X-Men Unlimited #131 - Fall of X #11 - Review/Spoilers

[JB]

We open in the prison of the External Stronghold in Nova Roma. Cerebra is trying to divide the rations for the mutant children as they need them more than the adults do. We see that Tulkas is one of the prisoners as well (Orlando original character from Marauders) and wishes he could access his powers to help everyone escape. He's talking with Somnus when the cell door opens and some zombie Orchis troops toss Jamie Madrox into the cell.

Somnus recognizes him and Jamie smiles. He's a dupe.

We get a flashback to the recent past. Dani asks Jamie Madrox if he's sure about what they're about to do. One of his dupes is in a reclining chair. She says between what Betsy lifted from Absalom's mind and the info Gambit flirted out of Candra they have most of the puzzle figured out. Jamie Prime agrees but says to stop Selene's ritual they need the whole puzzle figured out. Jamie Prime approaches his dupe with a long needle and syringe, asking Betsy to implement "psychic sleeping time" before the injection. The dupe's eyes are open wide as he looks at the syringe.



Standing nearby Layla tells Dani that between Selene and Saul, the Externals have strong psychic and magical defenses. But technology might be an angle they can play, especially...



Taki says anything the dupe sees will be beamed to them instantly on the wall of monitors. Jamie Prime says they will duplicate the dupe a dozen more times and disperse them until hopefully one of them gets picked up by Selene's Orchis goons and not the real Orchis troops. We see that the plan worked as two zombies capture a dupe.

Back to the present. Jamie dupe tells Somnus and Cerebra to smile for the camera as they have an audience back home. He's looking at Somnus and Cerebra who now appear on the monitors at X-Corps headquarters. The team is watching and Thunderbird is happy to see that the Camp Gozhoo children are still alive and praises them for being tough, raising his arms in excitement. He says let's bring 'em home and that he'll bury the Externals on the way out.

Somnus and Cerebra update Jamie/X-Corps and confirm the Externals' plan of collecting mutants for Selene's ritual. Cerebra says there are many more cells besides theirs. Mutants are sent to Selene and they never return. Jamie dupe plans to get himself chosen to be next to be served to Selene and, off-panel, he succeeds as we see him being carried away by Orchis goons. We can assume he caused a ruckus and was talking a lot of smack to get himself chosen. He's becoming scared as they get closer to Selene's chamber but reminds himself that he's doing this for Layla and Davey. Aw.

The zombie Orchis goons bring him into Selene's chamber where we see her in the middle of big room standing on a circular platform. Two faceless mutants are dead near her as she tosses a third one down after killing them. Looks like the platform is surrounded by a lake of blood. Gross. She turns and is delighted to see Madrox, "one of those delectably self-righteous Krakoans." She lifts him with one hand by the shirt and X-Corps watches as she's about to feed. However something else catches their air, a figure tied to the ceiling above Selene.

They rewind the footage and it's Tempo! She's being held to the ceiling and she's either unconscious or simply exhausted.



Taki says he's glad they've figured that part out but they now have a big problem. Trinary becomes alarmed as the camera feed starts being corrupted. She says it shouldn't be possible, that they took every security measure and they're all still in place. A voice says, "Please. The first of us was old long before the wheel."

Betsy, looking up at the monitor with brow furrowed: Gideon.
Gideon, on the monitor and smiling: Indeed, Captain. We Externals toasted the abacus. We bet on Edison... did you really think we couldn't raid your systems? This is an immortal's game, children. Try to keep up.

Next: Enter the Matr-X!

[JB]

Another great issue with the team working together. The plan was sound and it worked. I'm happy to see Tempo despite her being captured and used for Selene's ritual. The confrontation between Gideon and X-Corps on the monitor pushes the story forward and I suspect the big battle will start next issue. Let's go!

[Nicoclaws]

It's getting repetitive to say how good this series is.

