Spoilers for Conquest 2099 #4!In Marvel’s far-flung 2099 future, the X-Men are not the team they used to be, with a new Cyclops carrying on Scott Summers’ iconic mutant moniker with a unique offensive skill that the original doesn’t have. Like Scott, Cyclops 2099 utilizes a kind of overpowered optic blast to take out his foes, with his latest display of strength making the case for Cyclops 2099 being the most powerful version of Cyclops ever seen in the Marvel Universe.
Introduced in 2022’s Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #5, the still-unidentified man known as Cyclops 2099 first attained his powers when he accidentally used his transmutation ability to turn his mother into salt. Cutting out an eye to limit this power, Cyclops 2099 can’t always control what he transforms things into, a problem he still struggles with.
In Conquest 2099 #4, a story that sees Dracula and his vampire army go to war with an alien spider race called the Araneons, Cyclops 2099 unleashes an attack that pushes the limits of his transmutative vision, making Scott Summers look tame in comparison.
Cyclops 2099 Unleashes a Devastating Transmutation Optic Blast, Putting Scott Summers to Shame
Conquest 2099 #4 – 2024 (Steve Orlando and Ibraim Roberson, and José Luís)
Joining forces with Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Woman 2099, Phoenix 2099, and Red Hulk 2099, Cyclops 2099 spent the previous chapters in this series stopping himself from utilizing the full might of his transmutation power, opting instead to use it only as a “last resort.” When taking on Dracula’s captains, Phoenix’s arm is chopped off in the chaos, with Cyclops 2099 going into a rage declaring, “I’m cornered, sure. But my eye is open. All you’ve left me is the last resort!” unleashing a devastating one-eyed blast that incinerates the encroaching horde of vampires and Araneons, or rather, transmutes them to ash.
Related
X-Men Perfectly Defines Cyclops’ Character With Just Four Words
Marvel superhero Cyclops delivers his most simple yet cut-throat line, establishing why Scott Summers is the X-Men’s superior leader and tactician.
Compared to Cyclops 2099, Scott Summers is far less restrictive with his skills, with the upper limits of his optic blasts more or less always under his meticulous control. When corrupted by the Phoenix Force in Avengers vs. X-Men, Cyclops’ blasts are arguably the most powerful they have ever been, rivaling what Cyclops 2099 can achieve with a fully charged transmutation attack. Cyclops 2099’s mastery over his ability isn’t perfected just yet, but the fact that he’s still learning the limits of this power ensures that it will only grow over time, easily dwarfing Scott Summers’ already respectable strength.
Scott Summers’ Most Powerful Attack Can’t Beat Cyclops 2099’s Unique Ability
Though the transmutation blast attack seen in this issue may be one of the most incredible feats any version of Cyclops has pulled off, it’s worth noting that because Cyclops 2099 is so hesitant to use this power, fans will seemingly only get to witness it on rare occasions or when he’s pushed to his limit — a disappointing thought for such a badass ability. At least with the X-Men’s penchant for time travel, it’s entirely possible Cyclops 2099 may one day meet up with Scott, allowing them to finally put to rest who truly has the more powerful optic blast.
Regardless of whether the OG Cyclops or Cyclops 2099 would come out the victor in their optical attack contest, it’s proven here that Cyclops 2099 is still a worthy successor to Scott’s iteration of the character, ensuring that Marvel’s future will be in good hands as long as a member of the X-Men is around to protect it. There’s still one chapter yet to be released in this epic Conquest 2099 event, so hopefully Cyclops 2099 won’t be forced to use his ultimate power again, but based on how things turned out in this issue, fans can surely expect otherwise.
Conquest 2099 #4 is available from Marvel Comics.
Source link
