Warren Worthington comes back with history on his side. He was there near the beginning, he knows Xavier and Scott, and the mansion is already part of his life. None of that gua…

Warren Worthington comes back with history on his side. He was there near the beginning, he knows Xavier and Scott, and the mansion is already part of his life. None of that guarantees an easy fit with the people currently living in it. His return gives the post-Phoenix team an experienced X-Man while Scott is away. It also creates a useful contrast with Kitty. She is learning everything for the first time; Warren has to learn which of his expectations no longer apply. Familiar walls can make that second adjustment harder to notice. He still has a clear contribution in the field. Flight brings scouting, speed and the ability to reach someone who is falling. During the Doom-and-Arcade crisis, his maneuverability helps him escape the laser trap built around him, and he is the one who catches the exhausted Storm at the end. Those are small, precise reminders that a character doesn't need the largest explosion on the page to keep someone alive. The trouble comes from the team's internal standards, especially Wolverine's behavior. Warren cannot simply shrug off the violence and temper because other members have learned how to work around them. His objections make the disagreement visible rather than allowing Logan's popularity within the group to settle it automatically. In #148, Warren leaves. His second stay is brief and difficult. He is one of the six field members present at the new beginning, and his departure is one of the earliest signs that rebuilding after Jean will involve more than appointing a leader and filling an empty room. This is still Angel, with his original feathered wings and an old friend's investment in the school. He wants the familiar place to feel like home again, and he cannot find a way to make that work with the people now living there.