X of Swords Finale (X-Men 15, Excalibur 15, Destruction) Reviews *spoilers*

[jwatson]

Another naïve question, but what was the point of the tournament if Genesis/Annihilation could just pull a Trump and not accept the results and have her army continue what they started before Saturnyne called time out?

Because they needed the one thing that always seems to matter in Hickman marvel stuff. Time. This whole thing was to buy time for sat to rebuild the corps and her sword. But imo it was also because she can't be everywhere. She got a new and just leader in amenth, she has a new leader and seventh that will probably keep the undead from getting out of hand. Ol girl was thinking long term.

[Glio]

Another naïve question, but what was the point of the tournament if Genesis/Annihilation could just pull a Trump and not accept the results and have her army continue what they started before Saturnyne called time out?

Because it was Death who accepted the tournament, not Annihilation. And Genesis wanted some closure with Apocalypse. Annihilation wanted total war, Genesis did not.

[Jwyatt]

Ideally, I'd expect no one to be able to opt out of the tournament results.
I did enjoy the army vs army wallpaper, but it did underscore to me that the tournament didn't really enforce whatever it was deciding.

[Hulkout42]

I don’t feel anything from that splash page because they say they will be consequences but there won’t be it’s a lie. Magneto and Xavier were happy he went and he was still just doing his job of being a soldier in the army of god so I don’t think this was a big moment or a character change it was pure navel gazing like this entire run has been

Were the consequences that did happen could be considered major? Or to be more precise with the way they were written, could they be considered major and affect where we go from here?

[Hulkout42]

We've been hearing about big plans for Storm for a year now. Its never happened. Best guess is she's going to be the mother hen of SWORD or Children of the Atom, if that ever exists. And given that we just got dozens of OCs with the personality of sandpaper dropped on the island every character is going to have to fight for screentime even harder. Seriously, this is the second time they've suddenly acquired an army.

I don't see how the portion with Jean isn't horrendous writing. Two characters who played no part in the event outside of being tiny bit in the Cable issue decide on their own to upend the entire thing in the last couple issues. They have no connection narratively, thematically, or anything. Just a short foreshadow bit at the absolute tail end of last week. Its almost a deus ex machina. Same with all the Quiet Council shakeups. That wasn't even a suggestion until this week and now its the biggest takeaway from the whole event.

I guess the entire thing lives and dies based on how you feel about the Apocalypse stuff. Most here seem to find it refreshing and a great way to add depth to him. I find it dull as paste, and a whole mythology that is nonsensical. Attempting to rehabilitate a monster like him with 'oh, he loves his family and its all for them!' is kind of disgusting, and reeks of the kind of moral myopia that's plagues the X-men for years. And given that none of it has played a part in any of Moira's lives, it doesn't feel important. Nothing really does until Moira gets dealt with.

Considering the last time this happen and had Storm hook up with Logan, teach at his school, lead the school, lead the X-men and done so in a poor manner i wouldn't get my hopes for anything relevant with Storm this time around.

I wouldn't worry, next thing you know Orchis will pop up with that NIMROD Sentinel and take care of it, or the old ladies who Hank stole from will decide they need to teach these young'uns a lesson in manners and about taking things that don't belong to them, Knull decides to announce his return by leveling Arrako or maybe the Children of the Vault will pop in for a spell. Really any new characters from that place are inconsequential just like those amalgam mutants we saw in the life where NIMROD ruled over earth.

I have to agree, this event was not worth it.

[Hulkout42]

My main gripe is well let me get the obvious caveat out of the way first maybe Amenth needs to first be beaten in a battle of will by its wearer to weaken it ,with that I'm cool but Sat9 actually moulding a full on godlike entity from its 'visage' into a fancy fly swatter(I know it's a royal fan but still) is ridiculous.If Saturnyne had that kind of power why even engage a tournament..it beats logic.With her power she could negate Amenth from breaching outworld from the get go.I feel it would be more logical if she locked away the mask or magically exorcised the entity to say Blightspoke ,but not do what she did.That was a silly gimmick by the writers ,but yeah that and weak post Stasis issues up till the final 3 means it's not as epic as it could have been but pretty decent conclusion

Because she wanted the Captain Britain Corp back with Brian at its helm and her side, sadly what she got is the Braddock Corp and no Brian. The tournament? the swords? the players were all just a means to an end.

