X-Men #24 - Review/Spoilers

[JB]

The final issue of X-Men before the Hellfire Gala extravaganza.

We open with...


We get the preview page of Kid Cable bodysliding from the future, appearing at a facility at the Rocky Mountains (so either the US or Canada). He asks the built-in computer in his TO arm, Belle, if they made it back in time. She confirms the jump was perfect and that the Hellfire Gala will occur in just over 24 hours. He says the Gala will never happen cause he's gonna put his foot up Orchis' ass. He uses an eye laser on a keypad panel of a building and the door opens.

Immediately Belle knows her sensors are being jammed because she can't sense any life forms inside when she should at least be sensing insects and bacteria. Moira and Omega Sentinel appear from behind walls on either side of Kid Cable and aim guns at him while he does the same to them. He says he knows what they're planning and he won't let it happen. OS says if he traveled back in time to prevent tomorrow then that's proof Orchis already won... "right, Nimrod?" Nimrod drops down from the ceiling and grabs KC, ripping his TO arm off. Before KC can act, Stasis appears and fires a device that freezes him in place. Stasis wants to kill him but Moira says they can't otherwise more of him will show up.

Moira says she's delivered on her targets and asks Stasis about his targets. He says he took out Magik's powers and asks who cares about Manifold. Moira grabs him by the throat and says she cares about Manifold. "Deeply. He's a problem. Humanity loses if Manifold lives."

Data page, a memo from the desk of the Time Variance Authority. We don't know who it is from nor who it is for but it says temporal disruptions are increasing before and after the Hellfire Gala. The TVA recommends watching Cable Summers in every timeline and if seen to alert a local TVA.

(Sidenote from me: We learned in Bishop War College that Orchis was experimenting with Blightswill to have effects on mutants with temporal powers. It seems they're targeting teleporters and time travelers/manipulators because Tempo's powers went haywire in that book.)

At the same moment Kid Cable is captured, Destiny and Rogue are meeting at the Treehouse. Destiny tells Rogue to trust her, that mutantdom dies with Manifold. Rogue says they must tell the X-Men but Destiny doesn't think the X-Men will do what must be done for the greater good. Rogue is unsure if even she can. Rogue wants to know what happens if she insists on taking this information to the team.

Destiny: We dare not. There is a turncoat on the X-Men. A great betrayal that will turn the tide. It must happen so that we may make this weakness a strength. The X-Men will buckle under the weight of the war to come.

We then get the preview page where Destiny speaks her riddles about kings clashing in white, black after the death of Red Queen, etc.

Title page tells us that perhaps as a united front, Krakoa could weather the storm that is brewing but that human/mutant tensions aren't the only ones fast reaching their boiling point. The rift between Scott and Jean over the Brood has grown wider as the weight of leading the X-Men bears down on them.

Next is the last of the preview pages, Pogg-Ur-Pogg crashing the casinos of Gameworld. The X-Men were actually on their way there and they emerge from a Krakoan gate at the right time. I won't get into the details of the battle but it's fun, Synch pulls up Colossus' powers and fastball specials Talon, Pogg-Ur-Pogg is rhyming during the fight and then Illyana does the same and so does Everett, Forge opens up to a bartender (while the others are fighting) about feeling humbled after the Stark Sentinel last issue kicked their asses. It's a fun time.

Pogg-Ur-Pogg tosses Synch through Gameworld's hull and out into space. Jean catches him, pulls him back and repairs the hull while holding on to like a pole so that she doesn't get sucked out into space. She tells the team they'll have to take Pogg down the old-fashioned way because she can't get into his brain. With some teamwork they're able to hold his mouth open so Illyana can talk to the little goblin gnome guy that controls the giant lizard suit. Obsessed with precious metals he immediately falls in love with the mysterium in the shape of an "X" she's wearing around her neck. Forge offers Pogg some mysterium in exchange for him dropping everything he's stolen so far, never fighting the X-Men again, and answering Forge's call should he need him in the future. Pogg happily agrees. Bobby is like "wtf? We're stopping a robbery by letting him steal from us? Whatever I'm going to the club."

