X-Force # Review / Spoilers: Tabby's Tale

[Askani's Flame]

It's review and spoiler time. MAJOR SPOILER:


This issue is a snoozefest, even with the battle scenes. Seriously, if it weren't for Tabby this issue could have been the worst.

So from the preview, we see that Nate's in shackles and so are his powers. Which means his TO virus is going crazy. Like full symbiote looking. he's fully enveloped sans like 50% his face. He's chatting with Aliya and those TO tentacles are going through the wall to her cell.

We move to the local medieval Renaissance Faire known as Ebonshire where X-Force has arrived. They split up and go question the locals about Nate. Tabitha really shines here, and I'll quote it all for it's glory:
"Any of you guys see a teen with a scar on his eye and chip on his shoulder? He's probably carrying about a hundred comically large guns. Kinda kid that makes you ask--what's he overcompensating for?"

Robed guy replies and asks if she's there to greet Mother Askani:

"I've already met her. Like a bunch."

Scene continues where everyone extols the virtues and heroism of Nate saving them until Blaquesmith comes out charging. He thins Dom and crew are in league with Strfye. They fight, until Dom realizes this Blaquesmith doesn't know her and gets the upper hand. She manages to convince him they aren't spies...

Meanwhile the MLA is outside the camp. They've reported to Stryfe they are going to attack but X-Force has also arrived.

Dom and Blaquesmith chat some more when he realizes they are X-Men. And if they are there then Nate succeeded in saving the timeline, but if he isn't with them...

cue attack my MLA and New Canaanite forces.

Strfye goes to visit his brother to give a typical villain speech. you know the one, where the villain has a hero locked up and about to die and says like "your friends are here but they won't rescue you because they are going to die" and then it never happens? Yes, that one. But we don't see the end part, just the alien metal tentacled Nate saying "What friends".

Back at the 'Shire, things aren't looking hot for X-Force or the Askani. Giant mutant Swamp-Thing/Bane is about to crush Blaquesmith when he reverts into speaking Romanian and has no clue where he is. Sam goes to try and talk the guy down.

Turns out the Krang-Trio are having some difficulty controlling all the MLA and Rachel (who is slumped on her knees). Stryfe tells them to forget about Rachel as she's useless (I mean, is that just Stryfe talking or is the Marvel Office turning to the camera and saying that to us given the way they write her) and focus on his army. Ray's strings are cut and she falls face down on the floor with a "swump".

And with that Swamp-Thing/Bane goes back to "Hulk Smash". Dom says to not kill them as they are being controlled, Shattybuns doesn't care.

End page is Nate once again cocooned up trying to tell Aliya he loves her, but she can't answer as she's been also cocooned by his TO virus things. then comes the splash page for next months cover featuring Rachel.


Maybe it's me, but I feel kinda drained of this book right now. The story has just dragged, while it's good that X-Force are actually featured and doing things, it still feel like we haven't gone anywhere or done anything.

Tabby was the saving grace. Brisson really has her voice down.

I don't like his take on Blaquesmith though. It reads like the typical cranky sensei from a Cartoon Network show. Maybe it's the art too, but that's what I hear form this Blaquesmith.

4/10 for me
I'd get my hopes up for next issue based on the cover alone, but likely Rachel will wake up from her nap and be instantly imprisoned as she's "useless". Cuz she's still mentioned as being a prisoner.

[Snoop Dogg]

please ed you can write all the glob you want just shill for more tabby stuff

[magneticmushroom]

I've defended Dylan Burnett's art here before. Because he's good. He's not right for this book, but he's good. But man, those panels of Aliya were not great.

I actually was okay with the story this time.

And LOL at the RenFaire crack, although it could be some "Village of the McGuffin" in a Final Fantasy just as easily.

[Snoop Dogg]

Deathlok: "I am in this book and I am good at math"

Tabby: "Shuddup! Chatbot! NERD"

[Harpsikord]

... so I'm the only one that thinks Rachel waking up without the Hound brainwashing is going to be the team's eleventh hour save then?

