Before I was introduced to the brilliance that is Team Bartowski in CHUCK there was another unusual…even uncanny family unit of heroes; a family that was so diverse and interesting... filled with characters that inspired awe and astounded the senses just like that rag-tag bunch of Bartowski and friends... I am of course talking about the X-Men.
For going on two decades I have enjoyed reading and watching the adventures of the “Children of the Atom” lead by Charles Xavier and Scott Summers (aka Cyclops) featuring such awesome characters as Jean Grey, Wolverine and Beast. They have made me laugh and cry in equal measure and it has been such a thrilling experience to say the least and I am happy to call myself an X-Men fan.
The X-Men is a comic about mutants, people whose powers make them different to the rest of “normal” society. These X-Men elect to use their powers to make the world a better place and often involves saving the people who hate and fear them. At its core the message of the X-Men is everybody is different and that is okay…better than okay, it is awesome!! It also preaches tolerance for those who are different to you because it’s their world too; and what does it say about humanity that quite often we can’t?
Not only is this a great message but it combines so well with the ethos of CHUCK that one guy, one nerd can make a difference and not just that but get the girl too. CHUCK and by extension Zac Levi’s Nerd Machine movement has shown us that being a Nerd is being passionate and being who you are. Personally I think that is pretty cool, let your nerd flag fly and if others don’t like that, so what… it is their loss!
Now that my soapbox moment has passed, I can talk about what this blog entry is about…
Have you ever wondered what comic book character you favourite CHUCK character would be? I would venture to say probably not, but I am weird that way! Seeing as the ideologies of CHUCK and the X-Men are so similar I thought I would start there. But there have been a lot of members of the X-Men, I decided to restrict it to the team I loved the most…The Claremont & Byrne X-Men of the early to mid 1980’s
So here we go…
Chuck is Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat) and Sarah is Colossus
You only have to look at this site to see how much I enjoy the character Chuck Bartowski; I believe one of my followers on twitter summed it up best when he said “he’s OUR guy!!” We all associate with him… he is the everyman nerd who loves his family and embraces his differences like we all do and we love him for it. He could be us, he’s not a kick-ass smoking hot ninja spy or a hard-ass ex-Marine but he is out there trying to make the world a better place.
For the fans of the X-men (at my age or older), Kitty Pryde is the character we all associate with. She is this teenage girl-genius with nerd-ish tendencies who is growing up in Illinois when her mutant power to become intangible and do things like walk through walls manifests (now that would be a great power for a spy to have). She soon finds herself at the Xavier Schools for the Gifted with likes of a weather goddess, feral Canadian super-soldier and living breathing colossus. She goes into this world with a surreal sense of wonder, just as we would…just as Chuck would.
Like Chuck’s entry into the spy life, Kitty begins her life with the X-Men unsure of her place on the team and how to be a superhero; but as we witness her go from neophyte to experienced operative much like Chuck’s hero journey. Now they are both adept at what they do, thanks to Wolverine we now see Kitty is a fully fledged ninja and even without the intersect Chuck can hold his own in the field.
The impact of the Kitty Pryde character has been felt across the multiple mediums of pop-culture; but don’t just take my word for it… ask Joss Whedon who has stated Kitty Pryde was the major inspiration for Buffy the Vampire Slayer!! Holy smokes…let that percolate for a moment; I mean you could make an argument for Kitty being the most influential comic book character of the last 30 years.
Now on to a couple of eloquent, beautiful and artistic souls hidden behind a killer bodies of solid steel (one of them actual steel) with the strength and power to level any foe. ..Agent Sarah Walker and Colossus!! This wall of steel, physical in the case of Colossus and metaphorical in the case of Sarah Walker gives the interpretation of these two being cold and mechanical but this is so far from the truth.
Those close to Colossus know that he is mellow spirit who loves nature and art; he is a deep thinker always cautious that his strength can put those around him in danger if he is not careful. Sarah came from a difficult upbringing and has had trouble letting her feeling be known for fear that anybody she lets in will abandon her. But Chuck’s persistence and resilience to bring Sarah’s emotion walls down exposed us to a Sarah who cares deeply for Chuck and his (now her) family and what a wicked sense of humour!!!
