New Mutants #10: "Betrayal!"

Summary

Surrounded by Bobby, Dani, and Sam, Rahne, in wolf form, is sitting on a throne, which a group of slaves is carrying on a liter through the streets of Nova Roma.  As Sam complains about feeling like an idiot waving to the people, Gallio thought-bubbles how Nova Roma views him as a hero for bringing to it the "living representation of our most revered deity."  Deriding the crowd as fools (of course), he plans on using that belief to break the power of the Senate and end the Republic forever.  As Aquila darkly looks at him, he crows that even Aquila can't stop him from becoming emperor.  Sam comments on them glaring at each other to Bobby, but Bobby says it's none of their business as he instead thinks about his mother.  He figures the patrols would've found her if she had survived; given the lack of word, he worries she's dead.  He sees Dani looking at him and tries to keep up a brave face as he doesn't want his teammates to see how upset he is.  Dani sees through his act, cursing him for being too proud to talk about his feelings but then realizing they're very much alike, which is why she cares.

At the conclusion of the parade, Gallio escorts the kids into a place he's giving to them.  Dani finds a robe for Rahne as she changes into human form, expressing her concern the Nova Romans calling her a goddess is "na' proper."  Gallio chides her, saying she is a god to them and even hypothesizes the Roman gods were actually mutants like them.  (That's an interesting theory, to be honest.)  Gallio brings out a banquet for the kids, but Sam expresses concern slaves are serving them, prompting Bobby to note his father was a slave and their luxury comes at a price.  This talk concerns Dani, remembering how close they came to being slaves themselves and how Gallio could change his mind.  

Later, Dani thanks Gallio for his kindness, but Sam, naively, notes the dark look the guy gave him at the parade.  Gallio says he can guess who it was, but tells him not to concern himself with Senator Aquila.  Sam realizes it's Amara's dad (having noticed a resemblance, apparently) and asks if they don't get along.  Gallio says he's of the patrician class, "born and bred to uphold the ideals and traditions that have made Rome great."  However, Aquilla is "plebeian," a commoner like other Senators, though they serve more honorably than he does.  Gallio tells the kids Aquilla respects "no law but his own and desires nothing but power."  He claims Aquilla is trying to make himself emperor, but Sam isn't buying it.  Gallio reminds Sam of the slick company reps who used to screw over his father and his fellow miners by burying the details in their contracts.  But, he realizes Gallio sees them as kids and Dani's successfully playing him with her obsequiousness, so Sam plays along, too.  He says Amara told him her father ran the republican party, and Rahne bursts into hysterics, screaming at Sam that Amara is a liar and a sneak.  The New Mutants express shock at Rahne's outburst, with Dani wondering why Rahne has been on Amara's case since the start, if it's an issue between her and Amara or her and Sam.  Gallio tells Rahne she shouldn't judge Amara harshly; she's a loyal daughter to Aquilla.  But, he then notes she didn't accompany them to the arena, leaving the New Mutants to their fate.  Rahne agrees, saying the New Mutants stand by their friends and offering her support to Gallio.  Gallio thanks her and then leaves them to rest.

Relieved, Bobby activates his powers and shatters his armor, apologizing to the other kids for his outburst but nothing how hot the armor is.  He collapses into a chair and tells them to wake him in a week "preferably with a kiss."  Sam isn't having it, though:  he asks what Rahne is "playin' at," offering their help to Gallio without running it by the team first.  Rahne asks why she shouldn't have done so, and Sam reminders her they're strangers in a strange land with no idea who the good or bad guys are.  (Good point, Sam.)  He tells Rahne that her "crazy hate" of Amara is blinding her, and Rahne shoots back, telling Sam he likes Amara and it's confounding his judgment.  She asks who made him -- "high-an'-mighty Guthrie" -- leader of the New Mutants, and Sam hilariously tells her to mind her elders.  Rahne gives as good as she gets, telling him she's not going to mind an elder who acts like a baby.  (I'm not really buying Sam acting like a baby here, Rahne.)  Bobby leaves, noting how Dani has been taking lead lately so he'll let her handle the situation.  He realizes she's a better leader than him, since he doesn't have the patience to be one; his answer is to punch someone.

In the hallway, a slave girl offers to "ease [his] sadness," but Bobby says he wants to left alone.  He ponders how his feelings are so evident and if he likes feeling sorry for himself, reviewing for the reader how he was too slow to prevent the death of Juliana, the loss of Xi'an, and the disappearance of his mother.  In tears, he wonders what good his powers are if he can't save the people he loves.  He wishes his father were there, because when they're together they "talk like pals."  (Enjoy that now, 'Berto...)  Just then, he passes a window and notices two women leading a handcuffed woman with red hair into a building.  Bobby rushes down the steps only to encounter armed guards preventing him from leaving, telling him Gallio has ordered them to stay in the palace "for [their] own protection."  Bobby powers up abilities, but he then thinks of Professor X and how he'd be appalled at him for threatening an innocent man doing his duty.  He also realizes the woman has disappeared and assumes he just imagined her.  (Does he often imagine red-haired women who look like his mother?)  He powers down his abilities and apologizes, to the "decurion's" relief.

Later that night, Dani sneaks from her room, using her powers to summon the image of two scantily clad women to distract the guards.  Dani feels guilty given how happy the guys looked, but makes her way outside.  She figures no one will notice her given she's Native American and the city is half Incan, but a hand places itself over her mouth before she can get far.  Later, Rahne is sitting in a window worried that Dani hasn't returned but Bobby assures Rahne that Dani can take care of herself.  He rubs her hair and she laughs, but then admits she's ashamed of herself for saying such hateful things to Sam and for blaspheming by pretending to be a god.  She then sobs that she wonders why God hasn't struck her dead and frets over burning in Hell.  Bobby tells her she shouldn't worry if her beliefs aren't shaken, but she confesses they are shaken, as she likes being a wolf more than a girl, a feeling that increases every day.  Bobby doesn't know what he should say, but then notices a gun pointing from behind the drapes.  The shot glances off his shoulder and sends him tumbling out the window, awakening a boxer-clad Sam.  Sam blasts from his bed out the window to grab him, reminding us again that Bobby isn't invulnerable, even as Sunspot.  Sam hastily returns, as Rahne is in the room with the attempted murderer, but she's already turned into a wolf and leapt at the assailant.  Of course it's Castro, and Gallio and his guards (suspiciously) enter immediately.  Sam tells Gallio they need a doctor, but an enraged Bobby points out Castro is the man who killed his mother.  Gallio promises he'll face justice, but when he asks Castro who sent him Castro spits on him.  Gallio threatens to leave him with Bobby to settle the matter and an allegedly panicked Castro says it was Aquilla.  (Of course it was.)  Gallio orders his centurion to arrest Aquilla.

Meanwhile, Dani awakens in a cave dressed in a bikini and notices two other girls drugged and dressed the same way, including Amara.  Dani supposes her "mutant metabolism" burned off the drug more quickly.  She asks a barely conscious Amara where they are and Amara mutters that she doesn't know.  She asks why they're there and a brute carrying a torch tells her to be sacrificed.  A still woozy Dani realizes she can't fight as she doesn't have control over her spirit forms.  The guards lead her, Amara, and the third girl to a large pit of fire, apparently the "sanctuary of the Cult of Fire" where the girls will be sacrificed to the "eternal flame."  Suddenly, Selene, "daughter of the moon, mistress of fire," appears, telling the girls to come to her.  Dani recognizes the psychic tug and realizes her training is helping her to resist Selene's call.  The third girl begs Selene to stop as she continues to walk closer to Selene and Dani frantically tries to summon her power.  Dani realizes Selene knows she has powers and is blocking her from using them as she sends the third girl to her death so she can have life.  (Aha!)  Selene exposits she's a goddess who's walked Earth before the dawn of time and asks whether Amara or Dani will go next.

At the Aquilla estate, Sam blasts through a wall, surprising Aquilla's personal guards.  However, he thought-bubbles that Castro fingering Aquilla was suspicious, especially since Gallio had his army all set to go after him.  He laments they have no time to think, particularly as Bobby just wants to bust heads.  One of the centurions refuses to allow Rahne to follow Bobby and Sam, as she's the "living heart" of the city.  Sam grabs Bobby, telling him the centurions don't need help massacring other centurions.  Sam acknowledges Rahne might be right about Amara getting to him, but he tells Bobby he doesn't trust Gallio and they can make sure he doesn't "accidentally" kill Aquilla in trying to arrest him; Bobby concurs.  On cue, Gallio's cronies burst into Aquilla's room, where he's ready with a sword.  He takes out one centurion as another declares Gallio wants Aquilla's head on a pike, a different order than we heard Gallio give in front of the kids.  Sam and Bobby arrive in time to prevent the centurions from killing Aquilla.  In Latin, Aquilla asks Gallio if he's disappointed to see him alive.  Gallio privately curses the meddlesome kids but then tells Aquilla he'll be dead soon enough, once the Senate convicts him of high treason due to the "overwhelming" evidence against him.  Aquilla calls him the traitor, and Gallio gloats Aquilla couldn't stop him even if it were true.  Gallio thanks the kids for their help, and Bobby reveals he speaks Latin and realizes they've made a terrible mistake in trusting Gallio.

