Kieron Gillen does exactly what he's supposed to do with this issue, showing us the aftermath of "Avengers vs. X-Men." It's been unclear, for example, why Magneto was wanted by the authorities, but, here, Cap explains that the entire Extinction Team is wanted, to varying degrees. The members of the Phoenix Five top the list of people that the government wants to see behind bars, but Danger and Magneto are wanted at least for questioning given their checkered pasts. Cap makes it clear that the government needs someone to atone for the devastation that the Phoenix Five wrought, and Danger and Magneto are at least sufficiently guilty by association to require some sort of public reckoning. Although Gillen doesn't explicitly state it, it seems clear that the other X-Men (including other members of the Extinction Team with less spotty previous records, like Psylocke and Storm) have largely been forgiven for their role in supporting Scott in the interest of focusing on the main culprits.
But, Gillen makes it clear that the threat to mutantkind is larger than just rounding up these folks. Both Captain America and the prison warden mention the increased fear that people feel with the advent of new mutants, particularly with such a recent testimony to the violent nature of some mutants. The X-Men are no longer the ones suffering at the hands of humans; humans have now suffered at the hands of the X-Men. The government might only be hunting seven mutants specifically (if Danger can be considered a mutant), but it doesn't necessarily mean that it and the public believe that the others aren't also threats. Cap clearly views the new Avengers team as a way to begin combatting those fears and it's been a while since those fears have been as front and center in the X-books as they seem to be now. It's like the '80s all over again. I think it makes sense, though, and actually backs up Marvel's assertion that "Avengers vs. X-Men" was going to shake up the status quo.
It's clear that Cap has some sort of plan for addressing this new status quo and Gillen leaves you wanting to know more about it. Presumably, we're going to see Wolverine ask Cyclops to do something to further that plan next issue and I can't wait to see that conversation. All in all, Gillen makes this issue a must-read for anyone who really enjoyed "Avengers vs. X-Men."
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