Hello and welcome to today's commentary of WGSarah's Affected Disaffected Youth. Please don't feed the unresolved anger issues, beware the obvious melodrama, and watch out for the overthinking. That's always a killer.
The Affected Disaffected Youth
Some background - Generation X and I go way back. The long story short (because I tend to ramble on about this ad nauseum,) is that the series launched while I was in high school, shortly after I'd become a full-fledged comics addict. Being something of an out-of place, 16-year-old blonde, glasses-wearing geek myself, I automaticially identified with several of the characters, Paige in particular. Fast forward through several really lean years in terms of having any self-respect as a fan with regard to the direction the book had taken, as well as some intriguing but ultimately dodgy work by Warren Ellis, and the book finally starts to pick up again with familiar, recognizable characters -- just in time to have it be cancelled. Moreover, it didn't look like the writer was going to get a chance to do a decent wrap up before they shut him down.
To say I was
pissedupset was probably an understatement. So this was kind of my sendoff fic for the kids. They deserved better than they'd been treated, then or now, actually.
“So where are you going?”
I should probably mention that this is a meta-fic.
Paige glumly looked up at Angelo from her seat on the floor. Around them, the walls of the former MassAc rec room crackled and fizzed as they phased in and out. “Dunno. Might just go home and see Momma for a while. Ah think that´s what Sam is plannin´ ta do.” She glanced up at the roster list that still glowed on the monitor. “It´s just really frustratin´, ya know?”
Ange dropped a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, I do.”
“How ‘bout you? Any plans?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
They sat together watching the walls disintegrate and re-form in new places.
“Ah´m gonna miss this,” Paige sighed.
“The random destruction of buildings?” Ange joked.
She shook her head. “Uh-uh. The writing process.” She waved aside the other teen´s incredulous look. “No, really. It was never..dull.”
Really, this was all I had to hinge my idea on. I've probably been influenced by too many Warner Brothers shorts where the cartoonists go after Daffy with an eraser, but taken from the point of view of the characters, the writing/illustrating process has to be interesting to watch. Things get moved around randomly, plotlines twisted at the last minute, nothing is really solid until the book goes to print, and that's when it becomes real. Canon.
Well, until the next retcon, anyway.
Jubilee came bolting into the room, her eyes lit up with excitement. “This is JUST like that scene in ‘A League of Their Own´ where they´re all looking to see if they made the baseball teams. I heard Wolvie´s on two teams. I wonder which one I´ll be on!” She rushed the computer.
“Uh, Jubes…?” Paige began, but was cut off by the girl´s outraged screech.
“I´m not on ANY of them?!” Jubilee slammed the mouse against the desktop and began scrolling through the lists again. “None of us are on any of them!”
The working theory was that Jubilee was to go over to Wood's version of NYX, which is not the book being published today, January 2004. That book was ultimately scrapped for various reasons, and it took them a long time to get her onto a team again, which I still think is odd. As far as I know, Jubes's supposed casting in NYX was never made official, hence the send off to limbo.
“Jono is.” Monet´s voice drifted down from the rafter she´d perched herself on.
The fact that Jono was the only one to 'graduate' continues to baffle me in terms of continuity. I get that someone on one of the incoming creative teams probably decided that it'd be fun to have a visually striking, kinda messed up character in their book and that's why he was chosen, but it didn't make much sense in terms of Jono's characterization up to that point. I can't see Angelo wanting to go over to be an X-Man, (although it could have been worked,) but at the least offers should have also been extended to Paige and Jubilee (if only for her legacy status). M I'm a bit fency on. And then, what the hell? He 'graduates', (and is disturbingly happy about it,) and then immediately is cast off into the 'Poptopia' storyline (Casey) to rebel against the X-Men and date Britney Spears. I like to think that he was missing Paige so badly at that point he was fucking desperate and out of his skull, but y'know, fangirl wishes and dreams, man.
“What are you doin´ up there, M?” Paige stood and craned her neck to get a glimpse of the girl. She was wedged tightly against the juncture of the wall and beam, her head on her knees.
“Thinking.”
“Ya wanna come down from there?” Paige glanced over at Angelo, worried.
He was crouched beside Jubilee, whispering to her gently. The younger girl´s hands were balled into fists on her knees, tears streaking down her cheeks. He caught Paige´s look and shook his head.