Meanwhile, Selene has Amara on a platform, telling her she knew she'd come to her as her mother did.  She reveals she knew Senator Aquilla was trying to save her by hiding her in the Amazon with the other refugees from her cult.  She tells a drugged Amara she'll die by her hand and Gallio will kill her husband, spelling doom for the Republic.  Dani is appalled, but Selene is too strong as she tries to break free.  She finally overcomes her, creating a spirit form that scares the goons and allows her to make her way to Selene.  A surprised Selene focuses on Dani for a moment, but quickly recovers before Dani can shove her into the lava.  She tells Dani she realized she was a fellow mutant the moment she entered the arena, and she's surprised she is one, given Selene thought she was alone.  Dani realizes why people hate mutants if they're all such monsters.  Selene asks Dani to join her as she scratches her face and licks the blood, telling her it's allowed her to see into Dani's soul.  (Um, OK.)  Amara suddenly shouts "murderer" and exposits the fight broke Selene's hold on her.  (So it wasn't the drugs?)  But, Selene easily backhands her into the lava pit.  However, suddenly, an earthquake sends columns toppling in Nova Roma, creating a fissure with lava.  In the cave, Amara's powers are fully evident and she swears vengeance on Selene for all the people she's killed.

The Review

This issue really kicks the Nova Roma storyline into high gear.  Claremont does a great job of using the situation to test the kids in a way they previously haven't been, bringing out new aspects of their personalities.  Despite his country-bumpkin act, Sam is insightful in his reading of the political situation in Nova Roma and shows maturity in acknowledging Rahne could be right that his feelings for Amara might be clouding his judgment.  Bobby also shows maturity for recognizing his shortcomings and in embracing Dani's leadership of the team.  For her part, Dani recognizes her pride has led her to build walls around her that aren't helping her, an example she clearly sees in Bobby.  In fact, Rahne is the only one not to show growth here; instead, she reminds us just how much of a sheltered child she remains.  All in all, this arc really sees the kids becoming full-fledged characters and this series really hitting its stride.

Some other thoughts:

- I thought Gallio proclaimed Rahne to be Caesar's descendant because of her short, not red, hair.  In the narration here, it says Caesar had red hair, which was news to me.

- I'm surprised to the extent everyone just accepts Sam's feelings for Amara, given they've all basically spent less than 24 hours together.  Other than carrying her while he was nearly naked last issue, I don't really remember them interacting all that much.

- At the pit of fire, Dani notices she and the other two girls are terrified and wonders why she's so affected, pondering if it was the drug.  Um, maybe it's the huge pit of fire into which Selene is going to hurl you, Dani?

- Sexy time with slaves!  Helping centurions murder other centurions!  Sexy time as slaves!  Seriously, Claremont continues the trend of putting the kids in adult or dangerous situations wearing little more than underwear.  Bobby is thirteen years old, but Claremont has no problem showing a slave throwing herself at him.  (I'm impressed by Bobby's ability to resist.)  It's all very...questionable.  ("X-Men and the Micronauts"  really pushes this envelope.)

- I'm surprised Selene, who's allegedly walked the Earth for centuries, didn't know other mutants existed.  What the what?  Like, she hasn't left the Amazon in centuries?

New Mutants #9: "Arena"

Summary
The Legionnaires march the New Mutants through a tunnel to reveal Nova Roma, the legendary Roman city we heard about last issue.  The city is nestled in a cloud-covered valley.  A half-naked Sam exposits the clouds hide the valley from flights and the tunnel is the only entry into the valley.  When Rahne expresses regret Bobby's mother isn't there to see it, Bobby notes she might be injured "...or worse."  Bobby (not unreasonably) wonders why they're allowing the Legionnaires to march them into the city, instead of defeating them and searching for his mother.  Dani responds they're not in any shape to fight.  (Really?  They can defeat two Sentinels, but they can't take down five spear-wielding Legionnaires?)  She notes the Legionnaires (somehow) speak English and expresses hope they know where Bobby's mother is.  However, Amara whispers to Sam (who's carrying her) that they shouldn't resist the Legionnaires as "much more [is] at stake than [their] lives."  Sam expresses surprise she's conscious, accusing her of playing possum, and she tells him she's trying to blend with his party; if he betrays her, she's doomed.

Dani's hopes are dashed when a Legionnaire throws them into a cell, telling them their fates will be determined the next day.  Dani asks Rahne to check for eavesdroppers via the space under the door, and she confirms they're alone (and that the place smells).  Bobby demands answers from Amara, and she introduces herself as Amara Juliana Olivia Aquila, the daughter of Lucius Antonius Aquila, the first senator of Nova Roma.  She apologizes to Bobby about his mother and prays she's alive.  But, when Bobby asks if she could be in the city, Amara responds she'd likely be in the dungeon with them if she were.  Sam tries to comfort Bobby, but he asks to be left with his rage.  Meanwhile, Dani seems a little perturbed by Amara's brown-face act, and she asks why she's so scared if she's a Senator's daughter.  Amara exposits that much of the city is descended from Incans who fled there during the Spanish conquest.  She claims the Incans seek to overthrow the Nova Roman republic and replace it with an Incan absolute monarchy, as they are accustomed to having.  Amara is part of the opposition to that group.  If her "activities" are revealed, it could damage her father politically.  Bobby asks why they were following his expedition, and Amara says it's because of their general wariness of strangers.  She stresses Nova Roma has existed for so long because of its isolation.

Amara sits in the corner while the New Mutants confer, with Rahne saying she doesn't trust her and Bobby agreeing.  However, Sam defends her, saying she might be too scared to reveal the whole truth to them.  Rahne doesn't disagree, but she stresses Amara is, in fact, holding back the "whole truth" because she can sense it.  Dani wishes that Professor X were there or that she were a telepath when she suddenly pulls Amara's greatest fear from her mind, of a woman in a robe throwing her into a pit of flames.  Sam screams at Dani for scaring Amara silly, and Dani stammers that she didn't mean to do so.  Amara murmurs to herself about the "black priestess" and her "pit of fire" where so many have died.  Sam decides it's time for them to blow the joint and starts charging up his power.  But, Dani (uncharacteristically) counsels caution, because they need more information before they can act.  Bobby stops Sam, telling him his power is unfocused.  Instead, Bobby uses his powers to break the door.  Amara warns him not to do so, but she's too late, as the door shatters and poisoned darts hit the kids, paralyzing them and knocking them unconscious.

At the Senatorial baths, the statuesque Marcus Domitius Gallio enters.  The more rotund Senator Aquila calls for him from where he's getting a massage, and Gallio tries to rush past him, stating urgent state business as the cause.  Aquila asks if it's about the captured outlanders, and Gallio's Legionnaire escort expresses surprise Aquila already has the information.  Aquila mentions they're children, and Gallio compliments him for his spy network.  Aquila asks his intentions, and Gallio reminds him the law is clear and makes no provision for age:  the boys will go to the arena and, if they survive, they will become slaves.  Aquila announces his approval.  After Gallio leaves, Aquila exposits that Gallio would prefer him in the arena, since he's the only thing between Gallio and his ambition.  He darkly notes he's willing to sacrifice children to stop him.

In his villa, Gallio is in full rant when his wife Selene (!) enters.  He tells her about the children, noting he would be invincible if he could press them and their abilities into his service.  He blames Aquila for forcing him to send them into the arena instead, and Selene offers to off Aquila.  Gallio refuses, saying his death will come from his hand not her "black arts."  Selene tells him one day her black arts will save him.  At that, she leads Gallio into the catacombs under their villa, telling him she has other ways of helping him if he won't let her use her black arts.  She causes a blank wall to transform into a door and leads him to Castro, the guy who attacked the kids on the boat last issue. Castro tells them that his "great lord" wants to exploit the "natural wealth" of the land.  He proposes an alliance:  Gallio will give Emanuel da Costa mining rights, and Emanuel will give Gallio weapons.  Intrigued, Gallio has Selene free Castro from his prison so they can talk in a more civilized setting.

