Author Alicia McCalla Reacts to Storm Gets Her Powers Back

Storm Gets Her Powers Back Reaction: A Powerful Symbol of Black Female Empowerment in X-Men '97

May 6, 2024

SPOILER ALERT!

If you haven’t watched X-Men ’97 Episode 6, then go back and watch before reading further.

The Power of Representation

As a Black woman, seeing Storm reclaim her power in X-Men '97 filled me with elation and pride. In episode 6, "Life death - Part 2", we witnessed Storm reconnect with her true self, unleashing the storm goddess within after struggling with self-doubt and the loss of her abilities. Watching her crawl through that dark, narrow space while facing her deepest fears, only to emerge in a crackling eruption of lightning and fury, evoked visceral cheers from my soul. It was a moment of profound resonance and inspiration. [YOUTUBE LINK]

A Beacon of Strength and Resilience

Storm has long been an icon of empowerment for Black women like myself. She is not just one of the most powerful mutants in the Marvel universe, but a beacon of representation - a dark-skinned, African woman who is as regal as she is mighty. In a media landscape where Black women have been historically stereotyped, sidelined, or rendered invisible, Storm stands tall as a pillar of strength, resilience, and moral conviction. She matters deeply as a reflection of our power, beauty, and humanity.

Inspiring a Generation of Black Girls

Growing up, I yearned to see myself in the pages of comic books and on screen. Characters like Storm allowed me and countless other Black girls to imagine ourselves as superheroes - as women with agency who could rise above adversity, harness our inner magic, and shape the world for the better. Storm's presence in the X-Men, her leadership of the team, sent a potent message that we belonged in the spotlight and on the frontlines of justice.

Grappling with Identity and Self-Doubt

Life death's depiction of Storm's self-actualization amid her power loss and crisis of identity hit home for me as a Black woman. So often we are forced to grapple with systemic barriers, internalized racism, and gendered discrimination that make us doubt our worth and potential. To see Storm wrestle with those same feelings, and ultimately vanquish them to reclaim her wholeness, felt like a personal victory and testament to the unbreakable spirit of Black womanhood.

Storm Wearing Black Iconic Costume. Author Alicia McCalla Cosplaying Storm Marvel.

Reclaiming Our Magic and Purpose

When her abilities returned stronger than ever in a symbolic transformation - her hair and costume shifting to her iconic look - I felt my own sense of self and purpose fortify too. Because Storm's journey is a metaphor for the reality that when we as Black women fully step into and own our magic, there is nothing we cannot weather or overcome. Our power is immense, divine, and uncontainable.

The Importance of Positive Representation

Iconography matters. Storytelling matters. And the positive representation of Black women as superheroes matters tremendously in a world still so riddled with racial and gender inequity. Storm illuminates the sky and burns through the fog of misrepresentation, lighting a path for Black women and girls to follow. She is an affirmation and a challenge to embrace the storm within us. Because we are the thunder, the hurricane, the life-giving rain - forces of nature unto ourselves.