The Avengers and the X-Men are Marvel’s two biggest-name teams, each standing as the company’s most popular group, depending on the era. On the surface, the two teams seem like they’d have very little overlap. After all, while there are a few mutants on the Avengers every now and then, typically the X-Men and Avengers don’t trade members. The two teams have occasionally even been at each other’s throats. Normally, the Avengers and the X-Men are separate. With all that said, there are a few instances of X-Men joining the Avengers, such as Wolverine and Storm. Today, however, we’re talking about a character who is both an original X-Man and a classic Avenger.
Videos by ComicBook.com
While Beast is best known as one of the first five X-Men and their resident genius, he actually had a substantial stint on the Avengers. Beast was actually a full-fledged Avenger for over six straight years, joining in Avengers #137 and leaving in issue #211, after which he joined the Defenders. Now, after decades of being only an X-Man, it’s high time that Beast rejoins the Avengers. Now is the perfect time, because not only is there the clone of Beast who is struggling to come to terms with his older self’s evil actions, but potentially the original Beast that needs to remember what being a hero looks like.
Beast, the Happiest Avenger
Beast’s relationship with the Avengers is truly special. This is not to say that he isn’t fantastic as a member of the X-Men, because he most certainly is. However, Beast’s dynamic with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes was very different, and exactly what both versions of the blue behemoth need right now. Beast is free to be himself, like he never can be when he’s with the X-Men. To the mutant team, Beast is the resident super-scientist that everyone can trust, meaning they all turn to him when something goes wrong. He’s constantly relied on to face the worst problems of mutantkind, which often involve attempted genocides, and find a practical, objective solution.
To deal with the struggles he faces regularly with the X-Men, Beast buried his fun-loving personality. He became cold, detached, and serious. The pressure and constant threats wore Beast down until he began to compromise his morals to match his problems, ultimately leading to his fall from grace. Compare that to Beast’s time with the Avengers. While Beast was certainly a scientific mind they relied on, the team also almost always had either Iron Man or Ant-Man on the roster, at least. The presence of other super-geniuses let Beast share the load and relax, freeing him to indulge in his sillier side.
Beast is actually a very silly, humor-centric character, but you typically don’t see that with the X-Men because he is focused so much on survival and dealing with the problems in a way only he can. Having other people on his level on intelligence and sharing that burden lets Beast be happy. While the X-Men are the family he will always love, the Avengers were the friends that brought out the best in Beast.
A Reminder of Simpler Days
Of course, another reason Beast’s time with the Avengers was so much brighter is that they deal with a lot less mutant-targeted hate and crimes than the X-Men. Adventures alongside the Avengers are more classically heroic and usually more lighthearted, and that’s exactly what Beast needs right now. The clone Beast is still terrified that he’ll become the monster the original did, so working alongside the Avengers and being reminded that he is one of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is the exact kind of positive reinforcement he needs right now. If Beast has any self-image issues, which he has in spades, the Avengers would be the ones to alleviate them.
The original Beast, meanwhile, is currently thought to be dead, but there are hints that he returned and is participating in the “Age of Revelation” event. This Beast is a downright villain, which is why he needs the classic heroism of the Avengers even more. They can remind Beast of his best days, from before he went off his rocker. They can keep Beast in check and remind him that he’s not alone in his struggles, which could start this version of him on the path to redemption. He might not want to be associated with them right now, but he needs them more than ever.
What do you think? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
Most Viewed
-
image courtesy of 20th Century Studios -
Image courtesy of Prokino Filmverleih
