Generation X #85 (Legacy) - SPOILERS and Discussion

[Dementia5]

Generation X #85 (Legacy) – “Survival of the Fittest”, Part 1:

- Quentin Quire is lying on a sandy beach on a tropical island (presumably Krakoa) somewhere in the Atlantic. He’s brooding and surrounded by empty beer bottles and a bucket of fried chicken. He keeps getting increasingly concerned text messages from Benji, which he ignores.

- At the Xavier Institute Jubilee and Chamber are both asleep on the couch in Jube’s room. Husk knocks on the door waking up Jubilee, who tells Paige that she and Jono had just gotten Shogo to sleep an hour before. Jono is still asleep, Jubilee is tired and feels like she’s “dying on the inside”. She feels awful because Shogo has been upset and pulling away from her since he saw his mom feeding on Jono’s arm. Jubes tells Paige that she is grateful for Jono’s help, and that he’s been amazingly good with Shogo, who seems to love him. Husk comments that Jubes and Jono are “gettin’ really close”, and Jubilee agrees. Paige starts cleaning up the mess in the kitchen and tells Jubes she wants to discuss the issue with Monet. Jubes seems reluctant to get her involved since Paige is trying to get on with a life outside the X-men, but Paige insists.

- Outside, Benji and Nate are sitting together at a picnic table. Ben is concerned about Quire’s disappearance, but Nate tries to reassure him, saying that he’s just on a bender somewhere. Eye Boy and Bling show up and Trevor comments that it’s about time Ben and Nate “got together”. This makes Nate uncomfortable, and he says that he and Ben are just friends. Ben is hurt and leaves. Roxy asks what the issue is, and Nate explains that he is reluctant to get close to Ben because of baggage with his old relationships and the nature of his mutant powers. Roxy tells him that he shouldn’t dump his issues on Ben. Nature Girl arrives and says that Quire ran off with Krakoa.

- M-Plate and DOA are standing a short distance away, masked from the sight of the students around them. Monet tells DOA that it’s time to get started with her plan.

- Nature Girl is in the kitchen telling Jubilee about Quire. Jubilee is concerned and decides to go after him alone. Jono says he will look after things for her while she’s gone. Jubes goes to say goodbye to Shogo, who is eating a bowl of spaghetti. Shogo recoils from her and throws the bowl on her head, covering her in spaghetti and sauce. An upset Jubilee goes into her room to clean up, and Jono follows her, concerned. Jubilee tells him she’s afraid that her son sees her as a monstrous freak. Jono moves close to Jubes to say something, putting his hand on her face, but he immediately forgets what he was going to say. The two share a brief look, and then she leans in and kisses him. Jubes apologizes and feels embarrassed, but Jono doesn’t seem to mind. Nate shows up and tells Jubilee that he needs to speak to her alone.

- In the counseling office, Paige is chatting with Bling. Roxy apologizes for the way she acted during their first session, and explains that she’s beginning to understand that being physically ideal to join the X-men isn’t the same as being mentally prepared, and she isn’t sure it’s worth risking her life just to stay at the Institute to feel “normal”. Husk praises her for finally being honest with herself, and asks what she really wants.

- In the common room, Benji is angry with Nate for not telling him about Quire sooner as he would have gone with Jubilee had he known. Nature Girl comments that Benji seems to like Quire. Eye Boy tries to quiet her, but she persists, saying that Ben follows Quire around, just like the way Trevor follows her around. Eye Boy is stunned. Benji, still angry, says he’s leaving to find Quire himself, but as he steps outside he sees dozens of “ghosts” milling around the grounds. The other students see them too, but the “ghosts” can’t see the students. Eye Boy says they’re not ghosts, but people from another dimensional plane. He says it means that Monet is there (as unsynching herself from their dimensional reality is how she masks herself from sight), and they are seeing the side effect. They are all trapped in between dimensions with Monet. Suddenly there is an explosion from inside the school.

- In the counseling office, Paige and Roxy hear the explosion and run into the hall, where they meet Chamber. They hear screaming and crashing, and run toward the noise. They see Monet in the hallway. She has taken down Anole and another student (whom I didn’t recognize). Jono is about to wade into her but Paige stops him. Roxy is suffering another panic attack, and Husk says they need to get her out of there.

