A Wealthy X-Man Buys Her Teammates’ Loyalty
Monet tries to secure the friendship of her teammates by buying nice clothes for them, but learns that their loyalty isn’t so easily bought.
In 1994, a new X-Men team formed. Called Generation X, the group featured teenage mutants such as Jubilee, Monet St. Croix, and Synch learning to use their powers and work together under instruction from Emma Frost and Banshee. When Monet first joined Generation X, she had trouble relating to the other kids. Her incredible intelligence combined with her wealthy upbringing gave her a haughty demeanor, and Jubilee, in particular, often made fun of her for being a “snobby rich girl.” Over time, Monet managed to earn the trust and friendship of her teammates, but she made some missteps at first. One of these missteps was attempting to buy her teammates’ loyalty.
In Uncanny X-Men #318 (by Scott Lobdell, Roger Cruz, Tim Townsend, Steve Buccellato, and Grover Eliopoulos), young mutants Jubilee, Monet, Husk, and Synch are getting ready to move into the Xavier Institute to start their training as part of Generation X. Before moving in, the X-Men take them to the mall, and Monet buys expensive new outfits for herself and her teammates. Because Monet comes from such a wealthy family, she has no trouble with spending exorbitant amounts of money on impulse.
Monet buys her teammates expensive clothes as a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to secure their friendship and loyalty. The gift thrills some, including Jubilee. Others are a bit more skeptical. Synch expresses ambivalence over Monet’s generosity, explaining that he likes to earn nice things instead of simply having them handed to him. But Monet doesn’t seem to understand his perspective.
Throughout Generation X, Monet has some difficulty getting along with her teammates. Her high intelligence means that information obvious to her isn’t always apparent to others. This often leads her to become impatient with their inability to follow along. Monet is also very independent and self-reliant by nature, making her initially hesitant to trust and rely on her teammates. She feels that her issues are her responsibility alone and hides things from the rest of the team out of fear of appearing weak. When the other members of Generation X first meet Monet, their first impression of her is that she is enigmatic and aloof. They don’t see the complexity underneath her façade of perfection.
However, Monet and her teammates eventually understand and appreciate each other. When Monet’s villainous brother Emplate attacks Generation X, the team sees Monet’s more frightened and vulnerable side. It helps them realize that she isn’t as perfect and indestructible as she pretends to be. After facing powerful telepaths and dangerous murderers together, Monet and her teammates forge a trust with each other. They know that they can rely on each other to have their back in a fight. Monet’s teammates befriend her off the battlefield as well. At Christmas, they all share stories of their past. Later, they all bond by watching horror movies together. Though it takes some time, Monet’s peers eventually accept her.
Monet does come to acquire the trust and friendship of her Generation X teammates. But it isn’t through spending vast amounts of money on them. Instead, working together and proving herself to be a reliable teammate and friend earns her the kind of connection she sought. Of course, Monet can’t buy her teammates’ loyalty, but she does eventually earn it, and both she and her team are the better for it.
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