X-Men #16 - Review/Spoilers

[JB]

We open with the preview pages, Forge secretly meeting with Sinister. He hands Sinister a list of three names, DNA that he wants to use to incorporate into his suit. Sinister comments that the third name will be tricky because the mutant's gift dwells within his mind, so Forge would need access to a cradle. Forge already does. Sinister agrees to help.

Forge is inside the Vault, flying above The City as Caliban can sense their target growing nearer. Caliban asks Forge if he really did get his approval to utilize his power and mind. Forge pauses for a moment and responds yes, that he told Caliban the mission and asked him if it would feel good using his powers for the right reasons. Sweet Caliban smiles and says it does feel good.

The next area is densely populated so Forge transforms into Perro. He tells Caliban that he didn't tell Mystique that he would be using her gift. As Perro, they walk by some cool looking Children. But Serafina is tracking them, watching from a safe distance.

Outside the bio-dome surrounding the Vault, the X-Men are waiting when Havok and Cyclops start arguing. Havok feels they should be inside helping Forge but Cyclops says that's not the plan so deal with it. He has no patience for his brother and vice versa. Alex says he knows Scott doesn't want him on the team, Scott says it's not his decision. It's quite juvenile and very par for the course with them. Scott tells Alex that he put all his weight behind Forge getting voted and that Forge, "just, you know..."Alex: "He WHAT?"Scott: "He threw all his weight behind you as a joke. To get back at me." Scott starts to walk away.

Havok charges his fist with power and punches Cyclops, knocking off his visor and knocking him off his feet. His uncontrolled optic blast fires a hole through the bio-dome and out the other side, hitting the real Perro's suspended animation pod. Perro falls out, confused. He stands, finds his bearings and realizes he was trapped in a simulation. Jean tells the team they need to contain the situation as fast as possible. Perro punches and shatters Iceman, yelling for the other Children to wake up. Jean telepathically attacks, trying to induce tiredness. Perro picks up a sharp piece of Iceman to use as a weapon and almost impales Firestar. Thankfully Magik opens a disc and Firestar falls through, landing in front of Avengers mansion. LMAO!

Magik slices Perro across the chest, wounding him. He runs towards the entrance to the Vault but fragments of Iceman are racing ahead of him and form a wall to block his entry. Iceman gets smashed and shattered again. Jean holds Perro in place with her TK but she notes he's very strong as she struggles to keep him still, while also returning Scott's visor back to him. Scott tells Alex not to hold back and the brothers blast Perro together, knocking him down. Jean lifts him in the air and Iceman forms a giant hand to restrain him. Magik is working on the Forgetech and Jean tells her to get Synch here right away if she can't figure it out. The team holds Perro in place...



while Magik jams the cerebral link cord to the stasis pod back into his head. (Gross). Perro immediately is back in the illusion as Jean imprints in his mind that what he just experienced with them was just a nightmare. The pod swallows him again and he's back in suspended animation. They all look at Havok. Magik: "Dude." He silently walks away.

Magik brings Firestar back who is annoyed. Magik: "I didn't mean it as a slam. Some of my best friends are Avengers." I love Illyana. Jean privately tells Scott that they need to talk. She's worried about Synch who has been depressed, and now they have loose cannon Alex to deal with. Scott says Alex hasn't found what he's looking for and that this X-Men team is not it.

Forge, as Perro, reaches a giant pyramid and climbs the stairs. Once he passes the guards he transforms back to himself as he walks down a dark hallway. He explains to Caliban that an AI curates the changes in the Children and that it's paramount that they rescue Darwin to see what he may know about the Children. Caliban asks how they're going to rescue him and Forge says the suit has more tricks and can medevac a mutant out on his back. Caliban is fascinated and asks him if he ever feels dumb. I actually love them as a duo.
They enter a room with coffin-like pods with people inside. Caliban directs Forge to the one holding Darwin...





Data page of Forge recording a situation report for the Quiet Council. He reports that Darwin was captured and likely killed and that the mutant he detected was Laura Kinney. Forge fears the Children were able to incorporate Darwin's adaptability and humbly suggests that the Avengers and perhaps Reed and Tony being informed of their findings. If the Children escape, they'll need all hands on deck. He's now going to attempt to exit the Vault with Old Woman Wolverine who, in his opinion, makes one too many since our Laura was resurrected. He also suggests they release the hold placed on Darwin and expedite him to the top of the queue.

(So yeah, they're rewriting the fact that Darwin was resurrected with Laura previously. It is what it is.)

[JB]

They got me good. I did not expect to see Old Woman Laura in there. Woah! Though I'm bummed we didn't see Synch in this issue, everyone and their grandmother is on their edge of their seat for what happens next with him.

[Ulysian_Thracs]

They got me good. I did not expect to see Old Woman Laura in there. Woah! Though I'm bummed we didn't see Synch in this issue, everyone and their grandmother is on their edge of their seat for what happens next with him.

Thanks for the recap! You say the words Old Woman Wolverine (Laura) and the first thing I think is '...many good years with Julian'. (Sets myself up to be really disappointed...)

And not unsurprising Laura was alive. Just silly plot that she is. Wonder how Eenie situation plays out here.