Meanwhile, in the house where the female slaves are kept, the other slaves give the girls baths.  Rahne complains her hair never grows longer than it is and envies Dani's hair, though Dani warns her about tangles.  They splash water at each other, and one of the other slaves gives them wine.  Amara warns Dani it's drugged, but she doesn't listen, and soon Dani and Rahne are incoherent, wondering if Professor X would punish them for being "naughty girls."  Behind the scenes, the slave who administered the wine tells Melantha, the woman who seems to run the house, that she gave the girls an extra dose of the drug.  Melantha tells her to administer another dose at breakfast so they'll be right there cheering with the crowds as their "companions" are forced to fight to the death.  Amara is unable to do anything, as she's panicked she'll be discovered.  As she creeps through the halls later that night, she exposits that her father sent her from Nova Roma while he tried to ascertain the identity of the "black priestess."  Amara is amazed at how brave and unafraid the New Mutants are, because she's scared half to death.  Confident her father will protect her, she tries to wake up Dani and Rahne to no avail.  (She also warns them that they'll spend their lives in the fields as slaves and they better hope their master doesn't find them attractive.)  Pleased her sip of wine didn't leave her drugged, Amara tries to escape but suddenly feels dizzy and weak, a feeling she's previously had.  She thinks no one's heard her, but she suddenly comes face-to-face with Selene, who pledges to make us of her, gift of the gods that she is.

Beneath the circus, Bobby and Sam have been stripped to loincloths and are hanging from chains attached to the wall.  Bobby laments not being able to use his powers.  One of the shirtless gladiators sparring in front of them exposits that it's because of a drug that makes them weaker, keeping them from causing mischief before the games.  Bobby asks what happens then, and the gladiator takes his chin and tells him he fights.  If he survives, he'll become a slave, though the gladiator's sparring partner says, if he's lucky, he might get a chance to become a citizen one day.  Sam notes it's hardly a fair fight if he's drugged, but the original gladiator laughs, telling him they'll be ready after the "lanista" has finished his work.  Later, the circus is completely filled and Gallio arrives, accompanied by Selene as well as Dani and Rahne dressed as princesses.  But, they're still drugged, believing themselves to be in a dream.  Under the circus, Bobby and Sam have been dressed in slightly less skimpy outfits; at least now they've got chest plates.  Two gladiators restrain them as the lanista pours drugged wine down their throats.  The lanista informs Sam they'll be consumed by an "irresistible berserker fury" in a few moments to compensate for their lack of skill.  They'll only stop fighting if they're maimed, killed, or victorious.  Sam encourages Bobby to resist the drug, telling him they're not killers, but Bobby tells him to speak for himself.  He activates his powers, saying he'll prove right all the people who called him a monster, and takes out two gladiators.  People in the stands start wagering on him as Sam realizes the lanista and his cronies didn't realize they have powers and worries they could inadvertently flatten the place in a rage.  He figures they deserve it for making them slaves and realizes the drugs are affecting him.  Seeing the girls enjoying the show, Sam decides to give them one, destroying a Mad Max-esque tank coming his way.  The boys show little care when some of the gladiators are trampled as the horses pulling the tank run free.

Bobby notices a chariot coming his way and decides to duck under it, despite his powers not giving him invulnerability.  The crowd cheers and gasps (including Dani and Rahne) as they think he's trampled, but he appears on the other side and hurls the chariot into the air.  Meanwhile, Sam takes out the other tank, but slams into Bobby in the process.  Gaius whispers to Gallio that he's concerned the "barbarians" could turn against the crowd, but Gallio assures him he's got the situation in check with his 60+ archers on standby.  Bobby is enraged at Sam hitting him, recalling how Sam struck him from behind when they met in "Marvel Graphic Novel" #4.  Sam asks if he wants to make something of it, and the two slam into each other, knocking themselves for a loop.  Depowered by the shock, they start fighting with their bare hands, with Rahne egging on her "love," Sam.  Sam has the edge as he's bigger than Bobby, but Bobby begins to regain his powers and starts to win, prompting Rahne to try to save him.  Gallio's guards try to restrain her, but she transforms into a wolf.  Something about the activation of her psychic connection with Rahne in her wolf form awakens Dani, and she summons an image of the Professor to bring the other three to their senses.  (She says it's the first time she's ever summoned a specific spirit form.)  Noting that she would've loved to have the Professor on had to see her big moment, she also thinks they probably need his help.  She rushes to her friends as Sam apologizes for what he said and did.  Bobby tells him to worry about it later as the natives are looking restless (and then hurriedly apologizes).  The crowd dismisses them as demons and calls for the archers to open fire.  However, Gallio announces their most ancient prophesy has come true:  Rahne's short hair marks her as a descendant of Gaius Julius Caesar and her wolf form means she's descended from the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome!  He declares the children as immortal gods and bestows upon them the laurel wreath of triumph.  Dani express hope that means their OK, but Sam says he'll believe it when he sees it.

The Review
This issue kicks of the pretty great Nova Roma saga.  I have mostly minor quibbles here:

- It took me a minute to realize Sam put the red shirt he was wearing last issue around Amara, which explains how she's no longer dressed in a bikini while he's so scantily dressed he looks like he's going to perform in some sort of gay-for-pay video to feed his family.  Conversely, it also looks like Amara had some time to get a blowout at a dry bar off-panel.  At the very least, she seemed to find some gold hoop earrings on the way to Nova Roma.

- I mention Sam's state of dress because it continues a theme of how sexualized the stories Claremont tells are.  Amara implies Dani and Rahne could become sex slaves if their eventual master takes a liking to him, and the sweaty shirtless gladiator grabbing Bobby by the chin certain carried an air of sexual menace with it.  It's pretty hard to believe this sort of stuff got past the Code at the time.

- Rahne commenting to Bobby "If only yuir mother could be with us t' see" when they enter Nova Roma seems...harsh, given he's had about 15 minutes or so to react to her death.

- How exactly do the Legionnaires speak English?  According to Wikipedia, "old English" didn't even come into existence until the 5th century A.D.

- It's taken me several readings, and I'm still not sure what Amara's "activities" with the Incans were.  I think she joined them as a spy, so she could report their activities to her father.  But, in issue #8, one of the Incans called her Lady Amara.  Were they part of the pro-republican Incan faction that opposes the other pro-monarch Incan faction?

- That said, Claremont does a good job of switching perspectives in the issue.  When we first meet Aquila, he seems a fat cat trying to maintain his power against noble Gallio.  But, then Claremont reveals Aquila is actually the one trying to hold the line against Gallio's corruption.

- The twist with Rahne is super clever, from the idea that her short hair is similar to Caesar's to the connection to the she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus angle.  I wonder if Claremont saw that connection first and created Nova Roma around it.  Moreover, it gets Gallio access to the children, denying Aquila's plans to have them shipped into the field and far from his influence.

New Mutants #8: "The Road to...Rome?"

Summary
Rahne stalks her prey through the Amazon jungle:  namely, Dani!  Despite the fact they're playing "hide and seek," Dani is angry at Rahne for startling her, fearful she'd inadvertently activate her powers.  (They probably shouldn't play hide-and-seek anymore then.)  However, she cuts off her tirade after Rahne almost faints from the heat.  Dani attempts to strip off Rahne's uniform, but she declares "'tis ni' proper" given the boys' proximity.  Speaking of the boys, Sam is concerned Rahne hasn't found them yet, but Bobby assures him they'll be fine.  They're surprised when they find her, as she's rolling in a snowstorm Dani created to cool her off a bit.  Realizing their game is over, Sam uses the Amazon to practice his powers and, namely, his ability to maneuver.  Sam is ecstatic to use his powers with abandon, but he loses focus and knocks over a tree.  Bobby uses his powers to destroy it before it hits him and the girls.  Angry at a sheepish-looking Sam for damaging the forest so, Bobby sets up the satellite-communication system with the Professor.  Bobby asks about Xi'an, and the Professor tells them they need to accept she's gone.  Bobby asks if they should return home, but Xavier says he's got his hands full with the new X-Men arrivals and training Team America.  (Them again?)

Returning to where their boat is located, the New Mutants discuss their frustration with the Professor's lack of concern over Xi'an.  Dani is convinced he's not telling them something, whereas Bobby just thinks he doesn't care.  Dani admits she would've agreed with him once, but now she wonders if he's trying to protect them.  Sam asks what he could be hiding from them, noting, not unreasonably, he should trust them if he cares about them as much as Dani implies.  Bobby laments the Professor and the other X-Men not taking them seriously, as they dismiss them as "X-babies."  They arrive at the shore and see their boat in the river.  Bobby posits it'll take the boat a half-hour to collect them, but Dani jumps into the water to swim to it.  A mustachioed man on the boat watches Dani jump into the water and recalls a comment Bobby made to the team earlier, about following his mother's guidelines for staying safe in the Amazon.  The man throws in some chum, attracting piranhas.  Dani sees the churn and realizes she's made a deadly mistake.  She uses her powers to distract them and calls for Sam to help.  Bobby is concerned he'll reveal his powers to the crew, but Sam wisely realizes Dani's in too much trouble to worry about that.

