Judgment Day #2 Review/Spoilers

[Rift]

We start with an intro to those six important people, reacting to Druid's declaration of war. Tom approves of the Eternals, but doesn't care all that much. Katrina wishes her tweets could help the mutants. Arjun is so used to crazy things happening in the Marvel universe that he knows heroes will save the day, so he's not fussed. Daniela doesn't particularly care one way or the other. Jada is still upset at the mutants, but doesn't approve of their genocide. Kenta also doesn't care, and is more interested in being insensitive and trolly online.

"Remember: Everyone is important."

On Krakoa, people are fighting off the Memotaur and the blue Hex. The Avengers show up to help them, and their help is accepted by everyone but Exodus. Exodus tries to challenge the Hexes to a duel, but they're not listening. So he blasts Meme into the water.

Meanwhile, Cyclops, the Wolverine fan and some lady in the background are fighting the centaur Hex. Scott is kicking himself for not having protocols against a skyscraper-sized centaur that generates its own fauna. "Why do I always miss the obvious things?" Luckily, the Avengers come to fight. (And yes, that thunder people were arguing about in the art teaser thread? It's Thor's thunder, not Storm.)

Meanwhile, at the Avengers' stupid Celestial tower, Tony, his Eternal friends and Sinister (drawn to look like Jared Leto for some reason) are working on their plan. The Eternals believe that Sinister, as someone who has transgressed against the Celestials before, should seek penance and pray. Sinister is not amused.

Back on Krak, Scott and Cap lead the useless mutants into a defensive vault for their safety. Scott wants the Avengers to handle the Hex and keep people safe, while his side protects resurrection.

Captain America: "But even now, you're still keeping secrets? Cyclops... After everything we've been through, I wish you'd told us."
Cyclops: "After everything? How could we?"

Meanwhile, the Storm, Sunfire, Banshee and the Avengers fight the flying Hex, who can turn intangible. Jean calls some of them to the bottom of the ocean; with Namor's help, they immobilized the Memotaur at the bottom of the sea. Now, they can start blasting away at its armor.

Unfortunately, they've caused damage to the mantle. In the Philippines, earthquakes, vents and tidal waves begin to rock Papua New Guinea. Tsunamis are wrecking America's East Coast, Australia and Japan. Scott tells Cap that the Avengers should go the humies in danger. Cap kisses his ass, thanks him, calls the X-Men heroes and says that one day, people will see them as they really are. (Note: this dialogue sounds vaguely like ironic foreshadowing for a future development.)

While the Avengers leave to help people in need, Exodus immediately accuses them of abandoning mutants again. Nightcrawler calls him out, but Desiny is all, "Nah, he's right. I see the future and we stand alone, lmao."

The narration: "Do we stand alone? We will see. Elsewhere, others strive to make me stand."

Tony and Ajak visit the thumb of Arishem the Judge, first of the Celestials, who crashed to Earth. They harvest his thumbprint. Sinister harvests a shattered fragment of the heart of the Dreaming Celestial. Odin built a weapon to fight the Celestials; while it was destroyed, Makarri harvests fragments of its power. Phastos begins assembling their celestial god. Other Eternals, lead by Sersi, go to Lemuria to perform a séance and gather testimony from those slaughtered by Celestials. They don't just want love for a Celestial - they want a god that will act as they wish. A better god.

"What does that mean? They argue. They devise. They write new scripture. The scripture is me. They are entirely successful. I will be a god in their image, second only to Hellion the Beloved."

Because Tony has been possessed by the Power Cosmic in his solo, and because he piloted a dead Celestial in King in Black, he will be a blueprint for their new god's nervous system. The Celestial narrator says that Tony would be his dad.

Meanwhile, the Memotaur is back on land. Jean and Exodus stand over the Memotaur, who's armor has been cracked. Exodus learns that it's a she, named Syne. It turns out that the Hex are all sisters. The tentacle Hex, Phebe Reginax, puts her tentacles inside her sister to heal her. Exodus is happy, because if they need healing, that means they can be killed. As he uses his power to kill Syne, he hears her final thoughts, "Please don't."

With one Hex down, the mutants cheer. Nightcrawler is happy, since they finally have hope. Scott agrees, in a more literal sense: he proudly boasts that his granddaughter is the core of the rezz protocols, and says that she's secure.

Cable guards the Five as they revive more of the dead, prioritizing warriors who can help them. This includes Exodus, whose backup didn't save the battle, nor Syne's final words. But Syne does. Arjun dies, his life given to revive Syne.

Meanwhile, the Aven-ternals + Sinister are nearly ready to bring their god back online. They have made a god more like them; their scripture is key, and their god will be its word made flesh. Sinister wants to press the "on" button and wake it up, Ajak says no. Sinister, bored of waiting for stuff to happen, plays the race card and says that they need to hurry up.

Meanwhile, people! Tom is watching the news as he eats breakfast, blaming the mutants and content with Krakoa getting rocked. (We're showing them.") Katrina is still tweeting, and that's literally all her panel says. Arjun is dead. Daniela is busy working at her third job, comforting a shook customer and hoping for a better tip. Jada is still against the whole genocide thing. Kenta doesn't care about any of this, and is getting a picture of Carol Danvers punching a tidal wave.

Syne comes back to Krakoa and tries to bring the whole island down. But if the mutants move to stop it, the other Hex will be free to attack the Vaults or Arbor Magna. In their time of need, Nightcrawler prays for deliverance.

