Knights of X #1 Review/Spoilers - Imperiled

[JB]

I love a quest! This is the shortened version of my original summary but hey, a lot happened.

We start with the preview pages as Betsy rescues Joshua, except it’s not our Betsy but instead Captain Bretland. She brings Joshua to Lavender Keep where Betsy and the Corps have been hiding and launching mutant rescue missions from.

We’re briefly introduced to Elspeth Braddock of Earth-13059, the “Corps’ most powerful seer.” She’s in meditation surrounded by a ring of candles and can “see” the Krakoans waiting for Betsy, unable to reach Otherworld.

Our Betsy and Saturnyne are arguing - Sat wants her throne back and feels they’re wasting time helping mutants. Betsy obviously isn’t having any of that and tells her to grow a pair and do something to help open up a way to Krakoa. But Sat is feeling sorry for herself as she’s not as powerful without her link to the Citadel. Betsy tells her she's done it before (XoS) so...



The Lavender Keep is in Roma’s realm and Betsy decides after months of hiding it’s time to approach Roma for help. Roma is friendly and offers Betsy some champagne, which our girl gulps down (she’s been drinking rainwater for months).

Roma is unable to open up a portal to Krakoa directly because that’s not how fairy magic works but she can offer a quest which may allow Betsy some help if she accepts, but it’ll be dangerous and put them through difficult trials. As she hands Betsy a book emblazoned with an X on the cover, the team on Krakoa is jolted awake as they can now feel Betsy.

Julio and Shatty are in bed together with no pants on. Bei is heading out the door as Doug snores. Remy seems to have been awake, appearing melancholy as he looks at a note from Rogue saying she’ll be working late and not to wait up. Rachel is showered, moisturized and already sprinting with Amazing Baby towards the X Of Swords circle.

Meggan, Jubes, and Shogo meet them there and Betsy appears from the center portal. She explains that the quest calls for 10 knights and has the idea to resurrect Mordred. The Five do their thing while Meggan adds some waters of Otherworld to the recipe. They’re unsure what to expect because they know he’s a villain. The egg opens and he disappears, leaving only some water. Betsy is all whatever, we’ll deal with him later.

Betsy asks Jubilee if she’s volunteering to join them. We learn that Shogo has been sleeping since they returned and they can’t wake him up. All he does is dream about Otherworld, confirmed by Rachel and Betsy. She believes bringing him to Otherworld may help them find an answer. They open the X book and are transported back to Otherworld except Jubilee is left behind! Bei explains that the quest must be about her son only and not her, and that fairy magic can be cruel thus leaving Jubilee behind. Oh boy.

They’re now down two knights so Meggan makes a suggestion which Rachel, who has transformed into fiery fierceness, loves.



Cut to Arthur and his band of jerks hunting Kylun. Kylun chops the head off of Sir Vescora and is ready to battle them all when he’s trapped by an icy blast. A vampire is about to slice his throat when the team appears, Shogo breathing fire on the bad guys. The team poses for a moment as required with an entrance. Kylun was Meggan's suggestion of course.

A battle ensues, Betsy takes flight on Shogo and directs him to maneuver in a way that causes two giant Furies to crash into each other. It’s also cool seeing Kylun and Shatterstar fighting back to back as they are similar in noble warrior vibe. A mysterious knight on a black horse breaks through Arthur’s line and Arthur looks mortified as he’s revealed to be Mordred. Arthur’s army retreats. The team is cautious because again they know he’s a villain but Mordred kneels, offering his service. He’s a lot younger now too.

Now that the 10 are together, lightning suddenly strikes the ground in front of them forming an X. An image of the Siege Perilous appears in the sky and they now know their mission. Cut to Arthur’s round table where Merlyn's magic form tells Arthur that only the SP can transform Mordred (I guess to no longer be a mutant?) and that though they can’t go after the SP themselves because the quest is only for the “pure”, they can steal it.
Final page is a map of Otherworld. Merlyn's forces occupy all the realms except Roma’s, the Crooked Market, and Mercator.



Cons: The writing is clunky in parts especially with the bringing together of the team. There’s a forced panel of Bei sympathizing with Gambit about leaving a loved one behind and he’s all “yeah well, Rogue’s real busy right now, ain’t she?” While I appreciate him missing his wife I hope he’s not pouty the whole time because he deserves better. He'll be leading a team soon so hopefully he can shine.
Also, no sign of Jamie who I’ve loved under Tini’s pen and Brian is staying behind on Krakoa. The family dynamic of Excalibur was one of my favorite things but hopefully this means the Knights themselves will get plenty of attention.

Pros: I love how Betsy sounds as she’s really taking on a no-nonsense leadership role. I believe her. And I loved meeting some of the Corps even if briefly. More of them please.
I love the concept of the quest and I have a soft spot for the Siege Perilous. The art is really beautiful at times and the darker tone fits the mission statement. I can’t wait to see how Jaspers and Mercator play into this.
I’m not sure if I trust Roma here and I like that intrigue.

I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to the next issue!