[Nicoclaws]

Also on Unlimited today, the ending of Dark X-Men and X-men Red... What a ride ! Truly beautiful comics.

[Kingdom X]

It's getting repetitive to say how good this series is.

This! Still was so surprised to see Tempo. This book is really softening the blow of this era coming to a close.

[Fokken]

This! Still was so surprised to see Tempo. This book is really softening the blow of this era coming to a close.

The Tempo reveal got me good!
This book is going to need a chiropractor, after carrying so much weight.

[JB]

Also on Unlimited today, the ending of Dark X-Men and X-men Red... What a ride ! Truly beautiful comics.

Oh that's awesome. I'm glad you got to experience their endings!

The Steves continue to deliver and the story is swelling so naturally. This issue served to build up the anticipation of the coming fight. When Gideon appeared on the monitors I was like ok it's on now. And to think we still have 9 issues to go? Oof!

[Askani's Flame]

Oh that's awesome. I'm glad you got to experience their endings!

The Steves continue to deliver and the story is swelling so naturally. This issue served to build up the anticipation of the coming fight. When Gideon appeared on the monitors I was like ok it's on now. And to think we still have 9 issues to go? Oof!

Honestly this is one of the best stories and use of characters right now. I live for these each week, which is saying something because I was over Unlimited during the Nature Girl era.

[JB]

Honestly this is one of the best stories and use of characters right now. I live for these each week, which is saying something because I was over Unlimited during the Nature Girl era.

It's such a bright spot as we barrel towards the end of the era.

[Nicoclaws]

Oh that's awesome. I'm glad you got to experience their endings!

The Steves continue to deliver and the story is swelling so naturally. This issue served to build up the anticipation of the coming fight. When Gideon appeared on the monitors I was like ok it's on now. And to think we still have 9 issues to go? Oof!

I'm lucky to have very bad memories so when I read the stories I don't remember your spoiler threads, so I'm experiencing them anew !

[Rnap22]

Thanks for another recap, JB! It’s now my Monday morning ritual to read your recap of this before X-men Monday.

If some of these characters aren’t on a team together in the new era, I’ll be disappointed. Especially since i can’t read this now. It’s like a who’s who of characters that haven’t been seen much during this time and I’m here for it.

[Master of Sound]

After this story, I would totally not cry if they continue with another X-Corps adventure. Love the way they write it, even getting used to the art and I love the cast and cameos.

[JB]

Thanks for another recap, JB! It’s now my Monday morning ritual to read your recap of this before X-men Monday.

If some of these characters aren’t on a team together in the new era, I’ll be disappointed. Especially since i can’t read this now. It’s like a who’s who of characters that haven’t been seen much during this time and I’m here for it.

Always my pleasure. Yesterday someone suggested that maybe the new X-Factor is this team and I daydreamed about it all day.

[CGAR]

I hope Brevoort is seeing how well this is doing compared to other arcs of Unlimited and takes notes or makes this an on going.

Such a good diverse group of mutants.

[JB]

Steve Foxe's latest newsletter just came out and he had a little bit to say about the story:

And speaking of X-squads, X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic continues apace. Orlando and I actually just wrote the penultimate issue, so we’re reaching our finish line. It’s really been the definition of a marathon—since we started working on the Sunfire story, it’s kind of felt like we’ve never not been doing an Unlimited. I think it’s possible we’re the longest consecutive Unlimited writers, and I slightly exceed him since I was on it six issues prior? But who’s counting? I mean it—I literally didn’t count. It just seems like we’ve done a lot.

Anyway, Nick Roche and Phil Sevy are legit miracle workers. The vertical format is fun, but our cast is HUGE, and they make it look easy still managing to be dynamic and epic and “widescreen” anyway. We’ve worked hard to make this digital “side story” feel important and big and like a really worthy spotlight for these B-level characters we love so much, so we hope folks have been enjoying it. And you can find three of us chatting about the run here on X-Men Monday, too!