- Monet hears a small child crying, and follows the sound to the chemistry lab. Nature Girl, Benji, Eye Boy and Nate are hiding in there, trying to quiet a crying Shogo, just as a hungry Monet enters the lab…
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A solid issue, if a bit slow-paced. Strain is still hitting the mark, but to be honest I’m still just not feeling Pinna’s art. It’s better than it was, but still…the mouths are an issue.

Jubilee seems to be encountering an issue with her vampirism finally affecting her relationship with her son, and it’s really upsetting her. Not sure if this is setting up an extra emotional hook for her possible repowerment (as if that needed one – DO IT MARVEL!) She and Jono share a nice (albeit brief) intimate moment, and I just wish they had given Strain more time to develop this relationship properly.

I’m so over QQ and his angsty, sulking crap. He’s endangered the team on a couple of occasions and can’t handle it when he’s called out on it. Now Jubes has to go find him and drag him back, and I’m not sure she should bother.

Monet going after Shogo might be the biggest mistake she’s made. Talk about poking an angry bear with a stick…

I’m absolutely gutted about Marvel cancelling this series. It was one of the few truly good ones, and it deserved better. At least we get two more.

[Anduinel]

I’m so over QQ and his angsty, sulking crap. He’s endangered the team on a couple of occasions and can’t handle it when he’s called out on it. Now Jubes has to go find him and drag him back, and I’m not sure she should bother.

Lord, yes. This isn't a knock on Strain's skill, but I've seen this "snotty, immature bitch-boy is really a troubled woobie; deep down, he actually does have a heart!" story sooooo many times. Hell, I think we've seen it at least once with this character. Make this fucker useful or permanently turf his ass.

[ChronoRogue]

Roxy tells him that he shouldn’t dump his issues on Ben.

Yeah that comment rubbed me the wrong way, depending on how Strain meant it.

When you date someone, a persons issues or insecurities don't magically go away, you date the whole person. The good and the bad. If Nate is saying he's not ready to enter a relationship because he knows he has baggage he has to work through, they should respect that. Trying to push him into something he's not ready for is horrible advice, Nate needs to decide for himself when he's able to open up again.

Then again, this is coming from Roxy who is very pushy in her own relationships and a bunch of students so... Strain may just be putting that out there as flawed advice from teenagers. If so, then it's good drama bait.

I also liked the little exchange between Roxy and Paige, about how she wants to stay in the institute because it's the only place she feels normal but if you're staying the expectation is you put your life on the line as a soldier. I think it's probably that way for a lot of the students, it may not be the safest place in the world, but at least they don't have to hide and are able to live lifes as close to 'normal' as they can get. bar supervillains and the mansion exploding occasionally

The soap opera beats are on point. The superhero and danger plots, not so much. Can't say I was ever really that invested in the Monet-as-Emplate plot but this arc has tried my patience with it. Possessed heroes turned villains are rarely written compelling to me. Time to bring Monet back as a hero please.

Anyway, as mixed as I feel about this issue, I'll still miss this book a lot. Strain did a great job in making me care about a cast of students that Bendis and Aaron never could.

[Maestroneto]

Lord, yes. This isn't a knock on Strain's skill, but I've seen this "snotty, immature bitch-boy is really a troubled woobie; deep down, he actually does have a heart!" story sooooo many times. Hell, I think we've seen it at least once with this character. Make this fucker useful or permanently turf his ass.

I've been saying that for a while, yet everyone insists I'm misreading the story.

[Frontier]

Lord, yes. This isn't a knock on Strain's skill, but I've seen this "snotty, immature bitch-boy is really a troubled woobie; deep down, he actually does have a heart!" story sooooo many times. Hell, I think we've seen it at least once with this character. Make this fucker useful or permanently turf his ass.

Honestly I think that's the story point they rehash with Quentin practically every time he's a main character in a book.

[Dementia5]

Honestly I think that's the story point they rehash with Quentin practically every time he's a main character in a book.

Well it’s time for “woobie” to man up and pan out.

[PaxHouse]

Generation X #85 (Legacy) – “Survival of the Fittest”, Part 1:

- In the counseling office, Paige and Roxy hear the explosion and run into the hall, where they meet Chamber. They hear screaming and crashing, and run toward the noise. They see Monet in the hallway. She has taken down Anole and another student (whom I didn’t recognize)........

