New Mutants #14 Recap and Review (Spoilers)

[ZephyrSurf]

Summation:

• Issue opens with a flashback to the youth of the mutant Amahl Farouk. How he loved and was loved by his father and the pride of his town, his powers allowing him to handle predators big and small... until his town and father were ravaged by the Plague, leaving young Farouk alone, isolated to a different sort of predator, to the Shadow King.
• We're there given a data page which is along the lines of the New Mutants addressing a lot of internal issues they see with young mutants across krakoa from self indulgence, to self harm to harming others. Which culminates in the new Mutants requesting that the Quiet Council allow them to take charge of training the younger mutants.
• Cut to the Akademos Habitat, It's the preview pages so I won't linger on the details. In comes Magik, Warlock and Wolfsbane. Magik is still addicted to coffee, Warlock is moping over Doug being way too enthralled with Bei and Wolfsbane has a bit of back and forth with Magik getting her up to speed on a lot of the trauma of to the team is facing after karma leaves due to Magik's bluntness. Proudstar enters wearing his 70s Camp instructor fit that Magik suggested as a joke, but he rolled with it.
• Another cut, as we're treated to a fight between several young mutants as a practice exercise. Ferals vs Elementals (elementals picking up the win at the end of the clash), this leads to the New Mutants offering a demonstration of Mutant technology to the Younger mutants showing off several different ways that powers can be amplified and combined. The lesson ends with the new Mutants assuring the younger mutants that they'll be teaching them synergy with all sorts of mutant powers by constantly changing up their teams.
• This prompts Gabby to ask if these combinations won't make things more dangerous. Which the New Mutants agree will happen, but due to resurrection protocols, that's something they don't have to worry about like before. Gabby then brings up a specific detail of the protocols, pointing out that she's a clone and referencing Evan and Madelyne Pryor. It's here we get one of the first real gaps in the new mutants' knowledge as it's clear that while they think there's a good reason, they don't actually know why clones are exempt. magik attempts to provide a possible reason though it's clear that Gabby remains unconvinced.
• We then cut to No Girl, Anole, Rain Boy and Cosmar all leaving to hang out. It's a bit of back and forth banter until we reach the end of the comic where the four of them end up sitting around to discuss what they've learned... with the Shadow King.
• A final data page reveals a letter Dani has given to James thanking him for joing the New Mutants and helping with teaching the young Krakoans as well as requesting that everyone keep a diary to relay their thoughts, aspirations and fears

Impression:

This issue is PACKED like it's got the same count as other books, and yet I'd say it feels twice as long as any other X-book right now. There's a lot of call backs both to stuff that's happened in the krakoa era and before. This book is just dripping in continuity. New Mutants continues to be the most classic 'X-men' book of the line. Reis art is a treat and I think Ayala's voice for all the New mutants is incredibly strong. There's a lot of interesting hooks that I really do want to see come to fruition. The only real con, though it's not much of one from my side of things, I can see is depending on how you view a lot of these characters, specifically the young mutants, age wise.

If you're not about School, this book probably won't be for you

If you're also not about super classic X-men shenanigans, this book also won't be for you.

[ericng]

delete post

[Dthirds3]

Gabby raises a valid point how do you justifybkeeping Madeline dead when you give sinister(a former nazi scientist) gets a seat of power.

[Dante Milton]

This was pretty great. I like the New Mutants' role as mentors and teachers to the younger generation of Krakoan mutants, and the incorporation of Krakoan society's emphasis on mutant synthesis and community in their lessons. Really enjoyed everyone's characterization. Scout asking the questions we've also been wondering about was great. It was very interesting getting an origin for Farouk, I now wonder if he can be redeemed if he is separated from Shadow King. The end is intriguing and raises questions; is this Farouk, SK, or both; was he resurrected, or did he some how bring himself back; is the Council aware he's back; what does he want with the kids, and why are they treating him like a father figure? Looking forward to more issues. Reis' art was lovely, very happy he's back.

[ZephyrSurf]

What do you mean by 'Karma leaves', does that mean she leaves the team permanently or just leave the house temporarily?

Did the issue explain why Doug didn't join the team? Did Doug appear at all?

She just left the house. Doug doesn't appear he's just mentioned.

[sunofdarkchild]

Ayala is clearly having a lot of fun here.

'Synergy' moves is something we really should see more often. We saw some of that between Magik and Cyclops in the X-Men issue where the Brood attacked, but it seems like something that's ignored most of the time. Also liked the kids fanboying and fangirling at seeing the New Mutants fight.

