harry@ucbvax.ARPA (07/05/85)
From: harry (Harry I. Rubin) If I understand this correctly, Rachel is from a future version of the X-Men's and New Mutant's world, but it seems to be a different future than the one toward which Our Heros are headed. For example, in "this" world Scott (Cyclops) Summers is married to Maddy Pryor, but in Rachel's past, Scott is married to Jean Grey. Rachel's original world/time is definitely the pits: anti-mutant hatred has led to something like martial law, with extermination programs against all mutants. Everyone Rachel knew and loved has been killed, nay, slaughtered. Now, suddenly, Rachel finds herself in "our" "present" world, an "alternate history" for her. Everything is, well, not quite rosey, but definitely not too bad. Let us consider for a moment the psychology, the state of mind of this person in this situation. How do you think she would or should react? Should she mourn for all her departed friends and lovers? Should she work to return to her world/time? To the "proper" history of her world/time? Should she stay where she is and work hard to make sure that "this" world/time doesn't go as bad as hers? I suppose any of these are not unreasonable. My gripe is that she does not seem to be doing any of them. She is just hanging out with the X-people, going on their adventures. Has she decided to remain with them, to "adopt" this world/time? It doesn't say. Yes, she does occasionally has flashbacks and bouts of angst - good for the writers says I, they shouldn't forget the extreme mental stresses of Rachel's subjective past - but these are isolated incidents, suddenly appearing and instantly forgotten. Where is the soul-searching, the questioning of purpose, the questioning of her own right to be alive when all her friends have died? Most of us "belong" in our worlds and times, to just muddle through and make the best of it usually seems purpose enough in life, but in view of her personal past, I don't think that's good enough for Rachel. This is tough stuff to tackle anywhere, let alone in a comic book, but I think it is the logical consequence of Rachel's story. I'd like to see it in the book. Another random thought: The X-people's present world *seems* to be different from Rachel's past, but is it really a different past? Consider: o anti-mutant sentiment is rising, slowly but surely (good for the writers, developing a long-term theme!). o Jean Grey is returning!! Who says Scott and Jean can't be Rachel's parents?!? o In Rachel's original world/time, Peter and Kitty (Kate) were married. "Our" Peter and Kitty seem to be working out their problems (again, hurray for long-term character development). Their new relationship seems to be more of a mutual respect, a more mature kind to attachment than the earlier crush/infatuation relationship. (I don't want to get into a flame-fight about relationships and maturity; I'm willing to give up on this point.) So what do you think? Could the current X-Men's world really be Rachel's past? Could Scott end up married to Jean yet? One more, straight out of left field: Scott's current wife is Maddy Pryor. The lead singer of an English folk-rock group called Steeleye Span was named Maddy Prior. Do you suppose .... It *could* be just a coincidence .... What kind of music does Claremont listen to, anyway ....? (Steeleye Span has broken up. Maddy Prior has at least one solo album out - "Woman in the Wings.") Replies to the net, please. Cheers, Harry Rubin harry@Berkeley ...!ucbvax!harry
lizv@tektools.UUCP (Liz Vaughan) (07/10/85)
Another comment on Rachel: have she and "our" Scott met? He (and Madeline) haven't been around at all since Rachel showed up, though we've seen a scene or two of them off in Alaska. How will Scott (never the most stable of fellows) deal with the sudden appearance of a child he never fathered with the dead woman he's trying to forget (think about it...) Better yet, how will Madeline, who keeps having to prove to the X-people that she's NOT Jean, deal with this "stepdaughter". I agree that they haven't done much with Rachel yet, but I bet it's a "time bomb"; possibly tying into the return of Phoenix/Jean that seems to be in the wings. We shall see... One other thing - in the future, Rachel and Franklin Richards are also married/lovers (I don't remember which). But in this past, Rachel's an adult, while Franklin's hardly more than a baby. Have they met? Were their age differences as big in Rachel's future, or did Franklin pull one of his "I wish I could grow up" stunts somewhere along the line? Hmm. Anyway, we should have some sympathy for Rachel. The poor woman's got a lot to adjust to, and insanity seems to run in the family :-) Liz Vaughan ...tektronix!tektools!lizv Who me, read comic books?
boyajian@akov68.DEC (JERRY BOYAJIAN) (07/19/85)
> From: tektools!lizv (Liz Vaughan) > Another comment on Rachel: have she and "our" Scott met? No, not as of #197. > He (and Madeline) > haven't been around at all since Rachel showed up, though we've seen a > scene or two of them off in Alaska. How will Scott (never the most stable > of fellows) deal with the sudden appearance of a child he never fathered > with the dead woman he's trying to forget (think about it...) That presumes that he finds out Rachel's origin (which may be hard to keep secret once she takes on the Phoenix identity. On the other hand, if it's explained that she's from an alternate Earth... > One other thing - in the future, Rachel and Franklin Richards are also > married/lovers (I don't remember which). But in this past, Rachel's > an adult, while Franklin's hardly more than a baby. Have they met? In that future, they were lovers, but not (as far as I know) married. Rachel has not met the present-day Franklin yet. Some months ago, I posted a comment about how she might well freak out when she does. > Were their age differences as big in Rachel's future, or did Franklin > pull one of his "I wish I could grow up" stunts somewhere along the line? I don't think their age difference was that great, but remember: (1) Those Future History issues were set in 2013, which would mean that Franklin would then be in his early 30's (assuming that Marvel time from this point on corresponds with real time, which it, of course, won't. Rachel --- the one in the FH issues and is now in the present, is likely in her late 20's, which would actually make her older then the current Scott! (2) Rachel made the trip from the future into the present *after* the events in issues #141-142. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Acton-Nagog, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA
owen@rtp47.UUCP (Karl M. Owen) (07/21/85)
In answer to the debate about the relative ages of Rachel and Franklin Richards, Franklin is now about 4 years old (? close, anyway), and Rachel is the child of Jean and Scott (if Jean had lived). That would make her about the same age as Maddie and Scott's child (with whom Maddie is now pregnant). Therefore, Franklin was about 4 or 5 years older than Rachel in the future. Remember, Rachel came BACK in time, but retained her (then current) age. Gee, I use a lot of (parenthetical) statements, don't I? :-). Karl Owen Data General ...!seismo!mcnc!rti-sel!rtp47!owen Data General probably doesn't even READ the X-Men...
ellen@reed.UUCP (Ellen Eades) (07/25/85)
> [...] Rachel > is the child of Jean and Scott (if Jean had lived). That would make her > about the same age as Maddie and Scott's child (with whom Maddie is now > pregnant). > Karl Owen SAY WHAT?!!!! Madelyne is *pregnant*??? I knew they were trying awfully hard (Jeez, everytime we see Scott and Madelyne, they're in bed) but I didn't know they'd gotten results yet. Or have I missed something? This is truly going to complicate matters. God, I hate Jim Shooter. This mag isn't X-Men anymore; it's One Life To Live. I can't *stand* this much longer... Ellen Eades (Incidentally, I have mailed the first batch of articles to Marvel and am starting a second collection. This is actually quite fun. If anyone wants a synopsis of what's been going on in the discussion of X-Men in net.comics since May, mail me a note. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Who's been repeating all that hard stuff to you?" "I read it in a book," said Alice. - - - - - - - - - - - - - tektronix!reed!ellen OR tektronix!reed!motel6!ellen