In saying that it is best not to get either Colossus or Sarah angry because they will hand out a mean beatdown! We know what Sarah did in Thailand, she nearly tore a whole mercenary army single-handedly and Colossus is strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk and survive…don’t mess with them, simple as that.
It wouldn’t have escaped you that the characters I am comparing (Chuck to Kitty & Sarah to Colossus) are of different genders but I don’t see it as being an issue; kick-assery is not gender specific. In all seriousness that was the charm of CHUCK (amongst many other things) that a female character could be the powerhouse tank demolishing bad guys and look seriously hot doing it! The fact that the protagonist on the show needed to be protected by his female handler was refreshing and in my opinion great to see and we have seen it on other shows like Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. Unlike Buffy though Sarah has no powers (or intersect), it is all her!!
Those who have read many of the X-Men comics know that Colossus and Shadowcat are romantically involved but it would be foolish of me to say their love story rivals that of Chuck and Sarah narrative because frankly it is not. I have waxed lyrically and at great length on this blog about how I believe Chuck and Sarah is the greatest love story in the TV medium. But how they do compare is the similar beginnings and how it was more of a plutonic chaste deep friendship to begin with due to the forbidden elements of the respective pairings. When they first started getting close as friends Colossus was approximately in his late teens and Kitty was fourteen, so for comics and even for society now it was quite a taboo relationship but the truth is it was all very innocent. Sarah and Chuck was taboo for a different reason, asset/handler relationship and all that. Things have changed for both pairings since then but the depths of affection they share for each other have not.
What we can all agree on is the remarkable journey the two literary foils/protagonists have taken Kitty started her journey as the most junior of “X-Men” and is now the Headmistress at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning working in tandem with her mentor and Headmaster Wolverine. Did I mention she is a ninja and has a pet dragon; I mean that is a dream we all have right??
Chuck began his journey working at the Buy More which was a waste of his talents but thanks to Sarah he realized he could do so much more, he could save the world… a lot!! Sarah has inspired Chuck to make himself a better man for her… for himself. I think he has done a pretty good job, plus he got the girl; aces Charles… just aces!!
Ok in some ways this is a stretch, I mean Casey is a patriotic American of immense stature and Wolverine is a nuggetty little unit that is as Canadian as maple syrup and Molson beer.
But in other ways these two are so much alike… in the immortal words of Wolverine; they are “the best they are at what they do…and what they do isn’t very nice!” Elite Soldiers, hardened spies, grizzled war veterans, wandering ronins and ninjas with angry (not calm)centres… choose your descriptors because Casey and Wolverine have been all these and more throughout their decades of service to Queen (for Wolverine at least) and country. This service has meant both have had to give up any chance of a regular life with their loved ones to protect the country they serve. What they do is so dangerous that anybody that can be tied to them is in danger from their enemies.
We also know that when called on both Wolverine and Casey can kill for the greater good. Both are willing to do the jobs that are too messy for others; and so their friends don’t have to compromise who they are or what they value. Wolverine leads the team X-Force which eliminates serious threats to mutantkind with maximum prejudice and Casey has killed many threats to Team Bartowski including some on Chuck’s behalf like when he complete Chuck’s red test because he knows that his friend can’t take a life without it destroying who he is as a person. Wolverine has gone as far to move some of the younger X-men from the danger of being on the team’s active roster; opening a school so the kids can learn and get an education before they make a choice to fight or not. Until then Wolverine will do the fighting so they don’t have to.
What is under-rated about both Casey and Wolverine is that they are such great mentors and loyal friends. Wolverine mentor-pupil relationship with Shadowcat may just be my favourite in comics; yes even better than Batman and Robin!!! Wolverine taught Shadowcat how to fight and even trained her as a ninja; there have been many other X-men who Wolverine has taken under his wing (or claws) such as Rogue and Jubilee but Shadowcat was the original and in my opinion the best. Same goes for Casey and his “tough-love” with Chuck in many ways he has turned a shy and insecure Nerd into a confident (yet self-effacing), resourceful and courageous Nerd. Both men in question see the potential in others and they make it their mission to unearth this. You cannot ask for a better teammate then these two both embodies the values of simper fi, they are loyal and will have your back no matter what right till the very end.
