X-Men Spotlight: LOURDES CHANTEL! Powers, History, & Future Theories!

Marvel has released the solicit for Marauders # 22, and the cover teases the return of Hellfire Deep-Cut LOURDES CHANTEL! This book has been all about the Hellfire Trading Company, so are we finally going to have a new Black Queen named at the table?
I have some theories about what this cover might mean for the X-World, and I am a big fan of Lourdes even though she only had one appearance, so watch this video if you want to learn a little bit about her, and prophesize with me about what a return of Lourdes might mean for the X-Men!
#xmen #marvel #comicbooks
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✦ CHAPTERS ✦
0:00 - Intro
0:49 - Black Queen History
2:14 - Selene’s Reign
4:32 - Lourdes Chantel History
8:19 - Theories!
12:18 - End
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[@willbeaty6892]

"They're bringing back that lady who only ever showed up in the backup story of Classic X-men #7" is my big 2021 mood.

[@GreatXMentations]

Lourdes being the break-out character of the year is exactly what I didn't know I needed!

[@willbeaty6892]

@@GreatXMentations trying to explain this development to my DC comics loving husband is a testament to the dangers of marrying a gay flatscan.

[@tubefan10]

@@willbeaty6892 LOL!!

[@toddholland7511]

She was the reason the Inner Circle is called “The Lords Cardinal”.

[@LunaticReason]

I consider myself a big X-men fan but I'm shocked to say that Lourdes Chantel is a character I was a bit unaware of. Nice to see her back that is a deep dive.

[@GreatXMentations]

She's literally a blink-and-you-miss-her kind of character, and I am extremely pleased that Marvel is dipping deep into the x-lore here!

[@matthewschwartz6607]

Yeah, I never read this story, but I have heard about it. Shaw got some background here. Thanks for doing this video.

[@baalirock8727]

I was not familiar w/ Lourdes before your video. Great summary, and I am very excited about the ramifications of her resurrection!

[@GreatXMentations]

Awesome! The more the good word of Lourdes gets around, the better off the world will be 😁

[@sammarsden1805]

I hope Lourdes gets new abilities or an upgrade if Selene is going to fight her for the black queen title cause well Selene’s powers and sorcery vastly outmatches Lourdes

[@GreatXMentations]

Yeah Lourdes won't stand a chance against Selene in a brawl. But since the resurrection eggs tend to have some way of 'optimizing' mutant powers, like how they did for Synch and Nanny and Wild Child, maybe they'll have some sort of wonky effect on Lourdes too?

[@rell127]

The last Black Queen I believe was Monet but this should be interesting

[@4Bashment]

I like the idea of her supporting shaw

[@GreatXMentations]

Shaw's had a pretty raw deal lately with the Marauders ladies, so I'd like to see him strike back, and even better if Lourdes is on his side

[@davidcooper9955]

CHILEEE ur videos eat. Why are you so underrated wtf?

[@willbeaty6892]

Because YT is too basic for X-fandom, until the MCU kids get on board.

[@308719236]

fun fact about Reeva Payge if you watched the Fox proudced Gifted she is the Main antagonist of season 2 and was pretty badass

[@GreatXMentations]

Oooo I didn't make it to season II, but that is super cool to hear! The series was pretty great with using obscure characters like Beautiful Dreamer, and Reeva Payge is right up there in obscurity. I have been meaning to get back into it since it's available on streaming now, and I feel a lot more into it knowing that she's in it now too

[@alealejo78]

Where are they streaming The Gifted ?

[@GreatXMentations]

@@alealejo78 Disney+, at least in Canada it is, but I dunno about other countries

[@matthewschwartz6607]

Is that show still on? I actually saw a few episodes (And liked them.).

[@308719236]

@@matthewschwartz6607 no

[@tubefan10]

Wow! A lot of thought, knowledge & introspection went into this video and it left me standing in the exact same spot as you are now thanks to you lol. I'm going to have to keep an eye on this story thread now that you got me totally intrigued.

[@GreatXMentations]

Glad it was helpful! I'd definitely love for Lourdes to become a fixture of some sort in the comics, so the more interest that's raised about her in the fandom, the better!

[@laronwilkes4898]

This video was fantastic! Subbed!

