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Underground > Comic Books >

Beast's four-generation theory

07:31 / 02.09.01

Just a thought, but if Cassandra is the first (and perhaps only) of a new species of human, why does she look older than all the mutants we've seen to date?

Jamieon

07:42 / 02.09.01

Well, the first of the new generation (in the shape of Cassandra) could've emerged fifty years ago - it's hardly any time in the cosmic scheme of things, is it? And why couldn't they emerge at the same time as normal mutants?

08:37 / 02.09.01

Isn't the point that she isn't necessarily the stage AFTER mutantkind, but a parallel offshoot of humanity TO mutantkind - one that realises that the competition for the planet will be between HER species, mutantkind and whatever other offshoots might materialise?

Solitaire Rose as Tom Servo

12:54 / 02.09.01

To me, the important clue that was dropped was when it was pointed out she looked a lot like Charles...and he cut that conversation off rather quickly.

That's the kind of subplot stuff that they used to do VERY well on the X-Men, and eventually got so out of control the whole lot of the books had to be burned to the ground.

Jamieon

13:22 / 02.09.01

We can't be sure he cut it off, though.

But it's nice to mull over the possibility that he did. He clearly knows more about Cassandra than he's letting on. Personally, I prescribe to the notion that He and Cassandra are, in some way, two halves of the same whole. I don't think it's as simple as family - it's too "Dallas". And the "they're both one" theory presents interesting possibilities for his return.... But he might get reincarnated or some shit.

Aaah, listen to me..... I'm probably talking out of my arse.

06:34 / 04.09.01

Originally posted by Tom Coates:
Isn't the point that she isn't necessarily the stage AFTER mutantkind, but a parallel offshoot of humanity TO mutantkind - one that realises that the competition for the planet will be between HER species, mutantkind and whatever other offshoots might materialise?

I must have missed that - it seemed to me that Beast is saying that mutants will replace humans in four generations (watch them marvel at all the spikes in the first issue) and that Cassandra represents what will follow mutants.

Of course this raises two issues: Why aren't there already more mutants (about 80% of humanity seems to be a mutant in the various series, but the figure Grant gives is very small).

And why, if Cassandra is the first/only example of her kind, would a scientist make the assertion that she's an exemplar of what's going to replace everyone? How credible can the threat be if no other examples have materialized since she was born (decades back, considering her age)? Isn't Beast just being reactionary and a bit like the humans Claremont's X-Men were always running into?

Are Beast's comments a red herring?

07:44 / 04.09.01

Well 13 million people were killed in Genosha - while it's unlikely that they were ALL mutants, they were killed by the Sentinels, which probably indicates that a good block of them were. So there's a good block of mutantdom...

Jamieon

07:44 / 04.09.01

Ummm, Warhead, the red herring idea just isn't consistent with Grant's ultra utopian, post-human vision: "humanity" is destined for the hole in the ground and will be replaced by a "new species" whose limitations are defined only by their imaginations, etc. The mutant evolution/humanity replaced theme is the new metaphor he's working with, and Cassandra is that new possibility experienced as violent threat. Just as the Archons were percieved as violent threats in the Invisibles, before their true nature revealed itself, etc, blah, wanky stuff.

Also, it's easier to represent this current using one individual - it gives the readers a focus, the "heroes" an enemy to fight, etc.

[ 04-09-2001: Message edited by: runt ]

Ronald Thomas Clontle

19:43 / 04.09.01

I think that the species that Cassandra is of is not so much set up as the successor to mutants so much as it is the COMPETITION that mutants face as a successor to humanity. Remember the very first scene of the first issue when the humans are killing the neandrethal men?
Grant is suggesting that mutants as we know them are like the neandrethal man--evolutionary stop gaps.

So, in one sense, Grant is ditching the humans as mutantkind's genetic adversaries, and pulling a role reversal that makes THEM the genetically backwards ones.

interesting how the purpose of the Sentinels have changed in the context of this story, eh?

23:26 / 04.09.01

Originally posted by Tom Coates:

Well 13 million people were killed in Genosha - while it's unlikely that they were ALL mutants, they were killed by the Sentinels, which probably indicates that a good block of them were. So there's a good block of mutantdom...

Isn't there a line about that being half the mutant population?

23:31 / 04.09.01

Originally posted by runt:

Ummm, Warhead, the red herring idea just isn't consistent with Grant's ultra utopian, post-human vision: "humanity" is destined for the hole in the ground and will be replaced by a "new species" whose limitations are defined only by their imaginations, etc. The mutant evolution/humanity replaced theme is the new metaphor he's working with, and Cassandra is that new possibility experienced as violent threat. Just as the Archons were percieved as violent threats in the Invisibles, before their true nature revealed itself, etc, blah, wanky stuff.

Yes, I understand what Grant's doing thematically, but whether something is interesting in concept and whether the actual writing is good are two different things. Beast's postulations based on a single individual aren't the actions of a scientist. Especially since the circumstantial evidence actually goes against what he's saying (it's difficult to accept Cassandra as the first of a new breed when she's so old - where are all the others born after her, then?).

Jamieon

11:19 / 05.09.01

Don't worry about all that scientist stuff: it'll just irritate you. The writings fine - it's an action movie/soap opera, not an article in a science journal. The rest of the new breed will show up in time, but, like most mutants, they probably won't be spawned by one super mutated individual, they'll just pop up sporadically around the globe.... or something.

Fifty yrs really isn't that long in terms of evolution, you know.

But, really, I must shut up: I just don't care about this stuff. I'm much more interested in theme and metaphor and narrative and everyone looking cool.

Stop trying to make me care, damn you!

Ellis

11:22 / 05.09.01

quote:Originally posted by runt:
Fifty yrs really isn't that long in terms of evolution, you know.

I just thought that mutants would kill all the humans. Revolution rather than evolution.

Jamieon

15:07 / 05.09.01

You thought that until you read that humans have a time bomb implanted in their genetic structure, right?

Until you realized this book is all about evolution?

I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you still think this?

Anyway, 117's out tomorrow....

Special day.

Regrettable Juvenilia

07:28 / 06.09.01

Actually, I have a nasty feeling it's not out until the 12th... possibly even the 19th.