Contains Spoilers for Mystique (2024) #1!TheX-Men’snow-ended Krakoan era fueled plenty of fan debates, but one new comic has just seemingly killed off a character who was vitally important to the world of Mutants only a few months ago.
Whether or not they truly are dead, this moment raises questions about shock value in mainstream comics, and what even an off-hand decision can represent when dealing with a franchise intertwined with real-life oppression. The recently releasedMystique (#1has ended on a shocking beat asthe comic seemingly kills off Mystique’s wife Destiny.
The issue focuses on two interconnected narratives. Mystique is searching for the mysterious ‘Protozoa’, and catches the attention of Nick Fury Jr., who with the encouragement of Fury Sr (or is it?) decides that a dangerous mutant like her can’t be playing spy without his say so. Mystique tries to kill Fury, who in retaliation, takesa SHIELD squad to a cabin owned by Mystique, but accidentally ends up shooting Destiny instead.
Marvel’s Most Iconic Queer Couple Just Made History (Changing X-Men Lore Forever)
The monumental X-Men Blue: Origins has finally revealed that Destiny and Mystique are Nightcrawler’s biological parents, changing X-Men lore forever.
Mystique’s Comic Launches By Killing off Her Wife, Destiny
Mystique and Destiny’s relationship was one of the most important aspects of the recently ended Krakoan Era of the X-Men, which means it is sure to raise eyebrows. The Krakoan projectwas dreamed up by Moira MacTaggert, who insisted that precognitive mutants like Destiny could not be resurrected with their fellow Mutants (since they could predict her plans). Mystique, spurned by Krakoa’s ostensible masterminds Professor X and Magneto, took it upon herself to do it instead andresurrected Destiny on her own terms.
Destiny then became key (and titular) totheDestiny of Xstatus quo, fighting a precognitive cold war against the machinations of Mister Sinister andthe near-omniscient Enigmawhile serving on Krakoa’s ruling Quiet Council. All the while, Destiny was predictingMystique’sdeath, and Destiny’s attempts to hide this from her wife (and prevent it by any means possible) only drove the couple apart in a tragic irony. Now, this is the first time readers have seen either Destiny or Mystique in the post-KrakoanFrom the Ashesstatus quo, and its an alarming start.
However, Destiny’s death inMystique #1is almost certainly a fake out. Destiny is literally precognitive; she’s not going to be caught unawares by Nick Fury and his goon squad. The comic is also very careful not to show Destiny’s face, not that she’s had a particularly consistent design under her mask. On top of all this,Mystique #1is a comic about a literal shapeshifter and is already full of fake-outs, with Mystique pretending to be multiple people. Could she and Destiny have planned this together? Was it Destiny acting alone to motivate her wife?
Taking all of this into consideration, it’s impossible to ignore the book’s place within a medium which relies on last page twists, shocking reveals, or red herrings to keep readers on board. But when it’s also common for a publisher or creative team to deliberately provoke controversy, the ending ofMystique #1is sure to leave a poor taste in some fans' mouths. With Destiny and Mystique one of the most visible queer relationships in comics, a decision like this isn’t above criticism for pretending to ‘fridge’ a prominent queer character, no matter what story comes next.
Fridgeing, coined by currentUncanny X-Menwriter Gail Simone, usually refers to killing off a female character for the purpose of motivating male characters, but has come to describe killing off any character from a traditionally marginalized group for character motivation.
Destiny & Mystique’s Relationship is Important, To More Than Comics
Destiny and Mystique’s relationship was doubly important to Krakoa on a metatextual level. In the 1980s, editorial practices meant that their relationship couldn’t be confirmed on the page, even while creators like Chris Claremont overtly hinted at it. By centering this queer romance, Krakoa showed how far the franchise had come, andmade the couple a fan-favorite pairing. If this issue truly has killed off Destiny, the issue makes a metatextual statement of its own, whether intentional or not. Welcome to a new, modern era of X-Men… ‘but not you, Destiny and Mystique.’
When Xavier, Magneto and Moira refused to bring Destiny back to life, it was seen and discussed as meaningful commentary, as powerful, heteronormative characters dismissed an iconic lesbian relationship to build Moira’s ‘perfect’ society. If Destiny has once again been swept aside, and her and Mystique’s marriage along with it, then fans will have to decide what messageMystiqueis saying? In the best case, the book’s creative team doesn’t wish to write the relationship, or would prefer Destiny dead for the purpose of their story. Destiny and Mystique were more visible than ever beforeMystiquebegan. By seemingly destroying that in its first issue,Mystique #2will have much to prove, or much to answer for.