Illyana says she'll escort Pogg back to his cave and Forge tells her to give his regards to Sunfire. She's like oh shoot I forgot and teleports out with Pogg. Synch, Talon, and Firestar leave and Scott and Jean decide it's time to talk. The pages speak for themselves...

[JB]

"...you're always an X-Man."

Magik drops down from a stepping disk onto Arakko where Sunfire is waiting. She asks if he's ready and he says he's already late. She opens another disk with the intent of going directly to Otherworld but for a brief moment they fall through darkness before landing on Otherworld, Magik caught by surprise. She says the stepping disk must have encountered some turbulence caused by Otherworld's magic. Sunfire says he'll see her off safely then be on his way. He asks her to meet him in the same spot in a week if he hasn't found his way back to Arakko by then. She agrees and says she'll see him in a week and not to worry, her powers are fine. (Uh huh.) She tells him to be careful because Otherworld/The Crooked Market was a real hell during the XoS tournament and time works differently there, sometimes. It's a dangerous place and no one knows the rules. Sunfire thanks her as she teleports away, saying he's prepared a long time for the mission and should be in and out.

[JB]

So there we have it, folks. Kid Cable is captured and may indeed be the one Cable and Bishop attempt to rescue in Children of the Vault.
There's a traitor in our midst and Rogue has to keep it secret along with the fact that Manifold cannot die.
Magik's powers are wonky and may explain why she ends up where she is in Realm of X.
Jean is leaving the X-Men and Scott might as well.
The pain of grief and mourning has caught up to Polaris. That scene broke my heart. Will she be inspired by her father's legacy? Will she become radicalized? I'm VERY interested in that subplot.

Sunfire is lost! Or Jaspers is screwing with him after he left with Redroot. I feel so bad for them (and he looks great with long hair and a beard).

[DarkMagnus]

Wow.

That is intense. Duggan can do Good or bad. depends of the day ..

Hope all this subplots works and well for mutankind. Im sick of miserable mutankind suffering . Im want them to win. not forever but at least a better status quo than persecuted and killed.

Hope they "remutant" Moira if that Monster hate THE X so much is better to give what she hates.

[Diammandis]

I’ll be back later! Heres my initial thoughts though

* that first page primes cable for a big role coming up in FoX

* i love the whole “once you’re a xman, you’re always an x-man” line. Scott uttered those words to Emma last year when she expressed feeling alone on the council and now Jean is doing so to Polaris

*i wonder is the turncpat a current member of the xmen team? If so, is it Magik? Destiny did foretell a future when she became Darkchyld and killed the rest of the xmen

*sweet that Emma made sure Polaris had a Gala just in case, this just makes me wish they interact more

[IN-a-Synch]

I wonder if Talon is the turncoat hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Dthirds3]

So. Xmen green died for sunfire ?

[TheDeadSpace]

The conversation between Jean and Scott would have made more sense if Scott was consistently written that way during Duggan's run of X-men. As of now, it continues to feel like it's coming out of nowhere. That being said, they had a similar argument back in X-factor. It makes less sense here though.

[JB]

Wow.

That is intense. Duggan can do Good or bad. depends of the day ..

Hope all this subplots works and well for mutankind. Im sick of miserable mutankind suffering . Im want them to win. not forever but at least a better status quo than persecuted and killed.

Hope they "remutant" Moira if that Monster hate THE X so much is better to give what she hates.

Yeah, a lot of moving parts here. I like that Rogue wanted to go to the X-Men with what Destiny was saying but Destiny said she can't, that they have to let the traitor do their thing so they can use it to their advantage later.

I’ll be back later! Heres my initial thoughts though

* that first page primes cable for a big role coming up in FoX

* i love the whole “once you’re a xman, you’re always an x-man” line. Scott uttered those words to Emma last year when she expressed feeling alone on the council and now Jean is doing so to Polaris

*i wonder is the turncpat a current member of the xmen team? If so, is it Magik? Destiny did foretell a future when she became Darkchyld and killed the rest of the xmen

My first thought for the turncoat was Talon but then I thought that's probably why it's not her because it's too obvious. I also wonder if Destiny is talking about the current roster or any of the X-Men. It was spooky.

I forgot about her mentioning Darkchyld.

