Before I dive into this, I just wanted
to say that Cyclops has gotten tiny shreds of respect from me in
recent years, but it's not even close enough to wipe away my hatred
for him. But most of my experience and readings that involve Cyclops
happen before X-Force and his full lead of the X-Men.
1. I hate boy scout characters.
This is going to be general, but yeah,
anybody that is just a lap dog or the typical, “boy scout”
character instantly gains a negative view from me. I'm talking about
Cyclops still being under Professor Xavier. Always doing what he
says, always having the attitude that the way that you're told is the
right way, almost 100% pure obedience; I can't fucking stand it. In a
lot of X-Men comics, Cyclops just seems to be just a projection of
Xavier. Xavier barks an order, Cyclops wants to carry it out to a tee
where it seems like most of the other X-Men are at least opinionated
about it and want to dive deeper into their instructions. I mean, how
many times have Logan and Scott fought because of stuff like this?
Which brings up a good point, when someone like Wolverine is your
opposite showing you anti authority and a personal opinion, you don't
end up liking the boy scout, in this case, Slim, you end up liking
the opposing opinion. And since it tends to be Wolverine, who is by
far more popular, you tend to want to disagree with everything
Summers says. Maybe it's the writers I should be angry at. Because
where Logan gives his counter point, Scott's last ditch effort to
make him agree is usually just the same thing he's already said. But
still, you just get the sense that it's Xavier's words coming out of
Cyclops' mouth. Doesn't really make him much of a character and it
just makes me ignore him. This also doesn't make me believe that he
is a qualified leader. More like a puppet. Plus, like a typical boy
scout, he has that air of scumbag entitlement which just fuckin' rubs
me the wrong way.
2. He gets all the psychic bitches.
Like, fuckin' seriously, what's up
with this? He gets Jean Grey THEN Emma Frost? I don't fucking get it.
What's his appeal? Leader of the X-Men? Laser eyes? I don't
understand. Why is he so special? Just because someone is a leader
doesn't mean he's a chick magnet. Does he only get the desirable ones
because he leads? I don't view him as strong and this makes me as
fucking salty as I'm sure it makes Wolverine. He pretty much has no
personality up until he takes over the X-Men, so I can see MAYBE why
Emma Frost would be into him, but why does it have to be another
psychic? Why can't it just be some random person? I also always hated
the chemistry between him and Jean Grey. Summers is the boy scout so
he has to have the “loyal” and “upstanding” lady but I never
really felt that Jean Grey wanted that, which is why Logan's
interference always made me root for him. In fact, the character of
Cyclops doesn't really sell me on anything. It's as if all these
pieces were put together to give the APPEARANCE of what he's supposed
to be rather than who he really is. He's GIVEN the role of second in
command, then leader of the X-Men, he's GIVEN the trophy wife(this is
all starting at issue fucking 1), I just don't buy it and nothing
he's really done over the years has made me believe that he's earned
it. And the fact that his love interests tend to be psychic is just
another thing I feel is just given to him to make him seem deep and
important. It's a tough sell if you ask me. His romantic life just
doesn't feel natural but artificial.
3. Just a whiny, spoiled fucking child.
It's hard to disagree with this. I
mean, anyone that argues with Slim(fun fact, Professor Xavier calls
him Slim Summers when he is first introduced in the X-Men comics, so
technically, this might have been his original name and not just a
nickname that Wolverine made for him) makes him go on these bitchy
rants about how everyone needs to listen to him because Xavier made
him the leader. I can't stand it. I hate it when anyone uses their
position as an excuse for people to follow instructions. It makes me
resentful and makes think that they are too dumb to think of more
creative ways to work with people while still being their leader. I
mean, he's like a rich boy that doesn't get his way and I feel like
he just does shit like this just to remind everyone that he's the
leader(especially with Wolverine). Scott Summers did not have an
ideal childhood or life. His father gone, him being a mutant and
being treated like shit by society, you'd figure this would make him
appreciate things more. But no. You get the sense that he just shoves
all his glory in people's faces like some snob would. Why does he act
so spoiled? I mean, how often does this bullshit happen:
Cyclops: “Lets go stop Magneto,
gang!”
Wolverine: “Maybe we should use a
different strategy?”
Cyclops: “No, Wolverine! I'm da
leader cause Fessor Xavier said so and I will decide what wez dooz
based on what Fessor told me to dooz so youz have to dooz it or I'll
hatez youz foreverz!!11!”
A whiny little bitch and a shitty
leader.
4. Personally, his powers aren't anything
I give a shit about.
Laser eyes powered by the sun.
...Ooooook? Just fucking call him the Marvel Comics Superman and get
it over with. Pretty much the same damn guy. Just a dog on a leash
that does what he's told. Only difference is Slim has eye powers,
might as well be two big red 'S's instead of pupils. Laser eyes,
really? Sheesh, da fuck cares? How many people in X-Men have laser
powers just as a SIDE POWER? Fucking stupid. But I'm sure back in the
60s it was fucking amazing, but this doesn't age well to me. It's
more like a childhood dream than an actual, creative idea for a
power. Then I guess in this case, it suits the fucker well.
5. His offspring and family are better
characters than he is.
I'm talking Cable and the X-Man, Nate
Grey. How is it that his kids have better and more compelling
character design and stories than him? The only thing that drags
Cable and X-Man down is that their father is just some puppet,
jarhead. So, ONCE A-FUCKING-GAIN, why is it that Cyclops is GIVEN
such a bad ass offspring? It's just something else that is added to
him. Too much awesome shit revolves around Cyclops but his
contributions to them are SLIM to NONE(see what I did there?). I
can't stop asking why??? Cable and X-Man are some of my favorite
X-Men characters but it's bittersweet knowing that they are the seed
of Scott Summers. Cable is just a technovirus, gun carrying, BAD ASS
while X-Man is like the strongest psychic to ever live! Cyclops is
NOT the best of anything. He's NOT even a bad ass because he's so boy
scout! How can a character be considered “classic” when everyone
around him is a million times more interesting than he is?! Shit,
even Havok is more interesting than he is! Claremont's display of him
in the early 1990s when the X-Men were thought dead and in Australia,
he had to come to grips with his team and his actions. He wasn't a
dedicated pawn to be played with. Scott's father led the Starjammers
and traveled all over the galaxy! Well where the FUCK are those
comics?! I'm sure they exist BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THEM. Scott
“Cyclops” Summers is just buried in the shadows of everything
around him that is GIVEN to him. Nothing about him makes hi special.
Nothing about him is unique. It's characters and plots that he did
not earn that are shoved into his character to give the appearance of
importance.