Sam grabs Dani hand as he rockets over her and pulls her to safety, but he struggles to find a place to land, crashing them into a river bank in front of some indigenous women carrying shields and spears.  One of them women kicks Sam in the face and he shouts a warning to Dani, who manages to hurl one of the women into the two remaining women.  Dani realizes they don't seem to be spoiling for a fight.  The three women Dani faced flee, but Sam is grappling with the fourth one.  Dani observes the tribe was watching the boat, and they take the woman with them in the hope Bobby's mom can understand what she's saying.  On the boat, the crew is upset over the revelation Sam and possibly his friends are "freaks," but the mustachioed man vouches for them.  The captain thanks the man, named Castro, for his support and orders the crew to get the boat moving before the indigenous people return.

That night, the kid are with Bobby's mom and the indigenous woman.  Nina has tried all the dialects she knows, but the woman isn't talking.  The woman was carrying two different types of arrows, one indigenous to the Madería and one from Perú.  But, she's neither indigenous to this area nor Peruvian.  She's also carrying a steel dagger of modern design, which Nina hasn't seen among any Amazonian tribes.  Meanwhile, on the banks, the indigenous women have returned with reinforcements, with one of them warning the others to avoid the men's rifles.  However, another woman tells the other women to put down their arrows, because they can't risk "Lady Amara's" life.  For now, they're watching until Amara sends the signal to attack.  Meanwhile, in Rio, Emanuel da Costa once again complains one of Shaw's agents (this time, Castro) is incompetent and observes it isn't an inducement to join the Hellfire Club.  Once again, Shaw notes how complicated the task is given da Costa's insistence they don't hurt Nina or Bobby.  Da Costa is agitated because he wants access to the "mineralogical treasure trove of incalculable dimensions" that is the Madería, telling Shaw the "wealth of empire" is within his grasp.  Da Costa pledges not to let anything stand in his way, and Shaw expresses surprise, saying he thought da Costa still loved Nina.  Da Costa responds feelings have nothing to do with business, observing Nina wouldn't be in trouble if she stayed home and behaved as a proper wife.  He then brings in some scantily clad women for "entertainment."  (A real gem, Emanuel.)

Back on the boat, Nina informs the kids they've reached the Madería and, in a day, they'll start hiking in its cloud-topped mountains.  Dani is impressed, even given the mountains at home in Colorado.  Foreshadowingly, the captain informs the kids that legend says "a city of gold ruled by gods from the other side of the world" exists in the valleys.  But, all the expeditions to find it have disappeared without a trace.  Rahne and Sam wryly note it's not exactly the vacation they were hoping to have, and the captain responds they're just stories.  (Dani then notes all legends are based in fact.)  At the upcoming fork, the captain ominously says they'll avoid one of the tributaries because of its strong rapids.  Later, Rahne is bringing food to Amara (and hoping the mountains are cooler than the river) whereupon she discovers Castro beating her for information.  Rahne tries to stop him, telling him Nina said Amara was not to be harmed.  He belts Rahne across the face and tells her to "run along" before he starts on her.  Rahne turns into wolf form and chases him from the room.  Rahne frees Amara and says her name is Rahne, and Amara responds by simply saying, "Rain."  Rahne then has a full-on breakdown, crying over Castro's horrified look as she transformed.  It reminds her of the look on people's faces in Scotland when her powers manifested, when people she knew her whole life suddenly believed her to be a monster.  She wonders sometimes if she isn't a monster and tells Amara sometimes she thinks she should remain a wolf forever.  Rahne asks Amara if she understood a word she said, and Amara simply repeats her name.  Satisfied, Rahne leaves to find Nina, but stumbles upon the captain dead of an arrow wound.  She's shocked, but she then discovers Castro, who knocks her unconscious with the butt of his gun.

She later awakens in a room with the other New Mutants and Nina, as Bobby is also coming to consciousness.  He wonders why Castro didn't kill them and smashes through the wall to escape.  He then wonders if the crew is allied with Castro because they're mutants, but then realizes Castro's attack could be related to the attempt on his mother's life last issue.  He makes his way to the bridge and realizes the boat is adrift and going down the tributary with the falls.  Finding the captain dead, Bobby tries to gun the engines to power the boat to the banks, but he realizes the engines are dead.  He calls to Rahne to wake up everyone as they plummet over the rapids!

The cold water wakes up Sam, who grabs Dani.  (Dani hilariously comments it's becoming a habit.)  Bobby makes his way to his mother, who's grabbing a rock in the river, but he's knocked for a loop by a piece of wreckage.  He mumbles his mother's name as he falls beneath the waves and Sam plunges into the water to save him.  He notes he doesn't see hide-nor-hair of Bobby's mother as Rahne uses her powers to skip over rocks to get to Amara.  She fights the current to pull Amara to safety, but she's shocked when she sees Amara is a blond white girl.  She tells Amara she can barely hold her and needs help and is shocked again when Amara responds in English.  Rahne is enraged that Amara listened to her confession, as it's something she wouldn't have even told her best friend.  But, despite the betrayal, she can't let her die, so Rahne shifts to her transitional form to pull Amara to the rock.  Sam flies by Rahne, asking who Amara is and if she's seen Nina.  Rahne confirms it's Amara (to Sam's surprise) and also that she hasn't seen Nina.  Sam uses his powers to bring Amara and Rahne to the bank where Bobby and Danny are waiting.  Bobby is beside himself when he learns they can't find Nina, and Sam tries to comfort him.  But, they're surprised when a group of Roman Centurions tells them to stand where they are and inform them they're now "slaves of Imperial Rome."

The Review
This issue starts the Nova Roma arc as Claremont essentially resumes the story he had been telling before the weird Team America detour in issues #5-#6.  The kids are again faced with challenges that force them to push their powers to the limit, all while Professor X remains nowhere to be seen.

- The snowstorm feels like part of the continuing evolution of Dani's powers.  It's consistent with her powers as we've previously seen, where she's able to create lifelike holograms that other people -- not just the intended recipient -- can see.  It also builds on her display last issue, where she pulled specific images from the Hellfire goon's minds.

- Charles continues to make a run at "worst teach of the year" here.  He decides he's too busy with Team America to train the New Mutants, instead sending them into the Amazon under the care of Bobby's absentee mother.  Given Bobby and Sam could both level buildings with their powers, it seems odd he'd instead focus on a group of adults who use their powers to form...a motorcycle rider.  I'm also not sure exactly what training he's giving Team America.  After all, all they can do is summon the Black Rider.  They don't seem to need exhaustive training (as they seem to get here, as they sweat profusely) to do that.  Thankfully, we don't seem ever to see them again.  But, man, they were the worst.

- The boat is allegedly 30 minutes from the banks where the New Mutants are standing, but it looks much closer.  Also, Dani decides to swim to it, something she presumably wouldn't have done if it really was 30 minutes from where they were standing.

- Emanuel needs to make up his damn mind:  he either wants Bobby and Nina to be safe or not.  He keeps telling Shaw that his failure to foil Nina's plans aren't an inducement for him to join the Hellfire Club, but I honestly have no idea what he wants Shaw to do.  Keep them indefinitely in a dungeon?  Given Emanuel doesn't seem to have any ideas either, I'm not sure why Shaw would want Emanuel in the Hellfire Club.  Moreover, he claimed last issue that he loved Nina, but the high-end hookers he hires here don't really support that claim.  Finally, I'm also not sure why Nina's expedition is so dangerous.  Does Emanuel know something we don't?  Otherwise, I'm not sure what Nina could find that would prevent him from exploiting the Madería's natural resources.

- I still don't get why Dani and Sam take Amara captive or, as Bobby himself says, why Castro didn't kill them outright?  I mean, I get the answer is "plot device," but Claremont is usually better than that.

New Mutants #7: "Flying Down to Rio"!

Countdown to "'Ah'm Nigh Invulnerable When Ah'm Blastin':"  "Ah'm pretty near invulnerable when Ah'm blastin'."

Summary
Bobby stands on the shore, recalling the events of the previous evening.  After the Silver Samurai detonated HYDRA's headquarters (as seen last issue), Bobby used his powers to smash away the boulders hurtling at him as he and the other New Mutants fell into the ocean.  He heard Sam cry for help since he couldn't swim, so he helped drag him to the shore.  Dani and Rahne also made their way to shore; Xi'an did not.  Bobby reflects on how proud they were after they defeated the Viper and how quickly things change.  The three remaining New Mutants find Bobby.  Bobby accepts Dani's coat (he's soaking wet from standing so close to the surf), and Sam exposits the Professor and the X-Men searched all night but couldn't find Xi'an.  When Bobby suggests they may need to accept they don't have any hope left, Rahne breaks into tears, saying they have to maintain hope while at the same time fretting about the fate of Xi'an's younger siblings.

