Picture it: Krakoa, 2022. Sinister sends Destiny a telepathic message, spilling the tea on what he's been up to with the Aven-ternals. Destiny asks if he's coming back to help, but Sinister won't; he knows everyone is suspicious of him because of Dr. Stasis, so he wants to prove he's on Krakoa's side first.
His plan is to turn the Celestial off. The Aven-ternals are against it, since it could explode and kill a whole lot of Europeans. but if Destiny can trick them into thinking the risks are marginal, they can pull it off. Destiny calls for her wife and says that they have work to do.
We get a data page about the Quiet Council, and how likely they are to vote on turning the Celestial off. It's a chart that shows everyone's odds for voting Yes by percentage, how likely they will vote if they know about the risk of explosion vs if they don't know, and if Xavier isn't around. Destiny wants Xavier out of the picture, because he's very much against the risks and could sway votes against the off switch.
Some fun facts:
- Xavier is highly against turning off the Celestial no matter what, likely because he doesn't want anyone - human or mutant - sacrificed.
- Colossus has the absolute lowest chances of voting yes - 1% chance at the lowest, and 2% at the highest. Destiny wonders if this is due to Russia having cities in the possible blast zone.
- Nightcrawler comes in second, with a range of 2-6%.
- Storm is absent, having head back to Arakko. No vote for her.
- Pretty much everyone is against the off switch if they know about its dangers. Destiny and Mystique are the only ones with a percentage above 40%
- Mystique actually 1% more likely to vote yes if she thinks a bunch of humans will die. Destiny loves her.
Basically: if the Council knows how bad the explosion can be, they'll largely vote against it. If Destiny keeps that a secret, they have better odds. They're most likely to get a pass if Xavier's out of the picture.
With Xavier gone, the vote passes. They turn off the Celestial and kill it, but the explosion takes out a city. However...
It was all an illusion, a test for Destiny. The Celestial set this whole illusion up to test her. The Celestial appears before Destiny as Mystique, before revealing that Destiny failed her judgment. Not because she was willing to let a city burn to save the rest of the world, but because she lied about her gift to achieve it. Because she fears losing Mystique. Because she thinks there's no destiny and she's able to control fate, but she's as good as she thinks she is.
The Council meet up and discuss the judgment test. Emma explains how she failed her own test. Shaw says it's because she abstained to have deniability. No credit for saving the world, no blame for the deaths it would cause. As for Emma's judgment, the Celestial appeared before her as several of the people she let down, including two Hellions (the '80's team members, not the person or the '00's team), and Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
So Kate passed, and the Celestial didn't appear as anyone but itself. Xavier's too busy wrestling angels in the psychic plane to get judged, but he's pissed that they could bloody Krakoa's hands. Nightcrawler also had no verdict. Nothing on Colossus and Storm, the latter of whom actually didn't leave for Arakko yet. Exodus has a manbun. Mystique failed, but refuses to share the details. Hellion passed the test, but was given a failing judgment because the Celestial is incredibly jealous of his good looks and mental fortitude.
Destiny says that she failed, but claims that the Celestial took the form of her mother. She insists there is no destiny, but she's clearly still shaken up by what the Celestial told her.
Shaw spaces out to his past. As a child, he wanted to talk to his father. But daddy was busy trying to rebuild their fortune, so he shoos the kid away; unless he has a million dollars, then the child is beneath his concern.
Years later, Sabby would visit his father's grave with the first million he ever made. He dumps it all on his father's grave and burns it, because he can always make more. And also, as a sort of bribe to the gods that his father burn in hellfire.
Back to the present, Shaw is sick of the soul-searching and demands a firm plan. Emma says that, while many Eternals are attacking Krakoa to try and prove their worth, some of them want to meet with the Council and soothe all the anger caused by their immortality secret.
Shaw senses an opportunity: he'll handle it, and negotiations will be at a club in New York. Leland and Angel can come with him to make sure he's a good boy. Everyone defers to Storm and Emma. Storm shrugs and looks to Emma. Emma chews over it before agreeing.
Suddenly, Exodus' test begins. A giant demon bursts into the council chambers, and hellfire begins to burn everything around them. Within the demon's grasp is Sir Garrington, who committed a mortal sin by giving up his life to help Exodus, back in the 12th century. He'll burn in Hell for all eternity, if Exodus doesn't take his place. Despite being warned about the tests, Exodus falls for this. However, while he loves Garrington, he can't sacrifice himself for anyone, because the mutant church is still in its cradle and he needs to keep working.
But he refuses to give up, and attempts to fight the demon to get Garrington back. Shaw doesn't want to risk losing one of Krakoa's biggest guns in some hell, so he jumps in to save him. The fire is real though, and burns off all his clothes. A naked Shaw knocks some sense into Exxy's head with a punch to the back of the head. As the demon fades away and things go back to normal, Garrington gives them a thumb's up. Shaw believes that this means Exodus passed his test.
Later, as Shaw is getting dressed, he gets a message on his computer. One of his agents has discovered an Orchis shell account, looking for investments to fund the next generation of anti-mutant weapons. Shaw, who previously invested in Sentinels and only regrets not getting in on it earlier, wants to buy everything he can. But of course, this was actually just a test. The Celestial appears to him as Emma and fails him.
But Shaw knew it was all a test. He just didn't care. Good will probably triumph over evil no matter what he does. If not? He's already embraced his darkness and is fine with going to Hell for his sins.
But he is mad that the Celestial appeared before him as Emma, though. He doesn't respect her, and insists that, despite her caring facade, she's just like him.
Later, Shaw meets with Starfox to discuss strats. We don't get the full details of Starfox's plans.
Even later, Shaw reflects on how Selene animated the External Gate. Intrigued by her magic, he had begun his own research. This has lead him to a ritualistic summoning pentagram. He crushes a (human?) heart before it to summon forth a being Selene had been making deals with.
If the world ends tomorrow, then all investments are bad. But if Shaw lives, he's immortal. And immortality requires finds of a similar magnitude.
Meet Shaw's new business partner: Mother Righteous.
Notes:
- Loving the connection to Legion of X. I remember people were talking about how the books felt less connected and cohesive. I think this will help.