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| Spoilers Ahead for X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and Dark Phoenix (2019) |
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016):
The opening monologue in Apocalypse featured Charles Xavier asserting that mutants are "children, stumbling in the dark, searching for guidance." This is a stark contrast to the words that closed that same movie, as Mystique tells them that, because they are no longer children, all the lessons they have learned before don't matter now. Whereas Charles's opening words imply that the guidance children receive determine what they will become in the future, Mystique's closing words imply the opposite, that the lessons given to children have no relevance to their adult life. The staggeringly nonsensical incoherence of these two statements seems to be meant to indicate a clever contrast, but in fact seems rather to point toward the confusion that has always plagued the X-Men movies. It is a confusion about knowing they have something relevant and important that they want to say about maturity and finding ones place in a world that is still marred by various forms of bigotry, but never quite being certain what it is they want to say. At times, they have been clear about their willingness and even desire to show that even Xavier loses his way sometimes. Yet, he is still their hero and their mentor. Mystique is usually the reluctant antihero, torn between Xavier and Eric. Her words seem to reflect a determination flowing more out of a fearful desperation than any kind of maturity or wisdom. Still, the question of whether Xavier's conviction is mistaken, regarding the nature of the guidance given to children and mutants alike, seems left unanswered. The opening monologue clearly implied that En Sabah Nur himself was a child who needed proper guidance. The guidance Charles gives to the children at his school is clearly meant to protect them from a similar fate, which is of course meant to be a subtle foreshadowing of the fact that that movie would set the stage for its sequel, in which one of his children becomes a feared villain.
Those opening words had set up especially well for the introduction of the new, young mutants proposed as the future X-Men, who are the "children, stumbling in the dark, searching for guidance." This plays out over roughly the first half of the movie, in which four different mentor figures taking a "child" (young mutant) under their wings were shown in comparison and contrast to one another. Starting with the most unique, we see Erik trying to living a normal, peaceful life with his wife and daughter. His daughter is a sign of his hope of redemption, the sign of the possibility of a new beginning. That is part of the beauty of the birth of every child! This sign of hope is taken from him. Before long, however, Peter (Quicksilver) re-enters the story simply as Erik's long lost son, unbeknownst to Erik, looking for his father. Meanwhile, the rest of the new young mutants introduced to be the new X-Men, each receive a different mentor. Mystique finds Kurt Wagner, A.K.A. Nightcrawler (interesting in light of the fact that she is his mother in the comics). Young Scott Summers (Cyclops) comes under the mentorship of Xavier (and Hank McCoy), alongside Jean Grey who has been benefiting from this mentorship for some time. Finally, it is striking that En Sabah Nur (who believes himself to be a/the god and calls all mutants his children) begins gathering his four horseman, by first encountering a child (another teenage mutant): Storm. The contrast between the different types of guidance given to these four "children" is an important feature of the first part of the story. En Sabah Nur seeks to show them that the "systems" that he claims "man has created" are holding them back from their full potential and seeks to liberate them, simply by expanding the reach of their powers. Meanwhile Xavier and McCoy have been trying to teach Scott and Jean and the rest of the students to control their powers, as they see how the children are in fear of that which they cannot control. And the greater the power, it seems, the greater the fear of losing control. Finally, Mystique is ever the one to stand in between the hero and the villain. After very reluctantly embracing a process of redemption in the previous X-Men: Days of Future Past, she is now living with the fact that countless young mutants view her as a hero. Her part in Apocalypse becomes about her gradually beginning to embrace the consequences and choose to be a role model and mentor to the young. But, the guidance she gives them is primarily about not seeking to control the powers they fear, but letting them loose in battle, fighting for good. She has already left behind the relentless drive toward vengeance, retaliation and elimination of threats which had previously made her a villain and is finally able to persuade Erik to do the same when he is at his lowest point and bringing about the greatest destruction. So, by the end of the movie, the reluctant antihero is willing to be, not only a hero, but even a mentor to the young who will be the heroes of the future. But, does her theory that the lessons of our youth are irrelevant and we should simply to stop seeking to control ourselves hold true?