As they walk along the cliffs, Bobby laments their failure to catch Xi'an's killer, but Sam assures him she won't be free for long as they come upon the X-Men's makeshift command center.  Nightcrawler teleports to the kids to bring them cocoa, startling them.  (Rahne calls him "the demon.")  Storm laments Wolverine isn't there, since his tracking ability could help.  Rahne offers her services, but Storm says she doesn't have Wolverine's experience and might miss some clues.  Xavier reveals he had the New Mutants find Bobby because his mother is there.  A surprised Bobby enthusiastically embraces her, but then turns on her almost immediately.  He realizes she must know he's a mutant if she's there, and she confirms his father wrote to tell her.  He observes he desperately need her then, particularly with Juliana's death.  She apologizes, saying she was "on a 'dig' in the middle of nowhere."  Bobby comments she always is, and she defends herself, saying she loves her work as an archaeologist.  Bobby suggests she loves it more than him and his father, something she notably doesn't deny.  

Xavier reveals Bobby's mother wants to take them on an expedition to the headwaters of the Amazon and he thinks it's a wonderful idea.  Bobby is shocked and asks about Xi'an, but Xavier explains the search is a job for the X-Men.  Bobby is enraged.  He says they can't abandon Xi'an just as they couldn't abandon Dani, and he blames Xavier for Xi'an's death, because he was too busy focusing on Team America.  (Remember them?  I'd rather not, to be honest.)  As Bobby's professor, Xavier demands Bobby's obedience, and Bobby refuses, wondering whether it was time to quit the School.  After Bobby leaves, Kurt asks the Professor if it was wise to provoke him.  Xavier reveals, as always, he knows more than he's saying.  The moment they arrived, he sensed a "powerful - and malefic - psychic entity."  Xavier is convinced Xi'an is alive since he didn't feel her death, but the entity may strike again, so it's best if the kids are as far away as possible.  Xavier is afraid the team would demand to save Xi'an if they knew she was alive, so he allows the ruse to remain (and their anger to fall on him).

Kurt questioning the wisdom of the Professor's decision is shown as wise itself as Bobby's grief over Juliana and Xi'an gets the better of him; he uses his powers to break rocks, lamenting how his powers didn't help him save the girls.  As he cries how unfair it is, an approaching Sam coldly asks him what else is new.  Bobby is (understandably) perturbed, but Sam explains how angry he was when his father died.  They had so many plans for him to make something of himself, and Sam hated him for stealing that dream from him as he was forced to become the man of the house.  He puts his hand on Bobby's shoulder, telling him that he was right life isn't fair and all they can do is keep on living.  Bobby caustically wonders if they're just supposed to follow Xavier's orders; not surprisingly, Dani says of course they're not.  But, she acknowledges Xavier has a point, as the X-Men worrying over the kids would distract them from finding Xi'an.  Bobby acknowledges he misses her, and they all have a moment.

A week later, the kids arrive at Bobby's father's palace in Rio, and the narration explains Emanuel da Costa was raised in this house as a "barefoot houseboy," the son of one of the maids.  The butler, Simon, greets Roberto and his mom, snarkily commenting on how long it's been since she graced the estate with her presence.  He then equally snarkily informs the kids formal wear is required for dinner "if at all possible," prompting Dani to respond, "We like you, too, buster."  Dinner is  a tense affair, as Emanuel notes how dangerous the Madería is.  Bobby's mom (whose name we finally learn is Nina) remarks how he plans to send geologists there for business purposes, and Emanuel says he'll always follow profit.  Bobby is appalled at their hostility, and it gets worse, as Nina asks how much money they could possibly need.  Emanuel -- not incorrectly -- notes that sort of comment is something only a person who's never been poor would make.  He asks if she'd rather they live in the favelas, and she says she'd rather be happy.  He comments he is happy.  The kids are appalled as they have to watch the fight and sorry for Bobby over the humiliation; for Bobby's part, he silently pleads for them to stop fighting because they're killing him.  But, they don't, as Nina accuses Emanuel and other businessmen like him of sacrificing the future as each year the Amazon basin is destroyed.  Emanuel says it's progress, saying he knew her to be an idealist, but now he realizes she's also a fool.  He leaves.

The next day, the kids attend Carnival, where a scantily clad dancer kisses an embarrassed Sam.  Dani cheers on Sam, while Rahne says he should be ashamed of himself.  Dani tells Rahne they themselves should get some costumes and join the fun, scandalizing her.  But, she then seriously asks Bobby if he's OK after the fighting last night, and he tells her simply to pray for a miracle.  However, Nina overheard Dani saying she wanted to join the parade, so she brings them to a costume shop so they can get costumes for the Governor's Ball the next night.  Sam is nervous about the prospect of mingling with high society, but Nina tells him he can meet a lot of girls so he's game.  Meanwhile, a dark figure lurks outside, calling for an ambush.  Rahne feels beautiful in her gown, and Sam tells her she's always been, but never noticed.  The kids have fun with their costumes, and Nina is called to see her chauffeur.  However, Hellfire goons grab her and bustle her into a car.

Sam observes the kidnapping, blasting from the shop, but an axe strikes him, sending him tumbling into a nearby, derelict building.  Dani goes to help Sam while Bobby goes to follow his mom, but someone interrupts them, telling Bobby his mom is in "good hands."  A guy who looks like Mr. T with an axe announces his name is Axe (original) and tells the kids to stay put.  Bobby activates his powers and attacks, but Axe bats him aside easily.  Dani tries to pull out his deepest fears, but it doesn't work, and he wallops her.  Rahne flees, and Axe wonders why his boss was so worried about the kids.  Sam emerges from the wreckage and realizes he's too groggy to follow Axe (who leaps into a waiting car), particularly since he doesn't know Rio well enough to navigate its narrow, winding streets, particularly given his difficulties with maneuvering.  He finds Bobby and Dani coming to their feet, and he wonders what the Hellfire Club wants with Nina or if they're trying to use her to get to them.  He asks where Rahne is while Bobby asks the costume-shop owner to call the police.  (She's more worried about her shop, and Bobby has to assure her his father with pay for the damages.)

Then, Dani gets a mindcall from Rahne, who didn't flee but turned to wolf form to follow the kidnappers.  They're in an abandoned mansion, and Sam wants them to call the police or go "kick their butts" themselves.  But, Bobby is unusually the voice of reason, recalling how the goons are killers and he doesn't want his mother to be killed in the crossfire like Juliana was.  Dani uses her mindlink with Rahne, who's eavesdropping on the goons, to learn Nina is safe until morning when their employer arrives.  Sam mentions how Bobby's hero, Magnum, P.I., would know what they should do, which gives Bobby an idea.  Inside, the goons are spooked when they hear a howl; when Axe makes fun of them, one of the goons explains the "brilliant hideout" is a haunted mansion with ghosts that kill.  Axe is unperturbed and tells the goons to search if they want.  One of the goons dismissed Axe as a "stinkin' mutie" and nervously moves room to room.  The goon realizes he should've brought one of the other goons for backup, but then encounters a bunch of lovely ladies on the steps.  He notes they locked the doors and windows, but they urge him closer, as they're his hearts desire.  (Ruh-roh.)  They then turn into demons, what he fears the most.  He tumbles down the steps as he recoils in fear.  Dani is exhausted from the effort of pulling specific images from his mind, but suddenly she and Rahne are in danger as other goons have somehow found them and open fire.  Dani then takes on the three goons, using their greatest fears against them despite how terrible she feels.  Rahne then leaps into the fray in her wolf form; she takes out two of the goons while Dani punches out the other.  Dani observes she had doubts about Bobby's plan, since even Magnum isn't lucky all the time, but is glad they did their part.

In the main room, Bobby breaks through the wall.  Axe threatens his mother, but Bobby uses his powers to break the floor under him.  Sam then rockets into the room and grabs Nina, though worries about leaving Bobby alone with Axe.  Axe is confident in his ability to deliver a beatdown to Bobby, but Bobby makes quick work of him, explaining Axe caught him off-guard the first time they tangled.  A few days later, the kids help Nina pack the plane they'll use to go to the Madería.  Dani asks Bobby if he's OK, and he explains he's worried about his mom.  But, Sam notes she seems like a lady who can take care of herself as she enthusiastically waves on the kids.  Meanwhile, in a nearby car, Emanuel tells Sebastian Shaw his goons' performance was hardly an inducement to join the Hellfire Club, as he promised he'd "deal" with Nina.  Shaw reminds Emanuel that he wanted her unhurt, which complicated matters, though admits he thought Axe would be able to handle the kids.  He offers help again, but Emanuel says it isn't necessary:  "arrangements" have been made to make sure Nina's expedition to the Madería isn't successful.  Shaw then asks, "Even if that means the death of your wife and son?"  Dun-dun-DUN!

The Review
This issue kicks off the Nova Roma saga, one of the series' high points.  But, we first have to tie up the loose ends from the Team America story, one of the series' low points.  Claremont seems to find himself narratively trapped here.  As Bobby says, Xi'an is missing in part because Xavier took his eye off the ball.  If he hadn't been training Team America for weeks on end, he presumably would've been able to respond to Xi'an's call for guidance before they invaded the HYDRA fortress.  Moreover, if he had physically been present there, he probably would've been able to sense the "entity" before it had a chance to attack Xi'an.  As such, the terrible Team America story connects to Claremont's odd decision to remove Xi'an from the book so soon into its run.  The Nova Roma saga helps put the book on firmer ground, but it's in a rocky place when this issue opens.

