#tbt: Uncanny X-Men Annual #456 – Inside the jet, Betsy sits cuffed into one of the seats. Although she is a prisoner, she understands the X-Men’s caution about her recent return from the dead. She understands that they cannot afford to take chances. Actually, she rather enjoys sitting in the plane, taking in the smell and feel of the Blackbird and the standard black and yellow uniform she is wearing. It’s all home to her. She rests and her mind wanders inward. (the Astral Plane) Betsy cries as she sees her mind come up before her like a grand Asian fortress crystalline and glowing. This does not surprise her. Clothed in a flowing silk robe (though she prefers armor), Betsy looks at her reflection in a fortress wall. She watches as the image changes from a Caucasian Betsy to an Asian Betsy. She is confused by the former face, but turns away when she sees her Asian reflection. She protests to herself that she knows who she is…but what has she become? She knows that something is not right. St. William’s Tower, a very British structure, rises suddenly in the midst of her Asian fortress. This was where she played as a child. Why has this part of her mind been gone for so long? Written by Chris Claremont and art by Alan Davis. Read full summary here.
“For so long, my life has been out of control. Chaos and serendipity, wrapped in insanity. I have suffered, I have lost. Not just my life, but my very soul, my self. But no more. Now I know who I am.” – Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Braddock, daughter of Otherworld, mutant, telepath, telekinetic, defender of the realm and, above all, X-Man.
3 comments:
Alan Davis's art never ceases to amaze me! Gorgeous panels, and unlike many artists, he's great showing different faces: just look in the second page how Betsy's reflection looks in the second panel (where she sees her former British self) and in the third one (where she sees her current self). Even if we ignore the hair in each reflection, they have distinct facial features. And whoever is responsible for the coloring of these pages deserves congratulations, too (if Davis colored them himself, then double congratulations to him)!
The interesting thing, though, is that I don't think Claremont is discussing the body swap: Psylocke seems to be reflecting on her resurrection (she had just been brought back to life when this history took place) and how confused she was by everything happening.
Oh, and Psylocke will appear in at least one Secret Wars tie-in: the one inspired in the 1980s Inferno event: http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/hopeless-talks-creating-hell-on-earth-during-secret-wars-in-inferno
That's the good news. The bad news is that she's not part of the team focused on this tie-in (composed of Colossus, Nightcrawler, Domino and Boom-Boom). Considering that the pages shown by Comic Book Resources probably show a flashback (in this reality, the X-Men failed to stop Goblyn Queen and Darkchylde), I guess she only appears in the first issue and either dies or runs away leaving Piotr behind.
At least she's not completely forgotten in Secret Wars, though.
F,
I completely agree about Davis! He's a total übermensch! I wish he was drawing at keast one of the X-Men books now.
As for Betsy... I think she is reflecting on the swap AND her death and her resurrection. Basically, the clusterfuck that is her life! This scene made me teary-eyed and sad for her. I can only imagine how lost a sould would feel with all of that.
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