X-Men #34 - Review/Spoilers

[JB]

Happy to say I enjoyed this issue more than the last few, I guess because we're getting some finality with some things and it was very action packed.

We open with the preview pages, a quick montage of Xavier ending with him saying "No more humans" while standing near Omega Sentinel. With the war between Orchis and the X-Men resistance at a fever pitch MODOK makes his big move. He arrives in NYC and meets with a Orchis soldier. He pulls out a device, turns the dial on said device, and the soldier turns into a nasty octopus-like monster. Because he had access to DNA databases of Orchis personnel, he corrupted them to be turned into and used as monsters. He calls it "making art." Gross.

Orchis soldiers across the city start turning into monsters including one that was holding Ben Urich and his newspaper co-workers hostage, wanting Ben to retract any bad Orchis press. Firestar arrives just in time to save Ben and the others. Kamala saves a mother and baby as another Orchis monster attacks them in their car. As innocents run for safety one guy says, "@#&$ - I loved Orchis too." It's nice to see their representation being publicly shattered as they openly attack people. It's chaotic and Kamala is like "What else can go wrong?!" but thankfully Laura Kinney the Wolverine arrives to help, having been dispatched by Emma.

"This is the White Queen of Resistance Radio." Emma continues to shine for me, one of my favorites in this era. She announces to everyone telepathically that the resistance is making great strides in the war against Orchis but that Nimrod has remained elusive and Xavier has now joined him. She's in the field using her rings Tony gifted her zapping monsters. Synch, elsewhere, asks her what the plan is to neutralize Xavier. He's calling up Armor's powers and punching the head of a Sentinel. Emma says she's keeping that info close to her vest because Xavier is formidable but she has top X-Men on the problem.

In an Orchis facility Shadowkat approaches a tied up Caliban who had been captured. He didn't make it to a gate in time despite Xavier controlling him during the Gala so he was picked up by Orchis. She frees him while cutting an Orchis monster in half. Kate asks Caliban if his powers are working and when he asks why, she says they're going to find Xavier and she's going to put him down. Caliban says no as he doesn't believe Xavier would ever help Orchis.

Firestar, Kamala, and Laura Kinney the Wolverine track down MODOK on a tugboat in the river. They battle him for a few pages, Synch joining them in the fight as well. Synch and Laura execute a Lorna-powered fastball special finally knocking MODOK down, Kamala karate chopping him for good measure. Synch catches Laura then sets her down so she can take out an Orchis monster.





Very sweet.

Kate and Caliban are now standing in the street in the pouring rain. He stands firm and refuses to help her find Charles knowing she's going to kill him. He turns and walks away saying killing anyone, even a traitor, is wrong. She shouts at him calling him a coward then she starts to sob. Logan appears, telling Caliban he can go. Tears streaming down her face she tells Logan that she wants to believe Charles didn't do what he did and that hearing that Charles broke may have broken her too.



Final page is a full shot of Logan holding the sword and snikit'ing his left hand claws. "Whatever you need. Stand down. I got the only help that Charles needs right here. Xavier has to die, or none of us will be safe."

And so begins the final stretch of the Krakoan era as this is the final FotHoX issue of X-Men. I very much liked the moment between Everett and Laura, and I can understand why Kate is feeling the way she is. She did things she never thought she would do for the mutant cause and with Xavier working with Orchis, she feels lost now, again.

[Keno]

Reading the review, it doesn't makes sense why Logan wants to kill Charles

[JB]

Reading the review, it doesn't makes sense why Logan wants to kill Charles

Charles is assisting Orchis with destroying humanity in exchange for mutantkind being spared. The X-Men don't know his full plan so to them humans are dying because Charles gave in. He's shielding Orchis from telepathic intrusion so Emma and the others are at a disadvantage. To them, they need to kill him to make him stop.

[berserkerclaw]

ShadowKat shouldn't go to killing Cavior or any human easy. She's been written bad a while in Krakoa era IMO

[GoingGreen]

Synch really loves Polaris' powers...

[knowmadic]

ShadowKat shouldn't go to killing Cavior or any human easy. She's been written bad a while in Krakoa era IMO

The purpose of character development is to explore areas of a character that challenge who they are under circumstance ... so it actually makes perfect sense.

Mutants are up for extinction - yet again. Her back is against the wall. Why anyone would expect her to be the same person she has always been is beyond me.

[Jackraow21]

Thought this issue was really solid. Cassara's art obviously helps.

[JB]

Thought this issue was really solid. Cassara's art obviously helps.

Yeah Cassara really delivered again. His MODOK is so gross good!

[Devaishwarya]

From the review this sounds pretty comprehensive.

It's good to see Kate actually dealing with the emotional repercussions of what's she's had to do. I know that was a concern for some fans. This decision to quit the X-Men though is a tad undermined by the solicit for Exceptional XM. We know she quits but we also know she pulled right back in by Emma.

Next issue #35 is the BIG FINALE!

[danielsan52]

We finally got Firestar kicking ass! And they referenced her microwave (not pyro) powers!

[Nicoclaws]

Charles is assisting Orchis with destroying humanity in exchange for mutantkind being spared. The X-Men don't know his full plan so to them humans are dying because Charles gave in. He's shielding Orchis from telepathic intrusion so Emma and the others are at a disadvantage. To them, they need to kill him to make him stop.

Them automatically believing that Xavier betrayed them is WILD.

[Rzerox21xx]

Anyone think that it will come out that Charles aided Orchis on selling out humanity which would explain the more anti-mutant hysteria coming in From The Ashes. I can see that happening. A regular civilian would be, what the hell!!! the Muties leaders sided with their enemies in selling us out, #$@5 them muties.

[Havok83]

This was really good! The best Duggan issue in quite some time. I loved that Talon was finally acknowledged as that scene with Laura and Synch was well done

Loved that Caliban refused to help Kitty kill Xavier. Finally someone against killing. I loved the realization in Kitty that she is done after they beat Orchis. I also liked that she mentioned that they could have won had Xavier not prevented them from beating Orchis the night of the HFG. She's right bc the outcome was worse.

I liked how Firestar was used after being MIA for most of the last few months. Overall good issue and use of characters

[Jackraow21]

Loved seeing Caliban again. Seems like he's somewhere in between his huge, gigantic form granted to him by Apocalypse and his skinny, original form. Kind of mid-level for him in terms of size and appearance.

[cranger]

For all of the 'action' I don't feel like this is part of some bigger story or at least it feels like it could have been the action scenes in just about any generic story at this point. I don't know what Emma knows and I have to believe that Logan has been filled in by Emma for him to be on board but being the one who wants to do the deed is at least the one cliche that fits. There is just so much that is not connecting properly though to enjoy this.

Anyone think that it will come out that Charles aided Orchis on selling out humanity which would explain the more anti-mutant hysteria coming in From The Ashes. I can see that happening. A regular civilian would be, what the hell!!! the Muties leaders sided with their enemies in selling us out, #$@5 them muties.

I think mutants being at the center of this is enough for people to be forming negative opinions. Just look at how people often react to refugees. If mutants were to blame for something really really bad then I do not think anyone would just be letting them back in to their countries without any restrictions.