Spoilers for X-Men: Red #11!The X-Men have more than a few ways to defend themselves when fighting off the latest telepathic threat to their species, with the fabled “Red Triangle Protocol” finally being shown in comics, a moment happening between two iconic Marvel characters in Professor X and Storm!
A protocol that has been mentioned before by other X-Men-related characters like the ex-S.W.O.R.D. agent and current traitor, Abigail Brand, this failsafe plan is a type of psychic defense that helps its push out any unwanted visitors in their heads quickly and effectively.
And since this protocol is more of a learned ability rather than a gifted mutant power, the Red Triangle Protocol acts as a handy technique for all of the X-Men to utilize when needed, with a recent Storm vs. Xavier scuffle giving fans a peek at how it all works!
X-Men's Storm Finally Shows Off How The "Red Triangle Protocol" Works
A non-mutant power seen in X-Men: Red #11, by Al Ewing and Stefano Caselli & Jacopo Camagni, this issue sees Professor X and Storm at a crossroads as the climactic A.X.E.: Judgment Day death of Xavier’s long-time friend and rival, Magneto, has put the good professor on edge. Annoyed that Xavier keeps treating her like a soldier that does his bidding at the drop of a telepathic hat rather than treating her as the leader and Omega-level mutant she is, Storm finally snaps when Xavier decides to snoop around in her mind to find out what Magneto’s last words were.
Depicted as a splash page drawn in an old-school X-Men art style, the left side of the telepathic battle sees Xavier letting loose some psychic attacks surrounded by s that show him acting overbearing towards Storm, with the phrase “Those are the orders of Professor X” popping up throughout the image. Across the way, Storm stands defiant as she draws on moments of power, triumph, and personal agency to force Xavier out of her head before he gets what he wants. A protocol teased here and there in the lead-up to this issue, it’s cool to see how the X-Men have been trained -- by Xavier, no less -- to repel evil psychics using this technique, and also, in an unexpected but welcome twist, how heroic the protocol is as it relies on a person’s willpower and defiance to win against foes that often try to erode those attributes in an attempt to infiltrate someone’s mind.
Furthermore, if fans pay close attention to the first image, they can see that Xavier’s psychic prodding is represented by opaque blue circles, a visual detail that is often associated with Professor X's iconic mutant powers, while Storm’s defense is fittingly drawn as red see-through triangles. So even though this awesome “Red Triangle Protocol” hasn’t been seen much in Marvel lore, it’s hands down one of the best non-mutant powers of the X-Men can utilize in a pinch, and now fans know what it’s all about!
X-Men: Red #11 is now available from Marvel Comics.
