{"id":6915,"date":"2021-07-21T21:12:49","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T20:12:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/?p=6915"},"modified":"2021-07-21T21:12:49","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T20:12:49","slug":"marauders-22-annotations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/?p=6915","title":{"rendered":"Marauders #22 annotations"},"content":{"rendered":"

As always, this post contains spoilers, and page numbers go by the digital edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>MARAUDERS #22<\/strong>
\n“The Morning After”<\/strong>
\nby Gerry Duggan, Matteo Lolli, Klaus Janson & Rain Beredo<\/strong><\/p>\n

COVER \/ PAGE 1:<\/strong> Lourdes Chantel and Emma Frost stand over a chessboard, with Emma laying a figure of the Black King (Sebastian Shaw) on his side. Normally in chess you’d put your\u00a0own<\/em> king on its side as a way of resigning, but okay. The other identifiable chess piece represents former Black Bishop, Harry Leland.<\/p>\n

This is a callback to the cover of issue #2, in which Sebastian and Emma are shown in the same poses, with Emma using the same… whatever you call it, the shoving thing… to move a figure of Kitty and Lockheed over a map.<\/p>\n

PAGE 2.<\/strong>\u00a0News coverage of the aftermath of the Hellfire Gala.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I’m glad I never wanted to visit the fifth planet in our solar system.”<\/strong> Referring to the terraforming of Mars in\u00a0Planet-Sized X-Men<\/em> #1. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun (the fifth is Jupiter), so it’s a Fox News joke.<\/p>\n

“Feilong Industries.”<\/strong> Referencing a storyline from Duggan’s own\u00a0X-Men<\/em> #1.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“Our government’s late-night deal with Russia and Madripoor…”<\/strong> In\u00a0Excalibur<\/em> #21. This is obviously meant to be a British broadcaster (though CCD is a pretty odd stand-in for “BBC”, and British news channels don’t generally go in for co-anchors anyway). This is the first clarification that the deal includes withdrawing recognition of Krakoan sovereignty, which is a pretty odd thing to do, but whatever. It also arguably contradicts\u00a0Excalibur<\/em> #21, in which Brousseau said that “Your citizens are welcome on our land as foreign nationals”.<\/p>\n

“Chaos in Ireland…”<\/strong> Alluding to the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, which (whatever you think of the way in which it was arrived at) has undeniably had some practical issues in implementation. The parallels between Coven Akkaba in\u00a0Excalibur<\/em> and the Brexit movement in the United Kingdom might politely be described as loose to the point of non-existent, but that does seem to be the intent.<\/p>\n

The Scarlet Witch.<\/strong> She was found dead in\u00a0X-Factor<\/em> #10, which is a plot thread for the upcoming\u00a0Trial of Magneto<\/em> miniseries.<\/p>\n

PAGE 3.<\/strong> Recap and credits.<\/p>\n

PAGES 4-5.<\/strong>\u00a0Emma and the Stepford Cuckoos.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Cuckoos “fixed” Wilhelmina Kensington (as they see it) last issue, by making her “remember” something unspecified. The only elaboration from the Cuckoos was that she “hurts to even look at”, and that the rest of the Homines Verendi group “know” but “don’t care”. Given the reveal we get later on, it’s not obvious how the rest of the Homines Verendi group\u00a0could<\/em> know – certainly if Wilhelmina wasn’t in a position to tell them – and so that seems worth keeping an eye on.<\/p>\n

Wilhelmina’s sadistic tendencies have been played for laughs up until now, but this scene attempts to take them seriously, or at least has her reacting as if she’s done something horrifying for once. We’ll come back to that.<\/p>\n

PAGE 6.<\/strong>\u00a0Sebastian and Emma.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sebastian Shaw<\/strong> has been restored to full health after being injured and confined to a wheelchair by Emma, Kate and Ororo in issue #16. That story did specifically leave open the possibility that they would agree to him being healed at some unspecified future data.<\/p>\n

