7. Vanisher: repositioning and escape

7. Vanisher: repositioning and escape Vanisher’s teleportation gives Factor Three a member who can change position without following the routes everyone else has to use. Alongside a fighter as difficult to move as Blob, that makes for a useful combination. By X-Men #37, he is also another returning enemy with a personal grievance. At the staged trial, Vanisher recalls the defeat that left him without his memory of his identity and powers. Factor Three gives that grievance a collective cause and a much larger operation. His field assignment in #38 pairs him with Blob at the European target. During the fight with Angel and Marvel Girl, Blob is suddenly placed in Angel’s path, using teleportation to turn an open route into a blocked one. Vanisher also carries a gas weapon. When he threatens Angel with it, Warren’s wings blow the gas back. Jean redirects some of it around Blob, bringing down the more physically resistant opponent. The outcome exposes the limits of their partnership. Vanisher teleports away and leaves Blob behind. His power preserves his own freedom even after the position they were defending has become untenable. That makes him a distinctive part of the lineup. He can supply surprise and mobility, but the scene gives no reason to treat him as the organization’s dependable rescue service. When the operation deteriorates, his clearest priority is getting himself out.