Marvel Comics is launching a series of What If…? one-shots starting this week, and first up is What If…? Uncanny X-Men #1! The concept is simple enough: What if Cyclops stayed with Madelyne Pryor? It’s a question many fans have likely thought about, but you probably couldn’t guess at how tragic it gets. It’s a story of Scott being a good dad, a dream of his, but at what cost?
Written by Gerry Duggan, this story spans a wide range of X-Men history, beginning when Cyclops learns that Pryor is pregnant with his son. Along the way, familiar eras pop up via costumes like Quitely and Morrison’s, with the issue running all the way to the Krakoan era. For an X-Men fan, that’s a nice range to show how Cyclops’ choice to stay with Pryor changed things.
After the opening where Watcher explains the switch, the story gets into gear when we find out Jean Grey takes Mr. Sinister’s memories of Cable and cloning Jean. It’s this act, and one more, that Jean is in the story, so don’t expect much from her. Most of this story is about Scott being a committed dad while actively ignoring the X-Men and helping their cause. One can see the problem with that, especially given Cyclops’ leadership role. In that sense, this story is very much about Cyclops and how important he is in the X-Men narrative.
There’s a huge question mark as far as Jean and what she’s up to in this book.
Credit: Marvel
The story takes an interesting turn when Cable reveals he has powers, which sets in motion a new X-Men trio of Cyclops, Pryor, and Cable as the team called House of X. It’s a cool concept, and while it only spans three pages, it could easily have filled out a full issue or even a miniseries.
Tragedy spikes after this, leading to a rather dark road. I’d argue there’s some light fridging going on here to spark the remaining story. It’s also a bit surprising how little Pryor matters in this story, and by the end, it’s clear this is a Cyclops solo adventure more than anything else.
Still, the use of Krakoa and Arakko mutants is an exciting climax to the issue. It probably didn’t need to get so dark so fast in the final pages, but go big or go home in a What If… comic, right?
Jan Bazaldua draws the issue with Arthur Hesli on colors, and both do a spectacular job. With so many scene changes and life events, Bazaldua packs a lot into every page. That goes for scenes with multiple characters in a panel to excellent splash pages. Visually, this is a stunning issue and a great way to kick off the return of What If…?.
What If…? Uncanny X-Men #1 delivers exactly what a good alternate-reality story should: a familiar choice that sends history down an unexpected path. Duggan uses the premise to explore Cyclops from a deeply personal angle, examining what happens when he prioritizes family over the X-Men. While some ideas, particularly the House of X concept, feel worthy of a larger story, the issue remains engaging throughout thanks to its emotional core and impressive visual storytelling. Fans looking for a thoughtful Cyclops story with plenty of mutant history packed into its pages will find a lot to enjoy here.
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