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I loved X of Swords.
22 issues done up in 2 months, it's incredibly put together on an editorial level.
Apocalypse was the main protagonist and the story began and ended with him and his family, his backstory and at the end, his redemption. Apocalpse saved the world at the end of this story and did something, that as Cyclops noted, "he didn't have to do".
Hickman and Howard have transformed Apocalypse the same way Claremont transformed Magneto, and Morrison transformed Emma Frost, and Gillen transformed Mr. Sinister.
The finale was incredibly satisfying and epic. Cyclops and Jean landing as the Deus Ex Machina and the Krakoans going to the Amenth, "you guys are totally screwed" was awesome.
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While I like this final stretch, I feel like the tournament of this arc, completely let down the set up period and the conclusion.
Betsy is a key factor in turning the tide... Unceremoniously dies and we're given no indication that her death is going to lead to a spell creating a new Captain Britain Corps.
A core emotional beat of the finale is Doug and Bei's romance. A romance that kinda pops up out of nowhere and is given no time to develop.
The other emotional story beat is Apocalypse and his family... his family that sucks and are utterly 1 dimensional characters with not an interesting scene between the lot of them.
The thing that sparks Scott and jean to act is Cable's sense of utter helplessness and hopelessness... which kinda rings hollow following the actual events of the tournament.
For an event full of nothing but mutants, there sure wasn't a lot of powers.
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[QUOTE=sifighter;5247065]I think this event has actually raised some really good concerns or at least some thoughts about Krako’s leadership. Xavier is its founder and father figure, Magneto might be their folklore like figure if you believe exodus, but Cyclops is a leader.
Against the will and express orders of their entire government he just lead a literal large army of mutants who all had to understand that if they die they will die permanently this time, but they followed with no hesitation. If I was the quite council right now I’d be a bit afraid of Scott Summers and the authority he holds.[/QUOTE]
After all crap he did, he shouldn't have all krakoa licking his feet
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Excalibur writing and the way Betsy was handled by the author is my biggest issue with this event, I wish Betsy could have exercised more agency over the way the the Captain Britain corp was restarted
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One thing I want to know, when facing a limitless army of demons which will tear through the citadel, Krakoa, and Earth, why does no one think to summon their own limitless army of demons to fight back? All this 'oh my god we're gonna die' and need for a bunch of different armies to show up falls flat when the whole time S'ym and a zillion other demons are chilling in Limbo waiting to be called into action.
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These issues were an excellent climax and resolution with some really magnificent art. Larraz and Asrar are the best at depicting Krakoa and the various otherworldly landscapes. The dialogue in X-Men was a bit clunky. The transition between X-Men and Excalibur could have been smoother.
It will be interesting to see if there will be replacement Council members or if the seats will be left vacant. Gorgon's captain position will also need to be addressed, it sounds like they will resurrect him but it's unknown how that will work out.
Looking forward to the reunion of Arakko and Krakoa and seeing how the addition of the Arakkii mutants will be handled.
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[QUOTE=Daedra;5247088]Excalibur writing and the way Betsy was handled by the author is my biggest issue with this event, I wish Betsy could have exercised more agency over the way the the Captain Britain corp was restarted[/QUOTE]
It ended up being Cyclops's show. Dissapointing that since Betsy took the mantle, even alternate betsys have more to do than her
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I loved these finale chapters.
While not a total redemption of the last couple of weeks of stories...the ending was more than satisfactory...even if it felt just a tad rushed.
I loved the ramifications of Betsy's defeat and "return" so...it looks like I won't be dropping Excalibur after all.
I do hope the Arakko story doesn't end here. I want to see the Horsemen and Genesis and my BIG-XADDY-BLUE o--[A]--o are doing.
As happy as I am that they stuck the landing on this event...I'm really looking forward to the books I'm reading returning to their regular. individual stories.
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[QUOTE=sunofdarkchild;5247096]One thing I want to know, when facing a limitless army of demons which will tear through the citadel, Krakoa, and Earth, why does no one think to summon their own limitless army of demons to fight back? All this 'oh my god we're gonna die' and need for a bunch of different armies to show up falls flat when the whole time S'ym and a zillion other demons are chilling in Limbo waiting to be called into action.[/QUOTE]
Illyana's command of them is not absolute, S'ym and N'astrih have attempted coups in the past. If Yana died, or was even just knocked unconscious, the other X-Men would just have another demon army to fight.
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[QUOTE=Revolutionary_Jack;5247072]I loved X of Swords.
22 issues done up in 2 months, it's incredibly put together on an editorial level.
Apocalypse was the main protagonist and the story began and ended with him and his family, his backstory and at the end, his redemption. Apocalpse saved the world at the end of this story and did something, that as Cyclops noted, "he didn't have to do".
Hickman and Howard have transformed Apocalypse the same way Claremont transformed Magneto, and Morrison transformed Emma Frost, and Gillen transformed Mr. Sinister.
The finale was incredibly satisfying and epic. Cyclops and Jean landing as the Deus Ex Machina and the Krakoans going to the Amenth, "you guys are totally screwed" was awesome.[/QUOTE]
Not buying his redemption, he did the minimal that is expected from him. He was responsible for that
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[QUOTE=Dante Milton;5247117]Illyana's command of them is not absolute, S'ym and N'astrih have attempted coups in the past. If Yana died, or was even just knocked unconscious, the other X-Men would just have another demon army to fight.[/QUOTE]
She summoned them to deal with the zombie and plant hords in Empire, and this was supposedly the end of the world if they lost.
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This was great, loved that Emma was willing to step down from the Council for Scott, also she voted with them twice, while Xavier voted against them twice. Very interesting dynamic. So Selene for Apocalypse and Warren for Jean? Or Shadow King for Apocalypse?
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[QUOTE=AppleJ;5247069]So is the gate now closed between the worlds? Will Apocalypse stay in Amenth? (And please be out if Excalubur for a long while)
Tell me more about the X-Men being ... Disbanded? Dissolved? Removed? So they aren't on the Quiet Counsel anymore? Who is leaving? Storm, Nightcrawler, Kate, and Jean? What about Emma?[/QUOTE]
Seems Apocalypse is gone and the gate is closed...for now. Saturnyne still seems to be scheming.
The council doesn't seem to want to be associated with the "XMEN" for political reasons, but it seems the actual XMEN (a team led by morals and not politics, and it'll be led by Cyclops) will "return" (I hope) but more as XFORCE. Meaning, they will be at odds with the council (Xavier, Magneto).
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[QUOTE=sunofdarkchild;5247096]One thing I want to know, when facing a limitless army of demons which will tear through the citadel, Krakoa, and Earth, why does no one think to summon their own limitless army of demons to fight back? All this 'oh my god we're gonna die' and need for a bunch of different armies to show up falls flat when the whole time S'ym and a zillion other demons are chilling in Limbo waiting to be called into action.[/QUOTE]
I actually thought about that too. Why didnt Magik summon some demon back up? Maybe it was cut for page time.
But it would have made sense.
The Captains are bad ass. They really need to let Bishop shine soon.
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[QUOTE=baxer;5247127]Not buying his redemption, he did the minimal that is expected from him. He was responsible for that[/QUOTE]
Personally, I don't think Hickman is trying to redeem him, but give him actual motivation to eventually make him an even more formidable villain (Ala old school Magneto). I think Apocalypse will eventually return tainted from his time in Amenth with Genesis and his Trump children. His return to villainy will be more natural an even a bit tragic making him more deadly and unpredictable.
