Warning: SPOILERS for Gwenpool Strikes Back #5
Gwenpool recently discovered she has a flashback ability that basically gives her Scarlet Witch-level powers of reality manipulation. This was all because of her origin being from our universe, or so we – and Gwenpool thought. Gwen Poole may actually be a mutant, and her subconscious has changed her perception of the world to protect her.
Gwenpool is out of the ordinary. She comes from our universe and was transported to Earth-616 where she has been causing havoc as a hero and even more havoc attempting to be a villain. She has an intimate knowledge of superheroes as a result of reading about them in comics and has the ability to leap between the panels of comic pages. The abilities might be mutant, after all.
The twist came in the final issue of Gwenpool Strikes Back, a miniseries which sees the titled “hero” fighting to prove herself worthy of an ongoing presence in the Marvel Comic universe. Her knowledge of the comic industry has her concerned that if she does not make a big enough impression on readers, her series will be canceled, and she will fade into obscurity – never to be seen from again. This miniseries has seen her try everything and anything she could think of to make a lasting impact on the Marvel Universe. So she decided to up the mayhem and prove herself. Gwen started out by trying (and failing) to have Spider-man bite her to get his powers – because everyone likes a spider-themed hero. In her “sex sells” issue, she made out with Mr. Fantastic. Then she trapped her superhero peers on an island and had them face off in a battle royale. When she shot Bruce Banner in the head, the plan backfired. But she did manage to confirm that there is a Steve/Bucky fanfiction even on Earth-616.
Now, in the final issue, Gwen has decided it was time for her big boss fight against Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel. Kamala, of course, refuses to fight Gwen and tries to talk with her; truly concerned about Gwen’s increasingly manic behavior. When Kamala says she knows Gwen has powers, that finally stops her in her tracks. Mama Kamala has a theory about Gwenpool. Ms. Marvel thinks if the teenage Gwen Poole recently developed her powers, that could mean she is actually a mutant. A powerful mutant with reality-bending powers would explain why she doesn’t remember being a mutant. The shock of her powers manifesting could have caused her subconscious to change her own perception of reality, manufacturing her belief that she lives in a comic book world. A way to protect itself from the newfound ability she could not control yet.
Gwenpool – to the reader’s surprise, seems to have a moment of clarity with Kamala and admits it is all true. She made it all up, that she did not come from the real world. Gwen forfeits their “fight” citing she was killed with kindness before she escapes to the white space – the dimension outside the comic panels. Her inner monologue then reveals she knows she is not a mutant, but she is just so tired of fighting to stay in existence. She now knows she is going to die, and no one will miss her. Just as she is having these dark thoughts, a Krakoan gate appears in front of her.
Fans of Hickman’s current X-men run know that this gate only allows mutants to pass through it freely, something Gwen is able to do! She steps onto the island nation of Krakoa, where all mutants have moved to. As it dawns on her, she becomes overjoyed. As apart of Krakoa, she will have a permanent future. She believes she has retconned her own past, making her a mutant – although she still sees herself as a fraud. But as she pulls herself into the white space, she can see multiple new story paths with even direction she takes. While it may not be for certain if she is truly a mutant or not, one thing is for sure: Gwenpool is here to stay.
Gwenpool Strikes Back #5 is available now from your physical and digital comic book store, or direct from Marvel Comics.
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