Questions about Cyclops

[Yarharhar]

Is Cyclops colorblind? I mean, not genetically, but if he's forced to look through his visor or red-sunglasses all the time, it seems like all he would ever get is a red view of the world. (They don't really seem to ever mention this handicap). Also, can he see through his optic blasts, or is he essentially blind while firing?

[Bones Justice]

I would guess that he sees everything in red except when his visor is open.

I doubt he is blind when firing his blasts. Technically, he is firing them all the time but the lenses block the beams. Since he can see when they are blocked, he can see when they aren't. The only reason he has trouble seeing when he loses his lenses is that he keeps his eyes shut tightly to contain his blasts.

One power that Cyclops has (had?) that never gets mentioned anymore is the mutant ability to calculate precise angles to fire his beams. I can only recall this power being mentioned maybe once or twice a long time ago in the comics. He could calculate so precisely that one beam could reflect numerous times to destroy multiple targets. Did he lose this ability or they just stopped mentioning it? I can never recall them showing this ability in animation but I've not seen all of X-Men Evolution yet, either.

[S.C.B]

One power that Cyclops has (had?) that never gets mentioned anymore is the mutant ability to calculate precise angles to fire his beams. I can only recall this power being mentioned maybe once or twice a long time ago in the comics. He could calculate so precisely that one beam could reflect numerous times to destroy multiple targets. Did he lose this ability or they just stopped mentioning it? I can never recall them showing this ability in animation but I've not seen all of X-Men Evolution yet, either.

He did it in the episode where he and Jean try and teach the other X-kids like Bobby, Cannonball, Jubilee and such. I wasn't aware it was a power, though; I just thought it was a honed skill from spending so much time in the danger room.

And we saw how he sees thing in X-men: Evolution's 'Blind Alley':

http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmenevo/episode/blindalley/47.jpg

[Anwar]

...But in "The Cauldron" when Jean gave him back his glasses we see things as he sees them, and everything was red...

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Most depictions of a Cyclops P.O.V. I've seen in comics or cartoons show a reddish-cast to everything he sees. However, that by itself doesn't mean he would be color blind. The most common form of color blindness (http://www.toledo-bend.com/colorblind/aboutCB.html) is an inability to distinguish between red and green, but I'm pretty sure you can still tell the colors apart if you see them under a red light. They just won't look "red" or "green" any more.

Of course, Cyke could be in the 8-12% of males of European descent who are color blind naturally, but that's never been mentioned.

-- Ed/Ace

[Mynd Hed]

Every time I've ever seen a shot from Cyclops' P.O.V., either animated or in the comics, everything's had a decidedly reddish tint. As Ace says, though, that doesn't equate to colorblindness-- he can still tell green from red, it's just that the green looks sort of reddish, and the red looks really, REALLY red.

Logically, though, if he's gone for that many years seeing everything with a red tint, his eyes should eventually adjust. In my high school physics class, we learned about an experiment in which a bunch of subjects went through their daily lives wearing glasses that caused them to view everything upside-down. Over the course of a couple of weeks, their brains reinterpreted their visual perception so as to view things right-side-up again; once they were allowed to remove the glasses, they saw everything upside-down WITHOUT them until their brains readjusted. The same should hold true with Cyclops' reddish vision; if he were able to take his visor off (without destroying everything he looked at), everything would look blue-ish for a while until his eyes adjusted.

You can get the same sort of effect when you spend the better part of your day wearing tinted sunglasses-- imagine that, only more so.

But then, this is comic book science we're talking about, and I've never seen any evidence that any writers took the above into account when dealing with Cyclops' vision.

[Bones Justice]

He did it in the episode where he and Jean try and teach the other X-kids like Bobby, Cannonball, Jubilee and such. I wasn't aware it was a power, though; I just thought it was a honed skill from spending so much time in the danger room.

The only specific example I can think of is from my memory. It was an issue of the comic not long after Chris Claremont starting writing the book (the very first time, mind you). I think Cyclops was trapped in Antartica by Magneto and the captions mentioned this mutant power (not skill) when he used it. It was about the same time that they first went to the Savage Land, too. I can't remember if the other time I saw it was from Cyke's time with the original team or after that. Or maybe the other time was just my imagination. But I remember that one in Antartica.

