Magik's Fate

While the X-Men were away in Dallas, Jubilee and Kitty have been watching over Illyana. Xavier and Moira did all they could, but Illyana did of the Legacy Virus anyway. Later the team returns home and Colossus shows no reaction to the news. Jubilee hides in the ready room, but is found by Jean Grey, who comforts her.

Back at Xavier’s mansion, Illyana Rasputin (Magik) is feeling poorly and has developed a cough. Piotr Rasputin (Colossus) promises he will always be there for her.

Nightcrawler meets Forge on a beach while the X-Men Gold Team put out a fire, trying to find Moira MacTaggert. They don’t find her body, meaning that whoever attacked, too her alive. Soon they find out that the Acolytes are holding her captive. The X-Men fight the Acolytes and rescue her, with the help of the Neophyte, a newly introduced Acolyte, who overheard a conversation between Cortez and the Gamesmaster, during which he learned that the Acolyte leader himself caused Magneto’s death. Later at the mansion, Moira and Xavier review their data on the Legacy Virus; so far it’s a terminal disease. Little Illyana has been ill for quite some time, and the professor suspects that she might be infected too.

Gambit and Rogue are sitting in a dinner club that is called Poppa Gumbo. When Rogue begins to cry, Gambit asks her what she is crying about. It turns out it is the horrible gumbo. Rogue then asks Gambit why he does not talk about his wife, to which Gambit changes the subject and asks Rogue why no one knows her real name.

Meanwhile, in the medi-Lab of Xavier's mansion Jubilee sits on the bed that Illyana recently died in. Holding back her tears, she clutches the same "Bamf" doll that Illyana had carried and held with her till she died. Shadowcat tells Jubilee that she had given Illyana that doll when she was Jubilee's age and now if Jubilee wants to keep it, she can.

Outside Poppa Gumbo, Gambit and Rogue ride in a hansom cab, talking of how much emotion both feel for one another. Caught in the moment, Gambit tries to kiss Rogue. At the last moment, Rogue stops Gambit and she tells him she is scared of hurting him.

Back at the mansion, Moira MacTaggert and Banshee are in the medi-lab talking about how both of them have seen too much death in their lives. They both begin to leave the lab when Cyclops, Xavier, Beast, and Jean Grey meet and greet them. Cyclops shakes Banshee's hand, and welcomes him and Moira back home. Xavier then tells the group about Cyclops' recent encounter with Mister Sinister, but questions what Sinister said. Cyclops takes up for Sinister, telling Xavier that even though Sinister lies, he also tells half-truths when it is in his interest. Jean asks the other X-Men, what if Sinister is telling the truth and it was Stryfe who released the deadly virus killing Illyana?

Elsewhere, Wolverine walks up behind Jubilee and she begins to cry pained by the death of Illyana. Wolverine bends down and holds Jubilee in his arms, comforting her. While in Psylocke's bedroom in Xavier's mansion, Revanche and Psylocke decide to come to a stalemate, still unsure though of the extent of their connection.

In the White House, the President makes an emergency phone call to Boris Yeltsin in Russia, notifying him that the UN Security Council has activated the Magneto Protocols. A few minutes later, a man named Nick Fury awaits the actions of Forge, who is finishing the preparations to start the protocols, which he does.

The Acolytes return to the world scene with an attack on a hospice, senselessly slaughtering helpless humans, just to prove their superiority. Spoor, one of the Acolytes who was captured during the attack reveals the Acolytes’ next target; Camp Hayden, a military compound in Kentucky. Val Cooper, X-Factor’s government liaison, talks with Quicksilver into going with her and Random, a mercenary, to investigate. Unknown to the trio, the rest of the X-Factor team secretly follow them in a new vehicle designed and built by Forge. The two groups arrive at the compound and quickly learn its purpose: it is the headquarters of the latest government Sentinel program, Project: Wideawake.

Finalizing the Avalon

On Avalon, the actions of the world do not go unnoticed, as Magneto sees what they have done and he is made extremely angry. Magneto flies to the middle of the barrier the humans have erected around Earth and realizes that the humans have made a mechanism, which would never allow his powers to work while he was on Earth again, or so they think. Magneto concentrates, sending a swath of energy through the electromagnetic field, surrounding Earth, which effectively disrupts every electrical item on Earth. Falling planes, whirlwinds, and tornadoes kill innocent people all around the world, by the pandemonium Magneto causes with his disruption of the electromagnetic field.

Suddenly, the Acolytes strike, attacking X-Factor. While the battle rages, Acolyte Fabian Cortez approaches Quicksilver, Magneto’s son, to invite him to become the Acolyte’s new leader. The entire situation, Cortez explains to Quicksilver, has been staged to lure him here to see what humanity has in store for mutants and make this invitation. When Quicksilver declines, Cortez and the Acolytes take their leave, teleported away by the Acolyte Amelia Voght.

In a mansion in Salem Center, namely the Xavier mansion, Banshee and the Beast are able to use the mansion’s Shi’Ar technology to reroute the electricity to begin working again. Minutes later, Cyclops informs the X-Men of the recent events and Xavier decides to take the opportunity that Magneto has given them to sneak attack him. After a lot of arguing, the X-Men reluctantly agree to allow Xavier to lead the battle, wearing his new battle armor that allows him to walk by using his mental powers to control it.

