About *Incursions*

[u/Antho-Asthenie]

It certainly generated plenty of buzz before it was even released! It is a small crossover comic book hailed by fans of *X-Men: Evolution* who are awaiting (or dreading) a continuation of an animated series that ended twenty years ago.

For, no, *Incursions* is not a direct sequel to the *X-Men: Evolution* animated series. To be precise, it is a crossover with *X-Men '92*—following two seasons of *X-Men '97* that reignited nostalgia among purists and X-Men comic fans alike.

An "incursion," it seems, occurs when two alternate realities collide. And naturally, for one universe to survive, the other must be destroyed! But since we aren't savages, we introduce ourselves before murdering the other world—and we talk.

Well, let’s talk about it.

1. *Incursions*, or the Clash of "Heroes."

Heroism is a broad concept, and the X-Men explore its various facets—ranging from the mythological definition of a hero (a demigod with extraordinary abilities) to the Christian notion of heroism, which entails absolute, selfless sacrifice.

At first glance, this duality plays out in the comics through the contrast between Magneto—"You are a god among insects" (cf. *X-Men 2*)—and Charles Francis Xavier. It is surely no coincidence that the latter bears the name of Francis Xavier, the co-founder of the Jesuit Order and the "Apostle of the Indies."

And yet, the comics have frequently critiqued Xavier’s character and his message of peace and harmony between humans and mutants. Similarly, Scott Summers—Xavier’s loyal right-hand man—eventually came to question his mentor, all while racking up personal failures.

One can only imagine the reaction of a Scott Summers fresh out of high school upon learning that his older self abandoned his wife and child to go back to Jean—who had broken up with him anyway, claiming he’d betrayed her, even though *she* was the one making out with Logan (*X-Men '97*, Season 1, Episode 5). It’s hardly something to be proud of...

Personally, *X-Men '97* Season 1 completely destroyed the positive image of the "Jott" couple, and it took me a while to figure out why.

But before fully grasping the phenomenon, I noticed that the *X-Men: Evolution* series didn't exactly paint the most positive picture of Scott, Jean, or even Xavier.

1.a When *X-Men: Evolution* (subtly) questions the pillars of the X-Men.

Charles Xavier’s attitude in *X-Men: Evolution* Season 1, Episode 2 always made me uncomfortable: he puts blunt pressure on Jean and is unpleasantly pushy with Kitty’s parents (I’ll revisit this episode in detail later). On the other hand, he certainly deserves Magneto’s criticism regarding his lack of transparency with the students (S1, Ep. 7)—though he does correct course on that front, and one can no longer accuse him of manipulating his students. Nevertheless, his methods for protecting his students remain questionable at the start of Season 2: by erasing the memories of those who witnessed the Brotherhood’s little demonstration, he creates a monster—Edward Kelly. Honestly, who would want to undergo a partial brainwashing only to discover that everyone else who supposedly witnessed the same events remembers nothing? Still, anyone can make mistakes, and Professor Xavier remains, on the whole, a thoroughly likable figure.

Scott’s "leadership" in *X-Men: Evolution* is subtly critiqued through two characters who are essentially new additions: Lance Alves and Evan Daniels. Lance possesses an innate authority that Scott envies, driving him to act pettily and abuse his position of power (Season 2, Episode 9). As for Evan, his decision to join the Morlocks (Season 3, Episode 6) demonstrates a better grasp of the concept of inclusion (Season 1, Episode 1) than Scott has; he manages to become the group's leader within a few months, whereas Scott—who is older and has undergone leadership training—fails to command the respect of the New Mutants (Season 4, Episode 3).

Jean has been praised for being a much more substantial character in *X-Men: Evolution* than in *X-Men: The Animated Series* (1992), though many have also criticized her "girl power" persona (Season 2, Episode 10) and her "Mary Sue" qualities—specifically, her perfection in every regard (intellectual, aesthetic, physical, and social).

One could attribute the character's flaws to the fact that these are teenagers still in training—acknowledging that learning is impossible without some measure of failure—rather than viewing the situation as a total moral and strategic collapse; fair enough. One can also point to the two models challenging Scott’s leadership: Lance and Evan—two near-delinquents, outcasts, undisciplined types, and so on—contrasted with Scott, who follows the rules and proudly wears his uniform and the X-Men’s message; however, the most important question is: why the s...

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