Weird that there are no ethnonationalist mutants in X Men?

[Independent George]

I think the idea was that them being mutants and shunned by all the non-mutants in whatever country or region they happened to be born in gave them something in common and thus a common purpose. Kind of like how alien invasions in sci-fi are generally described as bringing humanity together for the common goal of survival.

That latter one always bothered me. It seems to me that the much, much smarter way to go about things would be to work through proxies, and lend covert support to someplace like North Korea. Everybody scrambles around trying to figure out how North Korea got plasma cannons, and you don't make your own presence known until you've established the necessary logistical tail to support your conquest instead of pinning it all on a single isolated gunship.

[Bernkastel]

I think the idea was that them being mutants and shunned by all the non-mutants in whatever country or region they happened to be born in gave them something in common and thus a common purpose. Kind of like how alien invasions in sci-fi are generally described as bringing humanity together for the common goal of survival.

But it does not have to go down that way...

Oh, true. It could interesting to try something different, but the standard story is one of mutants v normal humans. It's a creative problem, just like how Spiderman is stuck with learning "great power means great responsibility". In the same manner, repeating the "shunned by non-mutants" is a quick go to for those writing mutant stories. Doing mutants who are more concerned with RL ethnic divisions as opposed to the mutant v human thing would require more creativity than that.

[ScreamingDoom]

Oh, true. It could interesting to try something different, but the standard story is one of mutants v normal humans. It's a creative problem, just like how Spiderman is stuck with learning "great power means great responsibility". In the same manner, repeating the "shunned by non-mutants" is a quick go to for those writing mutant stories. Doing mutants who are more concerned with RL ethnic divisions as opposed to the mutant v human thing would require more creativity than that.

The reason for that is because mutants end up as metaphoric stand-ins for marginalized minorities.

Though it is a metaphor which seems really poor and thin to me.

I mean, outside of the most drug-fueled fever dreams of Jerry Falwell, a gay person isn't going to spontaneously combust and destroy a high school, killing everyone inside. Even the most flaming of gay people can't do that. But it's quite common with mutants who can't control their powers. Normal human hate and fear of mutants isn't irrational at all; it's quite logical, so the metaphor breaks down completely. These people are, simply by virtue of an accident of their birth, active and immediate dangers to themselves and everyone around them once their powers begin to manifest. Nationwide testing and quarantine (at least until the mutant learns to control their abilities) seems a very prudent, restrained measure.

It'd be sort of like if, quite rarely, a person is born which will naturally carry the Ebola virus. It might be rare, but the potential consequences of letting such people run around infecting everyone else without restraint is silly and stupid. There's no way the CDC would allow something like that and the public would have every right to be mad at the government that did. But anyone who suggests a similar measure in X-Men world is immediately a Bad Guy and Wrong, no debate.

[Anduinel]

how exactly are you defining ethnicity for the purpose of this discussion?

Common language, culture and stated identity.

Probably the closest to that among the actual X-Men, as opposed to villain groups, is Northstar. In his younger years, he was part of a Quebecois separatist group that modeled itself after the FLQ. Generally, Marvel's a lot more comfortable with fictional stand-ins when it comes to mutants having strong feelings about cultural identity that go beyond props and funny accents: Genosha, The Brotherhood, the Mutant Liberation Front, etc.

The reason for that is because mutants end up as metaphoric stand-ins for marginalized minorities.

Though it is a metaphor which seems really poor and thin to me.

I mean, outside of the most drug-fueled fever dreams of Jerry Falwell, a gay person isn't going to spontaneously combust and destroy a high school, killing everyone inside. Even the most flaming of gay people can't do that. But it's quite common with mutants who can't control their powers. Normal human hate and fear of mutants isn't irrational at all; it's quite logical, so the metaphor breaks down completely. These people are, simply by virtue of an accident of their birth, active and immediate dangers to themselves and everyone around them once their powers begin to manifest. Nationwide testing and quarantine (at least until the mutant learns to control their abilities) seems a very prudent, restrained measure.

