The X-Men Comics Have Been Hiding One Massive Cyclops Secret For 10 Years

by

Comic books are known for both sticking with the same character traits for years and for making big, often temporary, changes. Because these characters have ongoing stories, they can evolve, but they usually need to revert to a familiar starting point. Occasionally, a change proves so popular or important that it becomes permanent – like Superman and Lois Lane getting married, Venom becoming a good guy, or the death of Mar-Vell. The X-Men comics have had one such lasting change for over ten years now.

“The Black Vortex” was a team-up story featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy and the X-Men, with a focus on the relationship between Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde. The story revolved around a mysterious artifact – the Black Vortex – a mirror that changed anyone who looked into it, both physically and mentally. Many heroes were impacted, including X-Men like Beast, Iceman, and Cyclops. While the changes to Beast and Iceman were immediately obvious, the effect on Cyclops was more gradual and wasn’t fully understood for over a decade. In fact, it was his younger, time-displaced self who was actually altered by the Vortex.

A Secret Change to Cyclops’s Heart

The Black Lotus experience had different effects on each person, both physically and emotionally. For Iceman, it unlocked the ability to completely transform into ice. Beast, on the other hand, battled with his self-perception and feelings of being less than human, ultimately finding a new appreciation for his appearance after the ordeal. Scott Summers was affected in a unique way; Jean Grey sensed a change within his heart, not just his mind, but chose to keep this discovery to herself. When these younger X-Men returned to their own time, their older selves regained these memories, suggesting that the change still impacts the current Cyclops.

The mystery is what exactly this alteration was. It wouldn’t have impacted the adult Cyclops until after Extermination #5, because he was deceased for most of the time his younger self existed, and their memories of the future were blocked until they aged. Considering this, even though the secret remains untold, we can possibly figure out some clues by examining what happened with Cyclops’s story around this period. The most important hints are found in the dramatic shift in his personality after he came back to life.

A Hero Restored In Heart and Mind

The X-Men faced challenges throughout the 2010s, and Cyclops suffered the most. Marvel seemed intent on dramatically changing his character, even portraying him as the murderer of Professor X and turning him into an uncompromising extremist. Much of the conflict surrounding Cyclops stemmed from this new direction. However, a recent storyline brought the younger version of Cyclops back to the present, and simultaneously revealed that the older Cyclops had returned from the dead. Remarkably, he immediately reverted to a more familiar, heroic persona – even improving upon his previous self. He remained dedicated to the well-being of mutants, but was now portrayed as both confident and selfless, avoiding the pitfalls of arrogance or tyranny.

You know, thinking about Cyclops, I always saw his biggest arc as him finally learning to believe in himself. He’s carried so much weight his whole life – the pressure to be this perfect leader, always feeling inadequate. Even after coming back to life, he really wrestled with finding purpose. But when Krakoa happened, and he finally had a clear direction, he didn’t shy away from taking responsibility for everyone. It wasn’t that he hadn’t shouldered burdens before, but this time felt different. He actually felt like he’d grown into the role. It reminded me a bit of Beast accepting his new form; it wasn’t just a change on the outside, but inside too. Cyclops’s heart shifted, he became kinder to himself, and that’s what really sparked his heroism again.

It’s possible this mysterious shift in Cyclops’s character will ultimately be unimportant, but his return to being a hero happened right after he gained these new memories and the timeline became stable. He finally accepted his flaws, which allowed him to become the strong leader mutants needed. What do you think caused this change in Cyclops – was it simply growing confidence, a forgotten storyline, or something else that will be revealed later?

https://comicbook.com/comics/list/7-most-powerful-marvel-characters-killed-by-the-x-men/embed/#

Read More

2025-12-06 19:18