Warning: Contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 #1!!Although others have taken charge over the years, Cyclops is most widely known as the leader of the X-Men – with good reason. He’s an unparalleled tactician and strategist, and he has sacrificed a great deal for the sake of his team. Unfortunately, that often comes at the cost of his personal life, and his inability to prioritize anything over the X-Men is simultaneously his greatest flaw and strength.
X-Men ‘97 #1 by Steve Foxe, Salvador Espin, Matt Milla, and Joe Sabino serves as a prequel to the recently-launched animated series of the same name. The first issue provides some serious insight into an earlier period for the team. Following Charles Xavier’s death, Cyclops pours everything into leading the group, though doing so isn’t without its challenges. It takes most of his time and energy, resulting in his partner, Jean Grey, feeling neglected.
As he goes full steam ahead for the X-Men, Jean laments that their relationship “feels like an afterthought.” Scott’s dedication is a long-time feature of the character, and while it allows him to be an excellent leader, it comes at a cost to those around him.
Cyclops Puts the X-Men Above Everything
Although Scott doesn’t intentionally hurt Jean, and doubtlessly would not brush off the conversation if he knew it concerns a pregnancy announcement, his priorities come through loud and clear. The X-Men take precedence over everything else, and that is true across many timelines. From the moment Charles Xavier recruits Cyclops, the team becomes his life, and he sees it as his primary responsibility. Even when he walks away, as he did for a life with Madelyne Pryor, it never lasts long. The X-Men are what he knows, and he never shakes the feeling that their survival rests on his shoulders.
That notion is exacerbated in X-Men ’97. With Charles Xavier’s death, Scott and the entire team lost their mentor and the glue that held them together. Unsurprisingly, Cyclops is trying to fill as much of that gap as possible. They’ve already said goodbye to one of the biggest figures in mutant history, and Scott is unwilling to put any others at risk. In times of high stress, Cyclops gets more tunnel vision than usual. He is less aware of anyone else’s feelings and not inclined to put them ahead of his job, meaning only the X-Men get the best of him.
Cyclops Needs to Seek Balance
Cyclops’ natural inclination is to work harder and keep everyone around him on top of their game, even when doing so drives them to exhaustion. Not only does this negatively impact his personal life, but it sometimes pushes his team too far. Scott might have a laundry list of contingency plans and top-notch battle maneuvers, yet relentlessly trying to perfect them drags everyone (including him) toward burnout. Storm advises Jean not to ignore her own needs, but Scott could benefit from that same advice. Cyclops’ drive makes him the X-Men‘s greatest leader, but balance makes him a better man.
X-Men ’97 #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
X-Men ’97 #1 (2024) | |
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X-Men ’97
X-Men ’97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel’s revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.