“I did try to warn you.”<\/strong> He did indeed, in the previous issue (by asking Shinobi to relay a warning). Emma brushed it off on the grounds that “a rising tide lifts all boats” and “If our enemies are improved this evening, then so are we.” On this issue, Sebastian seems to have been correct.<\/p>\n

PAGE 7.<\/strong>\u00a0Professor X and Emma.<\/em><\/p>\n

Lourdes Chantel<\/b> was Shaw’s girlfriend in the Hellfire Gala shown in the back-up strip in\u00a0Classic X-Men<\/em> #7, which was reprinted as a back-up in the previous issue. She’s been mentioned for three issues running now.<\/p>\n

“A complicated plan to resurrect…”<\/strong> We find out later that Chantel died before Cerebro came online, meaning that Shaw’s plan is to send a Cerebro unit back in time to record a copy of her mind. This means that Cerebro comes on line at some point after\u00a0Classic X-Men<\/em> #7’s back-up. That story in turn takes place circa\u00a0X-Men\u00a0<\/em>vol 1 #98, and it expressly follows\u00a0Michael Rossi’s plane crash in\u00a0X-Men<\/em> vol 1 #96. So whenever Cerebro started recording, it’s later than the early Claremont stories, and that’s why the original Thunderbird hasn’t been resurrected.<\/p>\n

Yes, I know we’ve seen the Changeling wandering around and he died in the Silver Age. Hush with your awkward questions.<\/p>\n

PAGE 8.<\/strong>\u00a0Data page on Welhelmina Kensington. This is all recapping established history.<\/p>\n

“It’s highly likely that Wilhelmina killed her mother…”<\/strong> From\u00a0X-Men: Schism<\/em> #3.<\/p>\n

Moira MacTaggert Memorial.<\/strong> The hospital that was opened in issue #18.<\/p>\n

The new Princess Bar & Hotel.<\/strong> The Morlock-run bar which the Marauders bought in issue #18.<\/p>\n

Zhao<\/strong> is Chen Zhao, who joined Homines Verendi as their sole adult member in issue #4.<\/p>\n

PAGES 9-12.<\/strong>\u00a0The Stepford Cuckoos take Wilhelmina to avenge herself on her father.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh lord. Basically, this scene is revealing that Wilhelmina was abused by her father, that she’s suppressed the memory of this traumatic experience, and that it’s the explanation for her sadistic behaviour. I have grave reservations about this. Wilhelmina has been around for years and has never been anything more than an absurdist comedy figure. She’s a one-note novelty villain even compared to the other three Homines Verendi kids. She’s not a proper character who can handle serious drama, she never has been, and she was never designed to be. Of course, Duggan is trying to rehab her into a proper character who\u00a0can<\/em> take the weight of a storyline like this, but the groundwork hasn’t been laid for us to take her seriously, which makes this feel even more trite. It’s like giving a tragic back story to Tom and Jerry.\u00a0It all seems alarmingly misguided.<\/p>\n

The transition to the next scene with the Cuckoos’ line “when men take advantage” seems to be signalling a parallel with Sebastian Shaw in the next scene; the flashback later in the issue plainly indicates that his relationship with Lourdes Chantel was abusive, even though he doesn’t remember it that way. (Presumably Shaw just doesn’t recognise his behaviour as abusive, rather than failing to remember the relevant events.)<\/p>\n

PAGES 13-14.<\/strong> Emma tells Sebastian that Lourdes is alive.<\/em><\/p>\n

This is a big retcon on the\u00a0Classic X-Men<\/em> #7 story. As explained in the following scene, Lourdes did not die in the Sentinel attack in that issue, but rather Emma took the opportunity to fake her death so that she could escape her relationship with Sebastian.<\/p>\n

PAGES 15-16.\u00a0<\/strong>Flashback: Emma and Lourdes.<\/em><\/p>\n

The shift in art style is presumably intended to echo the\u00a0Classic X-Men<\/em> story, which is by John Bolton. Obviously Lourdes got the black eye from Sebastian. Although Emma is going to get Lourdes to safety later in the story, she’s really not being helpful here, her first piece of advice being “teleport faster”, and the next being to encourage Lourdes to believe that the relationship will improve. Emma acknowledges her “shame” about this behaviour later in the scene, and suggests that her decision to fake Lourdes’ death was an impulsive one.<\/p>\n

