Trial of Magneto#3 (Spoilers and Discussion)

[RamaBird]

Issue opens up with Wanda being greeted by everyone. She seems to be stuck in the past and not recognize more recent events. Before anything is cleared up, Northstar flies in and kicks Magnetos butt he's so angry that Kyle was threatened.

Everyone then reminds Magneto that he is still on trial. Northstar and Kyle then invite the Avengers to dinner to discuss more. Wiccan and Speed arrive to greet Wanda, and Wiccan instantly knows this is a backup version of her as she doesn't remember them. Rachel then peaks into Wanda's mind and confirms she is an old backup (pre M-Day). Rachel and Jean decide she needs her memories back (well after a second), good or bad.

Just then giant monsters attack the island. Northstar (w Cyclops blessing) leads the attack as the X-Men and Avengers unite against the monsters. Wanda is told to stay behind and wait, but her sons sneak her away.

The X-Men and Avengers fight these generic monsters and by the end, the monsters are revealed to be self-healing. The X-Men and Avengers act like this is their last stand.

We switch back to Wanda's weird storyline/dreams/chaos magic realm world, where she is being chased by a figure. Finally, Wanda stands up for herself which is what the mysterious figure wanted. The figure is revealed to be Old Woman Wanda.

[RamaBird]

I liked the issue except for the generic monsters who arrived to distract everyone from the main story.

[loke13]

That Kaiju fight sounds random as heck.

[ExodusCloak]

The monsters are clearly related to Wanda/Chthon/Chaos Magic.

But how do Jean and Rachel give back her memories. The most they can do is give her memories as an onlooker. And Rachel and Jean were not present in HoM

[Kurolegacy]

There are now 3 Wanda’s. It’s Magneto’s dream come true and Lorna’s nightmare as she’s demoted to 5th favorite.

[king of hybrids]

There are now 3 Wanda’s. It’s Magneto’s dream come true and Lorna’s nightmare as she’s demoted to 5th favorite.

She’ll always be above Pietro, Joseph and whatever Luminous counts as

[Dante Milton]

A mystery has to be compelling though. None of what we've had so far has lead to anything more than "wait, WHAT is exactly going on?", that's a bad way of building up to the eventual payoff and resolution of said mystery. There's no bread crumbs, no even a hint of what might me happening to engage us on what could happen. The story/mystery has so little to stand on that there's zero theories about it and zero talk about it anywhere.

I'm finding it very compelling so far, and we do have some people speculating about the outcome and what is or isn't real. The reason there isn't more is because, for reasons I don't understand, people are interpreting the bread crumbs we have been given as dropped plots or continuity errors. So far we have the disappearance of Kyle and Tommy, Hope's decision to resurrect Wanda and send Magneto to fight the Avengers, the attacking kaiju, and reappearance but odd behavior of Kyle, Tommy, and Wiccan. All of these have one thing in common, they serve to misdirect the Avengers and X-Men while Wanda finishes her spell in the chaos magic realm, because it is important that the spell is not interrupted.

I'd say the main problem is that it's not a mystery-mystery, where X-Factor gather clues and put things together. The whole point of X-Factor is that they investigate and solve mysteries. So far, we're learning things because they're being revealed to us, the audience. The story has been interrupted by two Magneto attacks, the team as a unit has fallen by the wayside for other characters, and characters keep weaving in and out of the story. I was hoping for Phoenix Wright mystery-solving, but we're getting Moffat-era Doctor Who.

True, but again I think that is intentional and for good reason. I already mentioned how this is a story, in part, about Wanda claiming agency, and so it is imperative that she saves herself. The Avengers and X-Factor can't be the ones to assemble the clues that something is off and save the day. She must be responsible for deciding her own fate.

The boys are not real

They are either projections of Wanda's magic, or they are real and being possessed by her magic and being used, along with Kyle, to keep the others from interfering with Wanda's spell. They are stowing away the resurrected Wanda because when she does bring herself back from this chaos magic realm, she will need a body.

So what is Wanda doing, what is the function of her spell? My theory now is that it relates to Axis and M Day. I think that when Wanda made the retcon Axis spell she altered reality to erase her mutant identity and familial relationship with Magneto. I think the spell she is performing now will allow her to reclaim those aspects of her identity. I think it is, essentially, a chaos magic fueled Crucible. A healing spell that to be properly performed must involve her acknowledging and accepting what harm she has done to herself and others, and to fix it. I think the spell will not only repower herself and Pietro as a mutant, but also all others who were affected by M Day. So it is a magical Crucible that will end the need for the Krakoan Crucible (because of course it will be a witch will end the Crucible).