It'd be sort of like if, quite rarely, a person is born which will naturally carry the Ebola virus. It might be rare, but the potential consequences of letting such people run around infecting everyone else without restraint is silly and stupid. There's no way the CDC would allow something like that and the public would have every right to be mad at the government that did. But anyone who suggests a similar measure in X-Men world is immediately a Bad Guy and Wrong, no debate.

Likely because no one in the MU has ever implemented something as benign as a government-funded version of Xaiver's School to deal with the question of mutants (even though there seem to be quite a few other super-schools about; go fig). Instead you get Sentinels, registration acts that range from immediate detainment of any mutant regardless of ability to being automatically drafted for government service if you have superpowers, a few dozen shadowy government programs using mutants as test subjects, a "Proposition X" that restricts mutants' right to breed (probably the most eye-rolling, tone-deaf story element Matt Fraction has ever committed to paper), and various attempts at outright genocide.

This is the kind of subtle, nuanced storytelling you get when you combine comic book sensibilities with decades of a bunch of straight, white dudes having a go at a group that's a non-specific stand-in for every minority experience (as well as just general teenage angst and alienation). It gets more ridiculous when the characters themselves are usually depicted as a bunch of white, straight vigilantes with no accountability, living in a mansion. It's a nonsensical, well-intentioned, escapist mess largely blind to its own absurdity. But at least it's usually entertaining and occasionally makes a half-decent point.

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, Magneto established Genosha, an all mutant country.

Are mutants an ethnic group with their own language? But i guess that fits the hardcore patriot label.

Language has nothing inherently to do with race/ethnicity.

One could have a distinct ethnic group without having a distinct language, conceivably.

[TGLS]

Well, Magneto established Genosha, an all mutant country.

Are mutants an ethnic group with their own language? But i guess that fits the hardcore patriot label.

Language has nothing inherently to do with race/ethnicity.

One could have a distinct ethnic group without having a distinct language, conceivably.

For example, the Hutus and Tutsis both share Rwanda-Rundi as a language. On the other hand, Kurds have a distinct language compared to the other peoples they are surrounded by, and the Quebecois have a language that isn't shared with their neighbors, but is used around the world.

[MerelyAFan]

Mutant conflicts within the larger context of pre-existing global tensions is an intriguing concept, but it takes very precise and nuanced writing to make it work and not slip into stereotypes or badly researched farce.

[cilantro]

Well, Magneto established Genosha, an all mutant country.

Are mutants an ethnic group with their own language? But i guess that fits the hardcore patriot label.

As far as I know, no. It's only because most mutants are hated by just about everyone who isn't a mutant. They are pretty much either feared and/or despise for a lot of reasons but the most being that they are supposed to be an analogy to the Civil Rights to just about any prosecuted group that ever existed. Although, there are mutants from like every ethnicity/race/religion/social class, etc... So, I guess there can be a few that are very patriotic and/or ethnic pride, etc.. but (at least in the comics) that all get canceled out because of all of the hatred and rejection that they surffer.

That being said, maybe you should check out some Deadpool.....

[ChiggyvonRichthofen]

I don't blame them for not pursuing stuff like this. It would be hard to pull off in a series of big budget action movies. Arguably the central theme of the series is the power of groups to bind or divide individuals, or both. This is done along the lines of mutant vs. non-mutants, with there being obvious differences between Professor X's group and, say, Magneto's group in terms of tolerating non-mutants. The mutant theme can serve as a metaphor for all kinds of different things- being from a different race, country, religion, etc.

Actually introducing those other things into the movies would add another layer to the films that would be difficult to deal with in a nuanced way. Its a layer that the films don't really need, in my opinion, since the films are already clearly dealing with the subject of otherness.

[Antiboyscout]

I think in the new comic Black Panther and the Crew, Storm is part of an all black super hero group that spends way to much time in a Harlem that appears to be stuck in the 80's. One of the characters is an old black lady that is basically a black nationalist by stating that Harlem is for blacks and whites need to get out.