- The scene between Rahne and Storm is weird.  I think Claremont felt the need to underline the fact that Rahne's inexperience is why she couldn't find Xi'an's trail, given she's found pretty much every other trail she's tried to find so far.  Storm implies the trail is too complicated for Rahne to find.  But, it's also weird because it almost seems like it didn't even dawn on Rahne to try.

- Bobby's mother is just a mess in the way she's presented physically.  She's constantly in athleisure wear (as if she should have a cigarette dangling from her mouth as she drops off the kids at school), she often looks like she's as old as Aunt May, and her cheeks are so rosy that she looks like she's Santa Claus' daughter.  I'm not saying Bobby has to look exactly like her, but at times it feels like she'd be better suited as someone's aunt in an "Archie" comic .

- Xavier yet again leads through deception here.  I get his concern the kids would demand to help find Xi'an if he told them she was alive, but he basically concludes they're incapable of listening to reason.  Although he's right they're often emotional, they're usually in that position because Xavier has manipulated them into it.  Xavier rarely, if ever, deals plainly with them, so he's never really seen how they're more mature than he realizes.  But, this approach is also obviously a plot device to remove Xi'an from the title, at least for a while.

- I get Sam lost his father, so he's lost someone closer than Bobby.  But, Jesus, he's uncharacteristically cold here when he tries to comfort Bobby right after his fight with Xavier.

- Emanuel da Costa allegedly became a millionaire by the time he was 20 years old.  Is he a mutant?  Otherwise, how exactly does a barefoot houseboy become a millionaire by 20 years old?

- Axe really socks Dani in the jaw here, but she's somehow totally fine?  Also, what exactly are Axe's powers?  I was surprised to learn he was a mutant.  It seems very specific to have your mutant ability be, "wields an axe well."

- Claremont does a really solid job of showing the kids' developing, yet still limited, powers.  Sam is aware he can't maneuver the narrow, winding streets of Rio.  Dani displays a new-ish ability to pull specific images from people's minds, though it exhausts her.  Rahne again saves the day keeping on Nina's trail, making me raise an eyebrow again over her conversation with Storm.  Claremont shows they're learning, but also that Xavier is right not to be eager to throw them into battle.

- This issue starts a pattern of Bobby's father insisting someone "deal" with Nina while at the same time insisting she and Bobby aren't to be killed and then not providing an alternative solution to how his henchman could achieve this goal.

New Mutants #6: "Road Warriors!"

Countdown to "'Ah'm Nigh Invulnerable When Ah'm Blastin':"  None.

This issue continues the Team America storyline, and it somehow even gets worse.  Claremont throws out any sense of logic or plot:  the team somehow takes on A.I.M. without anything approaching a weapon, and we never learn what the point of Viper's scheme is.  Let's just get to through it, shall we?

Summary
The New Mutants bust into the apartment of Nguyen Ngoc Coy, Xi'an's uncle and a former general in South Vietnam's national police.  He's currently a "prosperous multinational businessman" as well as the "self-styled crime czar of the Bay area."  A robe-clad Nguyen orders his two sexy lady bodyguards to kill Xi'an and her friends, but Xi'an is able to possess both women as Rahne transforms into a wolf and tackles Nguyen.  With the bodyguards unconscious, Xi'an demands her uncle provide the team with information on Viper.  Despite Rahne growling at him, Nguyen sticks with the claim that he's a simple businessman.  When Xi'an then threatens him, he asks what she plans to do if he refuses to squeal.  She then possesses him and marches him onto the ledge of his penthouse.  She informs him it's a 250-meter plunge onto California Street, but he calls her bluff.  Despite betraying her parents and corrupting her brother, Nguyen knows Xi'an won't kill him.  She admits defeat, but 'Berto leaps at him, informing him he has fewer scruples than Xi'an does.  The team stops 'Berto before he succeeds in throwing Nguyen off the ledge, and Nguyen offers to help them if Xi'an agrees to work for him for a year.  Xi'an is appalled at the idea of using her powers as her brother did, to help Nguyen expand his criminal empire.  But, she agrees for Dani's sake.

In "Sonora Province, New Mexico," R.U. Reddy leads the team as Wolf tries to catch him.  However, the mountains are more suited to Reddy's style of riding (motocross to Wolf's speed), and Wolf crashes.  Reddy exults in Wolf's failure as the rest of the team arrives and tells Honcho he taught Wolf a much-needed lesson.  Xavier projects himself into their minds, reminding them they still have a tough road in front of them and lambasting them for acting so childish.  Wrench gets to work fixing Wolf's motorcycle as Honcho reminds everyone Dani is counting on them to survive.  We learn Xavier and Lilandra are camped inside the Blackbird on the banks of the Colorado River, halfway between the New Mutants and Team America so Xavier can communicate with both teams.  But, Xavier is exhausted, and Team America's constant squabbling is forcing him to spend all his energy focused on them.

In Viper's HQ in Big Sur, Dani experiments with her power, intending to distract the person watching the monitor focused on her room by projecting her spirit forms at a longer distance than she previously has.  Harada watches from the room he shares with Viper, recognizing the determination on Dani's face and wondering if Xavier fully appreciates her strength.  Harada recommends Viper kill Dani (given her determination), but Viper says she wants to learn more about Dani's powers.  She asks Harada why he's been so distracted lately, and he says it's because his father, Shingen Yashida, has died.  However, when Viper asks if he'll return to Japan to claim his inheritance, Harada informs her he has none:  although his father pledged he would become lord of Clan Yashida, Shingen passed that honor onto his daughter Mariko, Wolverine's fiancée!  Viper pledges to help Harada reclaim his inheritance after concluding the current scheme.

In Black Mesa, Team America arrives at its location, with Honcho complimenting Reddy and Wolf for blazing the trail.  Wolf unexpectedly gives Reddy all the credit, and Reddy tells Wolf that means a lot to him.  But, Reddy tells Wolf he needed Wolf pushing him forward, and they agree that Xavier might've had a point about teamwork.  Cowboy arrives to check on the guys, and he's surprised to find them sleeping.  Xavier appears to Cowboy, announcing he put them to sleep so their natural defenses could be weakened and he could "more easily hone their mutant abilities."  Cowboy is suitably disturbed by that assertion, and he and Georgianna focus on the bikes.  Meanwhile, Honcho and Wrench have invaded the fortress, and Xavier warns them guards are approaching.  They knock said guards unconscious and steal their uniforms.  Honcho explains the place is guarded by A.I.M., "a criminal think tank," and Professor X tells them he "scanned a layout of the complex" from the guards' minds before they knocked them unconscious.  That said, he then says the research staff's minds have sophisticate psi-screens, so he doesn't quite know what they're going to encounter.  He leads them to the vault, and Wrench tries to break through the lock's electronic coding.  But, he trips an alarm, and the research staff opens fire.  Wrench manages to open the vault and swipe the crystal, but, suddenly, the complex explodes.  In the Blackbird, Xavier screams in agony as he explains to Lilandra he suffered a psychic attack from Black Mesa so powerful he couldn't repel it.  Lilandra is also knocked unconscious given the mindlink they share.

In Big Sur, Sam comments how lurking outside Viper's fortress reminds him how the team first came together, Xi'an laments she can't raise Xavier to consult with him before they invade the fortress, and Bobby says he's likely just focused on his new favorite, Team America.  Sam (somewhat bitchily) reminds Bobby Team America, particularly Wolf, used to be his heroes, but Bobby admits they no longer are now that he's met them.  Xi'an decides to green light the attack despite Xavier's absence, but she also suffers a psionic attack, likely from the same mutant who attacked Xavier.  Her scream raises the attention of the HYDRA guards, and the kids leap into action.  Sam takes out a few guards by crashing into them, Bobby hurls a tanker into the generator to dim the lights, and Xi'an uses the cover of darkness to take control of two guards and turn them on their fellows.  A hole suddenly opens in Dani's cell, and she uses her powers to distract two guards, giving her time to knock them unconscious.  She finds a bleeding Rahne in the hallway, and the Silver Samurai -- fully suited -- is standing over her, energy sword at the ready.

