This week’s patient is Scott Summers, aka Cyclops of the X-Men! Anthony & Dr. Issues try to delicately untangle the Summers family tree and look at his many romantic relationships. What happens when a black man and a mutant discuss who’s been more oppressed? Listen now to find out!

SHOW NOTES:

• Introduction
• Background
  • Scott Summers – created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby – X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963)
  • Mutant who can fire energy beam from his eyes – forced to wear ruby quartz visor to keep his blasts contained
  • One of the original students of Charles Xavier, eventually became the leader of the X-Men in Xavier’s absence
  • Later learned his father was Christopher Summers, aka Corsair of the Starjammers
  • Brother Alex became Havok
  • Becomes romantically involved with Jean Grey
  • Trains new group of X-Men after the original team defeated by Krakoa
  • Quits the X-Men after Jean Grey dies
  • Marries Madelyne Pryor, a Jean Grey look-alike – have a child, Nathan (aka Cable)
  • Jean returns – Scott leaves family to be with her, but returns to kill Mr. Sinister after he drove Madelyne to suicide (she’s really a clone, don’t think about it too much)
  • We discover Cable is the time-traveling son of Scott & Madelyne (REALLY don’t think about it too much)
  • Eventually marries Jean, but later has affair with Emma Frost since he felt abandoned by Jean
  • Jean dies AGAIN, now he’s free to be with Emma
  • Begins to resent Xavier for molding him into the leader as a teen, leaves the school
  • House of M – Scott retains his powers, but is one of the few – helps protect first mutant baby born after the incident, gives her to Cable to raise in the future (Hope)
  • Avengers vs. X-Men – Phoenix Force returns to Earth to bond with Hope
    • Scott wants her under their protection, the Avengers want to take her, which leads to battle
    • A Phoenix-possessed Scott kills Xavier
    • Cyclops eventually captured and imprisoned
    • Broken out by Magneto and becomes hardened against mankind
  • Takes over Xavier’s school per his will, but turns it over to Kitty Pryde
  • Killed during Death of X storyline as a result of Terrigen Mists
• Issues (17:05)
  • “Born to lead” – paralysis by analysis
  • Relationships with Jean, Madelyne, and Emma
  • Trauma prevents him from controlling his powers, whether external or internal
• Treatment (37:44)
  • In-universe – bond with non-mutant to get him to see bigger picture
  • Out-of-universe – reference Tony Robbins to demonstrate overcoming obstacles
• Skit (47:35)
• End (49:47)

References:

• Triskaidekaphobia – Fear of the number 13, discussed by Anthony & Dr. Issues in the intro
• Shrek is Love (NSFW) – Mentioned by Anthony in the intro (01:45)
• Scott is a dick – South Park, referenced by Anthony at 2:17
• Phineas Gage – Referenced by Anthony at 32:40

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