X-Men Is Giving Us the Showdown Fans Have Been Waiting 44 Years For

Warning: Spoilers for Exceptional X-Men #3!The fall of Krakoa left mutants scattered, with many trying to find a new space for themselves in the world and society they left behind. Cyclops and Rogue have different ideas of what the X-Men should stand for, and now Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost are turning their old rivalry into an explosive fight over the future of young mutants, too. For now, it's anyone's guess who might win.

In Marvel's preview for Exceptional X-Men #3 by Eve L. Ewing, Carmen Carnero, and Nolan Woodard, Emma Frost's interference with new mutants Bronze, Axo, and Melee turns into a violent altercation with Kitty Pryde. After the young mutants sought out Kitty for guidance, Emma Frost took it upon herself to telepathically guide the students her way instead, and so Pryde leaps into action.

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Their rivalry began years ago, when Kitty herself was one of the X-Men's new students, and the subsequent years haven't made their relationship any warmer. Though both former X-Men have the best interest of young mutants at heart, they must deal with their differences.

Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost's Rivalry Takes a Dramatic Turn Over New Mutants

Exceptional X-Men #3 Variant Cover by Carmen Carnero

Kitty Pryde's tenure with the X-Men began when she was a child herself, and they guided her through the roughest years of learning to control her phasing and discovering her identity. Unfortunately, those early years cemented a certain image of Emma Frost in her mind, and she has continued to picture her as a danger and a villain. Those old feelings are enough to cut through her reluctance to get involved with young mutants, as she only wanted a "normal" civilian life, and Kitty immediately goes on the offense when Emma shows up to take Axo, Bronze, and Melee off her hands.

Emma can frequently be cold and even ruthless, which has put the two of them at odds on other occasions.

Although she eventually became a core part of the X-Men, Emma Frost was first introduced as a villain associated with the Hellfire Club. That's how Kitty first encountered her, and she's never fully let go of that image. Moreover, Emma can frequently be cold and even ruthless, which has put the two of them at odds on other occasions. There's an undercurrent of respect in their relationship, but it's never been enough to eclipse the lingering bad feelings. With all the tension after Krakoa, it's little wonder that tensions between Kitty and Emma are boiling over - especially with young, untrained mutants in the mix.

Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost Are the Best Mutant Mentors

Mostly Thanks to Their Different Approaches

In truth, there are few mutants better suited to teaching than Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost. The White Queen has always been a teacher at heart, and she's sacrificed a great deal to continue guiding her charges over the years. She stayed in Cyclops' doomed Utopia for the sake of her students, and while many X-Men have taken up positions in various incarnations of the school, she's one of the few trained and driven to teach above all else. Likewise, Kitty once benefited from some of the best mutant mentors around, and she takes an understanding, empathetic approach that contrasts with Emma's teaching style.

Related Kitty Pryde's X-Men Team Just Added a Surprise Omega-Level Mutant to Its Ranks A founding member of the X-Men with truly cool Omega-level powers has just joined Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost’s new and Exceptional team.

Fortunately, the preview images show that Emma and Kitty eventually put violence aside and begin working with Axo, Bronze, and Melee, so there is still hope that they'll find a unique combination of their two approaches. If so, these new mutants could have the best blend of mentors yet - and that's exactly what mutantkind needs as they take each shaky step forward after Krakoa. Kitty Pryde attempted to distance herself from the X-Men and her mutant life, but now, alongside Emma Frost, she has the potential to define mutantkind's future.

Exceptional X-Men # 3 is available November 20th, 2024 from Marvel Comics.

Source: Marvel