In X-Factor, one of the toughest mutants on Krakoa shows that he also has a tender side by revealing a deep love of Pokemon.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Factor #3, by Leah Williams, David Baldeon, Israel Silva, VC’s Joe Caramagna and Tom Muller, on sale now.
While Wolverine’s son Daken can emit powerful pheromones to make himself completely irresistible to those around him, the mutant antihero is quite adept at seducing his intended romantic liaison without relying on his powers. And while separated from the rest of the new X-Factor team, Daken sets his sights on Aurora, the twin sister of the new team leader Northstar, as his latest amorous partner. With the two young mutants alone together in the team’s headquarters on Krakoa, Daken decides to employ an unusual pick-up line to impress Aurora, one that revolves around one of Nintendo’s most popular video game franchises: Pokemon.
Daken had initially accompanied the rest of X-Factor to the Mojoverse, following a line of ominous mutant disappearances resulting in the team discovering bloody items left behind. While investigating the parallel dimension’s despotic ruler Mojo and his desire to tap into the popularity of Krakoa’s mutant population for his murderous reality series, Daken nearly exposed himself on a livestream. As the rest of the team was forcibly recruited to participate in the Mojoverse’s viral programming, Daken was ejected for the attempted lewd display as Aurora watched from the comfort of the Boneyard, X-Factor’s base of operations back on Krakoa.
Reunited back in the Boneyard, Aurora observes that this is the first time she has ever seen Daken wearing a shirt. Smiling mischievously, Daken asks Aurora if she’s familiar with Pokemon, with the Canadian superhero visibly caught off-guard by the seemingly nonsensical question. Daken elaborates by comparing himself to a high-level Pokemon with all of its stats maxed out as the absolute pinnacle of its potential, including his flawless physique. As absurd as the pick-up seems on paper, Aurora is visibly intrigued and impressed by Daken’s unorthodox approach as the two mutants grow closer while the rest of the Boneyard’s residents are still preoccupied back in the Mojoverse.
Just as Daken appears poised to make good on his innuendos, he completely spoils the moment by reminding Aurora how she was lured to the Puget Sound and murdered, the tragedy which spurred her brother to create the new X-Factor. To make matters more embarrassing, Aurora was tricked into arriving alone from Krakoa by an illicit tryst at a cheap motel in the Pacific Northwest. With Daken having completely spoiled the moment by reminding her of the circumstances of her recent death, Aurora leaves the kitchen where they were conversing in a huff as Daken is noticeably frustrated by his own overconfidence and inability to read the room, costing himself a romantic night with the former Alpha Flight member, resigned to sleep alone.
The X-Men are no strangers to having complicated love lives, especially with teammates constantly trading romantic partners as they defend a world that hates and fears them. In keeping with that tradition, Daken has not only set his amorous intentions for the twin sister of his new team leader but nearly wooed her with perhaps the most ludicrous pick-up technique, invoking Nintendo’s patently adorable video game series of Pocket Monsters and Pokemon Trainers.
While the come-on may have been unsuccessful at this juncture, it certainly does keep the possibility of romance between the two mutants open for now and leaves dangling an even bigger question regarding this new Dawn of X: Does Krakoa have access to Pokemon Go?
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