X-Men Unlimited #128 - Fall of X #8 - Review/Spoilers

[JB]

Picking up from the explosion cliffhanger last issue, firefighters are outside the His Majesty's Young Mutant Containment Facility in London. They watch as it burns one saying they pity the souls inside. But another points out that this section of the facility is for "muties", dangerous types, and that odds are one of them set the fire themselves.

Inside we see a rock mass in the middle of the flames. It starts to slightly crack as we see Rictor's power signature running through it. Within the rock mass Betsy gasps as they finally have some air noting that she was cooking in there. Rictor apologizes saying Nicodemus torched the place like a match...



"... but Rictor was not weaned in Mojoworld. His burns are deep." My boy! Star says. Julio needs medical attention immediately. Betsy says he'll get it but until Star is rested enough to teleport again she'll psychically numbs Julio's pain receptors, touching his forehead. Star says he pushed his limits for her but he has no limits for Julio and will evacuate them rested or not. He's about to open a portal when a firefighter appears, yelling and blaming them for the fire. He tells them not to hurt him. The heroes move closer to the exit where a police line is set up. Betsy reaches out telepathically to tell the first responders that they mean them no harm, that they didn't attack the facility. The police officers are not happy. "It's Braddock! Damn mutie captain's invadin' our brains! Fire! 'Fore she can sink her teeth in!" The officers immediately start shooting.



Betsy says no, that it's best they say goodbye to Britain as Star opens a portal, jumping through with Rictor.



"... but we do have another." We see Layla Miller in her quarters holding Davey and telling him that despite his cumulative century of botanical experience his father still overwaters the plants. Suddenly Star's portal opens and the heroes emerge, Star and Rictor falling to their knees. Layla calls for Jamie and immediately moves to assist Star while asking what happened. Jamie rushes in with some dupes who help carry the guys. He says they'll get them to the infirmary and is glad he sent some of his dupes to medical school. Betsy asks Layla if Dani is on-site. Layla says she is and is trying to get Thunderbird settled. Betsy says, "Not too settled, I hope. I finally know what we're up against. Mutant. Human. These people don't care. Fighting them is going to be brutal."

We're in Nova Roma now as Crule terrorizes the prisoners by raking a bone across their prison bars. He tells them he loathes their imprisonment as much as they do, that he'd rather be slaughtering them. Saul telepathically tells Crule to step away from the children, telling him that Absalom and Nicodemus are back and Selene has summoned all of them to her shrine. Crule says if Saul orders him around like a dog again he's going to be bitten. They continue to argue as Crule leaves for Selene's chambers.

When he arrives he asks his "brothers" how long must Selene lead them without delivering what she promised them in return. Nicodemus says ascension requires fuel, like a moonshot, that it is a process. He says dues must be paid and they've all collected their share of raw materials. Gideon taunts Nico saying he seems tired while he brought his tributes/prisoners without incident. Saul notes that Gideon is ever the opportunist, rivaled only by their host and carrot-dangler herself. Right on cue Selene enters. She admits that while what she and Apocalypse did to them to create the External Gate was "terrible", being horrible to each other is what immortals fancy. (She's hilarious LOL). She says Krakoa, Orchis, every mortal structure is a game board to them and nothing more. She says Candra is a coward and Apocalypse is loyal to his mutants first. But that they, the others, know a greater power awaits them. One only for them.

Selene: We've played at it before, but now the keys to ascension are ours. Soon...

[JB]

Fokken called it with the rock dome! That was so awesome and really great power control on behalf of Rictor. They better heal him up good.

I'm obsessed with bullet blocking TK butterflies. The work being done with Betsy by the Steves is really fantastic. I feel a little bad that she finally feels that she has to abandon Britain but it's for the best and mutantkind needs her more than ever.

Bobbysworld hit the nail on the head when he recently talked about the different attributes/philosophies of the Externals. It's literally in the text in this issue that Saul's is Patience and Crule's is Ferocity, while once again "opportunity" is implied for Gideon. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this is going and as Betsy said, the fight between the two groups is going to be brutal. Let's go!

[Nicoclaws]

Shatterstar pushing his limites for Rictor... Loved that. And I'm glad his link to Layla hasn't been forgotten.

[Master of Sound]

Picking up from the explosion cliffhanger last issue, firefighters are outside the His Majesty's Young Mutant Containment Facility in London. They watch as it burns one saying they pity the souls inside. But another points out that this section of the facility is for "muties", dangerous types, and that odds are one of them set the fire themselves.

Inside we see a rock mass in the middle of the flames. It starts to slightly crack as we see Rictor's power signature running through it. Within the rock mass Betsy gasps as they finally have some air noting that she was cooking in there. Rictor apologizes saying Nicodemus torched the place like a match...



"... but Rictor was not weaned in Mojoworld. His burns are deep." My boy! Star says. Julio needs medical attention immediately. Betsy says he'll get it but until Star is rested enough to teleport again she'll psychically numbs Julio's pain receptors, touching his forehead. Star says he pushed his limits for her but he has no limits for Julio and will evacuate them rested or not. He's about to open a portal when a firefighter appears, yelling and blaming them for the fire. He tells them not to hurt him. The heroes move closer to the exit where a police line is set up. Betsy reaches out telepathically to tell the first responders that they mean them no harm, that they didn't attack the facility. The police officers are not happy. "It's Braddock! Damn mutie captain's invadin' our brains! Fire! 'Fore she can sink her teeth in!" The officers immediately start shooting.



Betsy says no, that it's best they say goodbye to Britain as Star opens a portal, jumping through with Rictor.



