The origin story of the X-Men‘s Cyclops has just been retconned – and it shows the perfect way to introduce the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2019 was the year when Hollywood changed forever. Disney successfully completed their acquisition of the bulk of Fox’s film and TV empire. In truth, the $71.3 billion merger was mostly driven by the desire to bulk up the Disney library in order to ensure the Disney+ streaming service was competitive. But, naturally, fans of the MCU were far more excited about the fact the film rights to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four had finally been regained by Marvel Studios.
It’s only a matter of time before the X-Men join the MCU, existing in the same shared universe as the Avengers, the Eternals, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. But it will actually be quite difficult to make the introduction of mutants work in an organic way. If mutants have been there all along, why haven’t they ever been seen before? There’s some speculation Marvel will decide to introduce mutants in a different way, with some sort of cosmic event that spontaneously triggers genetic mutation across the globe. That would be a very different approach to the comics, where the first mutants existed at the very dawn of time, but it may be the easiest way to ensure everything joins up.
But, while attention is focused on the grand mechanic of how mutants will be added to the MCU, one detail has often gone unexamined. How will Marvel Studios reinvent the characters for the big screen, emphasizing the X-Men exist in a shared universe rather than as an isolated franchise? Surprisingly, this week’s X-Men: Marvels Snapshots – written by Jay Edidin, with art by Tom Reilly – may well have provided an answer. The issue focuses in on the character of Cyclops, the first X-Man, and subtly rewrites his origin story.
Cyclops’ Origin Story Has Been Subtly Retconned
X-Men: Marvels Snapshots isn’t the first time X-Men comics have explored Cyclops’ backstory, but Edidin’s is undoubtedly the best to date. The broad strokes of the story will be familiar to anyone who knows the X-Men comics; Cyclops starts out as a teenager living in an orphanage, his subconscious still reeling from the apparent deaths of his parents. But Edidin’s approach is unique, because he focuses in upon Cyclops’ character arc, attempting to understand what makes this troubled teenager tick. Already there are hints of the character traits that would develop as Scott Summers became a man; the relentless obsession to find meaning that would make him a great tactician, the strong sense of morality that would transform him into a superhero.
But Edidin adds a new element to it; a hero-worship of the Fantastic Four. He imagines how a teenager whose life felt so out of control would feel when superheroes were suddenly walking down the streets. Cyclops’ obsessive character becomes centered upon the Fantastic Four, on attempting to understand how these new superheroes change the world simply by existing. He intuitively senses this is a story he wants to fit into somehow, one where he can find definition and identity – one he desires to find definition and identity in. But there is a dark side to this relentless obsession, one Edidin only hints at, a reason Cyclops is so drawn to superheroes who can avert tragedies. It is because he wishes there had been someone there all those years ago, to save his family from the plane “accident” that turned him into an orphan and that, he thinks at the time, killed his brother Alex (in reality, of course, Alex is alive and destined to become Havok.)
And so, when Cyclops’ own powers develop at last, it is easy to understand how he becomes the man X-Men fans know and love. He naturally desires to become a hero after the pattern of the Fantastic Four, a man who will use his powers to intervene whenever he sees a tragedy playing out before him. What’s more, where many superheroes retain a secret identity in order to have a real life, being an X-Man is the only life Cyclops wants. Like the Fantastic Four, his very identity is caught up in being a superhero. That is the reason for the intensity of his focus.
Marvel’s Cyclops Retcon Shows How He Could Work In The MCU
Edidin’s subtle retcon is an excellent one, not only because it works perfectly in the context of the Marvel Universe, but also because it shows the MCU how Cyclops could be developed on the big screen as well. In the comics, the X-Men typically stand apart from the rest of the Marvel Universe, only crossing over in big (usually Avengers vs. X-Men-style) events. But Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is sure to take a very different approach with the MCU’s X-Men. The MCU’s biggest selling point is the idea that everything is connected, that nothing stands in isolation. Right from the start, Marvel will have to ensure the X-Men fit organically into their shared universe.
It’s easy to focus on the mechanics of how mutants will be added to the MCU, but the characters are just as important. And Edidin’s X-Men: Marvels Snapshots shows the perfect way to integrate Cyclops; by introducing him as a young mutant who has been inspired by the heroes who have gone before him. It’s a similar idea to the one Marvel used when reinventing Spider-Man for the MCU, with Tom Holland playing a version of Peter Parker who hero-worshipped Tony Stark. But Cyclops’ reaction to these pre-existing heroes – bordering on obsession – is different enough not to feel repetitive. Where Spider-Man initially dreamed of being an Avenger in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming, Cyclops simply wants to find his own place in the world; where Peter Parker longs for a private life and a hint of romance, Cyclops seeks to find his very identity in protecting the world as a superhero. Both are inspired by the examples of others, but the differences in their characters mean they are unique.
Edidin and Reilly’s X-Men: Marvels Snapshots is one of the strongest Marvel comics published in quite some time, a remarkable issue that rewrites the character of Cyclops in a way that really works. The creative team has shown that even familiar and long-established heroes can be reinvented for the present day, in fresh and original ways. This is one comic the MCU should really take note of when shaping their X-Men.
