Countdown to "'Ah'm Nigh Invulnerable When Ah'm Blastin':" "Mah power as Cannonball makes me practically invulnerable while Ah'm blastin'."
Summary
We begin where we left off last issue, with Dani trapped in the Danger Room's Savage Land simulation and fleeing the "hungry" creature chasing her. She manages to scamper up a ridge and successfully escape it, but she's exhausted from the flight. She marvels at the landscape -- a lush, mountain-ringed valley -- before her, but reminds herself it's all an illusion. She recalls Professor X specifically telling them the Savage Land was a "top-of-the-line training sequence" and wonders how she found herself stuck in it. Assuming someone is trying to kill her, she decides to head to the escarpment in the distance, assuming it's actually the Danger Room's wall and leads to the exit. However, she's surprised when she turns a corner and comes face-to-face with a Brood Queen! The Queen informs Dani she'd prefer for her to host her progeny, but, as Dani alone has sensed the Queen's presence, she's too dangerous to let live. She pushes Dani off the ledge, and Dani thinks of seeing her parents in the "Otherworld" as she falls. Hoping they'll be happy to see her, she lands with a thump.
At Salem Center Mall, Stevie and the kids exit "E.T.," with Rahne crying and expressing joy that E.T. was rescued. Roberto somewhat coldly teases her for thinking it was a real person -- a "mutant like us" -- and tells her it was just a puppet. Rahne says he seemed so life-like, admitting it all seemed like magic to her as she's never been to a movie. Stevie leaves the kids to get ice cream while she phones the Mansion, and a group of local kids approach them, asking why they're not at school with them. Roberto tells them they're students at Xavier's, and the leader of the group, Frank, notes it's a change for "you elite types" to mingle with the common folk. Bobby's spoiling for a fight, but Sam puts a calming hand on his shoulder. A girl named Diana tells Frank he's acting like a jerk. She introduces herself to Rahne, who introduces herself in turn. Diana compares the pronunciation of Rahne's name -- "Rain" -- to Moon Unit Zappa. She compliments Rahne's hair, saying she wished she could get her hair to look that way. She then asks if she's "punk" or "new wave;" Rahne replies she's "Scots." Diana asks where everyone else is from, and Bobby runs down the list, shocking Xi'an when he adds at the end they're "international terrorists."
From a control room, Henry Peter Gyrich and Sebastian Shaw are spying on the kids. The conversation at the mall is shown (presumably via a security camera) on a big screen and we see the New Mutants' names and vital statistics appearing on screens next to the image. Gyrich tells Shaw Bobby's joke isn't a joke, as he views the kids as "as grave a threat to the security of the United States -- and the world -- as any madman with a gun." He explains to Shaw it's why Project Wideawake was established. Gyrich recalls some "evil mutants" boasting homo superior will replace and enslave homo sapiens and laments how mutants are "popping up like flies" throughout the world, as the kids' varied places of origin show. He expresses concern to Shaw over what a Soviet-trained cadre of "super-powered mutant soldiers" could do to the balance of power. He also worries even a smaller nation with the right mix of mutants could bring the United States to its knees. He says he's committed to learning more about mutants, as they don't even know what specific DNA matrix creates which ability. He tells Shaw it was the sudden appearance of Roberto's powers that led them to the others, and Shaw comments how he knows Roberto's father from the Hellfire Club. Shaw then wonders to himself whether he could recruit Emmanuel da Costa to the Inner Circle, "dedicated to achieving political and economic dominion over the world." Shaw pledges not to underestimate the children, as they easily defeated Donald Pierce despite some of their powers just manifesting.
Shaw then expresses outrage that Gyrich is considering turning "this equipment" (i.e., Sentinels, which we only partially see) on children. Gyrich agrees the equipment Shaw's company built looks formidable, but caveats it's performance that counts. He then dismisses Shaw's concern, saying the President gave him instructions to keep Wideawake under wraps so they'll only use the Sentinels on villains. He trusts his agents to corral the kids. He tells Shaw they're building a "facility for the containment and extermination of mutants," where the kids will be taken. Via thought bubbles, Shaw makes it clear he intends to use the Sentinels against the kids so they'll be paranoid about anyone other than mutants. That way, once he takes out Xavier, the Hellfire Club can recruit them.