[pkingdom]

I meant that they had already enslaved a Brood army by accident, so there's that army and this new one.

[Outburstz]

Has anyone named all the mutants that appeared with Cyclops and Jean in that great spread yet?

[Hulkout42]

I meant that they had already enslaved a Brood army by accident, so there's that army and this new one.

Do you really think Broo would do anything like unleashing them onto someone? I mean they sort of could have used them against the Cotati, and they could use them against Knull and whatever he brings or maybe whatever number of Sentinels are present on Venus or wherever they are but outside of that would they really see any action against a sapient species?

Or maybe that is the point then, humanity sees this and someone looks at this and says they have got WAY too much fire power at their disposal while Humanity really has what? and the fact that the council looks quite uneven with the bad outnumbering the good and since we know the bad ones are plotting behind the scenes well i wouldn't exactly say humanity shouldn't be worried or wouldn't be provoked if say Sinister thinks it would be funny to cause a war just for laughs or maybe Mystique decides to do something so Krakoa burns as Destiny told her it should.

Or just maybe in the end we got two vast armies and they do nothing with them at all like with the Brood who haven't done anything outside of that event with Broo.

[Gigantor]

Were the consequences that did happen could be considered major? Or to be more precise with the way they were written, could they be considered major and affect where we go from here?

Cyclops arguing with the QC means nothing jean being fired from the QC (if she even IS!!) means nothing apocalypse leaving means nothing the Betsy Corp MEANS NOTHING!! Nothing happened in this event and the very minor plot points will be mentioned and forgotten in every book except Excalibur which everyone hates.

[pkingdom]

Broo isn't a bad person, but there are way too many unscrupulous telepaths around who could make him. In addition to the evil scientists. And like you said, anyone who just glances at the island and see this will rightfully be terrified.

[Gigantor]

Do you really think Broo would do anything like unleashing them onto someone? I mean they sort of could have used them against the Cotati, and they could use them against Knull and whatever he brings or maybe whatever number of Sentinels are present on Venus or wherever they are but outside of that would they really see any action against a sapient species?

Or maybe that is the point then, humanity sees this and someone looks at this and says they have got WAY too much fire power at their disposal while Humanity really has what? and the fact that the council looks quite uneven with the bad outnumbering the good and since we know the bad ones are plotting behind the scenes well i wouldn't exactly say humanity shouldn't be worried or wouldn't be provoked if say Sinister thinks it would be funny to cause a war just for laughs or maybe Mystique decides to do something so Krakoa burns as Destiny told her it should.

Or just maybe in the end we got two vast armies and they do nothing with them at all like with the Brood who haven't done anything outside of that event with Broo.

Still waiting for that to mean something? Maybe send the fucking brood to fight the demon army instead of mortal X-men but what do I know?

[Chessboxer]

Well I thought these last three issues were excellent

Excalibur 15 - The best issue Howard has put together so far. I should mention Asrar's art here. He's such a perfect blending of Larraz and Yu that it is almost spooky. They somehow managed to find an artist that perfectly complements both Yu and Larraz despite not being a clone of either of them. I've liked Asrar ever since the Ultimate Spider-Man All New X-Men arc and he's just gotten better and better. I hope he's kept in the rotation of artists going forward.

You hit the nail on the head about Asrar that I couldn't articulate. Yes! He an actual blend of Larraz and Yu, great observation. He can say so much with so little, and the fights were beautifully illustrated.

That solo panel with Emma in the QC meeting? Lord have mercy, that gave me Basic Instinct vibes

[BishopsJuice91]

Why is Gwenpool on Krakoa? I don’t follow her book...

[danielsan52]

Question: Who was Isca holding?

Who was she holding. And did her colors invert??