[Spider-Man]

Whenever he's lost his powers he seems to be able to see everything like a regular person. I remember one comic where after losing his powers for one reason or another he commented on Jean's eye color. The cartoons didn't give us alot of information on this but that screenshot above with Jean Grey seems about right for how he'd see. I got the impression the ruby quartz glasses negated his powers so whatever he saw was through the red lenses. I do wonder though that when Cyclops uses his eye blasts how much that would distort his vision.

[S.C.B]

Whenever he's lost his powers he seems to be able to see everything like a regular person. I remember one comic where after losing his powers for one reason or another he commented on Jean's eye color. The cartoons didn't give us alot of information on this but that screenshot above with Jean Grey seems about right for how he'd see. I got the impression the ruby quartz glasses negated his powers so whatever he saw was through the red lenses. I do wonder though that when Cyclops uses his eye blasts how much that would distort his vision.

I thought his vision became clear when he uses his eye blasts, because there's nothing filtering his vision.

[staticblue]

I remember back in Grant Morrisons run of New X-men, Cyclops was explaining to Emma that he actually sees everything in a yellow tint instead of red. Just thought Id mention that.

[Sage Shinigami]

I remember back in Grant Morrisons run of New X-men, Cyclops was explaining to Emma that he actually sees everything in a yellow tint instead of red. Just thought Id mention that.

But Marvel has totally ignored everything else about Morrison's run; why wouldn't they ignore that?

[KuwabaraTheMan]

But Marvel has totally ignored everything else about Morrison's run; why wouldn't they ignore that?

Well, Scott and Emma are still together, and the Stepford Cuckoos are still around...

But yeah, most of Morrison's run has been undone. We went from Humans having an extinction date to only 198 mutants left...

[RAINMAN]

That what happing when you bring in different writers over years who want change everything. :yawn:

[Spider-Man]

I thought his vision became clear when he uses his eye blasts, because there's nothing filtering his vision.
I think that makes sense. I guess I've heard so many different versions like people have pointed out here that its hard to really pick the right one. So when he has his eyes opens and he's blasting away he can see just fine except for the whole red tint?

[S.C.B]

So when he has his eyes opens and he's blasting away he can see just fine except for the whole red tint?

Pretty much. At least, that's what I get from my source; a reprint of X-Men #1. If anyone would know how Cyke's visor works, it'd be Stan Lee.

[Spider-Man]

Pretty much. At least, that's what I get from my source; a reprint of X-Men #1. If anyone would know how Cyke's visor works, it'd be Stan Lee.
True! I'll have to dig out my reprint copy of that issue too but things have changed to many times since Stan Lee wrote this comic that I wouldn't surprised if they changed it at some point. And this raises another question that maybe a hardcore X-Men fan can answer. Are the eye beams controlled by the pupils of his eyes or the entire eye?

[Sage Shinigami]

That what happing when you bring in different writers over years who want change everything. :yawn:

No, that's what happens when you let hack writers take over after one of the greatest comic writers in the world, and Marvel's ticked for said writer now being exclusive for the competition. Status quo changes are a good thing.

But, I digress...

Cyclops, despite being my favorite X-Man, has always been incredibly confusing to me concerning powers. I used to think he shot really powerful lasers that destroyed anything they touched, but apparently they're force beams that can both push things away or hold them in place.

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,


Are the eye beams controlled by the pupils of his eyes or the entire eye?

Pretty sure it's his entire eye. I've never seen his eyeballs or the beams emerging from his pupils. There was a bit in the Teen Titans/X-Men crossover comic when Cyke lifted his glasses briefly to shoot pool, which is the narrowest, tightest use of his optic blasts I can remember, but even then I don't remember seeing eyeball.

-- Ed/Ace

[Nightwing]

I'm one of the ones that assumed his optic blasts could only destroy at different gradations based on beam thickness. I didn't know he could hold things too.

I figured the "push" aspect just had to do with a slightly weaker beam than one that can cut through a mountain....geez...listen to what I just said. BOY this guy has powers! :p

Anyway! That calculating angles thing is also news to me, but I think that's freakin awesome. I'd love to see lots of that. Also, I seem to remember something about a "talent" or "power" evolving in the man to make him able to activate his lense and release a beam without using his hand. I thought that was new and interesting.

[S.C.B]

Also, I seem to remember something about a "talent" or "power" evolving in the man to make him able to activate his lense and release a beam without using his hand. I thought that was new and interesting.
Well, Scott would have had complete control of his eyebeams if it weren't for a head injury he suffered during the plane crash when he was a boy. Maybe his control is returning, at least to some degree.

