Warning: Minor Spoilers for Legion of X ahead!
The writer of the upcoming X-Men series, Legion of X, the talented Si Spurrier, has released a preview image from the series first issue which hilariously makes fun of Nightcrawler's worst, and most ridiculous story. The new series, spinning out of the acclaimed Way of X run is unfortunately delayed to the continued distribution issues plaguing the comics world, but thankfully Spurrier is giving fans a little taste of what's to come.
Nightcrawler is one of the X-Men's oldest members, introduced as the second wave of the X-Men in 1975's iconic Giant-Size X-Men #1 by Dave Cockrum and Len Wein, and has remained a beloved fan-favorite since this debut. One of Kurt Wagner's most defining features throughout his publication history has been his devoted faith in the Catholic Church and religion, which has been the center of many story arcs for the blue-furred mutant. Now, one of the worst faith-related Nightcrawler stories, which involved a truly ridiculous retcon, is being made fun of in the pages of Legion of X.
Legion of X - written by Si Spurrier with art by Jan Bazaldua - is a direct continuation of Way of X which featured Nightcrawler's attempt to create a new mutant faith that could reckon with the X-Men's current status quo as immortal creatures. Crucially, Way of X also featured Nightcrawler beginning to lose his own faith. Legion of X will see Nightcrawler continue to team up with the mutant Legion and a team of Krakoan mutants as they collaborate with the head of Arakko's law enforcement, the mutant Weaponless Zsen. In the preview image that Spurrier tweeted out, Zsen and Kurt are meeting for the first time when she states, "You're some sort of priest" to which he responds "That's... I mean. It's complicated" before hilariously attempting to explain the ridiculous retcon where he once believed that he had been officially ordained as a priest of the Catholic Church. Also, Zsen remarks that his name means "worm," a true statement which clearly throws Nightcrawler off his game!
The event Kurt is referring too starts with 2000's X-Men #100 where writer Chris Claremont established that Nightcrawler was a priest-in-training on the way to becoming a full priest. He became a fully-ordained priest by the time of 2002's Uncanny X-Men #408 by Joe Casey and Sean Phillips. However, less than a year later, Uncanny X-Men #423 by Chuck Austen and Ron Garney retconned the entire Nightcrawler priest story to be... an illusion? This illusion was created by the evil anti-mutant Church of Humanity in an attempt to make Kurt the new Pope with an image inducer, before revealing that the new Pope is a blue-furred devil man, turning all of humanity against mutants. This retcon felt unmotivated, and introduced several confusing aspects to Nightcrawler's character. To make the scenario even funnier, Zsen asks Kurt if he is still following a vow of celibacy, hinting that she might be interested in more than just a professional relationship with him.
It is awesome to see Si Spurrier reference this wild time from Nightcrawler's past because Way of X and now Legion of X are so intrinsically tied in with Kurt's worldview and his perspective on mortality, the afterlife, and the morality of mutantdom. It looks like the addition of Weaponless Zsen to the Legion of X roster will lead to some hilarious moments between her and Nightcrawler, and may even lead to the two following the X-Men's third law of Krakoa: "make more mutants."
Legion of X #1 releases May 25th, 2022 from Marvel Comics.
Source: Si Spurrier