Xorn certainly appears to be the most likely "suspect" in what will likely be Emma's transformation, physically and emotionally, as has been made evident by you bloody philosophers and sooth-sayers.  Wonderful insight by all, truly. Whether he has healed her, or destroyed her in an attempt to resolve the situation will be interesting to see (mind you even his involvement is purely speculation, but I digress).
Given Morrison's affinity for these characters, and his distaste for stagnant storytelling (thank God), I think it's resonable to assume that in all forms he is constantly evolving his characters, much as this "Shattering" will most likely be an evolution of Emma's character. What strikes me is just how built up all of this has been... He is undoubtedy the most prolific and epic creator to have ever touched the X-Men concept, in my eyes. Perhaps the most dominant theme within his run as been the idea of emotional repression, and it's consequences. Look to each character and you will see this to be true: Emma's repression of her insecurity; her dysfunctional childhood and what as much thus produced in her early adulthood with the Hellfire Club, and how even her mutation has come to serve this inherent psychological complex... she is is an emotionally confused individual, and by that she is able to do things that are quite insensitive but in the end she ends up more confused than ever in an attempt to understand/reconcile that resultant pain. So she finds herself in a cycle: pain causes her to remove herself from the reality of her actions, which in turn results in more pain for her to run from. Ultimately, that leads to repression and stagnation, when all Emma really wants is to feel loved and truly understand who she is. But instead what has resulted is an unavoidable fear of making the journey to understanding, of facing herself, and that fear throttling her in the form of Jean's "exploration" and exploitation of as much. She is her own worst enemy, as we all are through neglect of reconciliation with our own complexes.
Compare her dysfunction outward to the rest of the cast (especially relevent in these issues): Hank's insecurity(#117, #122), Scott's (#116, #126, #131, #136, #139), Xavier's (#121, #131, #138), Jean's (#120, #128, #139)... Xorn as being repressed through his inprisonment and torture (NXM Annual), and the way the effects of as much have been expressed in his actions (#136, #138, possibly #139). God, even Logan has been shown as controlled by his dysfunctional psyche through his manipulation at the hands of QQ, or Cassadra's attempt to manipulate him animalistically...
The cast is undoubtedly emotionally repressed due most prominently to their inability to reconcile their respective complexes, which in the end results in their stagnate vulnerability. But I think it is Morrison's intention to see them through as much, to evolve them through trial and consequence to individual's who possess self-understanding and enlightenment... though he is making them partake in that journey under the pretenses of mutancy as well. God, this all works on so many levels. And Emma is just the latest example of this, but likely not the last.
More than anything, New X Men seems to be about vulnerability, brought on both internally and externally, and thus how we combat as much to grow as individuals and as a species.
Excellent issue by the way, but Jimenez was smoking the pipe when he drew that image of Cyke on the bike... Hahaha... |
