Thoughts

And so this two-parter comes to the incredibly shocking conclusion that the seeming paradise the two super hero teams have discovered is no such thing, and that the characters will all have to reaccept the flaws they thought they had lost.

Sarcasm aside, the issue makes a pretty good job of telling the story of how the characters get to the inevitable conclusion. Of course there are arguments, a bit of a slugfest and then the heroes doing the right thing. All to thwart the machinations of Loki.

Loki’s inclusion is quite odd, because in all honesty this never really feels like an Asgardian story. It doesn’t really use much of the Marvel Universe’ Asgardian mythos – and the big epic Gods to the Gods that leap out the machine to fix things are so generic that they could be anyone.

Indeed Claremont has something of a soft spot for the bsasic story of someone incredibly powerful using the X-men to get something done, because for all their power they know there are even Greater Gods they are wary of. Loki, here, needs the heroes to do what he wants so he can get a reward. But thanks to the X-men thwarting him, the Super Duper Super High Powers reject him. It feels an odd victory for the underdogs when they rely on the Absolute Overdogs to get by, but it feeds quite nicely into keeping the team streetlevel.

And yet again – we have another big hint that Northstar’s gay. It’s frustrating to read in a way because the comic can’t do anything with it. The Comics Code won’t allow it. Which is a shame because there feels like an interesting story to be told between these two characters now that Rogue knows the truth and is symapthetic. A story that could see two people help each other come to terms with their identities. Such a shame this route couldn’t be taken.

Fun Panel

Defiant Wolvie with a Dragon. So cool.

None More Claremont

An absolutely highpoint of the issue is in the final few pages where Rachel finally has a one-to-one encounter with her Dad. Cyclops does not know that Rachel is his daughter from an alternate future timeline, and Rachel has struggled with how to deal with that. The conversaiton unfolds nicely, but the beautiful subtle peak of it is Rachel’s simple “I’m not going to tell him” thought bubble underscoring her words to him.

It’s so well executed visually. Her inner thoughts accompanying her words, a major moment underplayed, yet capturing the moment of relief she must feel. The burden of needing to tell him is gone. Fantastic stuff.