The Wolverine/Storm relationship, in all its facets, is one of the most complex and longstanding in the entirety of Claremont’s run, focusing on his two most foregrounded characters as they mutually support each other’s development and growth as characters and as people #xmen 1/7
The pair is defined through mutual respect, intimate trust (something that does not come naturally to either), romantic subtext, and an implied casual sexual relationship that gets interrupted by circumstance, but could easily have been happening the entire time, off-panel. 2/7
Author Miles Booy argues that in early portrayals, Wolverine is symbolic of a primitive masculinity (through “ferocity”) while Storm symbolizes, in contrast, “feminine grace” through her primitive closeness to nature (26). Sort of Adam and Eve of the X-Men. 3/7
Through direct influence on each other, the pair evolve and mature toward each other with Ororo cultivating her primitive ferocity, self-assertiveness, and the respect of her peers, while Logan cultivates grace through patience, nurturing others, and community. 4/7
When Claremont seeks to establish Storm’s capability as a leader, he has her stand up to Wolverine. When Wolverine experiences doubt, or needs to be called out on something, it’s Storm who has to do it, the one he respects the most. 5/7
Toward the end of the run, it is, arguably, Storm’s relationship to Gambit that spurs Wolverine to initially despise the newest X-Man and to enter into a traditional masculine rivalry with him (despite having arguably outgrown such behaviour at this point). 6/7
Through it all, Claremont foregrounds the Ororo/Logan relationship as a resolute foundation of the collective, arguably the core of the X-Men themselves, particularly in the later years. 7/7
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In Excalibur #23, Claremont revisits one of his greatest character projects: Illyana Rasputin. Rather than take the AU story in the direction of the better-life-not-led, however, Claremont adds depth to Illyana’s 616 sacrifice by showing us the alternative. #xmen#Magik 1/8
In the pages of UXM, Magik, and The New Mutants, Claremont built Illyana up as a deeply symbolic character, exploring childhood trauma through an abstract metaphor of surviving hell and having to integrate back into a more innocent world. 2/8
It was Louise Simonson, however, who wrote Illyana’s ending (with some co-ordination from C) in which Illyana sacrifices the life she’s struggled to build to prevent the hell of her making from overtaking others. It might be the finest writing of Simonson’s storied career. 3/8
If read in the context of the queer metaphor of X-Men (what scholar Ramzi Fawaz calls “queer mutanity”) UXM’s repeated exploration of parental estrangement and possible reconciliation can hold a particularly poignant resonance. #xmen 1/6
Character arcs built around reconciliation w parents are extensive in the Claremont run and feature prominently in the stories of major characters such as Cyclops, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Rachel. 2/6
These arcs consistently explore themes of familial estrangement and the emotional fallout that results, whilst building tension toward a possible reconciliation and even sometimes resolving with an actual reconciliation and the catharsis it can produce. 3/6
In “Mutant Mutandis: The X-Men’s Wolverine and the Construction of Canada,” scholar Vivian Zenari explores the portrayal of Canada within the X-Men narrative and how that portrayal informs the character of Wolverine (and vice versa). #xmen#wolverine 1/7
Zenari sees Logan’s nationality as a somewhat lazy product of international market-building, with Wolverine’s Canadian-ness generally underconsidered in terms of its connection to his character/identity. 2/7
"The imagined Canada of Wolverine is for the most part the imagining of another country. At the level of language, a Canadaphile will notice factual errors, such as misspelled place-names…and incongruous terminology… that could be chalked up to a careless copyeditor.” 3/7
Amidst the chaos of UXM #272, Claremont gives Gambit a moment to shine at a time when he was still largely an unknown to both the X-Men and the readers. In addition to saving the team, Gambit’s actions relay a ton of information about his character. #xmen 1/7
Gambit plays an essential role in the X-Men’s escape, first by perceiving and supporting Cable’s own attempt, then by using that as a ruse by which he can obtain the means to execute a secondary escape attempt thereafter, at great personal cost. 2/7
Cable attacks their jailers and Gambit immediately follows suit. Cable is, however, talked down by Hodge threatening Psylocke. When Hodge fires at Cable anyway, Gambit heroically dives to save Cable, taking a spike to the thigh in the process. 3/7
One of Claremont’s goto strategies for character-building revolves around creating conflict out of character dualities in which their superpowers put them at odds with their personal goals and ambitions, ultimately distancing them from their own sense of humanity. #xmen 1/7
This strategy is very very old. Nietzsche identified something similar in Ancient Greek Tragedy. It’s also quite foundational to Marvel (and other) comics of the era, most easily recognized in the Spider-Man aphorism of “with great power…..” 2/7
Claremont’s approach, however, is individualized. So Logan is animal/man, Storm is goddess/woman, Kitty is child/adult, Colossus is muscle/imagination. Havok is raw power/pacifism, Dazzler is fame/normality, Cyclops is mission/well-being. On and on. 3/7
Despite the expectations that come with a young cast of characters (but also because of them), The New Mutants is a deeply dark, highly traumatic series. New Mutants #37 takes this to a new level by portraying -on panel- the violent deaths of each character. #xmen 1/6
Woven into the critically maligned “Secret Wars II” event, the New Mutants have rejected the indoctrination of the Beyonder and, insulted by this, the Beyonder arrives to claim their lives if he can’t have their loyalty. As Dani astutely observes, it’s no contest. 2/6
The Beyonder toys with the team before killing them in nightmarish ways. Rahne’s death, an execution while she kneels in her prayer, is particularly horrific, while Doug’s casual death while espousing the value of friendship is symbolic of the lack of plot armour. 3/6