WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Factor #7, by Leah Williams, David Baldeón, Israel Silva, VC's Joe Caramagna, and Tom Muller, on sale now.
Daken Akihiro is an immortal mutant warrior, like his father Wolverine, but he also possesses additional abilities that Logan can't match. One of these extra powers is control over pheromones, which allows him to slightly influence the mental states of others.
Daken has most often been shown to use this ability to seduce people, which has earned him a questionable reputation in terms of romance and sex. In X-Factor #7, this threatened his relationship with Jeanne-Marie Beaubier/Aurora, and Daken was forced to clarify certain misconceptions about his powers.
How Daken's Pheromone-Control Power Works
Daken and Jeanne-Marie have been attracted to each other since they joined the new version of X-Factor, and they are now in the early stages of starting a genuine relationship. But in X-Factor #7, Jeanne-Marie has become frightened of Daken and his powers let him smell her fear. As she explains, it's his powers themselves that are making her uneasy. She's concerned he's making her "lust" after him. Hurt by the accusation, Daken explains he's not capable of doing so. His powers don't include creating new pheromones, or emotions. They're only able to "adjust what's already there," and Daken says that he's only able to "nudge them up or down to a limited extent." In other words, whatever someone feels for Daken, whether it's fear, lust, or something else, is a feeling they create for themselves, though he can increase or decrease the intensity of those feelings.
As Jeanne-Marie realizes that these powers, especially the ability to detect others' feelings toward him, are a very heavy burden for Daken. His awareness of how many people are afraid of or detest him has clearly hurt him deeply, and led him to be very emotionally isolated. This problem is something the death goddess known as the Morrigan (which has been posing as Siryn) preys on when it battles Daken later on. Having manipulated Polaris into ignoring messages from Daken asking for help, the Morrigan mocks Daken's insecurities and tries to make him believe that no one will come for him after she leaves him for dead. Fortunately, this is not the case. As soon as X-Factor realizes what's actually going on Northstar races to Daken's side and brings him back to Krakoa to be healed.
How Daken's Power Is Different From Purple Man's
This new perspective on Daken's abilities is an important step in making him a more sympathetic character. He's not the only comic character with control over pheromones, but most of those with similar abilities, like the Purple Man or DC's Poison Ivy, are villains who use their powers in ways to manipulate others. Limiting Daken's powers separates him from these predators, but doesn't erase all concerns.
Since he's able to increase feelings like lust in others it's still possible not all of Daken's relationships are genuine and healthy. But he does seem to genuinely care about Jeanne-Marie and the fact that she doesn't press and ask whether he is increasing her existing attraction to him suggests that the dynamic between them is legitimate and healthy.