Warning! This article contains spoilers for Excalibur # 17
the X Men They are possibly as well known for their romantic relationships as they are for their mutant powers. When a franchise features so many body transformations, resurrections, interdimensional travel, interplanetary travel, time travel, cloning, and time-traveling clones like the X-Men do, things are bound to get complicated. And no two X-Men have had a bigger roller coaster of romance than Betsy braddock, the former Psylocke and current Captain Britain, and Warren Worthington III, also known as Angel / Archangel.
Often overshadowed by other more popular couples like Cyclops and Jean Gray or Rouge and Gambit, Betsy and Warren’s relationship dates back nearly three decades. These two found comfort in each other after they had both recently transformed into versions of themselves that they didn’t recognize. In Betsy’s case, her mind had been transferred to the body of a psychic ninja known as Kwannon. As for Warren, his body had been altered by Apocalypse to take the mantle as the Horseman of Death, resulting in blue skin, razor-sharp metal wings, and a compromised moral code. Both of these transformations resonated enormously with fans, and these darker versions of the characters are considered by many to be their most definitive interpretations. Due to unforeseen complications, such as Betsy’s temporary death, the return and then the journey into a series of alternate realities, and Warren’s brief turn towards super villainy and eventual mental blurring, Betsy and Warren’s relationship has been, for years, back / off again. Whether current fans realize it or not, both characters have been irrevocably changed and influenced by the other, even as they have yet to appear on the panel together in the new Krakoa era of X-Men.
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Recent issues Excalibur They’ve thrown a wrench into Betsy and Warren’s current breakup, as Betsy is seen waking up in bed with a shirtless Warren. However, being an X-Men comic, it is quickly revealed that this Warren is from an alternate reality and that the Betsy 616 has replaced the native Betsy of that world after being thrown into the Omniverse. Besides everything else, Betsy is the Queen of England in this alternate land, and her relationship with Warren is nothing more than a casual affair. To return to the reality of his home, Warren pairs Betsy with an escort to the lighthouse, the connection point of the Omniverse. In a mind-blowing twist, the escort is revealed to be Warren’s ex-wife of this world, Kwannon.
In the main Marvel Universe, Betsy has reverted to her initial Caucasian race after 2018. Hunt For Wolverine: Madripoor Mystery. Since then, Kwannon has returned from the dead in her original body, taking the codename Psylocke for her. Besty, who has now assumed the role of Captain Britain, has yet to fully address all of the bodily baggage he shares with Kwannon.
Warren and Betsy did not begin dating until Betsy possessed Kwannon’s body. Early in the Betsy / Kwannon body swap story, it was strongly implied that the two had also partially merged their minds. Therefore, Betsy’s personality had been greatly altered. Formerly haughty and talked about, a representative of Britain’s upper class, the body change had left Betsy a much more physically aggressive character, and one who relied more on stealth and martial arts. Meanwhile, Kwannon, who now inhabits Betsy’s original body, quickly developed the deadly Legacy Virus and was killed before her character could be fully explored.
Shortly after beginning their relationship, Betsy and Warren were exposed to even greater changes in their bodies and power sets. When Warren’s metal wings were moved and restored to her original feathery wings, Betsy developed strange new shadow-traveling powers and became even colder and more distant from her humanity. After feeling his attraction to Thunderbird, a new addition to the X-Men, Warren broke up with Betsy. Not long after, Betsy died in a duel with a supervillain and remained dead for several years.
While Betsy was gone, Warren’s skin turned blue again and he had finally regained his initial appearance. He also began a short-lived, but controversial, relationship with the teenage X-Man, Husk, who was supposed to be many years his junior. Over time, Warren discovered that he could transform back into his blue-skinned, metallic-winged form. But the longer he spent as an Archangel, the more he could feel the pull of the dark influence of Apocalypse. As Archangel, Warren joined Wolverine’s clandestine mutant attack squad X-Force.
By the time Betsy returned from the dead, most of her previous initial bodily swap personality had been restored. After a brief stint back in the X-Men, Betsy spent several years hopping for alternate realities as leader of the Exiles. After returning to the X-Men full time, Logan and Warren invited Betsy to X-Force. Between numbers, Warren and Betsy had rekindled their romance. But the weight of the dark and morally ambiguous decisions they would make as part of X-Force put massive strain on their relationship. Warren eventually completely succumbed to his Archangel persona and assumed the role of heir to Apocalypse. Planning to wipe out all life on the planet, X-Force engaged in an epic confrontation with Warren, which resulted in Betsy stabbing him with a Celestial Life Seed, wiping out his mind, personality, and memories.
While devastated by the loss of her Warren, Besty began an affair with her X-Force teammate, Fantomex, and finally with the female Fantomex clone, Cluster. Warren, meanwhile, struggled to discover his new identity until Professor X was able to psychically shove the Archangel’s personality deep into the recesses of his mind. Any hope of another reconciliation for Betsy and Warren was likely shattered after Betsy once again freed the Archangel persona from Warren’s mind in a battle against X-Man. Although she did it to free Warren’s mind from X-Man’s psychic control, Warren vowed never to forgive Betsy for unleashing her dark side.
With Warren and Besty, as well as Kwannon, living in Krakoa and allying themselves with the cause of international mutant sovereignty, her romantic future remains uncertain. Now single, Betsy has developed a potential romantic tension with mutant MI13 agent Pete Wisdom. Meanwhile, Warren has been seen working closely with another wealthy and privileged X-Man who possesses a dark personality, Monet St. Croix.
The new twist on Excalibur shows that even in all dimensions, Betsy and Warren always seem to find their way back to each other in one way or another. However, the biggest reveal may be the previous marriage between Warren and Kwannon in the alternate universe mentioned above. This is the first indication that Kwannon, existing completely outside of the body and the influence of Betsy, would be attracted to Warren. If this will lead to a full love triangle on the road between these three, it remains, like many things related to Warren, up in the air. On the other hand, unconventional and inclusive relationships seem to be in vogue in Krakoa.
Betsy and Burrow They are a popular match for many X-Men fans, given their similar circumstances and the high level of drama associated with their relationship. Yet despite their chemistry, their story is filled with the kind of betrayal and toxicity that both of them may want to avoid in this shiny new status quo for mutants. That said, very few X Men break up and get back together more often than these two. They both have many options for romantic couples. And for now, it may be better for both of you to prepare new futures. Even if that future includes Betsy reconnecting with The Blob.
Next: X-Men: 10 Mutants That Are Close To Omega Level
Reference-screenrant.com