The second mutant victim of M-Plate is known as Transonic; who was 1st introduced within the GENERATION HOPE Series as one of the Five Lights (as she was discovered by Hope Summers).

I’m absolutely gutted about Marvel cancelling this series. It was one of the few truly good ones, and it deserved better. At least we get two more.

[Tycon]

Oh god. When you said "victim", I thought you meant death.

[Knives]

Generation X #85 (Legacy) – “Survival of the Fittest”, Part 1:


- In the counseling office, Paige and Roxy hear the explosion and run into the hall, where they meet Chamber. They hear screaming and crashing, and run toward the noise. They see Monet in the hallway. She has taken down Anole and another student (whom I didn’t recognize). Jono is about to wade into her but Paige stops him. Roxy is suffering another panic attack, and Husk says they need to get her out of there.

- Monet hears a small child crying, and follows the sound to the chemistry lab. Nature Girl, Benji, Eye Boy and Nate are hiding in there, trying to quiet a crying Shogo, just as a hungry Monet enters the lab…

I think the student with Anole is Transonic.

Overall it was a good issue although I still believe it took too long to get to the climax of the battle with Monet. This should have been solved a long time and coming close to the end I hope that Monet be saved from his brother.

This title has always awakening in me opposing emotions the bad part QQ and the main plot with students who do not want or will be X-mens as well as lack of action.

On the other hand the good part we had good romance scenes and loved Chamber and Jubilee in this issue. Benji and Nate have their problems but really understand why Nate is hesitant.

The fact is that the last issues were good but it does not compensate for the initial promise and what the fans wanted.

At least hope that the last issue will end with a Big Bang since doubt that we will see these characters with any frequency so soon.

[PsionicHero]

So I haven't actually been reading or purchasing this book, I've been following this book via these forums. I just caught wind that they cancelled this book, and after reading the synopsis from these threads, it seems like a really good slow-burn, teen X-book. Less about all the superheroics and more about the character moments. It sucks it's getting cancelled, and this is going to sound bad...but had they put a more main-stream artist on this book...perhaps it would have done better?

I really do feel like the art is the problem for this book, the story telling seems fine, and there seem to be some interesting character moments with some of the characters.

Again, my opinion means practically nothing since I haven't actually read or purchased any of these books, but I don't think Marvel isn't hitting it out of the park with their teen books. Not since New X-Men.

Also...agree with everyone on QQ, shoot him off into the sun or something.

[Harpsikord]

Well it’s time for “woobie” to man up and pan out.

Honestly Quentin could be a good character on a team but they keep putting him two steps back whenever a new writer gets their hands on him.

[MYCMTSC]

LOL idk I hated Quentin in WatXM, but I enjoy Strain's take on him. It might've helped that I really checked out while reading WatXM after Avengers vs X-Men.

[Silver Fang]

Honestly Quentin could be a good character on a team but they keep putting him two steps back whenever a new writer gets their hands on him.

It's frustrating for some characters to stay in neutral. They get a bit of development and move further, then new writers come along and reset them so they can tell the same ol' stories again. It's like some characters are destined for the same patterns.

Quentin is an example. I hear the same complaint regarding Deadpool, and I kinda see that point. Gambit is another I see his fans furious with -when it comes to him gushing over Rogue. And Sabretooth is a big one for me, who's only Logan's accessory -no development allowed and any writer who dare to try will have a short run with him.

Haven't had a chance to read, but sounds like a decent chapter. I do wonder if Monet will be cured here since the book's cut short and Strain wants to be the one to wrap it up. Or if M will go back to Bunn and let him wrap up the arc he started on her.

But th showdown with Jubes is probably gonna be epic given what happened here. That'll be good to see -at least. I hope.

[Harpsikord]

LOL idk I hated Quentin in WatXM, but I enjoy Strain's take on him. It might've helped that I really checked out while reading WatXM after Avengers vs X-Men.

Which WATXM? I hated Aaron's WATXM in general, but I liked Latour's and I liked Quentin there. Plus Asrar's design was A+.

[Wiccan]

I feel lowkey attacked that she had Ben say "Just because I'm gay don't mean I can't have male friends!!!" about Quentin because it's kind of what she answered me on twitter so I feel like she was like "Let me write it down on the book so people stop asking me about it".