The following contains majors spoilers for Bishop: War College #4, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
After being ripped through time and space to a whole new reality, Bishop quickly came to realize just how different this other world was from the one he has grown used to. Nowhere was this more evident than in the latest version of himself. This has made fighting alongside one another all but impossible. At least, that was the case until the Bishop fans know best revealed the real secret behind his success as a hero, and it has absolutely nothing to do with his powers.
Following an explosive assault by a legion of anti-mutant villains, the titular hero of Bishop: War College #4 (by J. Holtham, Sean Damien Hill, Victor Nava, Alberto Foche Duarte, Espen Grundetjern, and VC's Travis Lanham) is caught alone on the front lines. Or rather, it seems that way thanks to his variant's pacifist nature. Thankfully, with death raining down from above, Bishop is able to get through to his other by explaining exactly why he fights so relentlessly. As Bishop explains, it isn't because of any innate understanding of war or battlefield prowess, but simply because he has to.
Bishop Just Revealed the True Source of His Strength
When Bishop made his first full appearance back in 1991's Uncanny X-Men #283 (by Whilce Portacio and John Byrne), he and his fellow time-displaced heroes had taken a one-way trip through realities in the hunt for an escaped Trevor Fitzroy. Despite the strange set of circumstances, Bishop quickly made a home for himself in the primary Marvel Universe, one that was objectively better than the one he called home in every single way. Rather than fighting for basic survival amidst a sea of oppression and hatred, Bishop could fight for a better future no matter how short hopes of one were cut.
As one of the few mutants to retain his powers in the wake of M-Day and the subsequent Decimation, Bishop was once again reduced to something of a survivor status even among the once beaming world he had come to call home. While this ultimately led to Bishop having something of a tainted view of things going forward, it didn't stop him from continuing on in whatever way he could to safeguard the future. In the process, Bishop has cultivated a legacy as one of mutantkind's greatest heroes, yet the truth of the matter is that he was never afforded an opportunity to become anything else.
Being a Survivor Shaped One of the X-Men's Greatest Heroes
As surprised as Bishop was upon meeting a version of himself who is not only averse to battle, it is even more shocking that he never considered such a life for himself. Despite his proficiency in the field and seemingly infinite drive being what they are, the reason these things come so easily to Bishop is because nothing else has been an option.
At his core, Bishop is still a tragic figure reeling from a life and childhood that were taken away before he ever got a glimpse at what they could have been otherwise. Now that he has seen it for himself, however, all that pain and trauma has left him almost blind to the idea that he could've lived aa peaceful lifelike his counterpart. It may be tragic, but there is still some solace to be found in Bishop knowing he can teach his other how to defend his world just as the X-Men do their own.