Runaways #100

[cyberghostface]

 

So as expected, this is the last issue.

Future Gert takes Chase with her to prevent him from becoming a villain the future. Meanwhile Karolina's people have returned to help fix her depleted poweers.

Comments

[tinygaylaura]

This issue should have ended with Nico and the team going with Karolina

Or at least with Nico going with her :(

[shadowpsykie]

so... Are Nico's powers TIED to the staff, or is it a foci/Booster? I always hated the "Demon Genie" angle because it took away something that was "her power" and made it something else... Plus how is she going to protect the family without powers?

[tinygaylaura]

She was learning to fight with Doc Justice and even tho he turned out to be a shitbag I'm betting she continues to work on the one good thing he did which was teach her that she can be a bad ass fighter without magic

Her powers are tied to the staff yes as her family got their magic by enslaving the evil genie inside it

[lordultimus]

So Xavin's a bad guy, now?

[tinygaylaura]

No not at all

They are a bad ass warrior who is going to help Karolina heal from her injuries

[lordultimus]

I hope so.

[tinygaylaura]

I like how their design here seems to be fully embracing them being non binary :)

[crinos]

Yeah.

Its a look that says, "I'm an extremely indimidating warrior and also I don't conform to the idea of gemder binary."

[tinygaylaura]

For me my first thought was "CHOKE ME DADDY" but yes all that stuff you said as well

[akodo_rokku]

FUCK YEAH XAVIN

[iamrman]

Love to see Xavin back. Not sure how I feel about them maybe being evil now.

[mesmiranda]

Not to mention there's a new Skrull in charge (along with his magic sorcerer husband). Dammit, the interactions between Xavin and Teddy could've been great!

[lucean]

Xavin had to be resolved at the end anyway, so it feels like a good way to do it like this.

As for them being evil, I honestly don't mind. I realize it is a bit of an unpopular opinion, but I always Xavin had some really toxic behaviour in the original run that was kind of glossed over, so if they strayed to the dark side, I don't think it's out of character.

[zachbeacon]

Yeah, I don't think they were ever "evil" but they sure were shady as hell a lot of the time and its weird that the fandom just gives them a pass.

(Well, not that shady by Skrull standards so I guess if we grade on a curve ...)

Honestly, after Secret Invasion, Xavin is probably going to be one of the Skrulls that the current Emperor trusts the most.

[lucean]

I think a part of that giving a pass is completely understandable. Xavin was an unique character when they were first introduced, representing a certain demographic that wasn't really present in anyway in comics. Then when the discussion came after that if that presentation was believable or how it was done, it had a naturally galvanizing effect when it came to the character.

To be honest, the realization of how horrible the Karolina/Xavin relationship was only hit me when I returned to some of those stories when the Runaways show started. It was genuinely staggering to realize how many toxic elements it had and how they were skipped because of the general Xavin discussion.

[zachbeacon]

I mean, they are teens so they’re all a little awful. I just thought some of them were particularly awful. At least Xavin isn’t as bad as Alex or Topher.

Even the ‘good” couples aren’t immune.

In hindsight, Chase negged Gert A LOT.

Karolina was extremely petty and jealous toward all of Nico’s romantic interests long before they dated. Apparently its only okay when Karolina dates terrible people.

(By "terrible people" I mean Xavin. Julie Power was way too good for Karolina and I'm glad she found Rikki)

Semi-related aside: I remember being bothered by the parts of the fandom that shipped Molly and Victor. I can’t decide if she’s too young for him or he’s too young for her but either way its messed up.

[onsokumaru]

Why are you all assuming Xavin is evil?
Sure, she's striking some evil general pose, but that's part of the usual Skrull attitude.

[cyberghostface]

Yeah there’s no indication they’re evil here.

[lordultimus]

Shipping drama, mostly. I don't know enough about Rainbow Rowell's work to know if she'd do something like that to validate a current ship.

[mastermahan]

Well, Xavin is looking hot and androgynous these days. I wonder if they're identifying as enby?

Just hope they're not, you know, evil.

[tinygaylaura]

They're not

They are helping Karolina and saving her life and also they have helped her people become not a bunch of assholes like they were the last time we saw them

[jeyl]

Enby folk can't be evil?

[beyondthefringe]

First, absolutely digging Xavin's new look, which really seems to me embracing their non-binary nature. Hopefully, they're not evil--just worried about Karolina and possibly going to try and win her back.

Second, it's a shame the series ended, though not a surprise. The show was cancelled ages ago, and the pandemic delays proved ruinous for a lot of other series. At least this one got to limp to a conclusion. I can tell it wasn't planned, simply from the dangling subplots that were either dropped or hastily wrapped up (the girl Chase was flirting with, Karolina's powers, Nico's staff...) I wonder if Rowell wasn't able to keep up with the scheduling, or if Marvel just decided it was time to can this series and wait a little while before refreshing it.

With Chase in the future, Karolina in space, and Alex playing Doc Justice, that's fully half the original members gone for an undetermined length of time. (And Klara distinctly uninterested in returning...) Can Nico really play den mother for Gert, Molly, Doombot, Victor and Gib? Will anyone accept this dynamic as the Runaways? Will they go legit and get real lives? How long before the next writer reverses some of all of these changes?

(I mean let's face it, it'll be easy for Chase and Karolina to come back with a "they're better now" handwave if the next writer doesn't want to really get into it.)

[thehood]

It sure is one hell of a cliffhanger.

[tinygaylaura]

I want Karolina to come back soon and for us to see her and Nico back together

Can't say I much care what happens to Alex because I don't care about him full stop

I hope we get more cuteness with Gert, Molly, Doombot, Victor and Gib :)

[iamrman]

In full agreement about Alex. I never liked him and wish creators would stop digging him up.

I am feeling more optimistic about Xavin after seeing your comments above. Yes, they only wish for Karolina to get better.

[tinygaylaura]

I'd like to hope we get Nico/Xavin/Karolina polyamory but I will settle for Xavin still being good friends with Karolina and happy for her having found happiness with Nico :)

Yeah after what he did in the first volume my feeling toward Alex is basically "Please leave at once"

[iamrman]

Yes, it would have been nice to have all three of them together. I just want them to be happy without any sort of drama.

[tinygaylaura]

They deserve to be happy!

[thehood]

At least they were able to bring back Xavin before the end. I do like Xavin's new look too.

[zachbeacon]

So...if this is anything like the last time a Runaways cancelation (sorry, "hiatus") dramatically changed the status quo, then most of the events in this issue will be ignored next time the kids show up. Nico will have the Staff again and everyone will will back on present day Earth.

... except for Gib and Doombot who will go to live with Klara in limbo.

Still, kudos for not killing Chase and/or Gert again.

[leahandillyana]

That's a pretty downer ending :( It's clear that the creative team intended to continue the story, bringing Xavin back is exactly the drama Rowell loves to write, but now we will have that cliffhanger forever :(

[tinygaylaura]

I'm so sad to see this series end :(

[zylly]

Hopefully, this isn’t a long hiatus. Outside of Victor in Avengers A.I. and Nico in A-Force, the Runaways tend not to do too well when they don’t have a book.