Dark Phoenix (2019):
Clearly, when one of these new, young X-Men acquires even greater powers than she could ever control, driving her to become a greatly feared villain (Dark Phoenix), Mystique is not made out to be the mentor who got it wrong, but the hero who is widely revered from beginning to end. I appreciate both the complexity and nuance given to her character over this more recent series of movies, as well as this heroic ending to her redemptive arc. While Xavier and McCoy's attempts to help the young find control seems to work for Scott, for example, Jean is shown to be a more difficult case, with whom Xavier went to questionable extremes. From the beginning, the fact that Xavier can't fix everything that is broken is foreshadowed. But, is also established from the beginning that his goal was never to control her, but to give her the tools to put her in control: "It's your gift. What you do with it is up to you." When it is revealed that he had, not only lied to her to protect her from the painful truth about her father, but also manipulated her mind in certain ways to attempt to help her acquire control. This all is shown to create even greater obstacles to control, when her powers are amplified beyond measure by the cosmic force known as "the phoenix." This all goes from bad to worse when her amplified powers enable her to learn that her father is alive, prompting her to go meet him and learn the truth, at a point when she is both the most vulnerable and the most overwhelmed by a power beyond her control. When this all progresses into a violent confrontation, in which Jean loses control and takes Mystique's life, many reach the conclusion that Xavier's methods of guidance are a greater danger than a help. By the end, it is Xavier's persistent determination to help Jean that allows her to see him as the contrast to her father. While her father could not handle her and wasn't willing to try (a task which became even more daunting for him after she accidentally killed his wife, her mother), Xavier became the new father-figure who took her in and was unwilling to give up on her. He became the one who relentlessly pursues her, unwilling to give up hope on her.
Strikingly, she is able to see this most fully when she views him through the eyes of a child. Just as the story began with a glimpse of Jean's childhood, so the turning point is when they retreat together into Xavier's mind where she is able to view him again from the eyes of a child and to forgive him. This is striking in light of the fact that, in some ways, Dark Phoenix gives us a bit more perspective than previous X-Men movies on the role of the children in the school. While we don't necessarily get to know any of the younger children as unique characters, a few key scenes allow us to glimpse the events of the story through the eyes of childlike wonder and fear. We see the wonder in the eyes of children as they return from rescuing the astronauts. In this brief moment, we glimpse how crucial the X-Men are to Xavier's plan to guide the children. He is clear and intentional in allowing them to be an inspiration to them, as Mystique reluctantly learned to be in Apocalypse. Later, however, after the death of Mystique and the rumors spreading among the children that Jean had killed her, we see the fear in the eyes of children as they encounter the painful realities of what battle consists of and of the dangers that can result when one as powerful as Jean does lose control. Thankfully, that fear is met with inspiration, as Scott insists they will not give up on bringing Jean home. This is a moment in which we see the innocence of children being threatened, but also how the right inspiration in those key moments can bring about greater maturity and readiness to face life's worst challenges.
It is good that this follow-up to Apocalypse continues to explore the question of what is the right kind of guidance that the young need. It is shown that the wrong kind of grasping at control can be problematic, as many parents who have futilely sought to protect their children from all pain and suffering may have learned. It is also shown that our mentors are never perfect. They make mistakes. Sometimes, they make big mistakes and we suffer even more as a consequence. But, it also shows that the suffering we experience is still not necessarily entirely the parent's fault. And when the parent or mentor has the kind of humility Xavier shows, to be able to acknowledge their fault and to continue seeking to help the child, whatever it takes, we begin to see that redemption is possible for both the parent and the child alike.
Children do need guidance. And they do need help learning self-control, not simply to be taught to let go of all control. It is a subtle and clever lie of the Enemy, which is prevalent in our culture today, to suggest that all efforts of a mentor to seek to help the young learn self-control are efforts to control the young. This could not be further from the truth. The goal is not to control youth, but to give them the guidance they need to be in control themselves. This is not an easy process and we can make mistakes along the way. Still, with humility and persistence, a good mentor or parent can show the young the relentless pursuit of the Father's Merciful Love. And in the process, they too can see that same Merciful Love through the eyes of a child.
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