I have 2 questions about the Shadow King thing though. How dumb are these kids for going to him? People like Anole should know full well who he is and how he's the last person you should trust, even after Sinister. Also, assuming he's the one from Shan's dream, why would he hate Karma that much? He hates Storm and Xavier, probably Betsy too, and if there's anyone in the New Mutants he should hate it's Magik. Karma gave him one defeat in a psychic duel, but he's had plenty of losses like that. It was Magik who tricked him, freed the New Mutants and Storm from his control, forcing him to abandon Karma's mind, and then thwarted his plan to use Cypher to escape. Karma hating him would make sense given what he did to her, but the other way around doesn't make sense to me. I could see him wanting her back, but not making her the subject of his hate.

[ZephyrSurf]

Ayala is clearly having a lot of fun here.

'Synergy' moves is something we really should see more often. We saw some of that between Magik and Cyclops in the X-Men issue where the Brood attacked, but it seems like something that's ignored most of the time. Also liked the kids fanboying and fangirling at seeing the New Mutants fight.

I have 2 questions about the Shadow King thing though. How dumb are these kids for going to him? People like Anole should know full well who he is and how he's the last person you should trust, even after Sinister. Also, assuming he's the one from Shan's dream, why would he hate Karma that much? He hates Storm and Xavier, probably Betsy too, and if there's anyone in the New Mutants he should hate it's Magik. Karma gave him one defeat in a psychic duel, but he's had plenty of losses like that. It was Magik who tricked him, freed the New Mutants and Storm from his control, forcing him to abandon Karma's mind, and then thwarted his plan to use Cypher to escape. Karma hating him would make sense given what he did to her, but the other way around doesn't make sense to me. I could see him wanting her back, but not making her the subject of his hate.

It's pretty clearly not Shadow King in Karma's dreams.

[gambitxremy]

Is Dani the leader

[ZephyrSurf]

Is Dani the leader

Hard to say. Kinda treats Dani and Magik as the leaders, but in different ways.

[sunofdarkchild]

Is Dani the leader

She's basically the Counselor Troy of the group.

It's pretty clearly not Shadow King in Karma's dreams.

I assumed it was him since the scene immediately follows Farouk's backstory and the Shadow King bookends the issue as the only villain, but you're right that he does look too different even from the younger Farouk. It's probably Tran. I hope we're not going back to having 2 different plots happening at the same time.

[MarvelMaster616]

This issue was worth buying just for Gabby. Leave it to her to ask the hard questions that fans themselves are still asking.

[Master of Sound]

The amazing comeback of Rain Boy should get some votes for the CBR-forum 2020 X-Books awards, right? (see link in signature)

[Alphaxman]

This was a joy to read. For me, Ayala has gotten these characters' voices down packed. I love James addition and would love it if he and Dani develop stronger feelings for each other. Speaking of Dani, it was great to see her take charge and be the caring and organized leader for the young people of the island. Magik is still a Captain, but her role seem to be strictly tactical during battles.
Glad to see Petra given a voice (when she's not drunk) and being with kids her own age. I'm assuming she was a teenager when Pro X recruited her before getting killed.
On a side note, I would love to see a team of mutant elementals as a permit team with: Petra, Dust, Rain Boy, Nature Girl, Wind Dancer and Match.

Now for the Shadow King, I always believed it was a separate parasitic entity from Amahl Farouk and it was nice to see that clarified. As for Amahl Farouk himself -- when was the last time his actual body was seen? Most of the time, the SK only used illusions of Amahl before possessing a new host. Wasn't he (Amahl) killed when Xavier first encountered him in Egypt? Would Xavier know that Amahl was simply a host and would authorize his placement in the resurrection queue? Or is the Psionic entity only using a projected image of Amahl, because he was mostly likely it's longest host? I mean, nearly 500 years is a long time.
I can't wait to find out.

As for Anole, I agree would normally know better out of those kids, but he's dealing with an Omega Level psychic threat, that MAY be hiding it's presence from other Omega Level telepaths. So, what chance would he have. My main gripe is that we haven't seen his reaction to Santo's "death". Out of all of the X-Kids, those two were defiantly best of friends.

[Lady Midnight]

Allow me to join the chorus of those who find it ridiculous that Martha still doesn't have a body.

Well, at least we know why Victor hasn't been mourning Santo.

[danielsan52]

Who’d have thought Rain Boy would be such a character?? Glad to see Cosmar was not just forgotten. I just wish No Girl would get a body of some sort, even if a Box Armor.