Rise of the Powers of X #4 - Review/Spoilers

[Nicoclaws]

Gillen created a very complex concept to start this story but then realized he wouldn't be able to end it in 5 issues.
This issue doesn't work by itself, the motivations and actions of the characters are very weird and underdeveloped.
All explanations are in X-men Forever, which is more a glossary than a story by itself.

I think Gillen bit off more than he could chew. Just like he did in Judgment Day.

The story was supposed to be more linear, but the publishers decided otherwise, and the editorial change happened faster than the writer could react.

[JamJams]

"Our enemies will strike, and Charles will feel forced by events to act. To do something, because something must be done, however terrible, and because, in the no-place of his heart, he cannot see a choice. And on that day, he will martyr us all. He is a good man, Ororo. We must be wary of good men. For what will they not do, to show how good they are"

Well I bet Magneto is feeling silly now. He did exactly what Magneto would have done to try to salvage this situation - Shoot a teenage girl in the past then when that doesn't work join up with the machines to annihilate humans as a distraction to let the X-Men win.

[gambitxremy]

Rachel created the Phoenix force in jean

[juan678]

Ok Jubilee, Rachel and Hope?

[king of hybrids]

Just once I’d like some of the machines to decide that, no, hitting their collective heads against a wall is dumb and switch sides.

[Kingdom X]

You’d think Xavier would at least do the charade of asking what happened to the 616!Karima when Omega took over. Oh well.

I though Resurrection of Magneto made it clear that the other Dominions are freaked out by Enigma?

I think that still tracks. Enigma is essentially begging them to help out and they only respond when the Phoenix starts to stir.

[JB]

Ok Jubilee, Rachel and Hope?

Probably an error in hair color because it's a big plot point that Hope stayed behind on Atlantic Krakoa/the WHR. It looks like one of the uniforms from Rachel's team so maybe it's meant to be Dazzler?

[Askani's Flame]

Probably an error in hair color because it's a big plot point that Hope stayed behind on Atlantic Krakoa/the WHR. It looks like one of the uniforms from Rachel's team so maybe it's meant to be Dazzler?

It's gotta be Ali based on the costume. No way it's Hope as she's still in the WHR.

[cranger]

Just once I’d like some of the machines to decide that, no, hitting their collective heads against a wall is dumb and switch sides.

The only machines (AI) in this whole thing is Omega Sentinel who has converted Nimrod at this point. A lot of machines getting blamed for something they have had no part in. There were some machines who had wanted to be friends with mutants but the Krakoan government murdered them.

[NewMutant]

The fact that we are losing RB Silva next issue is a real disrespect to fans.

Duggan had some good ideas but his books were too bloated and there was no sense of danger of Orchis aside from the Hellfire Gala itself.

I was happy to see Hellion make his debut(?) in the Krakoan era on the way out. lol.

KG is saving the ending to this rough landing.

[Saturius]

This has gotten to Duggan levels of characters acting OOC and trying to juggle way too many ideas at once to wrap everything up. It does not help that there is now too much overlap and contradiction with the Fall part of the story, and what could be good character moments are not given any reason to happen or make it clear what it is that is at stake. There is so much nonsense magic/sci-fi stuff to just make everything happen conveniently, for all parties involved. Gillen did this kind of story way better in Once & Future.

Between the horrible release strategy of the two titles, the return of Sinister, the big bad being Sinister, and the super convoluted nature of everything going on, I've just checked out. Everything is collapsing under its own weight. Too much was/ is working against this finale.

[Agent Grayson]

This is a convoluted mess. It doesn’t even feel like the X-Men to me anymore because none of these characters are recognisable. If you’re going to take swings this big with characters, it has to feel earned…none of this does.

[Kingdom X]

The only machines (AI) in this whole thing is Omega Sentinel who has converted Nimrod at this point. A lot of machines getting blamed for something they have had no part in. There were some machines who had wanted to be friends with mutants but the Krakoan government murdered them.

This is a really good point. Inferno introduced the idea of machines also going, “Did you just think we were going to take it,” when referring to their subjugation by both humanity and mutantkind. But then the narrative failed to bring in any other machine voices other than OS and Nimrod. And technically Moira. They had Danger right there to be a middle ground voice, but for some reason Percy claimed her and Duggan had no interest in the AI plot so we got zero development on it for years.

[Havok83]

This is a convoluted mess. It doesn’t even feel like the X-Men to me anymore because none of these characters are recognisable. If you’re going to take swings this big with characters, it has to feel earned…none of this does.

They're not. They're Krakoa clones that replaced the X-men at the start of this era...lol

[Frobisher]

Double Hellion sighting this week!