Some Thoughts on the Upcoming "Avengers vs. X-Men"

This coming April, Marvel will release their biggest crossover storyline this year with “Avengers vs. X-Men” or AvX.  The premise is very promising, plenty of potential epic moments with Marvel’s two top superhero teams pitted against each other. 

Of course, an awesome premise doesn’t assure us that it will meet our high expectations in its delivery.  The Civil War event years ago is an example.  It had an awesome premise and the elements of a brilliant and classic story.  It had its dramatic moments, but it failed to meet the high expectations brought by the premise’s awesome potential.   Civil War ended too soon; it was too short.  The conclusion wasn’t satisfactory.  It failed to divide the fans to two sides as it did the characters (Seriously, was there anybody who rooted for the Pro-Registration side?).  It made Iron Man a hated character (only thanks to Robert Downey, Jr. for bringing back the love to the character).  And, worst of all, it had terrible aftermaths: the assassination (and eventual “resurrection”) of Captain America, Spider-Man making a deal with the devil (ugh, how “One More Day” makes my blood boil), etc.  Good thing for Marvel, they made up for all the bad taste left by Civil War to everybody’s mouths by having the epic “Secret Invasion” a few years later.

In the case of AvX, I have a gut feeling that, this time around, it would meet what is expected of it.  There is no perfect time to have such war between these two legendary teams than now.  We see the 2000’s brought a lot of significant changes to the teams.  Both now has deep, diverse, and exciting rosters than ever before.  The Avengers now have heroes like Spider-Man, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, The Thing (of Fantastic Four), and Luke Cage –who were before were merely allies or reserve members of the team – as regulars.  New Marvel characters (2000’s created) like Red Hulk and Venom (Flash Thompson as host) are members.    

The 2012 X-Men also enjoys a dramatic augmentation with former opponents like Magneto and Juggernaut joining them, as well as the newly retconned “first mutant” Namor and the popular Deadpool.  They also have plenty of new interesting characters like Fantomex (a human mutant/sentinel hybrid) in their roster.  Most of the mutants from the X books we had enjoyed in the past are members.

Indeed, it’s going to be an epic clash.

What confuses me is the status of Wolverine, Beast, and Storm, who are members of both the X-Men and Avengers.  Which side will they stand?  According to what the promo art and covers suggests, they will side with the Avengers.  Still, let’s not forget that the X-Men now are divided into two camps (after the X-Men: Regenesis storyline), between those loyal to Cyclops and those loyal to Wolverine.  If Wolverine sides with the Avengers, will those X-Men loyal to him side with Wolverine and the Avengers, too?  But basing again with the promo art, there are X-Men in the Wolverine team fighting Avengers!  Really confusing how will this turn out.  Just have to wait and see.

One thing that’s bothering me is that Cyclops seems to be getting a little bit darker due to the past harsh experiences undergone by mutants and the X-Men (I.e. the depowerment of most mutants after M-Day).  Magneto warned that Cyclops is already sounding more like him.  Will this event ultimately lead Cyclops to the extreme side?  Will the moral Cyclops we know cease to be?  Will he be another Civil War Iron Man?  Let’s wait and see.             

Lastly, Captain Marvel is set to return during the event!  What is the purpose of this return?  How will this affect the conflict?  Will he be the key in stopping the war between the Avengers and the X-Men?  Again, let’s wait and see.

Oh boy, can’t wait.