...

I read comic books too much.

[Anwar]

They've done a "Scott should be able to control his powers now" thing in the comics at least twice, but both were ignored because writers don't want him to be a happy guy for whatever reason...

Apparently it's the angst of not being able to control hi spowers that gives him the drive to be a good leader, without it he's too happy go lucky (like that What If where he's the leader of the Starjammers)

[Spider-Man]

They've done a "Scott should be able to control his powers now" thing in the comics at least twice, but both were ignored because writers don't want him to be a happy guy for whatever reason... Did they ever explain why he couldn't control his powers in the cartoon? I know in the comic that one of the reasons was that he got injured in the explosion as he jumped out of the plane when it crashed in Alaska.

[Anwar]

I think in the cartoons it was the same explanation.

In the FOX show they showed a flashback of his parachute catching fire and (probably) causing him to crash and get his brain damaged, seeing how everything was tkane from the comics (like how they never explained why Xavier could walk in the Savage Land but comic readers would understand).

In Evolution I think in was implicitly stated in the "Rogue joins the X-Men" episode that his powers are uncontrollable due to injury, as Rogue absorbed his powers and she could control them (she had a undamaged brain).

[ifthismeansevos]

I'm sure this one is not official but in the second Rogue's solo series (Back in 2001) Scott said and I quote:
"So while I know that Jean's eyes are green I can't sdee them I'll never see the face of the woman I love as it really is"
Then that could mean he sees green in a different type of red or something like that

[RAINMAN]

True! I'll have to dig out my reprint copy of that issue too but things have changed to many times since Stan Lee wrote this comic that I wouldn't surprised if they changed it at some point. And this raises another question that maybe a hardcore X-Men fan can answer. Are the eye beams controlled by the pupils of his eyes or the entire eye?



It does leave stan lee by dafult sesne kirby has pass on to the great beyond. There are times that these 2 did have different views how a character power and other things work.

[Stu]

I think in the cartoons it was the same explanation.

In the FOX show they showed a flashback of his parachute catching fire and (probably) causing him to crash and get his brain damaged, seeing how everything was tkane from the comics (like how they never explained why Xavier could walk in the Savage Land but comic readers would understand).
I've been hoping someone would bring this up - why could Xavier walk? Even Mr. Sinister says that him walking was an unexpected side effect of taking thier powers from them. What was the reason, for those of who are unfamiliar with a lot of X-Men comics?

[Nightwing]

I've been hoping someone would bring this up - why could Xavier walk? Even Mr. Sinister says that him walking was an unexpected side effect of taking thier powers from them. What was the reason, for those of who are unfamiliar with a lot of X-Men comics?

I think it's obvious while at the same time being confusing. Boy did THAT sentence make no sense. It just has always seemed to me, thanks to deep and brilliant minds behind the X-Men, that the incredilble powers come with somewhat of a price.

Cyclops can destroy mountains, but he can't look at anyone or anything with his naked eyes. A lot of mutant's powers seem to be like that, except for a few. I think that has to do with the whole evolution process(es).

Maybe that has something to do with Xavior's power. I mean ALL that power wouldn't come with some kind of a price? Maybe Xavier's mutation isn't complete yet for another hundred years or something. So as it stands now, that part of his brain is hindered.

[Anwar]

That might be some metaphorical explanation the writers have, but it's not the official reason from the comics.

Cyclops once was able to control his optic beams, and Xavier was able to walk normally once (in fact he was in perfect physical shape), but stuff happened to handicap them.

With Scott it's the brain damage from the crash that stops him from controlling his beams.

With Xaver, it's just bad luck/nasty enemies. In the comics it was explained that he was crippled battling an alien named Lucifer (whose outfit had the same color scheme as Magneto) who dropped a rock pillar on him, ouch.

Later Lilandra gave him a new body with a repiared spince so he could walk again. But in a battle on the astral plane with the Shadow King, Xavier's back was broken again. So his second paralysis is actually psychosomatic. His injuries were gained on the Astral plane, his spine is okay, but his mutant telepathy, being part of the Astral plane is telling him his back is broken.

So that's why he can walk when he loses his powers and his connection to the Astral Plane, he no longer is being told he is crippled.