At the mall, Stevie is disturbed when neither Charles nor Dani answers the phone, as they told her they'd be home all day. Even if they left, she wonders why they didn't activate the "recordacall system." She tries to convince herself there's an easy explanation, but a hand then goes over her mouth and pulls her into a nearby storeroom. The man knows her name and tells her he's there as a friend to her and her students; if she promises to "behave," he'll remove his hand, as each second she delays puts the kids in "deadly danger." The man introduces himself as Michael Rossi, a colonel in Air Force intelligence. Stevie says she recognizes his name from Carol Danvers, "a friend of Professor Xavier's." Rossi says they were colleagues, Stevie adds they were lovers, and Rossi tells her that was "a long time ago in a different world." Stevie also remembers he was supposedly dead, and Rossi acknowledges it was a belief that served him well over the years. As Rossi begins to explain why Stevie needs his help, a group of Gyrich's agents approaches the kids just as Diana invites them to their school's mixer the following month. The goons ask the New Mutants to come with them, and Xi'an recognizes it as a command, not a request. Xi'an asks why they want them to come, and one of the agents says it's just routine business. Frank tells him to leave the kids alone, and one of agents tells him to shut his mouth before he gets in trouble. Xi'an recalls how the police in Vietnam could barely be trusted, reflecting on how her uncle Nguyen was a national-police general and the "cruelest and most corrupt of men." She recalls Stevie saying the police could be trusted in the United States (oh, the 80s), but she's clearly (and correctly) skeptical. Roberto asks about Stevie, and one of the agents says they can call her at HQ. Roberto insists they wait for her, but Xi'an tells him not to make a scene (privately reflecting on how, even if the agents are enemies, she doesn't want anyone to get hurt).
The kids follows Xi'an's lead, despite their reservations, because she's the oldest, and Xi'an feels the responsibility of that decision. Just then, Rossi and Stevie appear and tell the kids to scatter. One of the agents calls base for backup as Rossi uses his stun gun to take out another agent. Sam uses his powers to smash a car into another agent (who somehow doesn't die), and Roberto uses his powers to smash a car whose driver tried to flee. Karma possesses a nearby agent before he can shoot Roberto while he's distracted, and Rahne transforms into a wolf and tackles the lead agent. Sam expresses concern to Stevie that they just assaulted government agents, and Rossi tells Sam he's also an agent. One of the goons calls "bull," and Rossi tells him it's tough talk for a guy working for a "technically illegal outfit." Rossi suggests they retire to Xavier's, just as a Sentinel bursts through the roof! The Sentinel announces the objective is to kidnap the children but identifies Rossi as the immediate danger. Rossi yells for the kids to flee, as the Sentinels shouldn't follow them into the mall. Roberto refuses to abandon him, and Rossi is telling him he's previously fought the Sentinels when it gasses him. Sam blasts the Sentinel through the roof, only to discover other Sentinels waiting. The Sentinels realize they have no information about Sam, so start recording. Roberto tells "you women" to get Rossi to safety as he goes to help Sam, and Xi'an warns him to stop because he doesn't know anything about the Sentinels. As Bobby prepares a cocky retort, two Sentinel hands appear to grab him. He realizes he's already used too much energy to power himself, so he blasts through the wall into the sunlight. However, he forgets he's three-stories high. Rahne, Stevie, and Xi'an begin to carry Rossi...somewhere, and Xi'an feels helpless as her powers don't work on robots. Rahne is petrified as she sees Roberto falling onto a car.
Roberto rouses himself and expresses shock when a Sentinel knows his name. He wonders if they're really agents of the U.S. government or illegal operatives as Rossi said, and he believes his father -- a "man of wealth and influence" -- can intervene if Xavier can't deal with the threat. Despite being nowhere near his peak powers, he attacks the Sentinel by lifting up its foot and tipping it. But, he tips the Sentinel the wrong way and, in a great splash panel, it goes through the mall. Roberto is thankful he didn't kill anyone, and he rips off the Sentinel's head before it can recover. Meanwhile, another Sentinel uses "frigi-beams" to neutralize Sam as he flies at it. The Sentinel observes Rahne and Xi'an can be captured unassisted and radios for assistance with Roberto as it heads towards base with a captured Sam. Rahne and Xi'an watch as the Sentinel departs, and Xi'an uses her powers to wake up Sam. She feels the same freezing sensation as Sam does, worrying she's going to be frozen, too. But, she eventually establishes contact, sending him and the Sentinel high into the atmosphere. (Apparently the sudden acceleration overwhelms the Sentinel's powers, making it unable to let go.) However, Xi'an's forced to focus entirely on possessing Sam, given the tenuous connection. Rahne is concerned she's a sitting duck, but a recovered Rossi tells Rahne he'll protect Xi'an and orders her to get the lead agent so he can order off the Sentinels.
