There are few franchise stories I have been more invested in since my childhood then the X-Men. While I was never as satisfied with any of the movies as I would have liked - and let's be honest, it's hard to satisfy someone with that much expectation - each one of the movies has still provided me with a healthy dose of gleeful nostalgia, as well as the usual fodder for thought. A notable exception to this trend might be found in the latest installment, which brought the side story of Logan (Wolverine) to a conclusion. It's not my purpose to dwell on this movie, so I will suffice to say that it had many worthwhile elements and really have could have been a very good movie, if the makers had not felt it necessary to fill it with R-rated content, which was tastelessly excessive and made it difficult to watch. I advise great caution before choosing to see it, and if you do choose to do so, please don't bring children!
It has always been the case, with each of these movies, that they have offered me much to like, and a good deal to not like so much. Yet, there was a period of time when these movies were almost ruined for me completely. That period began the first time someone pointed out to me how the original trilogy of movies had been used to drive an agenda and how deeply embedded into them it seems like that agenda is, at times. The more I took a second look at them, the more I realized how true it was. So much so that it was almost impossible not to see it when I watched them, after it was pointed out. And then, after taking a large step back, I began to take small steps forward again... and I began to realize that these movies have a lot to say to us about what it means to learn to listen and to encounter each other, even when we disagree... or perhaps especially when we disagree.
Having recently rewatched a few of these movies, I was reminded how much I love X-Men: Days of Future Past (with the exception of a few significant shortcomings, as usual). By offering a glimpse into the future of this fictional world, which parallels our own in its emphasis on the destructive potential of discrimination, that story in particular enabled them to drive home the themes running through the movies in an especially powerful way. And let me be clear about the point I am trying to make about these themes. The central anti-discrimination themes, which have driven the X-Men story since its earliest days, are both good and necessary. It is likely the case that some of the creators of these stories over the years and I would have to disagree on how we interpret and apply them and/or some of the solutions we might propose. But, the essential themes themselves are not only something I support, but for which I am very grateful. Days of Future Past drives this all home in a very potent way, as it not only asks the question of whether humans and mutants could learn to live in peace, but whether two old friends who had become enemies could learn to work together, "side by side in a time when we couldn't be further apart." The question that Charles Xavier asks in the opening monologue is indeed an important one: "Is the future truly set?" I would say that this question prompts a few follow-up questions, especially this: Can we learn to truly encounter one another?
These questions cause me to reconsider the scene from the first X-Men movie, which was always so striking to me since the movie first was released. It was the moment when Senator Kelly, who had previously promoted an alarmingly discriminatory measure called the Mutant Registration Act, is upon his deathbed. After being abducted by the villains, he is dependent on the help of other mutants (Charles Xavier and his X-Men) to help him, as he dies from the effects of the experimentation done on him. He discovers in Xavier and the others that mutants are not all threats, but can also be caring and compassionate and can seek to serve others. It is at this point, that Xavier leans in dramatically and tells him, very simply: "We're not what you think... not all of us." The beauty I find within this scene is the beauty of a moment when two people begin to see one another. Or at least one finally sees the other. But, why can it not be both? In the movie, it is more a matter of one person who has been failing to see the other, finally encountering the benevolence of the other. However, in reality, it seems to me that, in most human disagreements, there is need for both parties to begin to see each other. There is a need to encounter, to learn to listen, and to understand.
This is really the vision that has inspired the approach, and even the title, of this blog. It has always been my aim, in paying close attention to elements of meaning, themes and symbolism in pop culture, to learn to listen to the heart of the culture, for the sake of facilitating a dialogue with the Heart of God. Close attention to pop culture is meant as a way of listening to the heart of the culture, which is meant as a sort of "practice," if you will, in learning to listen to the heart of man. Truthfully, I am actually quite hesitant to identity who might be the "two parties" most engaged by the themes at hand and how they are being utilized, as this would inevitably become a gross over-simplification, which would perpetuate the already present obstacles to truly encountering one another. Caricaturing human interaction into a simple "us" and "them" model will always only serve to keep us divided. This is not a battle between "liberal and conservative," "republican and democrat," "atheists and Christians," or any other labels which can be used to narrow our view of the complexity of reality. It is simply a matter of learning to encounter one another. We will never learn to encounter human persons if we persist in the belief that a human person can be essentially defined by his or her views or even lifestyle choices. Of course, our identity in Christ is something so much more than views or lifestyle choices (for more on that, maybe check this one out).
