By: Jacob Elyachar
Marvel creators teased that Cyclops was going to the dark side last year but fans did not know that their favorite hero was going to devolve into a villain in “Avengers vs. X-Men.” (Artwork by Marvel Comics)
When Marvel Comics released a teaser of Fear Itself last year, they showed the X-Men leader dressed in Magneto’s clothing. While that did not play out in the epic Marvel crossover event, it was another stepping stone in the Mutant Leader’s fall from grace.
Last week, Cyclops did the unthinkable and killed his longtime father figure and mentor Professor Charles Xavier in the pages of Avengers vs. X-Men.
That action completed his dark journey to become a top villain in the Marvel Universe. In this article, I will reflect on the reasons why Scott Summers became Public Enemy #1 in the Marvel Universe.
The Death of Jean Grey (2004)
Cyclops’s first step into darkness was the death of his beloved wife Jean Grey at the end of New X-Men #150 at the hands of Kuan-Yin Xorn, who posed as their longtime adversary Magneto. Jean and Scott shared their world together through good and bad times and while she resides over the White Hot Room, Cyclops began to take control of the X-Men and romanced Emma Frost.
Despite the inclusion of Storm and Hope, Cyclops’s extinction team included a lot of anti-heroes and former super villains. Could their attitudes and beliefs rubbed off of Slim Summers? (Artwork property of Marvel Comics)
Strange Company (2010-now)
What may have triggered Cyclops’s descent into villainy might have been the people he surrounded himself with. If readers look at the line-up of his inner circle prior to Marvel crossover series, it consisted of former villains: Magneto, Namor, Danger and Emma Frost, two heroes that devolved into anti-heroes: Colossus and Magik and the only two sane people on the team: Storm and his granddaughter, Hope. While Storm and Hope did so much, maybe hanging out with the wrong crowd influenced his ways of thinking.
Polarizing and Abandoning Family Members (2006-now)
For over the past six years, Cyclops’s attitudes and politics have really rubbed people the wrong way. His longtime colleagues Beast and Wolverine left due to his actions in Utopia and Schism respectively. In addition, he kicked longtime veterans to the curb because of their actions. Professor X and Rogue were in the visor-wearing X-Man’s doghouse because Charles hid his crazed brother Vulcan from him for years (Deadly Genesis) and the Southern Belle’s actions during Second Coming caused his son’s death. While Cable returned from death in the pages of Avengers: X- Sanction and Vulcan was killed at the end of War of Kings, Cyclops should have easily forgiven his teammates instead of ostracizing them but because of that he still continued on the road of becoming of a villain.
The Phoenix Force (2012-now)
The cosmic bird has been viewed at times a savior or a destroyer in the Marvel Universe. Recently, the Avengers (and now a growing number of X-Men) believed it would be the latter choice and their assumptions were true as the Phoenix Force split itself into five X-Men hosts including Cyclops and began to reshape the Earth. While Summers’ teammates began to fall under Phoenix’s dark influences, the original X-Man held his own until an ambush coordinated by Captain America, Professor X and both teams was too much for him that he killed his father figure and absorbed Emma’s portion of the Phoenix to become the Dark Phoenix.
What’s Next for Cyclops?
Readers will find out what will be next for Scott Summers in the final issue of Avengers vs. X-Men that will drop on October 3.
For more information about anything Avengers vs. X-Men related, visit Marvel’s website for more details: http://marvel.com/
