Warning: SPOILERS ahead for X-Men Red #16!On the planet formerly known as Mars, the mutant world of Arakko has been plunged into a bitter civil war, and in discovering a path to victory, Storm steals one of Thanos‘ most iconic MCU lines for herself. The Genesis War has put the lives, hopes, and dreams of an entire mutant society at stake. Tempted with the horrific might of the rebels’ ultimate weapon, Ororo’s decision is almost word for word, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”
The conflict on Planet Arakko reaches a crescendo in X-Men Red #16 by Al Ewing, Yildiray Çinar, Federico Blee, VC’s Ariana Maher, and Jordan D. White. Apocalypse’s deadly wife Genesis has brought forth her children War, Famine, Death, and Pestilence as well as the legions of Amenthi demons at their disposal. Port Prometheus, stronghold of the rebellion and port of call to any intergalactic allies, has fallen: first to a ravaging fire, then by a raging flood. In the midst of it all, Storm is delivered the Uranos Trigger, which would unleash the genocidal Eternal and win her the war in the span of an hour.
Realizing her resolve to win is only surpassed by her determination to win on her own terms, the narration reflects Ororo’s decision: “This was the choice. And Uranos knew it. She could release him … or she could do it herself.”
Storm’s “I’ll Do It Myself” Moment is More Impactful Than Thanos’
Previously teased in the first Avengers film, the end credit scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron gives Thanos his first line of dialogue in the MCU. “Fine, I’ll do it myself,” he says with solemn resignation, and grabs an empty golden gauntlet, confirming the Mad Titan is beginning his quest for the Infinity Stones in earnest. It was the moment that comic fans the world over were given confirmation that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be putting its own twist on the beloved Infinity Gauntlet epic. It is a noteworthy moment for all those reasons, but ultimately the famous line is just the acknowledgment that Thanos will be taking a more active role in the grander plot moving forward.
On the other hand, Ororo Munroe’s “do it herself” moment is so much more meaningful for her character. A recurring theme in X-Men Red has been an emphasis on the strength of solidarity and teamwork rather than focusing on individual feats. Even in issue #16, Storm reminds the audience that the power scale of an Omega-level mutant is irrelevant without versatility. Therefore, the choice to single-handedly take the entire planet’s weather into her hands to finish this war communicates how dire the state of things has become. Thanos is a death-dealer committing to his search for a greater engine of death, but Storm is a defender of life sacrificing her own mercy for the future of Arakko.
Thanos is Cool, But Storm is On Another Level With This Line
At present, the scale of the result of Thanos’ declaration is unquestionably larger than Storm’s. His quest irrevocably reshaped the MCU by erasing half of the entire universe’s population for five years. The lives at stake on a single planet in Ororo’s situation is an exceedingly smaller number. However, the impact this line has for Storm’s character development is breathtaking. In comparison, Thanos‘ “I’ll do it myself,” is really just a tease, an incremental increase on the character’s introduction. With Storm and the X-Men’s much anticipated arrival to the MCU, one can only hope that her character arc and dialogue will be handled with as much efficacy as it has been in the last year or two of current comics.