Marvel Renames Betsy Braddock as Butterfly

The comic book character adopts a new moniker to distinguish herself from Kwannon.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Comic Books

Bold vector editorial illustration of a stylized butterfly with wing patterns, representing a character rebranding in the comic book industry. — Marvel Comics officially renamed the character Betsy Braddock to Butterfly, aiming to reduce identity confusion within the X-Men franchise continuity. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Does consistent character naming make it easier for you to enjoy long-running comic book series?

Marvel Comics has announced that Betsy Braddock will now be known by the codename Butterfly. The change is intended to eliminate confusion, as the name Psylocke is currently used by the character Kwannon.

Why it matters

The rebrand clarifies character identities within the complex X-Men continuity. This decision ensures each hero maintains a distinct name as the franchise moves into its next major story arc.

Betsy Braddock has a history spanning 50 years within the Marvel Comics universe. The new name Butterfly is derived from the energy effect displayed when she utilizes her mutant powers.

The players

Tom Brevoort

He is the executive editor at Marvel Comics who announced the character's name change.

Betsy Braddock

She is a long-standing Marvel character formerly known as Psylocke and Captain Britain.

Kwannon

She is the character who currently holds the codename Psylocke in the Marvel universe.

Christopher Yost

He is the writer serving on the creative team for the Maximum X-Men series.

Tony S. Daniel

He is the lead artist tasked with illustrating the Maximum X-Men series.

The details

Executive editor Tom Brevoort confirmed the update on Substack, noting that Butterfly was selected to reflect the character's signature power visual. Betsy Braddock will appear under this title in the forthcoming series Maximum X-Men, which features a team led by Storm.

Dec. 2: The first issue of Maximum X-Men will be released.

Culture Shift

This transition reflects a broader shift toward modernizing legacy character identities to prevent narrative redundancy. By shedding an overlapping codename, the character aligns with contemporary trends that prioritize distinct branding within long-running superhero mythologies.

Readers can expect to see the new codename featured prominently when the Maximum X-Men series arrives at comic retailers. This change may require fans to update their mental shorthand for the character when discussing the new Storm-led team.

The takeaway

Marvel is clearly focusing on reducing confusion for new and veteran readers alike by establishing unique identities for its heroes. Fans of the character should look for the Butterfly name in all future solicitations.