[Askani's Flame]

I've defended Dylan Burnett's art here before. Because he's good. He's not right for this book, but he's good. But man, those panels of Aliya were not great.

I actually was okay with the story this time.

And LOL at the RenFaire crack, although it could be some "Village of the McGuffin" in a Final Fantasy just as easily.

I agree that his artwork is good, but I just don't feel it meets the need of this book. For me at least. It's not a good match, and it kinda affects the story negatively. It makes things feel too cartoony in some ways. But Lordt, Aliya looks like a human Furby with those eyes.

And if it's going to be a village from the FF franchise it has to be the Village of the Mist.

... so I'm the only one that thinks Rachel waking up without the Hound brainwashing is going to be the team's eleventh hour save then?

Maybe. I mean I would love that, as it would give her some level of redemption. But given her track record in this book and in Extermination by Brisson, I don't know that it's plausible (or even believable sadly). She hasn't spoken a word on her own since Extermination 2 other than "Hssss", "Die", "Mutant", and "Ugghhh". Rachel's characterization in the X-books over the past 2 years has been like riding the Tower of Terror: just when you don't think it could drop lower or faster, SURPRISE it does. And just when you think it's over, it drops again.

[Vaishakh]

... so I'm the only one that thinks Rachel waking up without the Hound brainwashing is going to be the team's eleventh hour save then?

We know that Stryfe has her under his control in last chapter. I think she might end up losing her memories and gets manipulated by Stryfe to fight by his side

[Askani's Flame]

We know that Stryfe has her under his control in last chapter. I think she might end up losing her memories and gets manipulated by Stryfe to fight by his side

Well it's interesting as Stryfe doesn't view Rachel as a threat (I mean who does at this point, a fire hydrant?). So if thinks she's useless and tossed her aside in issue 8, why is she essential in the solicit for Strfye in 10? Answer: she's not essential. It's likely trying to entice readers but not give away the plot surprise from 9. She'll likely wake up on the last page and be "back" and then join the fray in the last book. MAYBE.......

[Vaishakh]

Well it's interesting as Stryfe doesn't view Rachel as a threat (I mean who does at this point, a fire hydrant?). So if thinks she's useless and tossed her aside in issue 8, why is she essential in the solicit for Strfye in 10? Answer: she's not essential. It's likely trying to entice readers but not give away the plot surprise from 9. She'll likely wake up on the last page and be "back" and then join the fray in the last book. MAYBE.......

He might not see her as useful against the Askani but he could see her being useful against the X-Force since they are trying to save her.

[Askani's Flame]

He might not see her as useful against the Askani but he could see her being useful against the X-Force since they are trying to save her.

True, I just think at the moment he views her as a walking puppet and therefore not useful in anyway unless he was to hold her over Nate again. But he has Nate, and almost has the Askani. So at this moment, she's served her purpose and energies used to control her allow their other puppets to break free. And he doesn't know X-Force is trying to save her. We presume that he thinks they are there for Nate. Hell, he doesn't even know Nate was really trying to save Rachel until he arrived in Transia when they were fighting with X-Force.

Again, Rachel is a NPC in this book (so far). She's that damsel you try to save in a game and once you do she thanks you and disappears while your storyline then continues with her in the background waving or blowing kisses.

[RachelGrey]

He might not see her as useful against the Askani but he could see her being useful against the X-Force since they are trying to save her.

Hmm, I don't know if the writers are capable of doing this, but I would find it actually interesting for the story if Stryfe used the Krog guys to change Rachel's memories so she sees herself as Stryfe's sister and close ally. Instead of enslaving her exactly he does something different and makes Rachel believe that Stryfe is her true brother. And of course if she does have the Phoenix Force again, then her "beloved brother" Stryfe would encourage Rachel to use her immense powers to help the New Canaanites bring peace to the whole world (by ruling it of course). It would be seriously twisted for Cable, because Stryfe could pretend to be a loving and doting brother for Rachel and rub it in Cable's face.