[Braxxer]

My thoughts

1. I think Magik might betray xmen - destiny’s vision from immortal #3 - or more obvious choice Talon will betray xmen - Duggan once said some troubles would come to synch and talon

2. Jean and Scott’ conversation. Am I the only one who thinks it was a bit chaotic? Reading this I felt like they talk about 2 different things. And again we return to old Scott “Im the xmen” who believes he needs to be there always to protect everyone because without him they can’t survive. On the other hand Jean still blindly believes love is enough to win. So both were right in some parts and both were wrong in other parts. But wonder if Scott still has a chance to visit arakko after what his younger brother has done there. Also did Jean give scott an ultimatum? Her or xmen? She said he could find her if he wouldn’t stay with xmen. But I wonder how it will play out especially with rumours/theories that one of them will die during the gala this year

3. I liked Polaris scene but I’m kinda surprised we see it almost a year after magneto’s death.

4. Happy to see they finally continue Sunfire’s journey to rescue redroot but sad it’ll be xmen unlimited.

[DarkMagnus]

Maybe "WOLVERINE (LAURA DUPLICATE) " is the betrayer?

[ExodusCloak]

Destiny is so obvious, its Gambit what a troll

[IN-a-Synch]

My thoughts

1. I think Magik might betray xmen - destiny’s vision from immortal #3 - or more obvious choice Talon will betray xmen - Duggan once said some troubles would come to synch and talon

2. Jean and Scott’ conversation. Am I the only one who thinks it was a bit chaotic? Reading this I felt like they talk about 2 different things. And again we return to old Scott “Im the xmen” who believes he needs to be there always to protect everyone because without him they can’t survive. On the other hand Jean still blindly believes love is enough to win. So both were right in some parts and both were wrong in other parts. But wonder if Scott still has a chance to visit arakko after what his younger brother has done there. Also did Jean give scott an ultimatum? Her or xmen? She said he could find her if he wouldn’t stay with xmen. But I wonder how it will play out especially with rumours/theories that one of them will die during the gala this year

3. I liked Polaris scene but I’m kinda surprised we see it almost a year after magneto’s death.

4. Happy to see they finally continue Sunfire’s journey to rescue redroot but sad it’ll be xmen unlimited.

I said this almost a year ago that I think Talon was a sleeper agent.
Now with that said, I also wonder if the betrayal is someone with significant importance and impacts more than Talon.
I have some suggestions but I am gonna wait until the gala.

[JB]

My thoughts

1. I think Magik might betray xmen - destiny’s vision from immortal #3 - or more obvious choice Talon will betray xmen - Duggan once said some troubles would come to synch and talon

2. Jean and Scott’ conversation. Am I the only one who thinks it was a bit chaotic? Reading this I felt like they talk about 2 different things. And again we return to old Scott “Im the xmen” who believes he needs to be there always to protect everyone because without him they can’t survive. On the other hand Jean still blindly believes love is enough to win. So both were right in some parts and both were wrong in other parts. But wonder if Scott still has a chance to visit arakko after what his younger brother has done there. Also did Jean give scott an ultimatum? Her or xmen? She said he could find her if he wouldn’t stay with xmen. But I wonder how it will play out especially with rumours/theories that one of them will die during the gala this year

3. I liked Polaris scene but I’m kinda surprised we see it almost a year after magneto’s death.

4. Happy to see they finally continue Sunfire’s journey to rescue redroot but sad it’ll be xmen unlimited.

I found the conversation between Scott and Jean a bit confusing too but I guess it's meant to be that way. I couldn't quite figure out the exact stance of each side but yeah it does sound like an ultimatum. What I'm curious about is if Jean intends on creating her own team because she seems frustrated in general with everything.

[Diammandis]

I found the conversation between Scott and Jean a bit confusing too but I guess it's meant to be that way. I couldn't quite figure out the exact stance of each side but yeah it does sound like an ultimatum. What I'm curious about is if Jean intends on creating her own team because she seems frustrated in general with everything.

What exactly is she even frustrated about exactly? She seems incredibly naive and too optimistic about humanity, considering their consistent hate against mutants. No amount of love is going to change the way they feel.