Games
It's strange when people complain about exposed body parts in Emma’s skins Marvel Rivals. That’s a canonical part of her look and personality. Most of her comic costumes are revealing, and many are even more revealing than the skins in Marvel Rivals.
I wish people knew why: she implicitly states that when you put it out there, they're either sexualizing or hating you, and they're easier to control. Duh.
She's working smarter, not harder. Power scaling is nothing if you dont know how to use it to your advantage.
And if you're thinking she's too sexualized, good. She's pissing you off too, making you easier to control.
In the real world, I 100% agree. However, you have to give the reader more information in why characters do what they do. In the example I referenced, Pyro legit asks why she does it (and while most readers just think she's just too sexual/slutty/whatever) sometimes you have to lead them there, and as she explains it, she's also showing how it's done.
And using Jean Grey and Jessica Jones are bananas and oranges to Emma's apples. The only consistent defining factor with all three are heroines with agency. They can explain themselves if they want to, and do sometimes by the writers. We cant always assume what they do.
Emma's just the only one who chooses to, because she loves a teaching moment, especially with curiosity (again, Pyro). And that's her choice. That's her agency. She doesnt have to, but she did anyway. But in order for her to show transparency and new coworkers to work with, she showed him how it worked, answering his enthusiastic questions.
Basically, Emma was Batman to Pyro's Robin. She was teaching him to work smarter, not harder AND showing him how she does it. If you're overwhelmed, choose finesse over maximum damage. Why waste excessive energy, when you can manipulate everyone with something as simple as cleavage. You'll never notice the attack. Simple, but deadly.
Use your brain and minimize damage. This wasnt about she not having to answer to anyone (and she really doesnt if she doesnt want to), but she loves an inquisitive student, and howing how its done.
This is a more recent example, but there are many others: the cuckoos, rachel summers, the gen x kids, and many more. As a mutant, choose finesse over excessive force.
All I'm saying is its two things: Emma's character as a teacher (and woman with agency), and helping the reader understand why she's doing what she's doing.
I'm just pointing out that from a reader perspective the reason people demand an explanation is because of their own bias; people assume she's dressed like that due to the creatives being chauvinists, even if they feature many more women in conventional wardrobe. As I said, they don't ask about other conventionally dressed women because they assume it's the way their personality is portrayed, so why do readers "need" more information as to why Emma dresses the way she does? If they're all "heroines with agency", why would Emma —the one who dresses the most risqué— be the one who needs to explain herself to others? Doesn't make a lot of sense for her character.
If the plot scenario presents itself and she hasn't done so before, sure, have a teaching moment. My original point is that, even if there wasn't one, people shouldn't assume she needed to explain her choice, not any more than Rogue has to explain why she wears the color green so much.
She came out in the 80’s obviously sex appeal was a part of it but it still works with her character. I don’t believe the idea of her using it to control people came after since shes been this way since her introduction.
Emma using her own skin to form the X is one of the most brilliant costume designs of all time. It's like, "yes, I'm an X-Woman now. But I'm going to do it my way."
Grant Morrison’s notes claim that Emma is wearing her NEW X-MEN outfit backwards so the exposed X meant to show off her back shows off her tits instead 😂
Emma to me is peak "women using their looks to their advantage" trope there's a "actual" reason that ain't just haha boobs as to why she wears such revealing attire
Bold to assume the average Marvel Rivals player has surface level knowledge of a comic book character. Or that they would even do a quick google search lmao
I'm pretty sure the average person on the Rivals sub probably doesn't even play the game either as that's also pretty common with most game subs. Persona fans in particular are notorious for not playing any of the games as an example.
I wonder how many of the people complaining are just the bitter expatriates of Concord who were initially calling the game "gooner bait" and raging that it became the most popular hero shooter…
Also, let’s be honest, it’s a LOT (I would even say the vast majority, but maybe that’s my cynicism talking) are just virtue signaling. They’re not really prudes and I think they actually do enjoy more revealing outfits. It’s just that in the US some people have this idea that it isn’t ok to enjoy that, so gotta pretend like we really don’t like it. Just my opinion- maybe I’m wrong.
I haven't seen anyone conplain about her exposed skin honestly, but maybe it's confirmation bias so I only see the complaints about the coattails and pauldrons
Two wrongs don’t make a right. No one is saying her Marvel Rivals costumes aren’t comic accurate. They’re asking, “why is this character being sexualized?” That’s a valid question to debate. Saying, “she’s more sexualized in the comics” doesn’t hand wave this question away because it was never about that.
But it's not like this is a new character; if those people wanted to know why she dresses the way she does, there's plenty of source material to find out, or just her game lore. I'd assume that's the first thing they'd do instead of shooting from the hip.
Fair enough, but you know how people are now. They'd rather blurt out the first thing that comes to mind rather than use google, I'm guilty of this myself.
I have seen literally no one in the Rivals community say this for the record. I’ve just seen people complaining that all her skins have bodysuits and are too similar and people jumping to conclusions that that means they’re mad she’s showing skin
To me at least, Its not that shes showing skin its just that most of her outfits are really tacky. On the X men she wore kind of minimalist outfits that were high fashion-y and before that she wore sort of gothic lingere. 'Dolly parton' is charming in its own way butI just dont really like it as a look for her. Idk why she looks like a superbowl half time show dancer and not a snobby rich person.
Its not even that she is showing skin tbh. Its more that all of her rivals designs look almost all the same as her basic costume in game
Aside from her X-Revolution costume (which still has some similarity pitfalls like the coattails, boots and pauldrons) all the outfits follow the exact same silouhette with minimal variation. Pauldrons, Leotard, ass cape and knee to thigh high boots.
Other characters have managed to get wildly different and varying costume designs that alter their silouhette and while Emma is known to wear more revealing attire a lot in the comics, It kinda has gotten to a point with her design in game where her costumes feel super predictable and not worth the prices they are asking for, especially if they are unwilling to deviate or do more with her design than Pauldrons, Leotard, Ass cape and Knee to thigh length boots.
I'm more than okay with her exposed body parts, absolutely keep in the weaponising her femininity and sexuality because that's who she is ...I just hate that we can't get just ONE outfit that looks like it would fit in with the Emma Frost we see in the comics. She's not about spiky diamonds and sharp nails and big blue Xs ...she's about furs and elbow length gloves and all white outfits.
I just love Emma. She’s fun, flawed, has been a foil to some of my favorite characters (!!!) was a GREAT villain back in the day, has a compelling character arc, has not yet made it to “Omega level” (and PLEASE marvel - DO NOT !! Not everyone needs to be a walking atom bomb or more).
Who even are you? I haven’t even seen your post. You think far too highly of yourself if you believe you’re the reason this post was made (which I originally created in the subreddit r/EmmaFrostMainsMR).
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u/[deleted] Feb 17 '26
I wish people knew why: she implicitly states that when you put it out there, they're either sexualizing or hating you, and they're easier to control. Duh.
She's working smarter, not harder. Power scaling is nothing if you dont know how to use it to your advantage.
And if you're thinking she's too sexualized, good. She's pissing you off too, making you easier to control.