Does anybody really doubt the effectiveness of the Casey/Walker partnership? These two despite their differences have made a remarkable team, NSA and CIA don’t normally work well with each other but these two were deadly combo… As for Wolverine and Colossus despite being different people they move together seamlessly and are the quintessential big man/little man combo and let’s not forget they are the innovators of the most electrifying and devastating move in all comics…THE FASTBALL SPECIAL!!!!
I have to admit I make no secret about Wolverine being my favourite character in all of comics and some of my favourite moments are when Wolverine and Nightcrawler are hanging together, this odd couple after a rocky start became fast friends and I would honestly buy a comic with Wolvie and the elf just shooting the breeze…it’s comic book gold! Doesn’t this sound just like Casey and Morgan, these guys bring so much fun to the show especially in Seasons 4 and 5? Almost without realizing it these two became great friends despite their differences and I love it.
Morgan is Nightcrawler
One is a furry little swashbuckler with an eye for the ladies and the other is Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler!!! See what I did there ;-)
Both Morgan and Kurt can be relied upon to keep the spirit light with a joke or gag even when the situation looks bleakest. Both are important to their respective teams not just for comedic value but they have courage and heart in spades. Without a doubt Nightcrawler is the more accomplished field operative, especially as a swordsman where he is arguably a match for Wolverine…but then again Morgan did get the intersect!
One of the things we know about Morgan is that no matter what he is loyal; especially to his “hetro-Life Partner” Chuck and Ellie. Plus as soon as he finds out how much Sarah means to Chuck she instantly is afforded the same level of loyalty. We know that Chuck and Morgan friendship has been forged in the fires of Chuck’s difficult childhood when his parents left him it was Morgan and Ellie who were the constants in his life.
As Chuck puts it…
“… Sarah, I don't have parents. I don't really talk about it because that's the way things are now. But it wasn't always this way. Morgan was there the first day my mom took off. He didn't say much. Because honestly what's a fifth grader supposed to say? But we sat there and split a cherry cheesecake and played Legend of Zelda all night long. And my dad, well that's - that's a whole other story. But Morgan was there for that too. Morgan is more than just my best friend. He's my family! Before you got here, and long after you've gone, Morgan is my family!”
Alright so Chuck might be dead wrong on the Sarah leaving part but we know how Chuck feels about Morgan. This is mirrored by the journey Nightcrawler and Kitty/Shadowcat have been through since Kitty joined the X-men. When the rest of the X-men were thought to be dead after the events of Fall of the Mutants; Nightcrawler and Kitty founded the team Excalibur as their way to carry on Professor Xavier’s dream. This was a tough time for these two they thought that they had lost their friends…family even; it is the sort of experience that bonds friends forever. Even though the rest of the X-Men were found to be alive eventually; the truth is even though Kurt and it Kitty were close before it was this experience that forged a deeper bond due to this shared experience.
On a somewhat irreverent note you could also point to a similarity between Morgan and Nightcrawler in their clerical roles… Morgan was after all the celebrant at Sarah & Chuck’s wedding and Nightcrawler is an ordained Catholic Priest.
Ellie is Storm
This was a definite no-brainer Storm and Ellie are each the matriarchs of their respective groups and you could argue the glue that holds them together. Even before she knew Team Bartowski was spies, Ellie was the “big sister” to all (not just Chuck) and made it her responsibility to ensure that those close to Chuck are treated like family. The idea that family is what you make of it is one of the reasons we all love CHUCK and Ellie is perhaps the biggest reason for this. Despite all the family issues that troubled Ellie and Chuck as children she is really the most remarkable of people, the impact she has had on Sarah and Casey is more than Ellie could ever realize.
In many ways Storm is the spiritual centre of the X-men much like Ellie is with Team Bartowski; you really see the similarity between the two in their relationships with some other members of the team.
· Storm/Shadowcat to Ellie/Chuck: Storm sees herself as Kitty’s big sister and is extremely protective of her “kitten” but she also realizes that Kitty is one of the smartest, perceptive and inventive people she knows and her potential for brilliance knows no bounds. Sounds pretty close to the Ellie/Chuck dynamic to me.
