Comments on: X-Men III: The Last Stand http://www.popocculture.com/12/x-men-iii-the-last-stand Transcend Trends Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:34:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: hf http://www.popocculture.com/12/x-men-iii-the-last-stand#comment-44 Sat, 08 Jul 2006 05:48:00 +0000 http://www.popocculture.com/12/x-men-iii-the-last-stand#comment-44 Someone responded to this? The article assumes that the movie writers wanted us to sympathize with Xavier. It seemed to me that he came off as a total dick. He even blamed Wolverine for the results of his own actions. And in case the viewer missed the parallel with the people who wanted to "cure" all mutants, Magneto hit us over the head with it. Someone responded to this? The article assumes that the movie writers wanted us to sympathize with Xavier. It seemed to me that he came off as a total dick. He even blamed Wolverine for the results of his own actions. And in case the viewer missed the parallel with the people who wanted to “cure” all mutants, Magneto hit us over the head with it.

]]> by: Rick http://www.popocculture.com/12/x-men-iii-the-last-stand#comment-38 Fri, 30 Jun 2006 02:27:46 +0000 http://www.popocculture.com/12/x-men-iii-the-last-stand#comment-38 I agree with your analysis and yet I am not convinced that this work is misogynistic. Recognition of the destructive potential of some powerful thing or force isn't equivalent to a damnation of that thing or force. It is a habit of those raised in a (modern) Judeo-Christian system to associate august power with fear and evil. The (modern) Judeo-Christian system is notorious for making the powerful scary and evil. It is this system that has flattened and simplified the symbol of the serpent / dragon. The serpent / dragon once stood for the transformative power of nature, wisdom, and enlightenment. This understanding of the serpent / dragon was fairly universal (found both in the East and West) at one time. But the modern, popular, Christian understanding of the serpent is that it represents trickery and evil--so fear and anger are attached to it. But the fear of power doesn’t stop there; in fact even God, the most beneficent force in the Christian system, is to be feared. With this sort of mentality prevalent in our culture it is hard not to fall into this trap of associating incredible power with evil. I think that the X-3 movie did a great job of symbolizing the potent force of female sexuality, and I don’t think that the recognition of fire’s ability to burn things is the same as an accusation. Yes, Jean / Phoenix does not choose to stand on either Magneto’s or Xavier’s side; but would a god bother to squabble amongst men? Also Jean / Phoenix doesn’t speak much, but who would want to write the dialog for an archetype or for a divine power? Not I. I wouldn’t want to for the same reason that men of many religions are shy to give God a name--it has something to do with humility and respect. I think that the creators of X-3 did a smash-up job and I especially like the fact that, “It takes Wolverine, a man whose carnality and impetuous attitude matches hers, to bring about an end to her rampage, which of course involves an act of physical penetration.” Perhaps I too am a beast. For more information on the serpent symbol see Heinz Insu Fenkl’s article, “The Binary Serpent”. http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/forbiser.html I agree with your analysis and yet I am not convinced that this work is misogynistic. Recognition of the destructive potential of some powerful thing or force isn’t equivalent to a damnation of that thing or force.

It is a habit of those raised in a (modern) Judeo-Christian system to associate august power with fear and evil. The (modern) Judeo-Christian system is notorious for making the powerful scary and evil. It is this system that has flattened and simplified the symbol of the serpent / dragon. The serpent / dragon once stood for the transformative power of nature, wisdom, and enlightenment. This understanding of the serpent / dragon was fairly universal (found both in the East and West) at one time. But the modern, popular, Christian understanding of the serpent is that it represents trickery and evil–so fear and anger are attached to it. But the fear of power doesn’t stop there; in fact even God, the most beneficent force in the Christian system, is to be feared.

With this sort of mentality prevalent in our culture it is hard not to fall into this trap of associating incredible power with evil. I think that the X-3 movie did a great job of symbolizing the potent force of female sexuality, and I don’t think that the recognition of fire’s ability to burn things is the same as an accusation. Yes, Jean / Phoenix does not choose to stand on either Magneto’s or Xavier’s side; but would a god bother to squabble amongst men? Also Jean / Phoenix doesn’t speak much, but who would want to write the dialog for an archetype or for a divine power? Not I. I wouldn’t want to for the same reason that men of many religions are shy to give God a name–it has something to do with humility and respect. I think that the creators of X-3 did a smash-up job and I especially like the fact that, “It takes Wolverine, a man whose carnality and impetuous attitude matches hers, to bring about an end to her rampage, which of course involves an act of physical penetration.” Perhaps I too am a beast.

For more information on the serpent symbol see Heinz Insu Fenkl’s article, “The Binary Serpent”. http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/forbiser.html

]]>