[sunofdarkchild]

What are Perro's powers? His character description on the Marvel website only lists the ability to affect gravity. Did he always have super-strength in addition, or does he use the gravity to make himself stronger? Did he evolve super-strength in the Vault which he didn't have before? I know nothing when it comes to the Children of the Vault.

[davetvs]

I liked this issue, definitely some of Duggan's better work. I'm intrigued by the twist that it's OG Laura instead of Darwin and looking forward to seeing where that plotline goes since it has broader implications for Krakoa and the protocols.

I wasn't feeling the Havok subplot, we'll see where it goes but I'm over him being a screwup. He's not one of my faves but he has been an X-Man longer than pretty much everyone who isn't the O5, led teams, led the Avengers...this characterization feels very off for a character of that stature. Wells seemed to handle this flop Havok with more nuance in Hellions.

[JB]

What are Perro's powers? His character description on the Marvel website only lists the ability to affect gravity. Did he always have super-strength in addition, or does he use the gravity to make himself stronger? Did he evolve super-strength in the Vault which he didn't have before? I know nothing when it comes to the Children of the Vault.

It's hard to say because while Synch, Wolverine, and Darwin were in the Vault they evolved multiple times. I think this is the first time we're seeing Perro since then so it's likely this is the first time we're seeing super-strength from him.

[dkrook]

So we don't even see Synch get down...??? What a jip!

[sunofdarkchild]

I wonder if this weird relationship Duggan is creating between Magik and Firestar is going anywhere or if will continue to just make Firestar the butt of jokes about how she used to be an Avenger. First there was her complaint that taking orders from Magik was just like taking orders from Captain America, now she gets kicked out of the fight at the first sign she's in danger and dumped on the Avengers' lawn.

[Nicoclaws]

Cassara continuing the "let's make Havok's headdress bigger" is genius. Him being on a team he doesn't want to be in is annoying for fans because obv we would have liked other characters in his stead, but it's an interesting story beat and team dynamic. Curious where it's going.

What are Perro's powers? His character description on the Marvel website only lists the ability to affect gravity. Did he always have super-strength in addition, or does he use the gravity to make himself stronger? Did he evolve super-strength in the Vault which he didn't have before? I know nothing when it comes to the Children of the Vault.

Yeah that's too bad they're using him as a bruiser while Carey's use of his powers was a bit more creative. I suppose he does have superstrength and resistance though.

[Dthirds3]

New laura "this is so editorial make me question ig I'm real again isn't it ?"
Old laura "yep"

[Krakoa]

Well, I still don't really get how this storyline tracks with what we saw in X-Men (2019) #17-18 at all (Synch and Laura blow up Darwin and then Krakoa resurrects him) but if you can accept that it was solid. Fun to see more tension in this year's team though Havok was being kind of a baby. Not sure how I feel about this Laura development in general -- worried that it'll feed the "resurrection is just cloning" narrative if not done right and I'm worried Duggan was not the one to tell this story.

So we don't even see Synch get down...??? What a jip!

Given the end of this issue I think it's pretty clear why Duggan has been holding on the Synch focus.

[sunofdarkchild]

One complaint I have, what are Cyclops and Havok doing holding Perro's arms while Jean is restraining his mind and Iceman his body? If he really is stronger than Colossus and on the same level as The Thing, their holding him is completely useless. It's like trying to stop a flood with a single sponge. If his arms are still a threat at that point the smart thing would have been to stay away from them and not put themselves in a position where he could easily break every bone in their bodies with a simple flex.

[kevlon]

I wonder if this weird relationship Duggan is creating between Magik and Firestar is going anywhere or if will continue to just make Firestar the butt of jokes about how she used to be an Avenger. First there was her complaint that taking orders from Magik was just like taking orders from Captain America, now she gets kicked out of the fight at the first sign she's in danger and dumped on the Avengers' lawn.

It's ridiculous. Does Duggan not realise that Firestar has been on half a dozen different teams, INCLUDING her last team which was errrrr the X-Men.

Edit. I've not read the issue yet, so maybe it's "friendly banter".

[Steroid]

While I'm disappointed that Synch didn't play a role this issue the story itself I would have enjoyed if they hadn't forgot their own continuity with Darwin already being resurrected. Editorial is apparently asleep at the wheel on that one. Cassara's art continues to look amazing at least.

[Rakurai]

Mixed feeling about last page reveal. Kinda glad we have original Laura, but judging from how has she been written before by Duggan, she'll be all about Synch and used as a prop for his story. I hope I'm wrong.
Wonder if both of them will be killed and a mix of them resurrected. As for now Laura is back to "being a clone", either some existential crisis is coming or Clone!Laura will be totally out of this story.

I wonder if this weird relationship Duggan is creating between Magik and Firestar is going anywhere or if will continue to just make Firestar the butt of jokes about how she used to be an Avenger. First there was her complaint that taking orders from Magik was just like taking orders from Captain America, now she gets kicked out of the fight at the first sign she's in danger and dumped on the Avengers' lawn.

Duggan sometimes gets this ideas that he feels like must be constantly present in comics. With Laura it was mentioning several times that she ain't "real Wolverine", what makes a "real Wolverine" and stuff. Probably in next issues there will be more jokes and it will be forgotten with next voting.