The X-Men Have Been Missing a Key Piece for Ages, And One of Marvel’s Powerhouses Know It

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Warning: Contains spoilers for Exceptional X-Men #4!!

When it comes to the battlefield, no one trains harder than the X-Men. They rarely get a break from war, and the constant battle for survival unfortunately defines life for too many mutants. To live, they must be strong, but one of Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde’s newest recruits may have the key to living life a little more fully – and the X-Men need a dose of it.

In previews for the upcoming Exceptional X-Men #4 – written by Eve Ewing, with art by Carmen Carnero – new recruit Bronze reflects on all the people in her life who’ve always told her to be strong, and encouraged her to value strength and resilience above all else, she begins to question why the advice is always the same.

Despite her X-Gene giving her ultra-durable metal skin, similiar to Colossus, Trista still yearns for a different kind of life; instead of constant strength, there should be room to, “be gentle. Be peaceful. Be lovely.”

New Mutant Recruit Bronze Knows There’s Room In Life To Be Gentle – And The X-Men Need to Hear It

Exceptional X-Men #4 – Written By Eve L. Ewing; Art By Carmen Carnero; Color By Nolan Woodard; Lettering By Travis Lanhan

While Bronze’s introduction to X-Men life began with a familiar story, in which her mutant abilities manfiested and turned her into a target, she’s already a standout among her fellow recruits and the team as a whole. At a time when many veteran X-Men, including Trista’s mentor Kitty Pryde, are feeling jaded and caught in an endless cycle after Krakoa’s failure, Bronze is quickly excited about the prospect of being on a team with other young mutants. She’s instrumental in coming up with codenames for her fellow recruits, Melee and Axo, and her upbeat personality is already becoming a trademark.

Bronze’s energy is exactly what the X-Men need. The atmosphere of the entire franchise has taken a bleak, depressing shift after the fall of Krakoa, with even the most resilient mutants struggling to find their way out of it. They all need a reason to continue on, and the idea that there are still sweet, soft things to enjoy in the world is exactly what they’re missing. Even though Bronze is gearing up to train alongside some of the best mutant teachers around, she has a firmer grasp on what’s actually worth living for, and the X-Men need that motivation.

The X-Men Are Stuck In A Cycle They Can’t Break – But Bronze Could Be A Difference-Maker

Why The X-Men Fight

When Krakoa fell, mutantkind lost something irreplaceable. Peace is a pipe dream and joy is out of grasp. Even Jubilee, one of the most optimistic X-Men has admitted that there’s no room left for fun. They’re all caught in a never-ending cycle of fighting and pain, broken up only with the occasional “win” that never lasts. Yet, despite all they’ve endured, new mutants like Bronze enter the picture every day. Trista’s spirit isn’t so downtrodden yet, and she hasn’t lost sight of what she values. All around her, the focus is on strength, but strength alone isn’t worth living for.

The only way to free the X-Men from the sense of hopelessness that’s settled over them is to try something different. Their usual approach to dealing with threats and a world that doesn’t want them isn’t working, at least not in any sense beyond drawing breath for another day. They continue to fight but need a reminder of what they fight for. All incarnations of the X-Men, whether it’s Cyclops’ team in Alaska, Rogue’s Louisiana X-Men, or Emma and Kitty’s fresh recruits, have to soldier on, because mutants like Bronze deserve the chance to know and enjoy a gentle life.

Bronze Offers Hope For The X-Men – Which Is Necessary For The Future Of The Franchise

Marvel’s Mutants Can’t Succumb To Despair

Although Bronze’s approach is outside what the people in her life expect of her, it’s a breath of fresh air within the franchise. Arguably, every mutant already knows the value of being strong. They have no choice but to learn that fact early. Even in her short life as a mutant, she’s already had to tap into the parts of herself that others encourage, and her mutant abilities seem to embody it. It doesn’t get much “stronger” than having ultra-resilient bronze skin as a protective shell, and she has all the strength she needs without foregoing her softer, less hardened side.

There is value in the tender parts of existence, and those are so often denied to mutants. The X-Men don’t need more battle strategies and training drills. They need to harness the pieces they’re missing, and lean on those amongst them who see the world in ways they’ve become too jaded or hurt to notice anymore. Trista’s abilities may make her a mutant powerhouse, but there’s still room for sweetness. By refusing to let go of the gentler parts of herself, the new mutant Bronze has unlocked the secret to the future all mutants and the X-Men deserve to have.

Exceptional X-Men #4 will be available December 25, 2024 from Marvel Comics.

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