New Mutants 13 spoiler/review

[sunofdarkchild]

Illyana calls Cyclops and Cable to ask Cable to come with his sword and Cyke to help plan for the big fight.

Meanwhile Doug is freaking out about how he has to fight but he sucks at fighting and is going to die. Warlock says he'll be Doug's best sword and he starts to practice, but he finds his sword to be heavy.

Illyana shows up and starts to train/fight him, very quickly kicking his butt, er, face. She lays out that this is do or die.

Flashback to right after the council meeting where Sinister made his pitch and Doug and Krakoa are arguing. Krakoa doesn't want Doug to go, but Doug says it's not Krakoa's decision. Xavier seems to agree with Krakoa, but Doug is adamant that since he was chosen he has to go.

As the training continues, Magik says that Doug's stance and balance are terrible and hits him in the face again. Krakoa wraps her up to protect Doug, but she points out it won't be able to do that during the real fight. She tells him that he should just stick close to her and she'll protect him as best she can when the real battle begins.

Exodus shows up and offers another solution: He'll kill Doug now when the resurrections are offline but when he can be resurrected just fine later so that he can take Doug's place in the fight. Warlock and Krakoa come to Doug's defense and Exodus leaves.

Later, Mondo visits Doug and again convey's Krakoa's wish that someone else take's Doug's place. Doug says that Saturnyne will probably not allow anyone to replace him, but even if she did, he can't let someone else risk their life in his place.

He goes back to training with Magik and does better this time, with her complimenting his improvement. He says that they've been fighting enough now that he can read her movements like he did in Necrosha and so he knows that she's going easy on him. He asks for her honest answer on his chances. She says that they're family, but if he raises his sword against an opponent in Otherworld it will be the last thing he ever does. They go back to the circle and Doug plants his sword in the ground, becoming the fourth swordbearer there.


Overall I really liked this issue. Doug's doubts make for a compelling story, as do his reasons for fighting despite his weakness and all the others who try to get him to drop out. Illyana's approach is tough love, but given the stakes that's what he needs to survive. She's trying to get him into the right mindset for a fight to the death as well as sharpen his skills.

I think they may have come up with a strategy to help him survive off-panel, between when she tells him he has no chance and when they return to the circle. If I were to guess the strategy would involve merging fully with Warlock to become a more powerful fighter who can both dish out and take more punishment than Doug normally could or using Warlock's ability's in another way.

If Hellions was the silly issue, this is the issue that drives home just how high the stakes are in this event.

[NewMutant]

Did Hickman write this issue?

[SugarMan]

Just a correction, it was Exodus, not Vulcan.

[saahir]

That's not Vulcan but Exodus. I'm glad Doug being able to read body language was mentioned.

[Weather]

Did Hickman write this issue?

It was Ed Brisson.

[sunofdarkchild]

Did Hickman write this issue?

No. It was Brisson's last issue. Though there was no Glob and Magik's fighting seemed to be calling back to her match with Raza. It was 100% focused on the X of Swords plot with none of Brisson's subplots.

[Woozie]

I think this is the best issue of the event. That can obviously change being only 8 issues in.

I also think this might be the best issue of DoX New Mutants (Yes, including the Hickman ones).

[Kingdom X]

Yeah this was my favorite Brisson issue. It kinda makes me sad because maybe if he had a more focused plot and direction the book would have been more well-received.

[Peace]

Doug. Illyana. Real family ��

[Glio]

I feel so bad for Doug. And it's nice to see Magik being frank but showing feelings at the same time. She doesn't sugarcoat the situation for Doug but wants him to stay close to protect him.

Fucking Saturnyne.

[Sandmans_Raven]

I feel so bad for Doug. And it's nice to see Magik being frank but showing feelings at the same time. She doesn't sugarcoat the situation for Doug but wants him to stay close to protect him.

Fucking Saturnyne.

Same. I definitely felt for Doug in this issue. I also thought it was super endearing how much Krakoa (and Warlock) cared as well.

[Viteh]

What's with all the rain talk between Magik and Cyclops? Both here and in Cable. Are they saying that there could be some unexpected events?

[Woozie]

What's with all the rain talk between Magik and Cyclops? Both here and in Cable. Are they saying that there could be some unexpected events?

It's clearly code between them.

[meisaj]

Hasn't Doug already learned to decipher body language in fighting styles?

I don't follow X-men closely and have been trying to catch up since Hickman's run has been getting acclaim, but I thought since Doug came back during Necrosha his deciphering abilities were expanded a lot to include more than just written and oral language. Seemed odd to make a big deal about him reading body language and not making bigger gains in picking up sword fighting.

[Dante Milton]

Maybe Brisson's best X-book. It was good to see people concerned for Doug, would have been nice if they could have added a Kitty and/or Rhane scene. I like that it was acknowledged that Doug can read body language, but it was given limitations. Reis art is always a pleasure. Exodus could have at least offered to telepathically download his sword fighting knowledge to Doug.