[CGAR]

My only nitpick is some of the dialouge and I dislike that Shogo may be considered one of the ten when so many other better characters could have been used.

Like Wind Dancer

[Krakoa]

My only nitpick is some of the dialouge and I dislike that Shogo may be considered one of the ten when so many other better characters could have been used.

Like Wind Dancer

I like that just bc 10 is a big cast to manage.

[Askani's Flame]

I'm very excited to pick this up.
So Rachel's outfit gives her fiery faux-Phoenix flames? In addition to her witchbreed abilities?
Also is Amazing Baby left behind with Jubes?

[king of hybrids]

I feel sorry for any Marvel writer who has to deal with anything Britain and magic related after this era

[CGAR]

Also I take it back. I don't like any of her Krakoa era uniforms.

[NewMutant]

Sounds like Excalibur wannabe is more of the same under a different name.

[JB]

My only nitpick is some of the dialouge and I dislike that Shogo may be considered one of the ten when so many other better characters could have been used.

Like Wind Dancer

In my head I'm hoping Shogo goes through the Siege Perilous and is transformed into his adult self that we met from the future/another timeline/thingy.

I'm very excited to pick this up.
So Rachel's outfit gives her fiery faux-Phoenix flames? In addition to her witchbreed abilities?
Also is Amazing Baby left behind with Jubes?

Yeah the armor has these built-in flames so I'm curious what they'll possibly enable her to do. I love powerhouse Rachel.
And yup it looks like Amazing Baby was left behind as well. So at least Jubes has some company? She must be freaking out.

[Daedra]

So Rachel's outfit gives her fiery faux-Phoenix flames?

How lame, phony force really? So cheap

[Milici]

My only nitpick is some of the dialouge and I dislike that Shogo may be considered one of the ten when so many other better characters could have been used.

Like Wind Dancer

Tiny already did an awful job writing Sofia, she deserves better.

[KylunFan]

I really loved this issue.

Lots of the set-up was poorly explained and or/rushed in Excalibur and it's hard to accept the old X-Men hated and feared as a premise in this Krakoa Era but...now that's all been established it allows her to tell the fantasy epic she wants to tell.

Otherworld and the Captain Britain mythos have never been this interesting.

It has the best Kylun content since 1993! Loved the panels where he was recruited to the team a great introduction to the character for newer readers. Hope we get some insight into why he's been in Otherworld in upcoming issue, it would also be fun to see him interact with Saturnyne (His dead ex Sat'neen was another alternative version Courtney Ross)

I thought Marcus To drew some beautiful art in Excalibur, but Quinn's art is much more effective at storytelling.

Still not sure why Gambit is here and I dislike the Shogo dragon thing, but that's old news now and didn't affect my enjoyment for the issue...

[Malachi]

That was a lot of Betsy. Stealth solo is not living up to the stealth part.

Gambit seems to be the one who will die and whatever that will mean for him. His motivation, and I am using the word generously here, seems to be in the level of a child. So if that is how you view the character then no problems. If not it’s just more of the same.

Rictor benefits from Shatterstar here. I still vastly prefer him before his Druid and infatuation phase with Apocalypse but thankfully Shatterstar can wipe away the later part.

Bei is one of those Arakki. No clue about who she is and what her powers are. Witch is not my way of asking. Just stating that for a introduction issue the other characters we can have more familiarity with. With Bei an introduction wouldn’t hurt.

Not liking how Rachel is all about Betsy.

For those that loved Excalibur this seems to be more of the same. Just perhaps with a clearer mission statement.

[CGAR]

Tiny already did an awful job writing Sofia, she deserves better.

I agree but she was the only reason Sofia showed up. I want some panel time for my air bender venezuelan wind goddess

[JB]

I really loved this issue.

Lots of the set-up was poorly explained and or/rushed in Excalibur and it's hard to accept the old X-Men hated and feared as a premise in this Krakoa Era but...now that's all been established it allows her to tell the fantasy epic she wants to tell.

Otherworld and the Captain Britain mythos have never been this interesting.

It has the best Kylun content since 1993! Loved the panels where he was recruited to the team a great introduction to the character for newer readers. Hope we get some insight into why he's been in Otherworld in upcoming issue, it would also be fun to see him interact with Saturnyne (His dead ex Sat'neen was another alternative version Courtney Ross)

I thought Marcus To drew some beautiful art in Excalibur, but Quinn's art is much more effective at storytelling.

Still not sure why Gambit is here and I dislike the Shogo dragon thing, but that's old news now and didn't affect my enjoyment for the issue...

You actually came to mind as I was reading and I'm happy for you as it's been a while since we got this much Colin. This was indeed a great introduction for newer readers and I'm hoping for a budding bromance between him and Shatterstar.



I hope we see some cool stuff with his powers.

[Shortpack!]

Jubilee getting left behind. It's like she's back with the X-Men again!

For real, though... She deserves better. Excalibur was NOT good to her and Knights of X looks even worse.

Don't get me started on Dragon Shogo.