Writing: Scott Lobdell
Art: Tom Raney
What Went Down: Storm, Colossus, and Bishop begin the issue by tracking the Morlocks as they return to the sewers. Even though the Morlocks are no longer under the influence of the scared little boy from last issue, the Gold Team still wants to make sure there is no trouble. Also, following the Morlocks evidently means breaking through the walls of the sewers instead of just tailing one of them.
Well big surprise, there is trouble as Mikhail Rasputin (in full crazy mode) is discovered at the Morlocks’ lair sitting on a throne made of live Morlocks. It seems he wants to take over the vacant spot of leader.
In another part of the sewers, Jean Grey is looking for Archangel, who left the fight to go sulk last issue. Professor X is guiding her telepathically until Calisto attacks him.
Colossus decides that he has to reach out to his brother, a very reasonable assumption, and begins by tearing off his shirt, a very weird and uncomfortable action. Mikhail uses his powers to open the floodgates because he believes that the best direction he can take as leader is to kill all of the Morlocks in a flood, thus sending them to the hereafter where they won’t have to suffer any more.
Jean finds Archangel reminiscing about when the Marauders injured his wings, although he calls them the Reavers by accident (i.e. typo). Jean tells him that his wings aren’t controlling him, even though other stories had already established that they do sometimes, and that all of his rages were his own fault. Unfortunately this explanation is allowed to stand, killing the only good Archangel plot thread for the foreseeable future, at least until he starts dating Psylocke, which isn’t really that interesting at all.
Back to Xavier, he severely embarrasses Calisto by knocking her out. That’s right; an unarmed, paralyzed man on the ground beats up the warrior leader of the Morlocks who has a knife. Mikhail uses his powers to carry the Professor and Calisto to where he is, so now he has telekinesis as well.
Iceman shows up to attack Mikhail, and the X-Men get to work trying to stop him. Iceman tries shooting ice at him, Bishop tries absorbing all of his energy, but nothing works. Oddly enough, Iceman is also ineffective at trying to freeze the water, which doesn’t really make sense since that’s the whole point of his power.
Colossus gives up and tells his brother that he will die with him if he must, but Archangel saves him. Mikhail uses his powers to use Jean Grey’s powers and send all of the X-Men out of the sewers before the water crushes all of the Morlocks. No worries, they’ll be back.
The issue ends with Colossus calling his sister and telling her that his trip home is going to be postponed. Then Jean consoles him as he cries for his brother.
How It Was: So the Morlocks, and Mikhail, get unceremoniously dumped out of the comic because nobody wants to deal with them. But the real problem with this issue is that a lot of it just doesn’t make sense. If the Morlocks are no longer being controlled, then why do they make Mikhail their leader, and how come no one protests when he decides to kill everyone? Why is Jean telling Warren that his wings aren’t responsible for his rages when other stories have clearly established that they are? Why does Archangel have to cry for two issues straight? How could the Professor possibly beat Calisto when he is a paralyzed man in the water with a bleeding leg? How come Iceman can’t freeze water? Why has Mikhail decided to go against his no killing rule? And why does Colossus rip his shirt off when there are only a couple of holes in it? There are just too many aspects of the plot that don’t make sense.
The one shining moment in the comic occurs during the last two pages, and not just because the story finally ends. The scene where Peter talks to his sister while trying to hold it together is very powerful. And the art does a fantastic job of rendering Peter’s pain. It’s a well done bit that is the complete opposite of Archangel’s scenes, as these are relatable and warrented. While it’s a great scene, it’s not enough to make up for all of the other shortcomings with this final chapter.
D
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