Cyclops has been the leader of the X-Men for many years, going up against the likes of Magneto and the Sentinels. But now, Cyclops has essentially become the new Professor X, with no one to turn to but himself – and he’s struggling. So much, in fact, that Cyclops could be on his way to becoming a leader that his past self wouldn’t recognize, which means his best insult to Magneto just took on a terrifying new meaning.
In X-Men #3 by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman, the X-Men are still getting used to their new base of operations in Alaska, as they’ve traded their island paradise of Krakoa for the cold ‘Factory’ that they now call home. Given the global spectacle of the previous X-Men storyline, the mutants are under intense governmental scrutiny, even after losing everything during their Fall of X era, and Cyclops is having to deal with all of that himself – and it’s overwhelming.
Cyclops is basically the representative of all mutantkind following the fall of Krakoa, and humans want nothing more than to keep the mutants under their thumb, especially now that the mutants are at their weakest. Cyclops is aware of this, making him much more of a cynical and hate-filled leader. Cyclops is no longer interested in convincing humans to accept mutants, but rather keeping humans at an arm’s distance to ensure mutantkind’s survival. Unfortunately, as is becoming increasingly obvious, Cyclops is failing.
Cyclops is Slowly Becoming Magneto, & Scott Confirms It Himself with 1 Past Insult
Uncanny X-Men #18 by Kieron Gillen and Ron Garney
While Cyclops hasn’t yet taken the plunge into full-on villainy like Magneto during his early years, he is starting to see the world the way Magneto always has in terms of human/mutant coexistence. Right now, Cyclops is purely focused on keeping mutants separate from humans, even if that means doing so through intimidation and fear. Soon, however, Cyclops may decide that Magneto was right all along, and become a mutant extremist just like the man he’s been fighting for years.
In truth, Cyclops has always been like Magneto, proven true by his actions during Avengers vs X-Men. In the AvX tie-in comic Uncanny X-Men #18, Magneto even brings their similarities to Scott’s attention, to which Cyclops insultingly retorts, “I’m nothing like you. I’m winning”. It’s true that Magneto has never really pulled off any of his schemes, making the fact that he’s always losing a notable (and embarrassing) aspect of his character. However, this insult also has an interesting implication. If ‘winning’ is the only thing that separates Cyclops and Magneto, how are they different when Cyclops is losing?
Marvel Comics is Laying the Groundwork to Make Cyclops a Magneto-Level Villain
Cyclops and Magneto are similar, especially during times of stress and uncertainty for mutantkind, and the only difference between them is that Cyclops wins where Magneto loses. But now, Cyclops is definitely not winning, meaning he’s on the precipice of becoming Magneto – which is actually pretty cool. Their ‘Factory’ already looks like a super-villain lair, and the X-Men are willing to overstep the law for their own means. They’re acting heroically for now, but pretty soon, the X-Men may only act in mutantkind’s best interest, regardless of humanity’s laws. In other words, they’d be villains, and Cyclops their Magneto-esque leader.
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Cyclops meant to insult Magneto in Uncanny X-Men #18, but what he really did was expose the truth that he and Magneto actually aren’t so different, and under the right circumstances, they’re exactly the same. The idea that someone as good as Cyclops could become a ruthless villain like Magneto was during his early years is truly terrifying, and X-Men canon has made it clear that that’s a very real possibility.
X-Men #3 by Marvel Comics is available now.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.