X-Men #18 [Into_the_Vault]////Recap/Review////Loading Spoilers.../

- We open with the preview pages, with the team having just entered the Vault. Darwin determines that although the city before them is large, it is sparsely populated. Synch confirms. Laura gruffly reminds them to keep quiet. There seems to be some potential romantic interest in Laura from Synch. The team proceeds into the Vault, descending in an elevator.
- Data Page: When Synch was resurrected it seems it boosted his powers. There is some speculation by Cece that may be true for all rezzed mutants.
- Serafina is being scanned and debriefed by the central intelligence of the Vault (AI?). It determines that their primary mission of occupation and subjugation of the external world has failed. It sees that the threat level of baseline humans has increased but they are still described as the secondary threat compared to the primary threat of mutants. It decides that for their mission to succeed the Children and the City must be upgraded to level three.
- The Children, Serafina, Sangre, Perro, Aguja and Fuego, briefly talk about the process of upgrading before the central intelligence alerts them to the presence of the mutants and sends them out to protect the city.
- The away team is ambushed at the elevator by a fiery blast from Fuego. They manage to avoid it. Laura attacks and mortally wounds Serafina, Fuego attacks and burns Synch, and Sangre attempts to drown Darwin. Synch uses Laura’s healing factor, Darwin grows gills. Then Synch uses Fuego’s powers to dispatch Fuego, Sangre, and Perro. Aguja is the last one standing and begins to self-detonate while threatening the mutants, who attempt to flee. TBC.
- Data Page: Force protocols have been enacted for the away team, meaning the “kill no man” law has been suspended for them.

This was a quick read. Synch’s narration mentioned time a lot, but this issue was pretty much linear, so I guess next issue will jump around more? It was nice to see Synch get some love, but we still didn’t get to see his aura :(. The issue also says that Synch had previously only been able to mimic the powers of mutants and treated his being able to copy Fuego’s powers as an upgrade, but I could have sworn he has copied the power of a non mutant before. Not sure about the hint of a possible thing between Synch and Laura. I kind of wish Marte Gracia had colored the issue, not just because he would give us a proper aura for Synch, but also because Gho’s colors were overall kind of dull.

I don't know who that is, but it sure wasn't Laura. Her personality, attitude, morals, etc. It was literally like reading Logan with tits.

The "Force Sanction" in the Data Page was a lazy handwave, (the fact we had to read it in an out-of-story text page just makes it worse) and considering their primary mission was supposed to be clandestine information gathering they really blew it big time. You have one of the X-Men's best covert agents, and they essentially blindly walked in the front door? Stupid, stupid, STUPID, and not worth waiting for a year with her off the board.

[QUOTE=Dante Milton;5396517]- We open with the preview pages, with the team having just entered the Vault. Darwin determines that although the city before them is large, it is sparsely populated. Synch confirms. Laura gruffly reminds them to keep quiet. There seems to be some potential romantic interest in Laura from Synch. The team proceeds into the Vault, descending in an elevator.
- Data Page: When Synch was resurrected it seems it boosted his powers. There is some speculation by Cece that may be true for all rezzed mutants.
- Serafina is being scanned and debriefed by the central intelligence of the Vault (AI?). It determines that their primary mission of occupation and subjugation of the external world has failed. It sees that the threat level of baseline humans has increased but they are still described as the secondary threat compared to the primary threat of mutants. It decides that for their mission to succeed the Children and the City must be upgraded to level three.
- The Children, Serafina, Sangre, Perro, Aguja and Fuego, briefly talk about the process of upgrading before the central intelligence alerts them to the presence of the mutants and sends them out to protect the city.
- The away team is ambushed at the elevator by a fiery blast from Fuego. They manage to avoid it. Laura attacks and mortally wounds Serafina, Fuego attacks and burns Synch, and Sangre attempts to drown Darwin. Synch uses Laura’s healing factor, Darwin grows gills. Then Synch uses Fuego’s powers to dispatch Fuego, Sangre, and Perro. Aguja is the last one standing and begins to self-detonate while threatening the mutants, who attempt to flee. TBC.
- Data Page: Force protocols have been enacted for the away team, meaning the “kill no man” law has been suspended for them.

This was a quick read. Synch’s narration mentioned time a lot, but this issue was pretty much linear, so I guess next issue will jump around more? It was nice to see Synch get some love, but we still didn’t get to see his aura :(. The issue also says that Synch had previously only been able to mimic the powers of mutants and treated his being able to copy Fuego’s powers as an upgrade, but I could have sworn he has copied the power of a non mutant before. Not sure about the hint of a possible thing between Synch and Laura. I kind of wish Marte Gracia had colored the issue, not just because he would give us a proper aura for Synch, but also because Gho’s colors were overall kind of dull.[/QUOTE]

I forgot what issue but Synch did copy Spiderman's powers and another character I believe. I do hope that he learns to keep what he's copied though.