I do think Stryfe is going to change tactics when she goes Phoenix in the next issue. My prediction is that they do execute Rachel like Stryfe said at the end of this issue, she rises as Phoenix (just as she used to do when she died when she was originally Askani). Stryfe realizes he has access to the most powerful force in the universe and he either tries to take the Phoenix force for himself, or tries to alter Rachel's memories so she is loyal to Stryfe. It could even turn out that she wakes up confused and suffering from amnesia and Stryfe just takes advantage of it by playing the "loving brother" with her to get Rachel to do some things for him.

[Vaishakh]

True, I just think at the moment he views her as a walking puppet and therefore not useful in anyway unless he was to hold her over Nate again. But he has Nate, and almost has the Askani. So at this moment, she's served her purpose and energies used to control her allow their other puppets to break free. And he doesn't know X-Force is trying to save her. We presume that he thinks they are there for Nate. Hell, he doesn't even know Nate was really trying to save Rachel until he arrived in Transia when they were fighting with X-Force.

Again, Rachel is a NPC in this book (so far). She's that damsel you try to save in a game and once you do she thanks you and disappears while your storyline then continues with her in the background waving or blowing kisses.

We can assume that the X-force would be able to break out Cable in next issue and he can use her as a hostage like he did before to get the upper hand

[Askani's Flame]

We can assume that the X-force would be able to break out Cable in next issue and he can use her as a hostage like he did before to get the upper hand

While twirling his metallic moustache....

I don't disagree with you as much as it makes me nauseous that her sole role in this book is to be used and abused by and for the purpose of propping up men. Because that what is allowed to happen to female heroes in the X-Books with no ramifications or discussions afterwards.

[Vaishakh]

While twirling his metallic moustache....

I don't disagree with you as much as it makes me nauseous that her sole role in this book is to be used and abused by and for the purpose of propping up men. Because that what is allowed to happen to female heroes in the X-Books with no ramifications or discussions afterwards.

I dont like it either but considering how she has been written for last few months, this seems like a very likely scenario.

[Askani's Flame]

Hmm, I don't know if the writers are capable of doing this, but I would find it actually interesting for the story if Stryfe used the Krog guys to change Rachel's memories so she sees herself as Stryfe's sister and close ally. Instead of enslaving her exactly he does something different and makes Rachel believe that Stryfe is her true brother. And of course if she does have the Phoenix Force again, then her "beloved brother" Stryfe would encourage Rachel to use her immense powers to help the New Canaanites bring peace to the whole world (by ruling it of course). It would be seriously twisted for Cable, because Stryfe could pretend to be a loving and doting brother for Rachel and rub it in Cable's face.

I don't see this happening for a number of reasons: 1) In order to re-educate Lauryn Hill (Rachel) it would mean they would have to have either decimated the Askani already (which we know they won't) or they give up on their army and focus all their efforts on Rachel. And it took a lot of effort just to break her of her hound programming. So that isn't an option. 2) I am HIGHLY skeptical that Rachel is getting the Phoenix Force back. It's just a cover. By this point in the timeline the Phoenix has long fled the timeline heading into various universes and back to the 90's to find Jean. 3) I don't think Stryfe knows that Rachel is related to him/Nate. I think he only knows that she created him and becomes Mother Askani (which I find interesting given all the time Stryfe could have tried to kill Rachel before X-cutioner's Storyline but whatever). So as fun as that would be (and better than what we're getting), not happening.

I do think Stryfe is going to change tactics when she goes Phoenix in the next issue. My prediction is that they do execute Rachel like Stryfe said at the end of this issue, she rises as Phoenix (just as she used to do when she died when she was originally Askani). Stryfe realizes he has access to the most powerful force in the universe and he either tries to take the Phoenix force for himself, or tries to alter Rachel's memories so she is loyal to Stryfe. It could even turn out that she wakes up confused and suffering from amnesia and Stryfe just takes advantage of it by playing the "loving brother" with her to get Rachel to do some things for him.

Again, I don't see Rachel getting the Phoenix Force back. If she did, I HIGHLY doubt the Phoenix will allow her/it to be subjugated again. It's been generally protective of her. However her dying and coming back with the Phoenix would be badass like she did in her mini back in the 90's.