Powers of X 02: We are together now, you and I *spoilers*

[Knives]

The final part with collective minds is a bit confusing but from what I understand they are trying to explain a pattern for the evolution of societies.

The big question is whether the emergence of an artificial intelligence is inevitable how to win? How to break the cycle of events?

Moira tried several things and then failed what does it mean to go beyond surviving?

I loved Scott's reaction when he heard Nimrod's name .

[jwatson]

And just to add in her ascended life Moira will probably be reborn human. problem solved.

[pandafarmer]

Wait, this won't be 616 right...? Right?

It has to be, otherwise Moira wouldn't have the information to pass on to Mags. But I wouldn't put it past Hickman to reveal that all along we had been reading Life 4 for all these years and starting now we are reading Life 10 and that the entire Marvel Universe now has to somehow fold this concept into their storylines. I mean Jordan did point out that Hickman's run would change everything we knew about the Marvel Universe.

[Steroid]

Hickman is really throwing some big time sci-fi concepts at the readers but it's not taking away from my enjoyment of this. I definitely have to say that the data pages are what's really helping me understand the story, otherwise I would be completely lost. Looking forward to the next installment.

[Leirus]

Oh okay. Cool. Wait, why do I need to know about the other 5 societies then?

Because those are other races from past continuity. The Technarchy is Warlock's race, his father being a Magus. It also kind of explains what the Phalanx were doing in their crossover, more or less. You do not need to know that, but it seems like he wanted to put some order into the many technorganic beings in x-men continuity.
I think what you need to know for the purposes of the issue is that are an ever growing galantic intelligence. The other stuff is... a guilty, nerdy pleasure.

[Leirus]

Ooh I wanna do it like this too.

X0: This is the timeline where the trifecta of this event meet and get things initiated. Xavier and Moira go to Erics island in the Bermuda Triangle to show him all her past lives and they decide to work together. As the other poster stated. I love the way Hickman writes Magneto. I hope we get to see what they do to get Krakoa aligned with them.

X10: Magneto and Xavier tell Cyclops about the Mother Mold, the station orbiting the sun dedicated to create Master molds. I love that Cyclops is like is this something that has to be done. ( Taking out Mothermold) Xavier says yes and he's like THEN IT WILL BE DONE. Damnnnnnn. I'm all about this Cyclops. He can't chop it up with the F4 and then get down to business.

X100: The surviving members in the future are making a plan to go find the one thing they were actually looking for in the machine nation. I should be more invested in this but I am not. I don't care about these characters. But it's setup and it will be cool to see what these mutants can do.

X1000: The Librarian and Nimrod. This is where Hickmans holier than thou writing is located. It was interesting. I read it but didnt care about it. I'd rather see actual xmen we care about in the HoXpOx seminal event.



Also wtf is Nimbus? How exactly did they make it a sentient World Mind by sending something into its core? Was the planet or land mass floating in space something special?

So they replicated/copied and integrated the minds of 100 of the greatest post-human scientist, scholars and artists into a machine called Nimbus. Seems legit. Cool Cool Cool.

But then they sent it to Nibiru beyond the Keplar belt and it based itself in the core and released self-replicating machines that then started to create memory farms and logic crystals. Its intelligence grew and became a Worldmind. ( kind of out there but okay ). Why did we need this information? How does it play into the story. Because we all damn well know Hickman is putting everything here for a reason. But it so much intellectual barf that I roll my eyes.

It is a bit like the Eros thing in The Expanse. The hivemind is composed of selfreplicating machines, so they ate a planet to create more of them and become a Worldmind. Earth used it as a bait to attract "cosmic suitors". And they suceeded. The Phalanx came to integrate them all. It ate the worldmind and decided they were worthy. It is... a bit out there.

[gambitxremy]

Wait, this won't be 616 right...? Right?

I guess but I love the idea that Eric and Xavier started the x-men with Moria. It makes me look at X-men #1 by Stan and jack different now

[Glio]

let me lay out my thoughts In semi-Hickman infographic fashion

Year 1) I adore Hickman’s magneto. The art was particularly gorgeous here too. Wish we got to learn more about their plan but I get it, long game

Year 10) can’t wait to see who cyclops pulls together to take on Orchis/Mother Mold, hopefully next week. No Emma/Mystique? Reaaally wanted to see how that would play out

Year 100) again, more excited about what this issue set up for the next one than the issue itself: apocalypse leading this ragtag xmen to Nimrod is gonna be a blast. Glad we got to see some personalities in play but I wish there was more ... still no clue why Black Tom Cassidy is a tree but I can vibe with it

Year 1000) Wow. I feel so much better knowing that this was a deep cut in terms of continuity because I was beyond lost. Can not wait to see how this plays out and what it means for the rest of the players in the past.

Well, on the covers it seems that he brings together Jean, Logan, Archangel, Husk, Monet and Nightcrawler.