His wish is granted. The Aveng-ternals' Celestial awakens and commands the Hex to cease. "As the principles demand," says Syne, and the Hex leave.
Unfortunately, the god thinks everyone on Earth is a bunch of assholes. They have 24 hours to justify themselves, and will be judged both individually and as a collective. If there are more people who are just than wicked, they will live. If not, they die.

"See? You are all important. Every single one of you."

Way to go, Avengers and Eternals. Even by helping the mutants, you still screw them over.

Notes:

• Sinister calls Tony "Tone," and references working with his adoptive dad.
• And uh, considering how much of a jerk Hellion can be, I think we can say that he single-handedly doomed the entire planet. Whoops.

[Zoks]

Why is there somebody who suspiciously looks like Rachel on panel with Kurt and Cyclops? Editorial mistake or do they draw Rahne like that these days?

Also I called it when I said those humans were probably Eternal replacements. Poor Arjun.

[Fokken]

Why is there somebody who suspiciously looks like Rachel on panel with Kurt and Cyclops? Editorial mistake or do they draw Rahne like that these days?

Also I called it when I said those humans were probably Eternal replacements. Poor Arjun.

We're still unclear where this event falls chronologically, in universe. It could be that Rachel and the KoX (great band) return to Krakoa at the end of Tini's current plot. Valerio's take on her is terrific, either way.

Re "humans were probably Eternal replacements": That's part of Gillen's Eternals book (pre AXE), for anyone interested in reading more on that.

[BobbysWorld]

Rookie mistake. If you're gonna Frankenstein a Celestial god from spare parts, always, ALWAYS leave off the thumbs!

[sunofdarkchild]

Why didn't Jean ask Bishop if the Avengers were welcome to help? Good for her for not taking that crap from Exodus about refusing their help and going over his head, but why ask Magik instead of the CAPTAIN COMMANDER when Magik and Bishop are right next to each other?

Poor Bishop really can't catch a break. He's in the issue for all of a single panel and no one asks his opinion or looks to him to lead anything.

[Zoks]

We're still unclear where this event falls chronologically, in universe. It could be that Rachel and the KoX (great band) return to Krakoa at the end of Tini's current plot. Valerio's take on her is terrific, either way.

Re "humans were probably Eternal replacements": That's part of Gillen's Eternals book (pre AXE), for anyone interested in reading more on that.

If they aren't gonna give the character lines or show them using any powers it would be better to just not use them to avoid any confusion. We don't know if Gambit is still dead at the end of the story or if Betsy is still stuck in Otherworld. But we saw Remy in Eve of Judgement and now we got Rachel on panel here. Neither were doing anything other than occupying panel space.

[Fokken]

Why didn't Jean ask Bishop if the Avengers were welcome to help? Good for her for not taking that crap from Exodus about refusing their help and going over his head, but why ask Magik instead of the CAPTAIN COMMANDER when Magik and Bishop are right next to each other?

Poor Bishop really can't catch a break. He's in the issue for all of a single panel and no one asks his opinion or looks to him to lead anything.

Maybe Jean still feels weird about Bishop because of their Age of X-Man fling. She's being petty. Classic Jean.

I'm kidding, stans. Don't come for me.

[Kingdom X]

I feel like this issue really downplayed the military might of the Krakoans. Yes a lot of mutants are non-combatants, but even the more passive ones who were alive during the Decimation era had to become soldiers. A handful of Avengers shouldn’t really be a deal breaker, even if they are bringing some powerhouses.

That panel where Jean references the War Captains and then asks MAGIK for approval while Bishop is right there is so rude. Why give this man a fancy title if he never gon use it?

Sinister has got to go. This many is not even pretending to give a damn about mutantkind and NOBODY has made a plan to get rid of him?

Also the Cap and Cyke dialogue seemed off to me. If we’re going to paint mutants and Avengers as close ally’s just bring back the Uncanny Avengers title.

Art still doing it’s thing.

[Steroid]

Why didn't Jean ask Bishop if the Avengers were welcome to help? Good for her for not taking that crap from Exodus about refusing their help and going over his head, but why ask Magik instead of the CAPTAIN COMMANDER when Magik and Bishop are right next to each other?

Poor Bishop really can't catch a break. He's in the issue for all of a single panel and no one asks his opinion or looks to him to lead anything.

I swear I thought the same thing when looking at that panel. This is just getting ridiculous at this point and I'm about tired of my money letting the X-Office think this blatant back of the bus BS is ok.

[Zoks]

Maybe Jean still feels weird about Bishop because of their Age of X-Man fling. She's being petty. Classic Jean.

I'm kidding, stans. Don't come for me.

They don't have time for that, Jean being the communication hub will have them pre-occupied.

[Devaishwarya]

Someone should make a point to ask Gillen or JDW in the next XMM when this event happens, because Psylocke and Bishop should be somewhere in space and Rachel in Otherworld currently.

[Fokken]

Someone should make a point to ask Gillen or JDW in the next XMM when this event happens, because Psylocke and Bishop should be somewhere in space and Rachel in Otherworld currently.

Yes to inquiring about Rachel!
Arguing the Marauders TIME TRAVEL storyline for Psylocke and Bishop being PRESENT maybe not be necessary, babe [wink wink]

[OG Storm]

This issue was boring. The stakes were downplayed by issue 2. Bishop is being disrespected here and Gillen's writing is really lazy here.

[sunofdarkchild]

Is Rogue also supposed to be in Otherworld? I see her in this issue as well.

[Fokken]

Is Rogue also supposed to be in Otherworld? I see her in this issue as well.

Last we saw Rogue, they'd announced her "retirement" from the New York Tree House based X-team, at the Hellfire Gala.
She hasn't appeared in Otherworld or Tini's KoX book recently.