As Rahne departs, Roberto arrives, bragging about bagging a Sentinel. Stevie is suddenly frozen in fear over her choices: they can save Xi'an and doom Sam or allow her to keep possessing Sam but possibly lose her and "the boy" (either Roberto or Sam) as well. She notes she's just a dancer and not used to making life-or-death decisions. But, she does, telling Roberto to grab Xi'an. The Sentinel realizes Xi'an is incapacitated, but identifies Rossi and Sunspot as the greater threats. Rossi tells Roberto the Sentinels learn from their mistakes. Xi'an realizes Sam is now fully awake (given his increased mental resistance to her control) and releases him. He awakens surprised to find himself in the atmosphere. Sam realizes his invulnerability makes him able to survive any impact, so he slams the Sentinel into the Sentinel threatening Rossi and Sunspot.
Later, the team flees, though Xi'an uses her powers to have the lead agent confess to the cops, telling him that he's attached to National Security Council official Henry Peter Gyrich and that he summoned the Sentinels. The police chief tells his officers to take the agents downtown but not to book them until he's checked with Washington. Xi'an expresses concern Rossi is having her use her powers on a man who isn't a criminal, but Rossi reminds her the agent was going to send them to the "functional equivalent of a concentration camp." Xi'an observes two wrongs don't make a right, noting her brother had no qualms about using his powers to manipulate and even kill people. She tells Rossi she refuses to be like her brother. Rossi tells Xi'an he's a friend, but she responds he doesn't act like one. However, Rossi tells her she has a choice to make, as Gyrich isn't done with them.
Back at the Mansion, Stevie and the kids find Dani unconscious in the Danger Room. They awaken her with some ammonia, and a panicked Dani hugs Stevie. Sam wonders if the Sentinels came after her and the Professor, but Dani tells them the story. Stevie chastises her for using the Room on her own, as she could've inadvertently triggered the sequence. But, Dani tells her she was outside the Room at the time the attack happened. However, Stevie recognizes the Brood Queen Dani described as one of the creatures who kidnapped the X-Men months ago. Realizing Moira is in Scotland, Stevie knows Xavier is the only other person able to activate the Danger Room. We cut to Xavier sleeping on his desk with a young Brood Queen lurking over him, observing that Charles is unaware of the body growing in him...
The Review
I'm intrigued by some of the information we get here on Gyrich's computer screens, like how Bobby is the youngest (apparently only 13 years old, a year younger than Rahne) and Xi'an is significantly older (19 years old to Sam's 16 years old). In fact, I hadn't realized Xi'an was initially the de facto leader of the group, given I started reading "New Mutants" in the era where Dani and Sam shared leadership. But, Claremont makes Xi'an's leadership clear here, showing the other team members deferring to her specifically because she's the oldest. It also makes sense given she's actually engaged in the sort of battle that eventually develops here. That said, Rossi gives us a hint of things to come when he basically tells Xi'an in the car she isn't going to enjoy the luxury of never using her mutants powers on the unwilling for much longer.
Along those lines, Gyrich is a clear and present danger here. His rant about mutants is a reminder of how Marvel portrayed them during this era, as a burgeoning threat many humans felt had to be neutralized. Both Gyrich here and Pierce in "Marvel Graphic Novel" #4 explicitly refer to the mutant population exploding all of a sudden, and I wonder if we get a story at some point that explains whether this perception was a real phenomenon. At this point, eight years after "Giant-Sized X-Men," you'd figure the world would be more use to mutants by now. Or, is it really just the the X-Men and the Brotherhood at this point?
Shaw and Gyrich's competing plans for the team are fascinating if only for their brutality, another hallmark of this era that makes it different from the kinder, gentler present. Gyrich is preparing Sentinels to send after adult mutants, but believes his agents will be able to capture the New Mutants on their own. His decision not to send the Sentinels isn't because he's going easy on the kids; after all, he intends to send them to a facility built to contain and exterminate -- his words -- mutants. He basically just doesn't want to waste money on deploying the Sentinels, as he thinks his agents should be able to handle a bunch of kids. As we see, he's wrong. If he did send them (more on that in a second), he at least didn't order the Sentinels to kill them, since the first Sentinel makes it clear they're there to kidnap them. Of course, Xi'an has to use her powers to prevent one of the agents from shooting Roberto in the back, so I'm not sure how much credit the feds deserve here. (Also, I'm not really sure how Rossi knew about Gyrich and his plans. I wonder if we get more clarity on that later.) Shaw is equally nefarious, hoping to make the kids so paranoid they'll trust only mutants. However, I'm not sure if it really was Shaw that deployed the Sentinels. After all, the agents radioed to base for backup, so it makes sense Gyrich would've sent the Sentinels. I wonder if that becomes a plot point later.
No comments:
Post a Comment