At Black Mesa, Team America marvels that Honcho and Wrench survived the explosion, and Honcho wonders if it wasn't because of the MacGuffin...I mean, the crystal.  They're an hour from the border, but A.I.M. hovercraft appear in pursuit.  Cowboy goes on a suicide mission to distract the hovercraft while the others escape, but Wolf calls on the Black Rider to possess him so he can save his friend.  Reddy asks Wolf if he's crazy, but he says Roberto's words struck too close to home, and he will use his powers with honor.  Now the Black Rider, Wolf somehow uses the bike to leap from craft to craft to craft, disabling them in the process.  He tells a stunned Cowboy he feels amazing, and Cowboy tells him to ready for round #2.  Meanwhile, in Big Sur, Cannonball slams into the Silver Samurai before he can harm Dani.  Harada tries to recover, but Bobby knocks him for a loop.  He uses his teleportation ring to check on Viper, as she's locked in a battle to resist Karma's possession.  He calls her name, distracting her.  Xi'an then seizes her mind.  She has Viper turn her gun on Harada, but he realizes it's Xi'an and not Viper, so he knocks out Viper, and, thus, Karma.  He mentions how he could kill Karma's prone form, but he decides instead to escape with Viper.

At the Blackbird, Team America rouses Xavier, who informs them he doesn't sense the presence anymore.  Someone hypothesizes the mutant died in the explosion, but Xavier says it felt more like he was born.  Xavier wishes he knew what A.I.M. was doing, but he puts aside that matter, saying it's time to help the kids.  Honcho tells him they left behind two members of the team, but Xavier points out the window.  To everyone's shock, Wolf is carrying Reddy.  In Big Sur, the New Mutants are reunited with Dani; Xi'an even teases her for her outfit, asking if it's the "latest in Wild West fashion."  Rahne is sleeping near them, and, although they're concerned about her wound, they also know she heals quickly.  Despite appearing unconscious pretty much all issue, Rahne apparently had time to tell Dani about Xi'an's deal with her uncle, and Dani tells her she won't allow Xi'an to do it.  Xavier then psychically appears to the kids, chastising them for taking action against Viper without consulting him.  Xi'an politely reminds him she tried but he didn't reply, and Xavier says, given their success, he retroactively approves.  (Helpful, Xavier.)  Xavier informs them they're on the way to collect them.  However, to Xi'an, his image changes to show the mutant who attacked her earlier; he tells her he's coming for her, body and soul.  She screams, and the New Mutants struggle to understand her as she's speaking in Vietnamese.  Viper and Harada are seen leaving on a boat, and she orders him to destroy the headquarters, with the New Mutants still inside.  He does, and a shocked Xavier tells Lilandra to hurry to California.

The Review
As I said in the lead into this review, Claremont really scrapes the bottom of the barrel here.  As the following list shows, the issues suffers from a number of inconsistencies and mistakes that someone like Claremont rarely makes.  It contributes to the feeling the editors forced the Team America plot forced on Claremont, so he simply threw some stuff on the page and called it a day.

Some of the more problematic developments are:

- I've currently read through issue #13, and I'm pretty sure we never learn what the point of the crystal was.  Seriously, it was totally a MacGuffin.  (Moreover, we also haven't seen Xi'an again.)

- Having finally just watched the movie “The Wolverine,” it’s interesting to see the story that forms the basis of its plot mentioned here, of Mariko taking over the company from Shingen.  In the movie, her grandfather is the Silver Samurai, Shingen is her villainous father and Harada is her ex-boyfriend; here, Shingen is her benign (as far as we know) father and Harada is both her illegitimate half-brother and the Silver Samurai.  It's almost unrecognizable.

- I don’t get how Reddy and Wolf “blazed the trail.”  I mean, it’s not like they were literally cutting a path through a jungle.  Everyone would’ve had to have ridden equally hard as they did to get where they were going.

- I love Xavier putting Reddy and Wolf asleep to weaken their “natural defenses” so he can “more easily hone their mutants abilities.”  First, if you have to weaken someone’s natural defenses to accomplish your goal, you should probably question how worthwhile your goal is.  Second, if Xavier can just hone someone’s mutant abilities while he's sleeping, why all the focus on training?  Couldn't he just turn everyone into a seasoned X-Men with a few naps?

- I'm not really sure what Team America's plan was as they break into A.I.M. headquarters with no weapons.  At one point, Honcho claims to be holding off the A.I.M. researchers firing on him, but he has no weapon to do so.  Even if you buy they’re “unlimited class motorcyclists” who just happen to find trouble, shouldn’t they be a little more prepared for trouble, given they know they’re going to find it in this case?  Given Xavier had the New Mutants submit an after-action report in issue #4, you'd think his focus on planning would've extended to asking Team America how they planned on stealing the crystal from A.I.M. with nary a gun.

- I don't get where the hole in Dani's cell came from.  No one really attacked the fortress enough to rattle it like that.  Are we supposed to believe it was from 'Berto throwing the tanker at the generator?

- Putting aside the idea everyone on Team America just so happened to find the other mutants in the world with the same power to create a projecting gestalt, only Wolf actually uses that power here.  In fact, Reddy asks if he's crazy when he does so, which makes no sense.  As we're lead to believe, they've just spent weeks training with Xavier in the use of their mutant power.  Why wouldn't summoning the Black Rider be everyone's first option when confronted with the A.I.M. hovercraft?

- Last issue, Team America summoned the "Dark Rider," but here Wolf summoned the "Black Rider."

- As he did last issue with Bobby and Rahne, Harada tells us how he could easily kill Karma...but then just teleports.  If he had actually done so, we'd be down to Dani and Sam at this point.

- Why is Wolf carrying Reddy?  When last we left the team, Cowboy and Wolf were ready to go for a second round with A.I.M.  What happened to Reddy?  I guess we’re supposed to assume they fought A.I.M. off-panel?

In other words?  Man, I'm glad this arc is over.

New Mutants #5: "Heroes" (or "Revenge of the '80s")

Countdown to "'Ah'm Nigh Invulnerable When Ah'm Blastin':"  "Ah'm lucky Ah cant' be hurt when I'm blastin'."

This issue kicks of a pretty crazy series of events that takes the New Mutants from encountering a group of D-list celebrities (not Kathy Griffin, unfortunately) to finding themselves trapped in a lost Roman city in the Amazon.  The Nova Roma saga (issues #7-#11) is pretty great, but we have to get through mediocre issues #5-#6 to get there.

Summary
Professor Xavier collapses in his study (in front of a suspiciously sexy headshot of a red-headed woman), and Lilandra rushes to him.  He explains to her (and us) that his "phantom, psychosomatic pain" persists, preventing him from walking.  Lilandra wonders if the problem is actually physical, and Charles panickedly announces the "attack" (conveniently) shattered his mindlink with the New Mutants.  Lilandra encourages him to relax, as they're in good hands for the next few hours with Stevie at a carnival.

The kids are enjoying themselves at said carnival when Bobby excitedly recognizes Team America, "unlimited class motorcyclists" he saw perform in Rio before coming to Xavier's.  Bobby exposits the team disbanded a few months earlier, and Claremont focuses on their banter to show us why.  "Wolf" refuses to lend "R.U. Reddy" his screwdriver, revealing the tension in the group.  "Cowboy" encourages them to cool it, as Bobby approaches asking for autographs for his "sister."  Cowboy happily signs -- and cannily signs one for Bobby as well -- but Wolf refuses to participate in such foolishness, hurting Bobby's feelings.  Cowboy thanks Reddy and Wolf for coming.  He laments "Honcho, Wrench, and Georgianna" couldn't join them, but explains their performance that day will not only help charity but also his cycle school.  Wolf tells him he stands by his friends, though he and Reddy continue to squabble.  The kids take a seat in the stands to watch the show as a mysterious observer standing atop the grandstand complains only half the team is there.  She tells her companion, Keniuchio [sic], to make sure to take the targets alive.

During the team's finale, an explosion knocks the guys to the ground as a group of green-clad goons rush Team America.   As the crowd stampedes around her, Stevie tells the kids she can't reach Xavier through their mindlink.  Sam pledges to help Team America before they're stomped "by a bunch o' goons," but Xi'an reminds him they're not in uniform.  Sam notes everyone is fleeing, so they'll be unlikely to see them in the smoke and confusion.  Wolf is shocked when Cannonball barrels through a group of goons, and Reddy comments they shouldn't let someone else fight for them.  With that, Team America joins the fray as Karma possess one of the goons and has him knock out another one.  Stevie manages to throw Xi'an to safety before she's hit by a missile, and she reminds us she's a dancer and teacher, not a superhero.  Bobby and Rahne leap into action as Team America run over the goons with their bikes.  The mysterious observer and her companion (who she now calls Harada) lament the New Mutants ruining their plan to bring out Team America's mysterious "guardian angel," the Dark Rider.  The observer tells Harada to ensure the children do not defeat Hydra, and Harada reveals himself to Stevie and Xi'an to be the Silver Samurai.  Xi'an tries to possess him, but he's able to resist, knocking her unconscious with his energy sword.  Observing his attack, Sam powers towards him, saying Xi'an better not be hurt.  But, his threat is undermined when Harada easily knocks him aside with his sword.  Wolf picks up one of the unconscious goons' gun and tells Harada to freeze.  However, Wolf hesitates, remembering a recent battle where a man died at his hands, and Harada uses his distraction to throw a throwing star at him.

