Cyclops is an oddity: an introverted superhero. He feels obliged to help others because Xavier, acting as his father figure, has instilled that value in him. Also, growing up as an orphan he feels a sense of duty to protect those who are at the mercy of the world. Despite his outgoing occupation, Cyclops is a thoughtful and reserved man.
Due to his contradictory nature most writers don't know how to handle him. He's seen as a boring boy scout, as uninteresting. Through the years different gimmicks have been tried to make him a more "interesting" character; the most dramatic and quite possibly worst attempt to retool Cyclops was his merger with Apocalypse. The problem with these attempts is that it ignores the spark that makes Cyclops unique: his yearning to be a part of something bigger while refusing to sacrifice his alone time. Again, his childhood at the orphanage goes a long way to explaining his nature, he was used to being self-sufficent while still wanting to be part of a family. His rich inner life is also the reason that he keeps getting romantically involved with telepaths. They can see his thoughts without him having to actually communicate them.
So where do you go with Cyclops from here? He needs to become one inwardly turned. You can see him on a mission and he will be calculating, he'll do what he has to do to get the job done. He'll come back from a mission and he won't celebrate with the new teammate, so people might see him as cold. We then need to be shown him with Beast or Storm or someone else who he's close to and see that he's funny, and sexy and crazy. He's only himself when he's around close friends. Also, he needs to have hobbies again like reading and flying planes. Hell, I'd even be pumped if he started to juggle.
As for potential narrative direction, I'd say that he should meet a cousin of Jean's. The two get to know each other better and fall in love. She wouldn't have any superpowers and perhaps that's one of the things that Cyclops would love about her. Eventually, they'd get married and have a daughter whom he'd name Rachel. Again, the potential for showing the two sides of him: business-like on the field, warm with his daughter. Also the capability for humor would be great because when quiet reflective people have children, it turns their lives completely upside down. After a mission where the team is forced to leave Cyclops behind and he's presumed dead, he manages to make it back to the mansion and he retires. When you have a family, you've got to put it first. So the three of them would move to Alaska, a place where he could give his daughter what he never had: a stable home.
Tagged with: Cyclops
Leave a comment