[@GreatXMentations]

Aw thanks 🙏 glad you enjoyed

[@adambrokas5845]

I think/hope Emma plans to re-introduce Lourdes and Harry (post resurrection) at the Hellfire Gala. I don’t know how I feel about Lourdes as Black Queen, as I am a Selene “stan”, unless maybe it’s used as a vehicle to make Selene want back what was once “ hers”. But I am all for Emma using Lourdes as yet another means to torture Sebastian.

[@GreatXMentations]

I would honestly love any excuse to get Selene back on these X-Pages in a forceful capacity. She's only been seen in group shots and then a bit for the External Gate that Apocalypse made, but there's been nothing in terms of actual storyline for her. Lourdes vs Selene for the Black Queen title would be great, but I could also see Lourdes going for Black King as well as revenge on Seb

[@Jumpoable]

@@GreatXMentations Don't think Selene wants to even be on Krakoa. She's probably done the math, & does not want to tango with the Hellfire Club, Sinister, Apocalypse (at the beginning) & Xavier with all these other powerful omega mutants around. Selene just wants to do Selene, & she's been at it for centuries. That's why she's doing over in middle America doing that ridiculous stuff in Captain America. It seems like she's actually insane, & just wants to play games to amass power, doing stupid things but on a grander scale (claiming property & taking lives) just to please her own ego & feel like a "goddess." That woman needs centuries of therapy. I guess if you're immortal & need to feast on people's life essences in order to stay immortal, you'll end up a bit mad. But you can bet she's planning something to mess up Krakoa, but we've already got Sinister, Mystique & now Shadow King. Would love for Selene to step her crazy up & take over Arako.

[@drreyes]

Oooo I love that. It's true that Selene should probably be over the Hellfire Club by now. It's really been a lazy fall-back trope for her ever since she was first nominated to become Black Queen. Her obsession with taking it over is a bit of a tired narrative, especially since the club could never really provide her with the almighty power that she sought in the first place. I've been a bad fan and haven't read her Captain America stuff, so I'm going to have to catch up and see what foolishness that lady's been up to. It does feel weird having her active over there and ignored in the X-pages though...I'm waiting for some sort of ramification to come from her Capt America activities as per Krakoan law (I assume she be killing people 😂)

[@rell127]

Just found this channel and I like it. Keep up the good work

[@GreatXMentations]

Thanks!

[@MatthewMobscene]

9:09 the classic costumes really don't have to mean the issue is set in the past, it's just probably an homage. Besides, the artist that did this cover actually has a thing for drawing the modern version of the old school costumes, I saw him do the same with Jean, Storm and a few others lately, it was probably just his artistic choice

[@GreatXMentations]

I hope you're right. Something about the wording of the solicit made me feel as though something was going to be retconned - "the flames of hellfire past come licking at the door". I can't recall the exact quote, but it came across as though some secrets from the night of Lourdes' death were going to be revealed. I still hold out for a resurrection though!

[@alealejo78]

She seems interesting ! Thank you for the backup story

[@GreatXMentations]

Thanks for watching! I hope they do her legacy justice in whatever they have planned for her

[@bryantgonzalez4514]

Great video! Lourdes Chantel did actually appear a second time in the Hellfire Club mini series from the early 2000s.

[@GreatXMentations]

Oh that's awesome, thanks for letting me know. I totally missed that issue. I'm glad she had at least another appearance. It will be great to see her in one of the main titles for once.

[@armoghetto]

Agree 100%. Want Lourdes back in modern day! And more on why her son has Leland’s power as opposed to Sebastian’s power

[@Jumpoable]

Shinobi Shaw is the illegitimate son of Sebastian. The mother of Shinobi is an unnamed Japanese woman.

[@armoghetto]

Thanks for reminding me. Always wanted his mom to be Lourdes.

[@matthewschwartz6607]

Whatever happened to characters like Mountjoy and The Red Queen? Warren Ellis did a version of The Hellfire Club during his Excalibur run. It would be interesting to see those characters again. The Fenrus Twins are in The Marauders book? What issues?