Quick read aside, I liked it. Look forward to the next one.

FINALLY! I been dying to say Yes, Synch! Let's go!.

Art was beautiful whole issue had me amped up. lol. I read this at like 6 am.

Synch Data Page. [ATTACH=CONFIG]106513[/ATTACH]

Synch, Darwin, Wolverine are one lethal badass team. 10/10.

Thank Claremont it's a two-parter. The Hickman issues seem to be over as soon as they've started.

A bit sad Cadena was not shown, she is my fav of the Children.

So decompressed.

I was kind of bummed that Hickman didnt give the CoTV their latin flair in dialogue like Mike Carey did in his run.

Other than that it was a great reintroduction to Synch.

Laura was awesome even if minimal.

And Darwin is Darwin lol. The unkillable being.

Asrar's art is always appreciated.

This was mostly set up for next issue though.

My only gripe is this after being raised as a tool told "your a weapon not a person" i feel laura should not only dislike seeing the cov as somting to be exterminated but empathize with them. I'd love just for one moment of her to ask them why do you hate us, why do we have to fight. It seems like the cov are just fighting because the machine said to, and if she asked we could have gotten somting more. Hell if she did some might have asked why them selves. I really hope we get more then just a survival arc out of next issue

I love Hickman's take on the Children and the City.
Synch is the star we all deserve and I love his glow up. I need more.
Amazing moments for all of them even if the issue felt brief. FORCE protocols intensify, let's goooo!

[QUOTE=Dthirds3;5396565]My only gripe is this after being raised as a tool told "your a weapon not a person" i feel laura should not only dislike seeing the cov as somting to be exterminated but empathize with them. I'd love just for one moment of her to ask them why do you hate us, why do we have to fight. It seems like the cov are just fighting because the machine said to, and if she asked we could have gotten somting more. Hell if she did some might have asked why them selves. I really hope we get more then just a survival arc out of next issue[/QUOTE]

When they come at you trying to eradicate you as a “contagion” and are extremely powerful (enough so to melt you down to your bones or drown you, etc.) maybe you don’t have time for empathy? Just saying. I’ve got no problem with Laura going lethal when she has to, but she doesn’t enjoy it. It’s what makes her a Wolverine in my view. But that’s my opinion I suppose. Clearly some of the big Laura fans take issue with it. I just see it differently I guess.

[QUOTE=Dthirds3;5396565]My only gripe is this after being raised as a tool told "your a weapon not a person" i feel laura should not only dislike seeing the cov as somting to be exterminated but empathize with them. I'd love just for one moment of her to ask them why do you hate us, why do we have to fight. It seems like the cov are just fighting because the machine said to, and if she asked we could have gotten somting more. Hell if she did some might have asked why them selves. I really hope we get more then just a survival arc out of next issue[/QUOTE]

That would require planning, foresight, and writers who ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND Laura and her history, actually care about doing something meaningful with her, and don't just see her as Logan with more estrogen.

The plan to be covert went out the window when they were ambushed by the Children, they had no way of knowing they were walking into a self aware city that would immediately detect their presence. I trust that Laura is smart enough to know when reaching out to her opponents is useful and when it's a waste of time.

Has it ever been established who created the Children, or the Vault?

[QUOTE=Ambaryerno;5396528]I don't know who that is, but it sure wasn't Laura. Her personality, attitude, morals, etc. It was literally like reading Logan with tits.

The "Force Sanction" in the Data Page was a lazy handwave, (the fact we had to read it in an out-of-story text page just makes it worse) and considering their primary mission was supposed to be clandestine information gathering they really blew it big time. You have one of the X-Men's best covert agents, and they essentially blindly walked in the front door? Stupid, stupid, STUPID, and not worth waiting for a year with her off the board.[/QUOTE]

They blindly walked in the front door (which is really the only door as the Vault has no other entrances we know of) because they had no information as to how the Children of the Vault are organized and that was what the mission was about? All the information they know is from the Children attacked the mansion, they have no idea how their society is structured, how the children are grown or anything else - that's the sort of information they arrived to gather

Pretty good review here which I agree with pretty much 100%...

[url]https://www.gamesradar.com/x-men-18-review/[/url]

The issue felt too short, but I enjoyed badass Laura, Synch and Darwin myself.