From nowhere, a black-clad rider appears, but Harada makes quick work of him, evading the motorcycle with a sidestep and then using his sword to cut off the front of the bike.  The Dark Rider recovers, landing on one wheel, but Harada then takes out the engine and rear wheel with a pair of throwing stars.  He's shocked when he takes off the Dark Rider's helmet, revealing "him" to be Dani.  Wishing he could stay to take out the rest of the New Mutants as Bobby and Rahne approach him, Harada picks up Dani and teleports, as Viper instructed him.  Meanwhile, Sam recovers, lamenting his inability to maneuver and shocked when he sees a crying Stevie holding an unconscious Xi'an.  Stevie asks where Dani is, segueing us to an image of Dani dressed as the Viper.  (It's weird.  It's like she's wearing hand-me-downs.)

Dani finds herself in a place reminiscent of the Danger Room.  She sees a motorcycle and hilariously wonders if a "white rabbit in gang colors" comes next.  However, a voice sounds, telling her that she has to escape three large, spiked wheels coming her way and that the bike is her only means of doing so.  However, since Dani's never ridden a bike before, she's instantly confused, forced to leap from it as one of the wheels crushes it.  One of the other wheels almost crushes her but it stops and Harada appears, telling her to follow him.  Dani wonders if she should flee, but realizes she knows nothing about her situation, so fleeing could only make it worse.  Harada leads her to Viper, who observes Dani's incompetence on the bike in the testing room belies the fact she rode like an expert at the fairgrounds.  Viper asks her connection to Team America, but Dani says she doesn't have one.  Viper points out she was the Dark Rider, and a confused Dani stresses she doesn't remember anything.  Fueled by her anger, Dani loses control of her powers, showing Viper as a child fleeing the ruins of war-torn Europe.  A surprised Viper knocks aside Dani, pledging to kill her eventually for the affront.

At the School, Xavier announces he can't find Dani even with Cerebro.  He confirms she's not dead, as he would've sensed that, but posits she's either far from them or shielded from his probes (or both).  Colonel Rossi is on had, and he shows Xavier his files on the Silver Samurai, Viper, and the Dark Rider.  Rossi explains the Rider is a champion rider and electronics expert, though Dani isn't.  Sam asks why Dani would pretend to be the Dark Rider, and Xavier wonders if she had any choice.  He fires up Cerebro to ponder an idea, and Stevie thinks about how Xavier reminds her of the demon from "Night on Bald Mountain" when he uses Cerebro, wondering how he doesn't become corrupt given all his powers.

Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, Viper pays a visit to Honcho, telling him he has to assemble Team America and break into an impregnable fortress deep in Mexico's Sierra Madre mountains to obtain a certain object.  Honcho refuses, but Viper threatens Dani's life, refusing even to provide proof of life to Honcho.  He asks why she wants Team America to accomplish this task instead of her own agents, and she says it's easier to use them.  Honcho says he'll do it but can't speak for the others, and she says it has to be all of them for them to have a chance.  She tells him the rest of the team will be there by dawn (at her instigation) and they have 24 hours to make the decision.  With Team America assembled, Wolf argues Viper doesn't have a hostage, but Honcho asks if they can take that risk.  Georgianna asks Wolf if he wants Dani's blood on his hands, but Honcho then points out the fact Viper might not hold up her end of the bargain.  A knock on the door interrupts the conversation, and it's Xavier arriving with the New Mutants!

Wolf tells the kids to scram, and Bobby threatens him.  Xavier tells Bobby to control himself, and, when Wolf threatens to take him over his knee, Honcho tells Wolf he's acting like a child.  He recognizes Xavier as the world's top expert on mutants, and Xavier announces Cerebro confirmed for him Team America is comprised of mutants that create a "projecting gestalt," using their powers to project their abilities on someone to become the Dark Rider.  Wolf announces they don't need help from Xavier's "nursery school," and Bobby powers up himself and threatens Wolf.  Xavier tells Team America they're responsible for Dani's predicament because they haven't bothered to learn how to use their powers.  He tells them he'll help them learn, though Honcho notes he doesn't seem to be offering them a choice.  Georgianna tells Xavier he's not being fair, but he responds that it's not fair to Dani either; moreover, their powers come with responsibilities.  Wolf threatens Bobby for the cheap shot and tells Xavier he doesn't want to work with the New Mutants.  Given the tensions, Xavier agrees, to the New Mutants' fury.

Leaving the apartment, Bobby is devastated over how foolish he was to idolize Wolf, while Xi'an comments how Xavier can't train Team America and save Dani.  Xavier mentally projects to them then, saying training Team America gives them enough time to summon the X-Men for backup.  He argues Team America's need is greater than Dani's lest they harm an innocent.  An enraged Bobby reminds Xavier he asked them to stay at the School, so Dani put her life in his hands.  Xavier says he'll have to live with the repercussions of his decision, and Bobby reminds him Dani might not be so lucky.  Bobby thanks him for showing how little their lives mean to him, outraging Xi'an.  She tells Bobby he's doing what he thinks is best, as they must, which means they have to save Dani without Xavier's help.  Xavier doesn't stop them, simply acknowledging to himself how they're unaware of the perils they face and hoping his life is the one sacrificed if necessary.

The Review
Oy, this issue.

First, Team America is as '80s of a concept as I could possibly imagine.  I mean, a hair crimper would be jealous of how '80s Team America is.  I can see and hear the commercial for the toys, even though I don't know if they even had a commercial.  It was the sort of ridiculous conceit that made its way to market back then; your toyline couldn't just have one shtick, it needs several shticks.  A great example was "M.A.S.K.," where each element might have worked (transforming trucks!  cool masks!  magic stones!) but together it just made no sense.  (That said, I freaking loved "M.A.S.K.")

To make matters worse, Team America makes even less sense as a result of Claremont having to find some way to connect them to the X-Men.  After all, the only reason the New Mutants are involved here is because they happen to be at the fairgrounds when Viper attacks.  Claremont tries to square the circle by revealing they're mutants, but that somehow makes matters worse.  Five "unlimited class motorcyclists" with exactly the same mutant powers just happened to find each other?  Also, assuming they all have the power to project a gestalt, does it have to be the Dark Rider?  Could it be someone else?  Also, how few guys do they need to do so?  Viper insists they all have to agree to help her as she's blackmailing them, presumably because she wants them to summon the Dark Rider.  But, Cowboy, R.U. Reddy, and Wolf summon the Dark Rider all on their own here.

Moreover, it doesn't help that Viper's reasons for "recruiting" them barely makes sense.  She needs a team of "unlimited class motorcyclists" (sorry, I'll stop with the quotes soon) who summon the Dark Rider to...drive up the Sierra Madre mountains?  Wouldn't it have been easier to recruit a group of advanced mountain climbers?  Couldn't she just have blackmailed the X-Men?  After all, her only leverage here is Dani.  How was she going to convince the Dark Rider to work for her if the New Mutants hadn't foiled her plan to capture him?  

It seems pretty clear Claremont was given an editorial order to work Team America into the series, because it's the only thing that explains why this issue is so sloppy across the board.  It's not just their insufficiently explained mutant powers or Viper's equally unexplained terrorist plot.  Just to pick one example, Xavier claims the psychic "attack" he suffered in his den has severed his mindlink with the kids, but he also describes his fall as a psychosomatic "block," very different from an "attack."  Moreover, the battle scenes are just bizarre.  Team America on several occasions is shown as taking on the HYDRA goons, but it's really unclear how they're doing so.  Often, it looks like the goon is jumping backwards from the motorcycle when, in fact, we're supposed to conclude Team America ran into them.  But, Team America riders never suffer even a loss of control over their bikes, despite running into 200 lbs. of goon.

On some level, I understand Xavier's predicament here.  If he can properly (if hastily) train Team America, they're the best chance he has of saving Dani, particularly if he's able to maneuver the X-Men into backup.  (It raises the question of how inaccessible they are right now if he can't just dispatch them immediately.  But, let's ignore that question for now.)  This way, he's using two teams of adults, instead of a team of adolescents, to save Dani.  But, it also assumes Dani can just hang for a few weeks waiting for Team America to be trained.  In a way, he's treating her as the type of professional combatant he swore he didn't want the kids to become.  In that way, Bobby really isn't wrong here to be outraged by Xavier's callousness.

Turning to the series' ongoing plot, Stevie has noted several times now she's a dancer or teacher, not a superhero.  At some point, you'd figure she or Xavier would agree she's maybe not the best person to be escorting the team outside the School, given how frequently they run into trouble.  (Along those lines, Stevie, you should probably follow your instincts when it comes to whether or not the Professor's powers corrupt him.)

In other words, to be repeat my first comment, oy, this issue.  I'm happy to say it's uphill from here, at least for a while.