X-Men Editor Shares Stopped Plans to Eliminate Kitty Pryde's Mutant Status
Early in his career, Marvel's departing Senior X-men Editor Jordan D. White admitted that he nearly retconned famous X-character Kate "Kitty" Pryde's mutant status in a narrative that would have shown she was not, in fact, born with the X-gene. The franchise's 2019 relaunch, which brought in the Krakoan Era, helped to prevent the possibly divisive creative choice.
Speaking with AIPT for X-Men Monday, White was asked about the cliffhanger finale of 2018's Hunt for Wolverine: The Adamantium Agenda, in which Tony Stark shockingly said: "I think the X-Men have a sleeper agent." The thread was eventually never followed up on, and the advent of the Krakoan Era left the story unfinished. White's account of his initial idea for the plot is an intriguing "What If?" for X-Men fans to explore; moreover, it provides a thorough understanding of developing X-Men stories, a process in which many possible storylines are planted but not all come to pass.
X-Men Editor's Suggested Retcon Would Have Basically Revised Kate Pryde
Jordan D. White claimed that his notion for the "mutant Sleeper Agent" plot would allow Kate Pryde to undergo notable character development, therefore advancing the franchise's conception of what it really means to be a mutant, and more especially, a "X-Man." White clarified his choice's reasoning:
I was pitching it under Kitty Pryde. Kitty ought to learn she is not a mutant. And the fact that so much of her narrative revolves on learning that she is a mutant and what that implies makes it a fascinating concept as well. Saying, "what if she learned she wasn't a mutant?" seemed to be a fascinating turn on her tale. She then can discover that it makes no difference. Whether she was born mutant or not, she is still who she is; she thinks what she believes; she is still an X-Man and she still stands for everything she has always advocated.
Once this story concept got on the page, it would have been a startling recontextualizing of one of X-Men's most beloved characters. Still, the narrative might have turned out such that many readers would have rejected the idea completely. Their unfavorable response would have come from the same precise source from White's inspiration. Writer Chris Claremont of Uncanny X-Men famously designed "Kitty' Pryde as an audience proxy, a young character who could struggle with being a mutant, and being a hero," Readers who identified with her tale arc may stand in for each other, who also discovered their own identities. Revealing that she was not "actually" a mutant would have been a basic "twist" – as White termed it – on the central function of the character in the franchise, but it would have proved to be a divisive choice.
The Krakoan Era Scrapped X-Men's "Sleeper Agent" Storyline
Jordan D. White's examination of the idea provides an insightful analysis of the situation of X-Men at the time of the Krakoan Era relaunch as he departs X-Men after a revolutionary run. 2018 saw White take over as Senior Editor of the X-Office; his account of the "mutant Sleeper Agent" narrative notion suggests that it emerged during a highly uncertain time. As White mentioned:
This was carried out at a period when a lot of things were flying about. Regarding Jonathan, we were clueless about what was happening. As I indicated previously, I was not aware of the breadth of what we were discussing when I first heard about him arriving to X-Men. Jonathan was reportedly working on something, and I was informed it was most likely a mini-series before a relaunch.
Stated differently, X-Men's Senior Editor recognized the direction of what was to come but had not yet been given the specifics of how dramatic the relaunch's elements would be. Still, he was assigned to keep churning X-Men stories until the relaunch; as he clarified, the "sleeper agent" plot was meant to be one of them. White told AIPT: X-Men clearly has a history of secrets seeded and played out over extended periods of time, thus this was a notion to sow a mystery. The X-traitor, the third Summers brother, those kind of stuff. With you, I shall be sincere. The schemes I sought to sow wouldn't have been like, "This person is secretly evil and working for someone." It was going to be far more about their ignorance. When I was presenting who it would be in my thoughts, there was no backstory. "Here's my suggestion, writer, who is a person who writes stories for a living, come up with a story that makes some sense out of all this," I was saying.
Among the most vibrant characters of the Krakoan Era was Shadowkat.
Kate Pryde traveled throughout space and time during the Krakoan Era, and her character developed in fresh, surprising directions. Her mutantdom was unquestionable through all of that, and it defined her. Ultimately, most fans will be appreciative of Kate Pryde's character trip across the numerous years of X-Men storylines. Pre-Krakoa concept for Kate Pryde's mutant status by Jordan D. White never came to pass. The storyline might have continued into the Krakoan Era, as White detailed:
Later, I mentioned to Gerry and Jonathan, but I wasn't going, "Hey, what if we did this?" I was like, "Oh, there is a thing we might do for a minute that I had been contemplating. Does anyone want to use this for anything? Nobody else picked it up either.
Although some form of the "mutant sleeper agent" narrative may have fit the Krakoan Era, for Kate Pryde would have been a less natural use of the character than fans finally got. Kate Pryde traveled throughout space and time during the Krakoan Era, and her character developed in fresh, surprising directions. Her mutantdom was unquestionable through all of that, and it defined her. Her tale, in a sense, embodied the aspirations of the Era and also underlined how deliberately different it was from earlier X-Men narratives. She was usually among the most joyful characters to follow through whatever X-Men's writers threw at her, even while the character often battled – and at times welcomed – the darkness of the Era.
Kitty Pryde's and the X-Men's Future
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the X-Men series revolves around mutants with superhuman skills. Under the capable telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they fight prejudice and evil mutants endangering civilization. Combining action, drama, and nuanced characters—spanning comics, animated shows, and blockbuster movies—the series investigates themes of diversity and inclusion.
The X-Men are starting a fresh chapter full of unknown opportunities as the Krakoan Era ends. Though its future is yet unknown, one thing is clear: Kitty Pryde will always be essential in determining the course of the X-Men. Through hardships and successes, the legendary heroine has shaped herself into one of the most cherished and revered team members. Kitty Pryde will surely remain a force for good as the X-Men negotiate this new age, motivating both readers and supporters.