[@GreatXMentations]

Yeah I don't think we've seen any of the old London branch of the Hellfire Club since it's debut in Excalibur. I have no idea what became of them. I thought they were all really interesting, though. I like having new characters introduced for these roles, but not if they are just gonna up and disappear. Fenris were announced as Black Knights in Marauders #8, though it wasn't to much fanfare 😂

[@welcome1971]

That wasn't Jean Grey, that was the Phoenix in a Jean Grey costume that it created. Jean Grey was in a healing cocoon at the bottom of Jamaica Bay.

[@GreatXMentations]

This is true. I just mentioned Jean Grey in the video for simplicity's sake 😂

[@AdrianMendoza23]

I hope Lourdes comes back and I hope it's a modern day issue. Hold up,I had no idea Sage was Tessa, mind blown. What do you think of seeing Selene at the Hellfire Galla? I hope Selene pops in to say hello.

[@GreatXMentations]

Selene working that dark seduction on Angel was a highlight for me in Hellfire Gala X-Corp issue!

[@enderefecerit1980]

I do not understand why you consider Marauder #22 as a flashback story? Sure, there could be some flashback scenes, but now there is the Five :) Leland was mentioned to be in resurrection queue, and Chantel could be resurrected as well. My bet is on that story is a current one, not a past one.

[@GreatXMentations]

My fingers are crossed that it will be a current one. I would love for Lourdes to be resurrected! My guess in it being a flashback story is based on the cover art, since Lourdes & Emma are dressed in their clothes from the night of Lourdes' death, and even the Hellfire sigil looks like an old one. The Marauders writer released a hint about the issue too, but it could just be a red herring, so it's anybody's guess! Here's what he said: “Painful secrets are revealed in the wake of this year’s triumphant Hellfire Gala. Lourdes was a flame that burned bright, and was extinguished before Cerebro came online, making her resurrection a lost cause - OR IS IT??”

[@MoCa1979Jr]

I'm a pretty big X-fan, but I'll admit since their stories span decades I haven't read all of their stories. I know most of the character through the glossaries I used to buy that has character bios. While I've heard Lourdes's name in passing, I never knew anything about, least of all her powers (which tend to interest me the most about any character--especially mutants). I'm glad that Marvel's reviving some of their more obscure character & featuring them in modern stories. Hopefully they'll use Lourdes creatively. I think her powers need some alteration (perhaps allow her to teleport farther by the amount of life force she absorbs), & maybe she could become a secret ally of Shaw's (because he sure does need 1 right about now), given their backstory. I hope they bring Gamesmaster back, because he should be an Omega-Level telepath.

[@GreatXMentations]

Shaw really does need some people in his corner. I am pretty tired of the Emma & Kate team up always getting the better of him. I need some more drama from the opposition to keep this feud interesting, and Lourdes could very well add the spice that it's lacking 🌶

[@MoCa1979Jr]

@@GreatXMentations Indeed. But like I said, they need to improve upon Lourdes's powers. Allow her to drain life-force in order to "super-charge" her teleportational powers. It'd make her even more dangerous if she can drain life-force & teleport farther. Plus it'd set her apart from other teleporters.

[@june854]

I do know that Tessa, went on to become sage! But why wasn't Tessa (sage) a black queen??? In the hellfire club, she'dressed in black also

[@GreatXMentations]

I don't think the comics ever address that specifically, but my guess is that it's because she doesn't have the lineage to be an official member. Most of the Hellfire Kings, Queens, etc seem to come from a very privileged/esteemed background, and I don't think that Tessa ever had the raw power or the wealth to ever be eligible for official Black Queen status. That would be my guess anyway.

[@mmasque2052]

Tessa might have been more useful to Shaw as an assistant and analyst, even if she was Professor X’s plant in the Hellfire Club, for him to promote her to Black Queen; he might not have access to his help then. And she may likely have demurred if he had asked her to become the Black Queen; she’d be much more valuable as a spy being of lower rank than in a more public persona like the Black Queen.

[@17mindgate]

I think that it is about Shinobi's parentage and his ties to Leland.

[@GreatXMentations]

Yes, I think you might be right. Shinobi hasn't really done a lot since his resurrection, so this would be a great payoff to bringing his character back and finally settling this long-theorized fan assumption.

