Thumbelina’s small size does not make her contribution small. During the attack in New Mutants #87, a damaged bomb threatens to derail the operation. She shrinks down to work in…

Thumbelina’s small size does not make her contribution small. During the attack in New Mutants #87, a damaged bomb threatens to derail the operation. She shrinks down to work inside it and gets it functioning again. In a group full of conspicuous combat powers, that is the task that allows the mission to continue. It is also an unpleasantly specific reminder of what the team is doing. Technical competence does not become admirable simply because the person demonstrating it is being mocked by her teammates. Thumbelina can be treated badly within the group while still helping carry out something dangerous to others. The complaints about fatigue give her a more ordinary physical presence than the larger designs around her. She is worried about being shot, irritated by the demands being made of her, and aware that the time effects are going to leave her worn out. Those concerns are sensible, even when the people beside her dismiss them. Her place in the lineup is worth keeping distinct from the Madripoor additions. This is an early operative, not a character introduced with Sumo, Kamikaze and Dragoness. She also illustrates why a full team breakdown should include more than the people who win fistfights. Someone has to make the equipment work under pressure. Here that skill is part of the threat. The operation would have a different ending if she failed, which makes her contribution consequential without inventing a bigger role for her than the story provides.