Tim Callahan and Chad Nevett discuss Avengers vs. X-Men and how authorial bias conflicted with where the story went:
The final issue is nothing but proof that Cyclops was 100% correct in the first issue of “Avengers vs. X-Men” and, yet, somehow, he became the villain. At the beginning of the story, he told Captain America that the Phoenix was coming to Earth to bring back the mutants and use Hope as its host. Captain America called him crazy (and with good reason, I might add) and, so, they fought. But, when the Phoenix arrived and was ‘broken’ by Tony Stark, it possessed five different X-Men who claimed that they were simply holding onto the power until Hope was ready for it, which, again, is true. During this time, the Phoenix Five did a lot of good things, but four of the members proved corrupt and were stripped of their power. However, Cyclops never wavered until issue 11. Up until that point, he continually kept the others in check, told them to be patient with the Avengers, and, generally, only reacted to the violent attacks of the Avengers. In issue 11, he was again attacked and, surprise, surprise, was finally pushed to the point where he overreacted to their attack, killing someone who was actively trying to assault his mind (self-defense?) and, generally, getting really pissed off at the heroes who wouldn’t even try to work with him, who automatically assumed him crazy and corrupt… despite the fact that he was right. In the end, Captain America, after having known Hope for all of two weeks, decided that she was more trustworthy than Cyclops, a mutant superhero he’s known for years and fought besides dozens of times, and allowed Hope and the Phoenix to do exactly what Cyclops said they would.
Cyclops is the hero of “Avengers vs. X-Men” and Captain America is the villain.
But, I wouldn’t say that that’s the story that Marvel tried to tell, would you? Which is what I found frustrating. You can’t present a seemingly off-balance/crazy character in the beginning like they did with Cyclops and, then, have him actually be right the entire time. They were some hints about that at the end of the event (more in the latest issue of “Uncanny X-Men” than in “Avengers vs. X-Men” #12), but it’s a fairly messed up way to present a story and suffers a little from the semi-recent idea at Marvel that Captain America Cannot Be Wrong. No matter what, that’s the one character that is never wrong even when he’s clearly wrong.
Clearly, someone needs to start making “Captain America Was Wrong” t-shirts. Quick, before NYCC!
October 9th, 2012 at 8:12 am
That has been my position on Avengers vs. X-Men all along, and I’m glad Marvel pulled it off in the end. I’d like to give them the credit that they were writing it this way all along, that the villain was 100% right and the hero was wrong and pig-headed. History is written by the winners, and Captain America clearly won the punching match. So he gets to be the big hero, while everyone villainizes Cyclops. It’s a pretty cool twist on the hero vs. villain idea…though I don’t know if I have faith in Marvel to fully explore or capitalize on this idea.
October 9th, 2012 at 9:21 am
If Marvel accepts the dominant fan view of this event as you’re present it (and I do think this is the dominant view among readers) I think it will make for a pretty interesting year of stories–if they decide to tell that story.
October 9th, 2012 at 9:53 am
I don’t remember the Phoenix Five being told they were simply placeholders for the Phoenix Force until Hope was ‘ready’.
October 9th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Captain America is ALWAYS in the right. He could go out and kick puppies,and it would be justified.
Nevertheless…He was wrong…but they just can’t bring themselves to acknowledge it.
October 9th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
I’m with Slim Summers!
October 9th, 2012 at 10:29 pm
“Infinity Gauntlet’s no good because it’s Starlin being Starlin and blah blah blaaaaah” oh, SHUT. UP.