PAGES<\/strong>\u00a017-19.\u00a0<\/strong>The revised version of Classic X-Men<\/em> #7.<\/p>\n

This is basically a recap of\u00a0Classic X-Men<\/em> #7, with the revisal of Emma faking Lourdes’ death. Aside from the obvious point that Lourdes is out there somewhere (and clearly not on Krakoa), this story also strikes at the heart of Sebastian’s back story. As he points out later, the death of Lourdes was meant to be the big inciting event that prompted him to shift from just a cynical Sentinel manufacturer to plotting a mutant conspiracy. The humans killed at the end of the original story were the human members of the Inner Circle (or the Council of the Chosen, in those days), who were purged by Shaw in order to make way for his mutant-centric conspiracy.<\/p>\n

The original story does\u00a0not<\/em> have Shaw comically screaming “Yes! They must pay!”, but plays Lourdes’ death straight as a tragic and touching moment. The slaughter on page 19 panel 1 also differs quite drastically from anything seen in the original story, and suggests that quite a lot of other human Club associates were also killed by Emma, Sebastian, Harry Leland and apparently also Tessa (now Sage from\u00a0X-Force<\/em>). How many of these humans were actually complicit in an anti-mutant conspiracy, and how many were just humans in the way, is left unaddressed.<\/p>\n

PAGES 20-22.<\/strong> Flashback: Emma introduces Lourdes to the Kingpin.<\/em><\/p>\n

Is this an improvement…? Well, as it turns out, yes, because although it seems at first as if Emma is trying to set up Lourdes in a similar relationship with Wilson Fisk, she does actually seem to be offering Lourdes’ services as a teleporter. But whatever Emma had in mind, Fisk seems to see more value in Lourdes as a vehicle for extracting favours from Emma – Lourdes, from the look of it, goes on her way to start a new life.<\/p>\n

PAGE 23.<\/strong>\u00a0Emma and Sebastian.<\/em><\/p>\n

Emma’s period as a fixer for the Kingpin is new, but perfectly in character.<\/p>\n

Shaw has effectively been told that his alliance to the mutant cause – such as it was – was brought about by deceit. Though he’s been consistently outwitted by Emma through out this series, it’s hard to see how this goes anywhere helpful from her point of view.<\/p>\n

PAGE 24.<\/strong> Data page. A memo from Bishop.<\/p>\n

“Nimrod coming back online.”<\/strong> In\u00a0X-Men<\/em> #20.<\/p>\n

“[Harry Leland] saved us from the threat of that machine.”\u00a0<\/strong>Leland died fighting Nimrod in\u00a0Uncanny X-Men<\/em> vol 1 #200; he used his powers to smash Sebastian into Nimrod and break it into pieces. (It came back.)<\/p>\n

“The Black Bishop’s mutant gift may be used in concert with Leland’s to produce the desired result.”<\/strong> The Black Bishop is Shinobi Shaw. Emma suggested in issue #20 that Shinobi might be Leland’s son, which was indeed hinted in his earlier appearances. The suggestion here seems to be that Shinobi uses his powers to become diamond hard, and then Leland… well, smashes him into Nimrod, basically. No harm in trying, I suppose.<\/p>\n

Bishop also canvasses a random-sounding idea to start mining Mars just in case something useful turns up.<\/p>\n

PAGE 25.<\/strong> Trailers. The Krakoan reads NEXT: MARAUD ABROAD.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As always, this post contains spoilers, and page numbers go by the digital edition. MARAUDERS #22 “The Morning After” by Gerry Duggan, Matteo Lolli, Klaus Janson & Rain Beredo COVER \/ PAGE 1: Lourdes Chantel and Emma Frost stand over a chessboard, with Emma laying a figure of the Black King (Sebastian Shaw) on his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-annotations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6915"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6918,"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6915\/revisions\/6918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}