It’s hard to believe, but one of the most surprising returns toX-Menlore is also one of the most hated characters in recent memory. This is a character I never thought Marvel would ever bring back, but I’m glad that it’s happening, since the powers of the mutant in question make her the perfect response to almost every situation. While some fans may not be happy about it,Lifeguard is returning to front and center in theX-Menside of the Marvel Universe.
Marvel has recently announced that Lifeguard will be making a major return, and heading up her own storyline inX-Men: From The Ashes Infinity Comic#19 by Alex Paknadel and Diogenes Neves. This story will seemingly explain why her powers have begun going out of control, and causing harm to everyone around her. It should prove to be a major story that truly explores the depths of her powers and exactly how they work.
What The Return of Lifeguard Means For The X-Men Universe
One of the things that I find most interesting aboutLifeguard’s return to the X-Menis the fact her power is a purely defensive one. With many of the X-Men possessing powers or mutations that they have channeled or adapted into attacks or weaponry,her powers are meant to give her the abilities that she needs to save lives. This also means that in order for her powers to begin going wild and harming those around her, a deeper level ot her powers must exist unknown. This could change everything about what we know regarding her mutation.
Lifeguard’s Mutation Gives Her Whatever She Needs To Save Lives
X-Men: From The Ashes Infinity Comic#19 by Alex Paknadel, Diogenes Neves, Arthur Hesli, and Clayton Cowles.
When Lifeguard was first introduced to comics, she wasn’t very well received. Nevertheless, she proved to be surprisingly connected to the greater parts of the Marvel Universe, considering her royal Shi’ar origins. First appearing inX-Treme X-Men#6 by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca, she and her brother were the secret children of a crime lord who tried to keep them separate from his life of danger and murder. Sadly, this didn’t work out, as upon their father’s death they were attacked.
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This was when Heather’s mutant powers first manifested. Her mutation allows her to gain whatever power she needs to save lives. The most interesting part about this, for me personally, is the fact this works if the life she needs to saveis her own. This means her powers don’t just manifest in the presence of innocent people who are in danger.Lifeguard’ll always gain her powers when she’s in danger, and she’ll gain the exact powers that she needs to get out of this danger.This makesLifeguard a surprisingly overpowered mutant.
Lifeguard’s Mutant Power Has Literally Infinite Potential
As observerd are soon likely to ask, there doesn’t actually appear to be any limit to what Lifeguard’s powers can do. The only thing readers know for sure is that when she’s in danger, she can and will manifest whatever power she needs to escape it, no matter how unlikely or absurd. Understandably, this made her a fairly disliked character because of how overpowered she seemed, requiring elss effort to achieve the same ends as other mutants. But this new story might just be tackling that criticism head-on.
With the idea of Lifeguard’s powers starting to harm those around her, there may be a real negative aspect to them controlled by her emotional state.After the events of the Krakoa era, Lifeguard has had to reintegrate with humanity, and I think her complicated feelings might be the answer to her powers going out of control.
When Lifeguard was on Krakoa she was essentially in a mutant paradise. She loved being there and having to interact with humanity again is likely extremely stressful for her. Her powers are supposed to manifest to keep her alive, no matter what. Being surrounded by humans again is undeniably spiking her stress levels, so her powers may be manifesting and making everyone around her ill. I think this would make the most sense, as her powers are capable of activating in her own self-defense, and she may be subconsciously trying to push humanity away.
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Lifeguard’s Biggest Criticism Might Finally Be Addressed in X-Men Comics
A lot of fans didn’t like Lifeguard because of her incredible powers and, over time, she fell out of favor. But it seems that she’s finally coming back, and I truly think that this story might change some minds and address the complaints that have been levied against her. Having incredible powers doesn’t make a character inherently bad or incapable of having good stories. Just look at DC’s Superman. But her powers haveso muchpotential. The ability to instantly react to any danger is a great power, and it seems Marvel is going deeper and exploring just how far this incredibleX-Men’spower really goes.
X-Men: From The Ashes Infinity Comic#19 is available now from Marvel Comics.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