· Storm/Colossus to Ellie/Sarah: Storm and Peter is a special relationship; closer than most blood siblings. Both gentle souls with a shared interest in nature and the arts…but if pushed to fight they are fearsome forces of nature that will stop at nothing to protect their family and friends. Their shared affection and protective instincts for Kitty are almost identical to how Ellie and Sarah feel about Chuck. Ellie has been like the sister Sarah never had and watching their relationship build overtime; built on the foundation of being the two most important people in Chuck’s life. I mean who could forget the end of Vs. The Cat Squad where Sarah asked Ellie to be her Maid of Honour. Ellie has been both a friend and a sister to Sarah; along with Chuck Ellie has provided Sarah with a feeling of belonging, home and family the likes of which Sarah thought she may never have… or deserve. If anyone tries to hurt Chuck…these ladies will make you pay in spades!!!!
· Storm/Wolverine to Ellie/Casey: Much like Storm was with Wolverine initially, Ellie is a little uncomfortable with (even scared of) John Casey’s abrupt and foul-tempered behavior. But after a while Ellie sees that behind the grunts and scowls of John Casey is not only a hero but a loyal and true friend to herself and Chuck. John Casey admires Ellie’s fighting spirit and truth be told he is more than just a little enamored with Ellie and the way she carries herself. Storm and Wolverine are much the same, after a rocky start to their relationship as part of the X-men they are now more than friends, they are confidants. Storm doesn’t approve of Wolverine’s often brutal methods to get things done, but she does appreciate that it is a burden he carries so his friends can be safe and also so they don’t have to compromise their values by doing such deeds. Ellie feels the same about Casey in the way he protects Chuck (and his family) and does what Chuck can’t (killing to save family and country) Wolverine thinks the world of his teammate and vise versa despite being quite different people; they know that when the chips are down the other will be there until the end because that is what friends are for.
· Storm/Nightcrawler to Ellie/Morgan: Ellie and Morgan has been such a funny relationship throughout the five seasons of CHUCK, the relationship is very much plutonic but not for a lack of trying on Morgan’s behalf (You’re like a sister to me… A sister I want to have sex with so bad.). Nightcrawler is similar to Morgan in this way as he believes Storm is one of the finest creatures walking the earth but he knows that it can never be that way with her as she seems him as a brother that she would give her life for and that he would do the same.
Devon is Angel
Just like Devon, Angel is blond, has great looks and is very popular with the ladies however the truth is both of these guys have great hearts for compassion even if it seems they are self-involved or arrogant. It takes a lot to be a captain of awesome!!!
General Beckman is Cyclops
The great leader and a huge stickler for rules; people often assume (wrongly) that both Beckman and Cyclops aka Scott Summers are so straight-laced that they could only go by-the-book but the truth is they will stop at nothing for the right cause and those they love like family.
Cyclops used to be seen as solely Professor Xavier’s mouthpiece but he now is seen as a leader is willing to fight fire with fire to save mutantkind from extinction even if it puts humanity at risk. Cyclops has taken the burden of mutant survival on his own shoulders much like Beckman has done with the welfare of her rag-tag band agents on the intersect project.
Beckman is willing to use all her resources to assist Team Bartowski even when the CIA had them atop their hit list. Let’s not forget her dirty-blonde phase towards the end of the cold war; you could really see why Roan was so enamored with her.
Beckman and Cyclops are great leaders not because they stick to the rules but because they are loyal to their followers, friends and colleagues and this instills loyalty in those that follow them.
Bloggers Notes: I hope you guys enjoyed this; I would like to say there are many more entries to come now that my Uni studies are complete but if I get a teaching job soon I doubt I will be able to write too many entries. But I hope to have at least one more done before Christmas.
Anyways I am off to Singapore tomorrow for a week, it has been a long year of study and I think I deserve a break. I just want to thank anyone who asked about Cheerful Symmetry during my hiatus…hopefully my poor standard hasn’t dropped off too much!
Sehingga jumpa lagi everyone!!! (Thanks Liyana)