[hawkeyefan]

I really liked this a lot. I agree it was a bit bonkers in the sense of the scope, but I think that fits with the ideas that have been established, and the Powers of 10 theme. We have the ten lives of Moira, we have X-Men years 0, 10, 100, and 1000. Now we have societies at similar scopes....with the Phalanx as the top of the scale. They seem to be the pinnacle of evolution, and the mutants of year 1000 want to join them.

Pretty interesting, and kind of controversial if you ask me. "Ascension" seems more "Assimilation", doesn't it? It kind of calls the very idea of evolution as its been established in the X-Men mythos into question. If we root for the X-Men because they are the next step, then really why would we not root for the steps beyond them?

I think that the emotional distance in the later eras is intentional, but I do care about the characters. Rasputin and Cardinal certainly seem almost reluctant to share what they've learned with Apocalypse. That's interesting. What's the deal with the other characters? We don't know, but I'm interested in finding out. I'm certainly not strongly attached to any of them, but the story has me interested. Again, we have future events that kind of mirror current events....a suicide mission into machine territory in the future, and Cyclops planning to lead a team into the Orchis station to shut down Mother Mold. Parallels.

So many parallels in this series.

Apocalypse is interesting when he's used correctly, and so far Hickman seems to get him. I wish they would change his look a bit.....the tubes and armor just seem unnecessary. He looks more like an armored villain that Iron Man would battle than an ancient shapeshifting mutant. But that's a minor quibble. He's compelling...and how the X-Men came to be working with him is an interesting mystery in and of itself.

If you'd asked me last week what I thought about the Phalanx and the Technarchs and the techno-organic virus, I'd have said "ugh". None of that has ever really been my cup of tea. But here, Hickman has weaved them into this story in such a way that they seem in their proper place. I dig the very sci-fi heavy vibe that he's building with these books.

I agree with everyone that we do need to get some proper X-Men into the story. Looks like that will happen next issue. Even then, I don't expect it to be overly character driven....they've got a mission, and that's going to be the focus. What I expect in the way of characterization will be in how each character fits into and deals with the mission. Based on how well he's got Magneto and Cyclops down, I expect good things in that regard. Man, both of them are awesome. "Then it will be done."

[Silver Fang]

Well, on the covers it seems that he brings together Jean, Logan, Archangel, Husk, Monet and Nightcrawler.

If that can be trusted. Lol since we got this cover where 4/5 characters had nothing to do with the story.

But on serious note, I did like the set-up for HOX 3. Just gonna be a long 2 weeks waiting.

[Glio]

I think we should pay more attention to the question that Apocalypse asks. Why do AI always evolve to oppose mutants?

We know that AI is inevitable, but why are Sentinels inevitable? They are not things like Ultron, they are ... strangely specific in their function. The inevitability of the Sentinels in all the timelines we have seen is fascinating.

[Frobisher]

Hickman: “The dark, roiling nanotechnology tendrils of the Phalanx hang ominously; ineffably; over the post-human civilisation of Earth as they await its judgment. Will they ascend into galactic intelligence level, or be seeded with the techno-organic virus and left to be garbage collected by a Technarch? Everything now hangs in the balance at the end of this phase of Earth civilisation.”

X-Men fans: “Where is Artie?”

[HowitzerJoe]

Because those are other races from past continuity. The Technarchy is Warlock's race, his father being a Magus. It also kind of explains what the Phalanx were doing in their crossover, more or less. You do not need to know that, but it seems like he wanted to put some order into the many technorganic beings in x-men continuity.
I think what you need to know for the purposes of the issue is that are an ever growing galantic intelligence. The other stuff is... a guilty, nerdy pleasure.

Fair enough. Since it's in the book though, I feel like I'm being asked to care. From the sounds of it, Hickman might be asking me to research on my own outside of this. If it wasn't a new series that is supposed to basically wipe the slate clean, then I wouldn't feel too stingy about it. Just makes it difficult for new readers that might not be familiar with previous stories in previous continuities. I understand Hickman is shackled by the nature of the business in that he has to make something compelling for new and old fans alike though. Good thing the internet is around to help explain this for me.

[houndsofluv]

Hickman: “The dark, roiling nanotechnology tendrils of the Phalanx hang ominously; ineffably; over the post-human civilisation of Earth as they await its judgment. Will they ascend into galactic intelligence level, or be seeded with the techno-organic virus and left to be garbage collected by a Technarch? Everything now hangs in the balance at the end of this phase of Earth civilisation.”

X-Men fans: “Where is Artie?”

hahaha, fair

[spirit2011]

If that can be trusted. Lol since we got this cover where 4/5 characters had nothing to do with the story.

But on serious note, I did like the set-up for HOX 3. Just gonna be a long 2 weeks waiting.

This sucks, so nest week is powers of X and not house of X. sucks