After 50 Years, Marvel Announces Permanent New Codename for Classic X-Men Hero

Published Oct 11, 2026, 7:02 PM EDT

Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.

Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.

Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.

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Marvel just confirmed the new codename for an iconic X-Men character, in a surprise announcement that fans are speculating may have been an accidental slip. Here are the details.

This December, Marvel will launch Maximum X-Men, seeing a crack team of mutant heroes take over for the Avengers as Earth's primary protectors. Among the members is classic hero Betsy Braddock, with Marvel previously teasing a new name for the psychic warrior.

Now, that codename is out of the bag, but the way it was revealed may not be what Marvel intended...

Betsy Braddock Takes New Codename 'Butterfly'

In a recent blog post from Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, it's revealed that Betsy Braddock will adopt the new mutant codename 'Butterfly' in X-Men comics. Speaking about the upcoming Maximum X-Men, Brevoort runs down the team roster, stating:

The team includes Bishop, Colossus, Iceman, Betsy Braddock (formerly Psylocke and Captain Britain, and here called Butterfly), Firestar and Justice.

While fans knew that Betsy would have a new codename for the series, the comics hadn't yet revealed what it would be. Fans had assumed that one of Betsy's stories in October 14's Captain Britain 50th Anniversary Special would debut the codename, fueling speculation that Brevoort may have jumped the gun by referencing the new moniker, though that isn't confirmed.

The name refers to Betsy's unique telepathic energy signature, which takes the form of a glowing pink butterfly shape, appearing when she's using her telepathic abilities to read minds or control others.

Why Betsy Braddock Needs A New Codename

Betsy Braddock started life as the telepathic sister of Brian Braddock's Captain Britain, but later became a hero in her own right. For most of her Marvel Comics career, Betsy has gone by the codename 'Psylocke,' including after she swapped bodies with the ninja Kwannon.

However, Kwannon reclaimed her body in 2018, with Betsy permanently surrendering the codename to its most recognizable holder. She received a new one shortly afterwards when she replaced her twin as Captain Britain, though both in real life and fiction, she struggled to be accepted in the role.

Recent comics saw Betsy end her tenure as Captain Britain and thus enter a new era without an explicit codename, though this didn't stop her appearing in 2024's X-Force Volume 7, from Geoffrey Thorne and Marcus To. Of course, fans knew it wouldn't be long before Marvel gave her a new codename, and that - given the unlikelihood of her ever taking back the Psylocke codename - it would be designed to stick.

Maximum X-Men Is About To Change the Game

While the reveal of the 'Butterfly' codename might have robbed its comic debut of a little fanfare, it's also getting fans excited about Maximum X-Men. Fans know the Avengers will disband following Avengers: Armageddon, with Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto's Avengers Volume 10 following a ragtag team as they try to rebuild public trust.

In the meantime, Storm's X-Men will take on major threats like an invasion from the Negative Zone, and Betsy Braddock's Butterfly is likely to be a major player on the team, given her significant experience of large-scale threats and versatile power set.

Of course, this immense new level of responsibility raises the question of whether 'Butterfly' is too slight of a codename for a trained ninja with massive amounts of telekinetic power, however it's undeniably a name with connections reaching back through the character's most iconic appearances.

Marvel editor Tom Brevoort just confirmed that Betsy Braddock, the former Psylocke, will be known as 'Butterfly' going forwards. Let us know below what you think of the new name, and whether you're excited for Maximum X-Men.

Captain Britain 50th Anniversary Special is coming October 14 and Maximum X-Men #1 December 2 from Marvel Comics.