2-D Body Language

For some reason, I'm really intrigued by Quicksilver's scene in last week's X-Factor #18. So, I wanted to try and analyze his posture, facial expressions, and some of the points of view the panels present to us. Please note that my assessments are biased, as I've already discussed previously how I think Pietro is similar to Sideshow Bob, so that's sure to skew things a bit. And I know it's dumb that I'm going to discuss art without showing you the images, but no scanner, okay? It's just a matter of my ability to describe things, are your willingness to trust my description.

Or, you know, you could go buy a copy of X-Factor #18 and follow along, assuming you don't have one already.

So we first see Pietro on page 2, panel 5, listening to someone else talk. He looks a little zoned out. The panel 6 pulls back and we see it's Elijah Ross (of the X-Cell), talking about his lost mutant powers, and how he used to whomp on people who tried to pick on him. Pietro's turned his head slightly, but he still isn't looking at Elijah, and he's got his hands behind him. I think the back being turned is a sign that Ross isn't important to Pietro. If he wants his powers back, sure Quickie will help, but I don't think Elijah's explanation of how he used his powers impressed 'Silver very much. He's probably already written him off as someone who'll be found unworthy.

I don't know what "hands behind you" signifies. It's reminiscent of a prisoner, handcuffed, which could indicate helplessness. Except Pietro isn't helpless, as he'll soon demonstrate. So, I think it's a way of seeming nonthreatening, or perhaps a way of not looking at his hands, avoiding thinking about what they could do to this boy is returning his powers does go awry. Or maybe Pietro does feel trapped, in a situation that he helped create, by using his sister to alter reality in the first place. Note that on page 3, panel 1 when Ross talks about how the government did this to mutants, we don't see Pietro's face, and by panel 2, we're situated behind Elijah, and there's some distance between Quicksilver and us. He knows the kid is off-base, but doesn't want to let the truth slip out. Panel 3, zooms into a close-up of Pietro's face, and even though he's talking to a boy, someone smaller than him, his eyes are looking upward, to avoid eye contact perhaps? Towards Heaven, seeing as he feels this a divine mission for him? I remember hearing somewhere that if your eyes go up to the left, it means you're lying, because that's where your imagination is in the brain. of course, it could have been to the right, and that was The Negotiator, so it's of questionable use.

By the end of page 3, Pietro's finally brought his hands around front, offering Elijah a chance to get his powers back. Ross is reaching forward, as if for a handshake, but Quicksilver's hand is simply there, held out waiting for Elijah to grasp it. It's like he's waiting for someone to give him something. He knows it's coming, so there's no reason to reach for it. All Pietro will do is make the offer, the individual has to decide whether they want to take the risk to get there powers back. Not unlike a deal with the Devil, now that I think about it. Of course, that's when Callisto shows up to stop the whole thing, and Pietro unleashes his time travel abilities and beats her up. He's very calm about it, offering her the chance to let go before he unloads on her, and when he does resort to violence, his face is calm, almost bored-looking. He doesn't care that Callisto is angry with him, nor is he really angry with her for her actions, at least not outwardly. It's just the sort of thing he has to deal with now. The X-Men want his head, why not Callisto as well?

Page 5 is where I think it gets really interesting. Having dealt with Callisto, Pietro listens to her complaints, then calmly responds that she probably wasn't "worthy" to regain her powers. He does admit that it might have been his fault, but what she describes as 'agony', he describes as a 'mishap', and describes it like that reluctantly, at best. But now his arms are crossed in front of his chest, which is defensive posture (if that psychiatrist on Bones was right). Why defensive? He's demonstrated they're no threat to him, but they are making him admit a mistake, just like his manipulations of Wanda were a mistake, which is why Callisto, Elijah, and he are all in this mess to begin with. This is also the point he starts to show some emotion. Maybe it's the dark eyebrows in panel 3, but he looks cold, dangerous, a lot like his dad did, when he'd be deciding whether to kill the X-Men of offer them a chance to join him.

After that, the perspective switches. Whereas before, the view was mostly level with the participants, or looking down, making the characters look small, now it's making Quicksilver look bigger. In panel 4, we're standing behind and above Pietro, looking down on Callisto and Ross as Quicksilver is, as he beings his spiel about the imperfections in the power transfer process. We can't see his face, but Ross looks awed, and Callisto sullen, face pointed towards the ground, but eye aimed up at Quicksilver. The last two panels, we're on their level, looking up at Pietro during his oratory, as he talks about how he's going to find an intermediary (I'm predicting Madrox duplicates) and make the process safer, and don't worry he's already got someone in mind.

One thing I just noticed is that in panel 5, what I assume is either Ross or Callisto is represented by a dark oval. There's no definition to who's there, it could be anyone. I wonder if that doesn't signify that Quicksilver is talking as much to himself as to them, reassuring himself that he's got this all figured out, that there won't be any more mistakes on his end, and so it really will all be about whether the person is worthy or not.

So I'm not sure what all that means, though I do think Pietro is losing his grip on reality a little more all the time. His eyes in panel 6 spook me. They seem very open, like a predator surveying a meal.