming together with others with the X-Gene, what gives them their powers and makes them the next step in evolution. Except:That's not how evolution works.

Evolution is a slow, gradual process leading to widespread genetic change through accumulating adaptations to survive in their environment. The traits that will become common are chosen in the process of natural selection. If a species lives in extreme cold temperatures, members of the species that have a heavy coat of fur will have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing over members with a thin coat of fur, slowly making a heavy coat of fur a trait of nearly all members of the species. The problem with the X-Gene being evolution is that their wasn't a specific need from the environment for people to have lasers shoot out of their eyes. It isn't a natural adaptation to the environment around us.

The X-Gene is a genetic mutation, not adaptation, making them exactly what they're called, mutants. Someone with an extra 21st chromosome has a genetic disorder, the side effect of this is Down's Syndrome. This doesn't make the person their own species or the next step in evolution, it makes them a human being with a genetic disorder. Someone with the X-Gene isn't a new species or the next step in evolution, they're a human being with a genetic mutation.

I really dislike the overused shtick of "you should accept us for who we are and protect us, because we're human beings after all, except we're our own species." It bothers me everytime I hear it or read it in an X-book or movie. I'd gotten used to it until Cyclops' X-Men would constantly repeat it. The same team sticking to the brilliant idea that the best thing for mutant-human relations is living in their own nation where anything could be happening as far as anyone knows. This would in no way give anti-mutant activists in the U.S. an advantage with propaganda or possibly lead the U.S. to take action against them for being a foreign nation very close, if not in, U.S. territory. Because Genosha turned out to be a great idea too right?

I'll stop before this becomes a rant on the Blue team, but would like to put one last thing in. The point of X-Men should be our differences can be our strengths and despite it all, blacks, whites, mutants, normal powerless people, are all human and have something special about them, not that a single gene makes someone superior to all other humans and will eventually become the dominant species.