Meet Snowflake, Marvel’s First Non-Binary Superhero

Marvel Comics has revealed the roster for the debut of the New Warriors reboot. But the initial response to the new team was mixed, with praise for introducing Marvel’s first non-binary superhero — but also widespread (understandable) criticism lobbed against the character’s name and appearance.

The new team of the upcoming New Warriors reboot by Daniel Kibblesmith and Lucciano Vecchio is combining old characters with brand new ones, featuring new creations with names like B-Negative, Screentime, and Trailblazer. But there is no question that the character generating the most discussion online following the reveal is actually the team’s new set of twins: Snowflake and Safespace. The psychic twins have differing powers, as Snowflake can generate sharp snowflake-like shurikens, while Safespace can create defensive barriers. Snowflake was even introduced as non-binary; a term used to identify individuals who don’t identify as either male or female. While the inclusion of a non-binary character represents much-needed progress and representation from Marvel… the “Snowflake” moniker, along with the character’s costume, has been criticized. Making Loki genderfluid was a brilliant move, but where that was handled well and with care, Snowflake is facing accusations of unearned satire.

While they’ve been better in recent years, Marvel’s not exactly at the forefront of representation – especially in the movies, where the MCU’s first openly gay character (after more than 20+ movies) was represented by a meaningless throwaway line. The upcoming Eternals movie will feature the first gay lead in a Marvel movie. However, in the comics, the inclusion of a non-binary character represents a major stepping-stone when it comes to accurately representing “the world outside your window.” But making that step by naming such a progressive character ‘Snowflake’ — which has become a derogatory term used to call someone sensitive (or worse) — is a rough way to start.

The same goes for Snowflake’s twin ‘Safespace,’ another term often used to mock those seeking to support minorities of any kind, by offering environments and communities free from prejudice. It’s possible (even likely) Kibblesmith and Vecchio have cooked up a meaningful storyline that explains the reasoning behind those names. But at first glance, it’s baffling to see. Comic book fans, especially those who identify as non-binary should be excited to see Marvel introduce a non-binary superhero for the first time. Instead, seeing the character branded “Snowflake” leaves the legitimate conclusion that the name, like the character, is meant to be something of a joke. And with so little else known, perhaps it is.

But when dealing with topics relating to identity, especially when making history with a “first” character, it’s a big deal to get it right. Unfortunately, that’s not the case when it comes to New Warriors’ newest hero. Hopefully Snowflake can rise above their initial first impression.

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Liam McGuire
(2569 Articles Published)

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Lead writer for Screen Rant’s comic team. [email protected]. Find me on Twitter @LiamRMcGuire for comic news and reporting.

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