Marauders #17 spoilers

[nandes]

We start with a flashback. After Emma learns the truth about Kate's death through Lockheed, she immediately calls Callisto to go after Shinobi - who is having a meeting with Christian about... something. With Cal as her bodyguard, she reads his mind and finds out that Shinobi was not guilty, but he is involved in... something that she needs to fix.

In the present, Callisto asks Storm to be her partner in the Crucible, as they now need to ask somebody to do it since Apoc's departure. Storm refuses, and Cal reminds her of the lengths she went through to make herself whole again.

There's more building to the Hellfire Gala, with Emma having a meeting with the Hellfire Club members (sans Kate, but with Shaw, Bishop, Christian and Shinobi) in the island that was first featured in Giant Size Magneto. Emma makes a dig at Sebastian by questioning his parentage to Shinobi. The keeper of the island flirts with Jumbo.

Kate is absent as she has unfinished business in Madripoor - she goes to thank the family that kept Lockheed alive by giving them a lot of money, and in the midst of the process we find out Madripoor is a huge mess. She also drops by the Verendi's place to give them an invite to the Gala.

A data page from the X-Desk lady indicates that as a state event the gala will have the presence of a lot of humans (ambassadors, heads of state) and meta human allies - so we can expect to see the Avengers and others to be involved. We also learn that to also counter the Verendi government in Madripoor, Emma has also bought of lot properties there.

In the central scene of the issue, we have the Crucible. At first, Callisto stands alone, and the Silver Samurai offers himself to fight her (the Fenris twins also offered themselves because they just wanted to kill somebody). However, Storm finally shows up and does a quick job after a initial squabble with a literal thunder punch to the heart. Ororo cries, and raises a huge tempest in the colosseum. But with Callisto being ressurected back to normal, knowing that Kate is safe and her operations are thriving, she feels closure with what she set out to do at the start of the book, and longs for change.

--

Probably one of my favorite issues of the series so far - I really liked how Duggan portrayed the Storm/Callisto dynamic and the Crucible scene packed a big emotional punch, especially with Storm's reaction and her narration afterwards. Like in X-Men #7, the Crucible is portrayed as fight to regain of your sense of self and your control of your life, and Duggan really hit the right tone here. Wish the series had spent more time on the characters' headspace like this.

Also one of Loli's best issues so far, especially the page which shows Callisto experiencing Krakoa for the first time with her powers.

[teapartyofthedead]

I’m glad Storm was there for Callisto at the end. The way she tenderly cradled her honestly touched me. I’m beginning to see where the Crucible can be cathartic for some people. Those who view themselves as warriors would want to grapple with their trauma in a way that empowers them: through combat. But there should be a more peaceful alternative, for those who don’t have a warrior’s mindset but still want to find a way forward to regain their birthright as mutants. Also, who would want to be killed by the Fenris twins, creepy racists that they are? I don’t blame Callisto for wanting to put them through the ringer even at the risk of joining Sabertooth.

I truly hope Storm is going to take this year like a force of nature. We deserve nice things after the hell of all this.

Jumbo Carnation blushing as he gets picked up by a sea captain daddy made my week.

[NewMutant]

I'm surprised it took so long for a review thread on this. Fantastic issue. This series has it flaws but it continues to be the most consistent. This team appears to have been the flagship since there was never an official X-Team; something I thought was very smart about the Dawn of X launch. I really wish RD did the interiors as well as the art. I think the quality would shoot up.

The Crucible has been such an interesting concept of this era and its great to see the book tackle it. And Storm fighting Calisto in that sense feels poetic.

Excited to see what is next with Christian, but I hope he stays on the more positive side (especially his relationship with Emma). The Frost Family needs a mini at this point!

Darkveil needs a cameo at the Hellfire Gala!

[Havok83]

I'm surprised it took so long for a review thread on this. Fantastic issue. This series has it flaws but it continues to be the most consistent. This team appears to have been the flagship since there was never an official X-Team; something I thought was very smart about the Dawn of X launch. I really wish RD did the interiors as well as the art. I think the quality would shoot up.

The Crucible has been such an interesting concept of this era and its great to see the book tackle it. And Storm fighting Calisto in that sense feels poetic.

Excited to see what is next with Christian, but I hope he stays on the more positive side (especially his relationship with Emma). The Frost Family needs a mini at this point!

Darkveil needs a cameo at the Hellfire Gala!

this didnt feel like the flagship title to me. X-men was that. X-men is what drove the direction of the X-line, not Maraurders

[Rang10]

this didnt feel like the flagship title to me. X-men was that. X-men is what drove the direction of the X-line, not Maraurders

The book never felt like a flagship, stories are mostly inconsequential to the other books. Of course now there is a gala that I wonder how it will be dealt, since Marauders sells a lot less than X-men.

[NewMutant]

this didnt feel like the flagship title to me. X-men was that. X-men is what drove the direction of the X-line, not Maraurders

Flapship TEAM I should say, X-Men has certainly Felt like this team appeared together the most collectively in other books. But maybe my bias is showing. I'm just so thankful to not have the garbage that has been most of AvX through HoX.

[Journey]

Yo what's the tea on Ferris being racist?

[Dipter]

Yo what's the tea on Ferris being racist?

Their father was a leader of HYDRA. He raised them on nazism and white supremacy.

[Rang10]

Yo what's the tea on Ferris being racist?

They are nazis. I saw it on twitter, I thought it was racism but it is even worse. I don't know what it is up with Krakoa and nazis., specially on the book that stars a major jewish hero.
WTH writers...they even do jokes with it

[Outburstz]

Fenris twins are so funny they are like why is everyone giving us so much crap we have been good citizens of Krakoa lmao

It's because you were the most racist of human

[Thundershot]

Why did she get resurrected and still need an eye patch?! Fix those problems, people!

[Dipter]

Why did she get resurrected and still need an eye patch?! Fix those problems, people!

It’s a fashion choice.

[Dipter]

Love the book but a pet peeve I have is that Duggan sets up conflicts and then resolves them immediately. I thought Kate saving Lowtown from the Verendi was going to be a new sub-plot, but the problem was taken care of in a single data page. Same thing with the poisoned medicine.

[butterflykyss]

Why did she get resurrected and still need an eye patch?! Fix those problems, people!

thats the same question I had.

[jwatson]

Great issue. Look forward to seeing where the book goes with the remaining cast.

The most shocking thing to me though is as mentioned already why didn't Callisto get her eye back. Maybe she does and she just feels more comfortable with the patch who knows but at this point i'm expecting Julian to come back at some point and still have no hands.