My Mutation Causes My 'Knowing When To Shut Up' Gene To Malfunction.

[rionaleonhart]

Something that particularly struck me in my rewatching of X-Men: First Class was one of the conversations between Charles and Raven. Charles says, 'Don't make me read your mind'; Raven says, 'You promised me you would never do that

Comments

[lotus0kid]

I think Charles learns empathy over the course of being Professor X and being put in charge of young mutants.

In a Heroes fic I once read there's a part where a character who used to be telepathic realizes how much he used to rely on picking up people's surface thoughts while he was talking to them, which I found fascinating. Similarly, in another fic there was a character who had been invisible for several years, and when he talked to another character she could easily read his emotions on his face because he'd gotten out of practice with hiding them.

Superpowers are endlessly fascinating to consider in their potential real-world consequences.

[soldierly]

I love everything this entry chooses to be ;_;

ESP THE BIT ABOUT ERIK AND HIS POWER. Because I'm working on a fic where he might lose it at the end. I'm debating -- still unsure. But you're right -- losing it would DESTROY him.

[rionaleonhart]

I think I read your outline for that fic and was really distressed by the idea that Erik might lose his powers. It would be interesting, certainly, but also completely devastating.

[theoret]

Om nom nom, delicious thoughts! This entry is so pleasing. I feel a little guilty that I have no interesting thoughts to pay you back with, though. ALL I CAN DO IS AGREE. OH CHARLES, YOU DO TAKE A LOT FOR GRANTED.

[th_esaurus]

Ugh, I love this. Charles is my favourite because, even though I love Erik, I feel like Erik is so--open. He's there for you to see all his flaws and fallacies. Whereas Charles is harder to read; on the surface, an altruistic, generous, kind character, but underneath, KIND OF A DICK??? It's more complex than that of course, but. That's what I love. Searching for those flaws.

(Also you know Erik's real name is Max anyway RIGHT.)

[ruthi]

Charles rather takes his powers for granted; if you asked him, he'd probably say he didn't rely on them that much, but take his telepathy away and make him interact with a stranger and I imagine he'd have quite a lot of trouble

I think you are right there. Like all of Charles' privilege, he doesn't realise how much is there. I expect even interacting with a friend would be a problem for him.

[rionaleonhart]

I expect even interacting with a friend would be a problem for him.

I think you're right. I was originally going to say 'make him interact with anyone', but then I remembered that, you know, he had made that promise to Raven even if he'd had issues with it, and he and she were able to interact quite comfortably for the most part. Presumably, though, that means he's had time to learn how to read Raven externally; he doesn't know anyone else as well as he knows her, so whisk his 'knowledge of thoughts' base of interaction out from under him and he'll fall.