Extraordinary X-Men #5 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Lemire gets to the point pretty quickly here, though the catch -- that "Cyclops" is actually a clone that Sinister created from Scott's DNA -- is spoiled in a great example of pet peeve #1.

Once the X-Men realize that they're not dealing with Scott, the battle gets easier.  The clone begins to lose corporal coherence and Jean discovers that it isn't capable of actual thought, allowing the team to change its goal to destroying it humanely.  As the fight spills onto the street, it thrusts the X-Men into the open, seemingly for the first time in a while.  But, it also gives them the opportunity to show that they're the good guys.  Bobby frees an Inhuman trapped under a bus; when the kid says that he was afraid Bobby wouldn't help him because he was an Inhuman, Bobby tells him that he'd save him because he was an X-Man.  Meanwhile, Sinister comes to the conclusion that mutantkind is doomed, since the Inhuman DNA in the clone seems more dominant than the mutant DNA.  Eventually, the clone explodes.  Storm then addresses the crowd, telling them that they have nothing to fear from mutantkind; she reminds them that it's mutantkind, not humans, that are dying from the Terrigen Mists.  She offers all mutants and their families sanctuary at X-Haven, and pledges to help anyone in the world -- human, Inhuman, or mutant -- that needs it.  However, she also makes it clear that the X-Men will defend themselves (and mutantkind) if attacked.  The X-Men return home, where Anole tells them that all sorts of mutants have contacted them and Forge says that Maria Hill has offered S.H.I.E.L.D.'s help.  The issue closes with Jean convincing Logan to join the X-Men full-time.

All in all, it's a solid ending for this first arc.  I can't say that I was particularly moved by Storm's speech, but that has less to do with Lemire and more to do with the fact that we've seen countless X-Men leaders deliver a similar one over the last 30 or 40 years.  But, it does seem to put the legacy of "Secret Wars" firmly behind us:  the X-Men are no longer in hiding and scattered.  We finish this arc with them reassembled with a clear purpose, to save mutantkind.  It's a pretty good jumping-off point, even if we're still not clear on what Scott did.

*** (three of five stars)