Aww! Jubes and Ange, best buddies 4-eva! She wouldn't take this well at all, because the X-Men were always her fallback plan. In her mind, no matter what happened with Gen X, she could always go home again. Imagine her surprise when it turned out that she couldn't, after all.
“Not yet.” Monet´s voice had a flat quality to it that Paige hadn´t heard before.
Paige looked at the floor, now covered in crimson tile, unsure of how to continue. “It´s not the end of the world, Monet.”
“I know that.” Monet unfolded her legs and swung them listlessly over the edge. “I´m becoming exceedingly tired of this.” She finally said. “I´m tired of being passed around like a toy. I´m tired of this endless trepidation of what horrible things the next writer will do to me, if they use me at all.” Her voice darkened. “I envy Jonothon his place because it means he belongs somewhere, but… I don´t envy Jono´s future.”
Smart girl.
M tends to be a problem for me to write if I don't ignore everything that happened to her after Lobdell's run ended. Her characterization is all over the map, and in terms of backstory/family history, she's made an impressive start towards giving the Summers clan a run for their money. So... I went for world-weary, irritated, and convinced that she was going to be abandoned like a broken toy. Which, dude. She kinda has been.
::Yer not the only one.:: Jono appeared in the doorway. ::Have you seen the team ´m on?::
Jubilee turned to look at him and sniffled. “But at least you´re on one!”
::Oh, and right bloody fantastic it is, too. I can hardly wait.:: He crossed over to Paige and looked up at Monet. ::There isn´t a single gel on my team, Frost is on the other, and Bets and Claremont´s stud of the week are together on the consolation prize team. Note that she´s been going with Worthington, who´s on my team, for years now. Ifn yer can´t see the angst there…yer eyes need t´ be checked.:: His eyes twinkled as he glanced over at Jubilee. ::And do yer really want to get caught in that whole Jean and Logan mess?::
Oh, MY God. The Horror. The Horror. And it still hasn't ended! I don't get it! It should have been such a good team!
Jubilee gave him a lopsided grin. “It´s kinda like watchin´ a car wreck,” she admitted.
Amen.
Ange wrapped his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “They´re more interestin´ from a distance, y´know,” he noted.
“Yeah, I know.” She relaxed and leaned back onto his shoulder.
The beam supporting Monet flashed brightly and disappeared. Monet flinched, but remained in her seated position above the floor. A line creased Jono´s brow. ::Monet? Come down, now.::
“Fine.” Monet lightly floated to the floor, brushing dust off of her sleeves.
I do like that she'll listen to Jono and not Paige. He's definitely the big brother of the whole outfit.
A thought struck Jubilee and she became agitated once again. “But I don´t have anywhere to go. I mean, I´m the original X-orphan. Next to Cyke,” she amended. “What am I gonna to do?”
“Y´ could come home with me,” Paige offered. “Momma wouldn´t mind another body around the place. Or two. Y´all´re welcome.”
Jubilee amongst the Guthries. Good God.
Jubilee nodded. “Thanks.”
“Actually,” Ange scratched his shoulder. “I was kinda thinking of doin´ something else.”
“Yeah?” Paige raised an eyebrow.
“See, most of us don´t really have to be anywhere anytime too soon, so I was thinkin´ that maybe we could go on a little road trip. Cross country, maybe down to Mexico.” He shrugged and nudged Jubilee. “Whatcha think, Jubecita?”
Dude. I SO called that. Like, months before the book hit the shelves.
Jubilee visibly perked up. “Sounds good, sounds good…” she said slowly. She turned to Paige with a glimmer of excitement in her eye. “You´ve still got all the stuff to make IDs, right? I lost mine,” she admitted sheepishly.
“Uh-huh. Lost. Sure.” Paige grinned at her. “Yeah, so long as the laser printer´s still working, we´re good.”
So, there were rumors, rumors, mind, when I was in undergrad that somewhere on campus there were some unruly students running a fake ID ring out of one of the department offices. I stole that for Paige. Oh, I'm sure the other kids cajoled her into it, and Angelo could have pulled it off on his own if he was determined enough, but, well, it was easier to get Paige to do it. And Paige likes the power trip.
“Monet?” Angelo turned his gaze on the sulking Algerian girl.
She eyed Ange suspiciously. “You want me to go?”
“Sure.”
“Why?”
You like me! You really like me!
“Because we want you to.” Jubilee said warmly. One could see the wheels turning in her head as she made her plans. She turned to Ange. “ D´ya think we could run over to the other side of Limbo-Land real quick and pick up Ev, too?”