[@amber-jg5jv]

She'll be resurrected, and this is not in the past, in Marauders #20 Sebastian asks Emma to bring her back and this other guys was already brought in a conversation where Emma says they were going to bring him back too

[@GreatXMentations]

Since Cerebro doesn't have her imprint uploaded, I predict they might form her from their collective memories of her, or like from a Sentinel databsae or something

[@amber-jg5jv]

@@GreatXMentations either way I'm glad to see that she'll be joining and will probably get a more important role, hopefully the black queen, and that Selene will be in x-corp cuz i love that woman just as much as I love Emma frost

[@june854]

Give the he'll fire club their own comic!

[@GreatXMentations]

I'd buy that! 💸💸💸

[@vginsprdsobepr9698]

Lordes has a wonderful design. I hope we get another Latin hero.

[@rell127]

Well last I remember Monet was the last Black Queen durning the last Magneto led X-men .

[@GreatXMentations]

I had thought so too, but turns out she was holding the White Queen title instead. I wonder what Emma had to say about that

[@rell127]

@@GreatXMentations Hold up seriously? She would have made the perfect black Queen especially when she said her family had long and strong ties to the hellfire club for over a century.

[@GreatXMentations]

@@rell127 Yeah even her attitude feels more aligned with the Black than the White, not to mention her shady family as you point out.

[@rell127]

@@GreatXMentations Exactly Monet has always been a underdog favorite of mine and I'm surprised Marvel didn't ever do something more with especially when she was a breake out in the rebooted X-factor.

[@GreatXMentations]

@@rell127 She was my fav in that X-Factor team hands down. I just love her snark! Are you gonna pick up the new X-Corps series? She and Angel are slated to be the stars of it.

[@TheOther644]

Selene was seen in Captain America and in X-Men with Apocalypse and the other Externals so she isn't locked away like Sabretooth. I she is still the Black Queen she isn't giving up that power but given how many times she's used and betrayed those of the Club I can see them wanting her out. If she is brought back through Krakoa than she could comeback to the Club on her own but if Selene brings Lourdes Chantel back than she could be the one manipulating things behind the scenes?

[@GreatXMentations]

oooo yeah, maybe it'll be a Selene & Lourdes team up. I didn't even think of that. That would be interesting!

[@danielmercier2301]

I would love for their to be a new black queen and give this character a shot àt the title

[@GreatXMentations]

If they aren't going to use Selene in the role, then there might as well be someone different occupying it. Lourdes is definitely the candidate to beat in my books!

[@Jumpoable]

@@GreatXMentations I think she's too compassionate & gentle to be in that role. But perhaps that's what they want for the new Inner Circle...

[@drreyes]

@@Jumpoable Yeah, especially with Kate & Emma at the helm it feel like they are going for something a bit less diabolical in the circle's make-up. Though the Black does still seem to be mostly villains holding the titles for now... The more I've been thinking about Lourdes' (possible) resurrection, the more I'm split on if she'll come back angry and just seek revenge against Shaw, or if she'll be forgiving and understanding and ultimately inspire Shaw change his ways toward being more 'good'

[@matthewschwartz6607]

I LOVE Selene! I don’t like her hanging around on the island though, her and Sinister should stay as villains. The X-Men shouldn’t tolerate them either.

[@GreatXMentations]

There are theories going around that Selene might end up in The Pit because of what she's doing over in Captain America as a member of the Power Elite. I haven't read any of those issues yet, but it sounds like she might be breaking a few Krakoan laws, as she's prone to do 🤭

[@lt2143]

The Black Queen will always be the Master Mind manipulated Jean Grey with Selene as a distant second. Who the hellfire is Lourdee Champagne ??

[@lordsxman]

3 Questions: Why is that the male members of the Hellfire Club are fully dressed in suits but the women look like S&M models? Is there a Hellfire Academy or Xavier school for Youngsters on Krakoa?? How is it your video views are 4x higher than your sub count???

[@GreatXMentations]

lolll The Hellfire Club dress code takes its cue from a highly sexist and patriarchal-puritan fashion consultant for sure. Though there is an interesting back-up story in Classic X-Men #34 that addresses this very issue, and Emma gives one of her classic quotes where she says that her choice of clothing is her battle armor. As far as I know, there is no official school operating on Krakoa. Looks like education is a human thing 😂 And I have no idea about the sub count:video view ratio lol but those people need to start hitting the subscribe button!! 😝

[@new_yawker901]

Answer to question 1: writer Chris Claremont/artist john Byrne were huge fans of the 1960s tv series "the avengers"....there is an episode called "a touch of brimstone" where they got the idea of introducing a hellfire club into the x-men mythos/the female s&m costumes (queen of sin) etc.