"... but we do have another." We see Layla Miller in her quarters holding Davey and telling him that despite his cumulative century of botanical experience his father still overwaters the plants. Suddenly Star's portal opens and the heroes emerge, Star and Rictor falling to their knees. Layla calls for Jamie and immediately moves to assist Star while asking what happened. Jamie rushes in with some dupes who help carry the guys. He says they'll get them to the infirmary and is glad he sent some of his dupes to medical school. Betsy asks Layla if Dani is on-site. Layla says she is and is trying to get Thunderbird settled. Betsy says, "Not too settled, I hope. I finally know what we're up against. Mutant. Human. These people don't care. Fighting them is going to be brutal."

We're in Nova Roma now as Crule terrorizes the prisoners by raking a bone across their prison bars. He tells them he loathes their imprisonment as much as they do, that he'd rather be slaughtering them. Saul telepathically tells Crule to step away from the children, telling him that Absalom and Nicodemus are back and Selene has summoned all of them to her shrine. Crule says if Saul orders him around like a dog again he's going to be bitten. They continue to argue as Crule leaves for Selene's chambers.

When he arrives he asks his "brothers" how long must Selene lead them without delivering what she promised them in return. Nicodemus says ascension requires fuel, like a moonshot, that it is a process. He says dues must be paid and they've all collected their share of raw materials. Gideon taunts Nico saying he seems tired while he brought his tributes/prisoners without incident. Saul notes that Gideon is ever the opportunist, rivaled only by their host and carrot-dangler herself. Right on cue Selene enters. She admits that while what she and Apocalypse did to them to create the External Gate was "terrible", being horrible to each other is what immortals fancy. (She's hilarious LOL). She says Krakoa, Orchis, every mortal structure is a game board to them and nothing more. She says Candra is a coward and Apocalypse is loyal to his mutants first. But that they, the others, know a greater power awaits them. One only for them.

Selene: We've played at it before, but now the keys to ascension are ours. Soon...

You are always fantastic in writing summaries/reviews, well done once more JB!
Thank you for delivering these time after time. So much appreciated.

[Nicoclaws]

I was thinking about the team and I realized how much CB and Moonstar have in common. Psy powers, initially mainly used for illusions, psy weapons, another culture thrown on them (walkyrie and japanese)...

[danielsan52]

The highlight (for me) was Betsy.

Too bad S.T.R.I.K.E Psi-Force isn't a bit involved.

[JB]

You are always fantastic in writing summaries/reviews, well done once more JB!
Thank you for delivering these time after time. So much appreciated.

Thank you and it's my pleasure. I'm loving this story and look forward to it every Sunday night.

I was thinking about the team and I realized how much CB and Moonstar have in common. Psy powers, initially mainly used for illusions, psy weapons, another culture thrown on them (walkyrie and japanese)...

Very true. I'm hoping for lots of interaction between them and between Betsy and Thunderbird as well. I was envisioning her and John fighting back to back and they'd be a deadly duo.

What a treat it is to also get so much Rictor and Shatterstar. Shatterstar pushing beyond his limits for Julio was really sweet. Not to mention Julio pulling off that feat was amazing. Without the text even saying it we're seeing greater use of his powers through the magic he's studied.

The highlight (for me) was Betsy.

Too bad S.T.R.I.K.E Psi-Force isn't a bit involved.

I'd love at least a passing mention of STRIKE, like they're holding down the fort/Braddock Manor with Brian and Meggan. And yeah the Steves are really making Betsy shine in this story. The speed and precision to stop each individual bullet - so cool.

[jwatson]

haven't read this issue yet but this has really been a highlight. this is the series that has me finally using unlimited like intended. look forward to reading this.

[Technopriest]

It is a treat to read this every Monday, there's not much more for me to say. The continuity deep cuts by the Steves is amazing, the characters interactions, and the theat level of the villains. Finally I can read Rictor again after Excalibur (I hated him there), Shatterstar is slowly winning me over, and I cannot wait until John and Dani join the fight. Next issue I guess we'll discover who's powering the Island, although most people seem to think it's Sunspot.

[jwatson]

It is a treat to read this every Monday, there's not much more for me to say. The continuity deep cuts by the Steves is amazing, the characters interactions, and the theat level of the villains. Finally I can read Rictor again after Excalibur (I hated him there), Shatterstar is slowly winning me over, and I cannot wait until John and Dani join the fight. Next issue I guess we'll discover who's powering the Island, although most people seem to think it's Sunspot.

Didn't bishop/vulcan and a few other energy manipulators create some sort of energy for the station to run on in x-corp. i remember a circuit of energy manipulators.

[JB]

Didn't bishop/vulcan and a few other energy manipulators create some sort of energy for the station to run on in x-corp. i remember a circuit of energy manipulators.

Good memory! Yeah it was Bishop, Vulcan, Neal Shaara, and Sunspot. I'm thinking Sunspot is doing it now because I saw one of the artists of this story, Phil Sevy, refer to the previous Arakkii story as a prologue to this one. That one ended with Sunspot saying he had a big idea that he wanted to implemented and I think this new X-Corps is it.

[jwatson]

Issue 3 of X-corp.

xcorp3.jpg

[JB]

I love the callback. The Steves are so good at reaching back and pulling certain story bits to the present.

[Devaishwarya]

Butterflies blocking Bullets...is the awesome-est thing, EVER!!! The Steves better be headlining a book or two in the Brevoort Era.

[NewMutant]

It's nice seeing Unlimited close out Excalibur, New Mutants (additionally seeing X-Factor/Alpha Flight in Sabretooth Wars) characters.