"Agent X Is Alex Hayden"
by Matthew C.
2002.08.16
FOREWORD:
(As of this
writing, the second issue of "Agent X" has not been published.
This writing proposes answers to the controversy revolving around the true
identity of this new Marvel comic character, "Agent X". All of
this speculation could be entirely incorrect, but I have a feeling I'm
closer to the truth than even I realize. This writing presumes prior
knowledge of the characters involved.)
Ok, now (after looking over
recent issues of Deadpool and the first issue of Agent X) I'm under the
impression that Agent X may be BOTH the character we know as Deadpool AND
the character we know as the Black Swan, but neither entirely. Hence, a
"new" person; A "new" character.
I believe all of the following
things are true relative to the identity of Agent X.
1. Agent X IS Deadpool.
2. Agent X IS the Black Swan.
3. Agent X IS NEITHER Deadpool NOR the Black Swan.
I can already hear people
saying "how could that be?" Let me explain. Let's figure
each theory out by itself...
1. AGENT X IS DEADPOOL:
There are several things that
lead us to believe Agent X is Deadpool. (I avoid saying that Agent X is
"Wade Wilson", because it has been revealed that Deadpool is not
the real Wade Wilson, he killed Mercedes Wilson and the real Wade Wilson
became T-Ray.)
First of all, Thanos said that Deadpool would never die. (Deadpool issue #64)
Then take a look at the covers
for the final issue of Deadpool and the cover of the first issue of Agent
X. (Deadpool issue #69 and Agent X issue #1) They're almost identical.
Same jumping/kicking figure pose. Even the (hench)men in the background
are almost exactly identical. (aren't those last two words redundant?)
Anyway, the humor expressed in
the first issue of Agent X (throughout Agent X issue #1, most notably in
journal entries) is what we've been accustomed to as Deadpool readers and,
although toned down, it's return is very welcome(-amundo). Agent X's
healing factor is also a very familiar trademark. (first seen in Agent X
issue #1) In the last issue of Deadpool, issue 69, Deadpool tells the
Black Swan that he "might, might not" die if the suitcase bomb
is detonated. (Deadpool issue #69)
The Agent X character seems to
talk constantly and annoys the Taskmaster with it. (Agent X issue #1) And
even after repeated insistence that he is not "Wilson", the
Taskmaster still tells Sandi that Alex Hayden IS "Wade Wilson".
(Agent X issue #1)
Lastly, the dialogue boxes in
Agent X's title are similar to those we've seen in Deadpool's title. When
Deadpool spoke, the dialogue boxes were a gradient of yellow. Now when
Agent X speaks, they're a gradient of gray.
And gray is a shade of black,
which brings me to my next hypothesis...
2. AGENT X IS THE BLACK SWAN:
Well, aside from the dialogue
box color, which supports both Deadpool and Black Swan theories, there are
a number of things that lead us to believe Agent X is the Black Swan.
In an issue of Deadpool, DP
meets a child who draws a picture of a black bird and a figure that looks
like Deadpool. (Deadpool issue #68) The "Deadpool" figure is
crossed out, but the black bird is not. And after DP tells the kid he'll
be back to see him, the child answers "No. No, You won't, Mr. 'Pool.
I'm sorry."
After seeing Agent X in
action, Outlaw tells the Taskmaster that this IS NOT Wade
"Wilson" because this person is a much better shot with a
handgun that Deadpool ever was. (Agent X issue #1) In Deadpool issue 69,
the Black Swan tells his henchman Nijo, "I shot the Four Winds. Mr.
Wilson shot a fruit plate and a butter dish". (Deadpool issue #69)
And tells Deadpool that "you couldn't have made those shots". (Deadpool
issue #69)
Next, look at the way Agent X
converses with the Taskmaster. In Agent X issue #1, he tells the
Taskmaster, "How would it be if I shot you and told Sandi it was a
training accident? But that would be impolite, which is unacceptable among
gentlemen". (Agent X issue #1) Who does that sound like?
In a conversation with Sandi,
Agent X says: "If I throw up, I'll aim for the planter". To that
she replies: "that's a sign of good breeding". Sounds like the
Black Swan to me.
Finally, Agent X proclaims:
"I want to be a mercenary. The best there's ever been". The
Black Swan says something almost identical to that. Hmm, sounds like the
Swan to me.
Agent X / Alex Hayden is also
able to get inside the Taskmaster's head and block the Taskmaster's
ability to physically replicate any move he sees performed. (Agent X issue
#1) This Agent X "mental power" is reminiscent of the Black
Swan's natural ability to get inside someone's mind. (Deadpool issues #65,
#69)
But isn't the Black Swan dead?
3. AGENT X IS NEITHER DEADPOOL NOR THE BLACK SWAN:
Both Deadpool and the Black
Swan were supposedly blown up in the final issue of the Deadpool title. (Deadpool
issue #69) Both men were in the mansion and the mansion
exploded. Someone could have gotten out, but it's not likely.
Marvel Comics will not say
whether Agent X
IS or
IS NOT the character we know as Deadpool. But we do
know that Marvel has renamed all of the existing Rob Liefeld creations to
avoid paying him royalties for continued use of those names.
("X-Force" was renamed "X-statix". "Cable"
was renamed "Soldier X". Was the "Deadpool" title
simply renamed "Agent X"?)
I propose that Agent X is Alex
Hayden and isn't anyone we know...really. "Alex Hayden" seems
very familiar and parts of him ARE Deadpool. But parts of him are the
Black Swan too.
Neither Deadpool nor the Black
Swan would let the other out of the mansion alive, and maybe they
couldn't, maybe they didn't. A person with Deadpool's healing factor could
have survived the blast to become Agent X and now that person is using the
Black Swan's proficiency with weapons to impress Outlaw and his
"mental power" to best the Taskmaster. (Agent X issue #1)
Since the Black Swan's
"mental power" started to go haywire at the end of Deadpool
issue #69, Deadpool and the Black Swan started to share thoughts,
memories, and experiences.
This would explain why Agent X
speaks in the mannerisms of both Deadpool and the Black Swan. This also
explains why Agent X knows about and is immediately comfortable with Sandi
and the Taskmaster.
I propose Agent X is BOTH
Deadpool and the Black Swan. And, at the same time, Agent X is NEITHER.
Agent X doesn't even know who he is. But I do.
Agent X is Alex Hayden.
read the original epilogue
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