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| Okay, So maybe Iceman probably wasn't thinking of Daniel 3 during his transformation in X-Men 3. But, it'd be cooler if he were. |
However, it does seem helpful to my purpose here to identity two ways in which the words of Xavier to Kelly could be applied. The first is the perspective which was first presented to me, after the first trilogy was completed, which caused the period when these movies were, for a time, nearly ruined for me. Once again, it is important to remember that the X-Men story has always been one of anti-discrimination, which is a very positive thing. In hindsight, it makes sense that, in our current cultural setting, they would become a tool for presenting the perspective of a group that currently receives a lot of attention as being victims of discrimination, namely those who identity as homosexual (or perhaps more broadly as LGBTQ). Let's be clear, one of the reasons these persons consider themselves discriminated against is because they have been. And to anyone who has been treated unjustly by anyone who represents Christ or His Church in their eyes, please accept my apologies and know that this is actually strictly condemned by the Catholic Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2358). It is also the case, however, that some of what is perceived as discrimination involves a great deal of misunderstanding. Meanwhile, I initially found the realization of this parallel within the movies to be quite shocking (I was pretty young and immature at the time). This observation began to effect how I viewed the whole series, as sometimes the references are not that subtle, in the language employed and the images presented. At the same time, they also reflect an often over-simplified perspective of those who do not support the homosexual lifestyle, or the view of sexuality in general that underlies it. For example, the whole debate of the proposal of a "cure" to mutation, which arises first in X-Men 3 and is alluded to in a number of other ways throughout the series, reflects a particular response to the homosexual lifestyle, which would NOT be adopted by all Christians, and certainly not by most Catholics who have a proper understanding of their faith. The way that we view this matter is far more nuanced than simply proposing a "cure," because it is rooted in the beauty, goodness and dignity of the human person as well as the complexity of the human condition. {P.S. Many of the same language and images are used in some of the same ways, by the way, in how Marvel's Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. has portrayed the discrimination against the Inhumans, which also holds a bit more nuance than it might at first seem and really could prompt a whole analysis of its own.}
Meanwhile, one of the details that deserves careful attention, however, if we are to determine what perspective is actually being promoted, if any, is the question of what is being said by the hero and what is being said by the villain. Thus, I eventually began to notice that some of the less subtle references to slogans that seem to represent an "agenda" seemed to be coming from the villains. For example, while "mutant and proud" apparently has some roots with Xavier himself, it also is quickly adopted by Mystique, whose desire to be truly committed to this claim leads her down a much darker path. In fact, the way the slogan is used throughout the movies seems to invite the viewers to question what the implications of such a claim should actually be. As another example, it is Magneto that seems to be the one who is most boldly beckoning his fellow mutants to "come out." But again, especially in light of scenes like the one in X-Men 2, which looks very much like a "coming out" scene (at Bobby Drake's home), there seems to be some interesting reflection on what we mean by these things and how we should understand them. Meanwhile, the dialogue between Xavier and Mystique just before the final act of X-Men: First Class is very telling. It seems that the hero is precisely the one who is not trying to push an agenda, but who just wants to live in peace. Yet, one can understand how his approach seems to be simply hiding, and the response of Magneto and Mystique that they should not have to hide certainly holds an element of truth, again, depending on how we understand it. And this is precisely what is so striking about this series. It has always been, not just about different sides promoting different agendas. It is about brothers who have become enemies, but refuse to give up hope in each other (and it is interesting to note how the second trilogy, known as the "Beginnings Trilogy" introduced a new element of Mystique being the "sister," who is torn between them and who has real potential to become a hero).
So, the desire to understand one another has always been central to these movies. Now, it should be noted that this aspect could be used to promote relativism (the idea that there is no moral right or wrong, but simply two opposing viewpoints), which should be cautioned against. But, I do not think this is necessarily the only interpretation. I think, before getting all up in arms about another perceived agenda, we ought to first stop and listen. At the most basic level, what is portrayed here is the need for us to encounter one another, to set aside our preconceived notions and discover the beautiful and complex person who is before us for who he or she is, not defined by their views or even decisions. Furthermore, we see the need to not give up hope in one another, but to believe that it is possible to live in peace. This thought brings me full circle to the second possible application, which I wanted to mention, of Xavier's words to Kelly in the first movie. I love these words because I have long desired to say them to all who think that Catholics, or Christians in general, or even those who may be more conservative, hate them. "We're not what you think... not all of us." There is such an urgent need to lay aside that tired, old rhetoric that the Church's teachings on sexuality are grounded in hate, and stop and actually learn to listen. This accusation of hate is, not only grounded in misunderstanding, it is also a dangerous obstacle, which shuts down actual dialogue and encounter. At the same time, there is also need to acknowledge that some who have (miss-)respresented the Church have contributed to this misunderstanding, and that their behavior is unacceptable. But, that is not the essence of who we are.
Furthermore, since X-Men has never been just about one "group," but about anti-discrimination in general, it makes sense that the origins of the story would contain allusions or glimmers of various groups throughout history, who have suffered persecution. Anyone who studies U.S. history in a truly complete manner cannot fail to notice and acknowledge that one of these groups is Catholics, especially in our nation. If one looks a little more closely they might be interested to discover the story of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, who was instrumental in helping to form the foundations of our national understanding of religious liberty. One might find it interesting to notice that he was educated in an underground school, which was established because he belonged to a group that was not being permitted to educate their own (Catholics). This school was founded by Jesuits, whose most famous missionary was the great Francis Xavier (a name which simply means savior). I am not suggesting that Charles Xavier is simply a fictional parallel of this fascinating figure, who is often hidden within our nation's history. Nor am I making any presumptions on the intentions of the author(s), if indeed he provided any inspiration in the creation of the character. But, the parallels seem enough to be worthy of notice, and when I first learned about the school where he was educated in an American Church History course, I was tempted to ask if there was a jet hidden underneath the basketball court.
It seems to me, then, that there is a need for all of us, whatever our faith, worldview, lifestyle decisions, or whatever, to learn to encounter one another. We all need to have the right to say to one another, "We're not what you think... not all of us." Maybe it does not necessarily require those words, but it's not a bad way to start. We need to begin to sit down, to see and hear one another. To my fellow Catholics, this doesn't have to mean compromising our convictions, because those same convictions are grounded in the insistence that every human person possesses infinite goodness, beauty and dignity. We must be unafraid to meet people in order to really see this goodness, beauty and dignity alive within them. And to anyone who disagrees with the teachings of the Church, or feels hated by the Church, please forgive us wherever we have failed and give us an opportunity to show you the love for which you were made. May we all learn to listen, to see, and to encounter, so that we may learn to love.