“Everett?” Monet´s eyes widened at the thought of the deceased young man joining them. “Do you think he´d go with us?”
“Us, huh?” Angelo shrugged. “Why not?”
Monet wheeled about and took off out the doorway. “I´m going to go call him...” Her disembodied voice floated back in her wake.
Okay. Picture the issue of Ellis-era Excalibur where they all go get drunk. And there's this scene where Kurt and 'Manda sitting in the kitchen all sulky until Kitty invites them out. There's a panel of Amanda speeding out of the kitchen, hair and cape flying, with this insanely eager expression on her face. That is exactly how I pictured M when she went to call Everett. Actually, bits of that whole sequence are modelled after that page. Ev, of course, is dead and in limbo-land, as defined by the Alice Funnell in 'Eclectic Limbo Land'. (A story that I quietly reference a lot, and I'm sure it's out on the web somewhere, but I don't have an HTML'd copy.)
Paige started giggling uncontrollably. “That´s bad.”
“Yeah,” Jubilee agreed. “So are you coming with us, or what?”
“Um..” Paige wrung her hands. “I really should go home for a bit and see Momma. D´ya think ya could swing by and pick me up on your way through?”
“Sure.” Jubilee gave her a quick hug. She bounced on the balls of her feet for a moment before bolting out of the rec room. “I´m gonna go pack!”
Angelo hid a smile under his hand as he watched her go. “So, you sure you can´t get yourself killed or somethin´, Jono?”
::I wish.:: Jono shrugged. ::Maybe it won´t be so bad,:: he groused.
“Yeah, maybe you´ll get your flying harness,” Paige remarked, her voice warbling a little on the last word.
::Oh, that was so funny, sunshine. Really it was.:: Jono gave a gentle tug on her braid.
“Hey, I saw they´re givin´ your coat to Drake.” Angelo commented lightly. “Love the dog tags, amigo.”
::You too, huh? Yer all just jealous.:: Jono crossed his arms and tried to them a smug look.
“Sure we are. Y´ just keep on believin´ that.” Paige patted his shoulder. Her composure was starting to break down. Jono gathered her in his arm and she buried her face in his side.
Ange´s face slowly lost it´s grin. “I..”
::Yeh.:: Jono held out his hand to Angelo. ::Take care of yerself, mate.::
This is really what I miss the most. I miss the relationships amongst the kids. I miss Jono and Ange gently ripping on each other. I miss Ange and Paige squabbling over Scrabble. I miss Jubilee freaking out over Paige leaving her skin all over the place and mooning over Everett. Hell, I even miss Leech and Artie. They were friends. They were family. And that's all gone now. I get the same feeling from people who grew up fans of New Mutants or the various incarnations of Teen Titans over at DC.
“You too, amigo. ‘S been a hell of a ride.” Angelo took it and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug. Jono released him and he looked at Paige who was till nestled in the crook of Jono´s arm. “I´ll talk to you later, okay, Country Mouse?”
“‘K.” Paige gave him a watery smile.
Ange nodded and headed out of the building. “Hey, Jono. When they kick you off the team? We´ll be waitin´ for ya.”
Paige giggled quietly as Jono flipped off Angelo and watched him go. She turned to Jono with a mischevious look in her eye.
::Yer sure you want t´ do this?:: He asked, somewhat skeptical.
“Last chance t´ to it right.” She replied.
Angelo was half way across the campus when the building exploded in a familiar flash of psionic light. He watched the debris settle for a moment before continuing on.
“Looks like he got more than a kiss this time...”
Trust Angelo to leave it with a bad and slightly crude joke. I don't necessarily believe in the longetivity of Paige and Jono as a couple, but it just works. They're the John Hughes cliche. The good girl and the rebellious boy. The rich boy and the poor girl. The nerd and the goth. (Does Ally Sheedy classify as goth?) They're the opposites that attract. And as the series opened with them, I thought it was fitting that it closed with them as well. I still can't believe that Jono got that flustered over a kiss, though.
-fin-
Those are my kids. I don't write them as often as I mean to, or even necessarily in recognizable ways when I do, but it doesn't mean that I don't still think of them sometimes and come up with little harebrained plots for them. In some ways I'm kind of glad that the series ended. I've got a yearbook that I can page through and point to the good bits and try to ignore the bad bits and laugh at the absurd ones. And in the end, that makes me happy.
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