[Grey]

The monsters are clearly related to Wanda/Chthon/Chaos Magic.

But how do Jean and Rachel give back her memories. The most they can do is give her memories as an onlooker. And Rachel and Jean were not present in HoM

Teen jean was given her “memories” by onlookers beast in all new xmen. This was enough to satisfy story needs, the rest is just hand waved away. Best not to overthink it too much and go with it if this happens with Wanda.

[ExodusCloak]

Teen jean was given her “memories” by onlookers beast in all new xmen. This was enough to satisfy story needs, the rest is just hand waved away. Best not to overthink it too much and go with it if this happens with Wanda.

And because of that it was explicitly stated Teen Jean wasn't old Jean. She wasn't the same person who lived that experience.

Same for Jean having Madelyne and the Phoenixes memories in X-Factor it was said she was an onlooker not having lived the experience.

Same for when that D'Bari miner came for revenge Jean said the memories are that of an onlooker.

So there is still that distinction

[PhoenixThanos]

Northstar needs to go, seriously Northstar taking over Captain America and Cyclops in strategizing an attack against the monsters.
Northstar wasn't even an important member of Alpha Flight.
I hope Magneto kicks his pompous arse.

[Wiccan]

And because of that it was explicitly stated Teen Jean wasn't old Jean. She wasn't the same person who lived that experience.

Same for Jean having Madelyne and the Phoenixes memories in X-Factor it was said she was an onlooker not having lived the experience.

Same for when that D'Bari miner came for revenge Jean said the memories are that of an onlooker.

So there is still that distinction

No, she really is teen Jean. I mean, I consider Phoenix Jean as her too, but I know that it wasn't what the narrative went for at the time. But everything from the original Bendis ANXM to Extermination says the time-displaced O5 are really just them.

[Captain Nash]

This issue was a random train wreck. Why did we need the Kaiju fight? I'm sure they'll be chaos monsters but it took up too much of the issue and will be in the next issue. I'm also pretty sure Synch shouldn't be able to borrow Wasp's growing powers like that, since it's not a mutant ability. (Nm that last part, I was wrong!)

I think the book would have been okay without the Kaijus involved. That was just so random. The Avengers/Wanda/Magneto/X-Men interaction part was mostly fine. But Old Woman Wanda...while a decent revelation, after Old Man Wolverine, Hawkeye, Peter Quill, and so forth, it's becoming a bit tiresome. But, we haven't seen that part play out.

4/5 with out the Kaiju fights (issues 1 and 2 were 5/5 for me)
2/5 with the Kaiju fights - too random and too much of the story.

[ExodusCloak]

This issue was a random train wreck. Why did we need the Kaiju fight? I'm sure they'll be chaos monsters but it took up too much of the issue and will be in the next issue. I'm also pretty sure Synch shouldn't be able to borrow Wasp's growing powers like that, since it's not a mutant ability.

I think the book would have been okay without the Kaijus involved. That was just so random. The Avengers/Wanda/Magneto/X-Men interaction part was mostly fine. But Old Woman Wanda...while a decent revelation, after Old Man Wolverine, Hawkeye, Peter Quill, and so forth, it's becoming a bit tiresome. But, we haven't seen that part play out.

4/5 with out the Kaiju fights (issues 1 and 2 were 5/5 for me)
2/5 with the Kaiju fights - too random and too much of the story.

Synchs powers changed so he could copy the CotV powers so he can copy non mutants

[Captain Nash]

Synchs powers changed so he could copy the CotV powers so he can copy non mutants

Ah thank you, I updated though didn't remove my comment, just noted I was wrong.

[gurkle]

I said in the other thread, this book doesn't seem to have an editor.

spoilers:

- After they made a big point of how Billy wasn't there, suddenly he's there with no explanation. - Billy and Tommy tell Wanda to come with them, but in the next scene, she's alone. - David Messina's fill-in panels have Wanda's face traced from Elizabeth Olsen's, with no attempt to match the style of the main artist. - I don't care as much about continuity stuff, but the editor should have told Williams that the "backup" Wanda would not know what chaos magic was or even that her powers were magic.

end of spoilers

Maybe the seeming errors/inconsistencies are setting up something to be revealed later, but it doesn't make it feel any better reading it.