[@shawngatewood3673]

Selene... has been fighting captain America

[@GreatXMentations]

Yeah, and they've actually fought before in an old issue of Captain America (#369), so it's not as out-of-left-field as it seems

[@june854]

Poor Lourdes Chantal, is who should have left sambastian Shaw and contacted the X-men when she had the chance! I do what to know what she and Emma Frost are up to.

[@GreatXMentations]

Lourdes definitely had the right instincts. I think she'll be looking for some payback against Shaw for making her teleport to her death 🤭

[@Jumpoable]

Think the cover is a flashback. Don't know why she would still be wearing that Spanish dancing dress if she was murdered in it. LOL. Although yes it looks gorgeous on her.

[@GreatXMentations]

lol blood-splattered vintage is in! But yes, even the text that accompanies the solicit makes it all seem like it'll be a flashback issue now

[@ceejeezyCGZ]

Where is The Living Monolith?

[@GreatXMentations]

lol now that is another obscurity I'd love to see back in action. I don't think he's been resurrected since his apparent destruction after his brush with Cyttorak's power. I have a sneaking suspicion he's not a top priority on the resurrection list, either 😂

[@tiagofernandes8633]

Lordes legacy? She haves no legacy... I really hope this is a story in the past but not about them working against sebastion... Ive been waiting for Selene to show up and see what she thinks about this new hellfire club since krakoa became a thing... Please dont put anyone else as the black queen

[@GreatXMentations]

It has felt really weird not seeing anything from Selene during all of this Hellfire Trading Club business, but not only that, also not having any mention of a Black Queen whatsoever is strange. I wonder if Marvel is doing away with the Queen/King roles for each color, and just having one Head Honcho be at the top instead (be it a Queen or a King).

[@joemagnum611]

So another white woman is in the Hellfire Club as a queen while Bishop who's the only black man in the club is only a Bishop for a little girl?

[@craigalston2208]

Considering all the white characters that have been switched from white to black over the past 12 + years I don't see what there is to complain about . Captain America= black male & black female version , Nick Fury=black , Batman=black , Wonder Woman= black , Superman=black , Batwoman=black , Starfire=black , Spiderman=black , Ironman=black female , just to name a few .

[@joemagnum611]

@@craigalston2208 all of those characters are white except Fury and Miles Morales and Starfire is gold. The problem is Bishop is a black man that has to answer to a little white girl when he should be in a position of power

[@craigalston2208]

@@joemagnum611 do a little more comic reading and you will see that ALL those titles have been recast at some point in time to be black characters . Something I came to realize a long time ago is that if Every ethnicity / race on earth just disappeared one day EXCEPT for black people that within a month a dark skin blacks and light skin blacks would start accusing each other of systemic racism and this foolishness would still continue on a planet only occupied by black people . A few months back a light skin black actress was cast to play the part of NINA SIMONE in a movie and the dark skin blacks were on the internet talking sh** about this actress . Black people are going to find something to complain about even amongst each other .

[@joemagnum611]

@@craigalston2208 I've been reading comics for 30 years. The fact is that every character you named reverted to the white characters that they were except Fury. Miles is the second tier Spider-Man. Riri was never Ironman she just occupied the book. Starfire has never been black and everybody else are white. Yes Falcon was Cap for a time but who's Cap now? Batman is a white man. Wonder Woman is white. The woman of color that they inserted is going to be Wonder Girl. What does anything you have to say have to do with the fact that Bishop is subservient to a little white girl when he deserves better. If he's part of the Hellfire Club he should be a King and not answer to Kitty.

[@craigalston2208]

@@joemagnum611 I'm sure that the actress playing Starfire on the TV show is black in the comics she has a light orange / peach skin tone . Like I said at one time or another everyone I named was recast as black characters . I didn't say that it was a permanent change I only said that the change took place . You have one of 2 options you can complain directly to the comic book companies OR you can open up your own comic book company & create your own black comic book characters because NO ONE who owns any of the currently operating comic book companies owe you , or me , or anyone else ANYTHING and can do what ever they want to with THEIR comic book characters .