Some time later, at their base at Camp Verde, X-Force is visited by Exodus, an immensely powerful mutant, who claims to be the emissary of a greater power. Exodus announces that he has come to offer Cannonball and Sunspot sanctuary from the asylum that is Earth. Wishing to play the situation out, the two X-Force members agree, on the condition that Rictor, Meltdown (Boom Boom) and the MILF member Rusty and Skids, both currently held in stasis because of MLF implants, can go as well. Exodus agrees and takes them to Avalon. As the group arrives, they are shocked to see Avalon is Cable’s former base, Graymalkin, now in the hands of the very-much-alive Magneto. Greeting the group, Magneto religiously places his hands on Rusty and Skids heads and destroys the implants that Stryfe had used on them, restoring their mental faculties, his “healing” complete; then Magneto offers the team a chance to stay in his new home.

Subsequently, the remainder of X-Force makes their way to the station, having traced Cannonball’s communication-link. After recognizing Avalon as his old space station Graymalkin, Cable is livid. Overriding control of Avalon’s bodyslide technology, Cable hopes to teleport everyone off and self-destruct the station. After the pleas of Rusty and Skids, who wish to stay on the station, Cable simply bodyslides’ X-Force, without Rusty and Skids, back to the IPAC. Remaining on board briefly, Cable makes his way to the station’s central core and downloads its sentient program, the Professor, and activates the station’s auto-destruct. Appearing in full battle armor, Magneto informs Cable that while he allowed him to reclaim his lost program, he will not permit the destruction of his home. Cable soon finds that he is no match for Magneto, who easily tears apart Cable’s metal arm and implants. Luckily, Cable is able to escape, using his bodyslide, leaving Magneto to ponder their next meeting.

Fatal Attraction

In their secret headquarters, the Acolytes learn of Fabian Cortez’s betrayal of Magneto and try to attack him. Exodus stops the team from hurting Cortez, however, telling them that Fabian will be brought down a different way. Later that day, the X-Men and friends gather to bury Illyana Rasputin (Magik).

Suddenly, Magneto interrupts the funeral and asks the X-Men to join him on Avalon, which descends from space, hovering menacingly above them, or see Westchester destroyed by his base. A plague is coming to ravage the world and Avalon, Magneto tells them, will be their only haven. At this time, the Acolytes show up, led by Exodus, and are overjoyed to see Magneto alive. The Acolytes are invited on to Avalon and they indeed accept. Magneto makes one final offer for the X-Men to accept but Bishop, having heard enough, attacks Magneto, giving him the X-Men’s answer. During the battle, Colossus, still grieving over his family’s recent deaths, turns sides and offers to join Magneto on Avalon. The X-Men stand shocked, while an angered Xavier takes control of Magneto’s mind causing Magneto to send Avalon and himself back into outer space. Unable to take Magneto’s life, Xavier allows him to escape.

Exodus, the proclaimed Voice of Magneto, has arrived amongst the Acolytes and informed them that not only is Magneto alive, but Cortez had betrayed their savior and had attempted to kill him. Abandoning Cortez, the Acolytes accompany Exodus to Avalon, the haven Magneto has constructed for them.

Elsewhere, both Magneto and Xavier are tied up in thoughts of their past. Magneto remembers the night his daughter, Anya, died and how it changed his life, steering it down the road it is on today. Xavier questions whether upsetting the course of lives for his X-Men has been wise and even shrugs off a message from Majestrix Lilandra reminding him that he is never truly alone. Anticipating the upcoming funeral of his sister, Illyana, Colossus withdraws even more emotionally and refuses the affection of Kitty, his closest friend.

Once on the station, Xavier commandeers its bodyslide technology to teleport the Acolytes into escape pods and then jettisons them. Magneto soon finds the X-Men and the battle is joined. During the fight, in which the X-Men are grossly overmatched, Wolverine manages to wound Magneto, which only serves to anger him more. Using his mastery over metal, Magneto destabilizes the Adamantium bonded to Wolverine’s bones on a molecular level, causing the metal to ooze out of his pores. Convinced that there is no other way to stop Magneto’s madness, Xavier telepathically attacks him, removing his mind in the process. Their mission complete and needing to tend to the severely wounded Wolverine, the X-Men return to Earth, leaving the vegetative Magneto in the care of Colossus.

At the funeral of Illyana, which is attended by all of the X-Men and their allies, the grief of Colossus turns to rage when he blames Xavier for Illyana’s death, saying that the failure of his dream, more than anything, led to her death. The sentiments are joined by Magneto, who arrives unexpectedly with his Acolytes. After holding the attending crowd in their place with his powers, Magneto offers then a place in his haven, Avalon. Displaying his massive fortress for them, Magneto returns his Acolytes to the station, continuing to address the X-Men alone. Having absorbed enough of Magneto’s energies through his passive powers, Bishop expels them, temporarily taking down Magneto and freeing the X-Men and others. The X-Men manage to get the upper hand against Magneto until Colossus intercedes. Declaring that he wishes to join Magneto’s cause, having tried Xavier’s way, Colossus is levitated to Avalon, to join the rest of the Acolytes. As the presence of Avalon is still a threat, Xavier mentally commandeers Magneto’s powers and uses them to raise he, Magneto and Avalon into space. Xavier lets Magneto and Avalon go and begins to fall back to the Earth, but is saved by Archangel.

Still, with the threat of Magneto still around, all Xavier and the X-Men can do… is waiting. Shadowcat and Nightcrawler then returns in Europe with the Excalibur. Especially Kitty who mourns after the death of her best friend Illyana and she worries about the fate of Colossus her former lover.

As the members of X-Force and X-Factor fought with Magneto, in this Battle Wolverine had the Adamantium that laced his skeleton ripped from his body, and Xavier erased Magneto's mind. Sabretooth was later brought to the school, so Xavier could try to help him control has rage. Banshee returned again from his leave of absence.

On the return trip to Earth, the X-Men fight to save the life of Wolverine while trying to keep their ride, the Blackbird, from falling apart around them. Xavier and Jean repeatedly enter Wolverine’s mind, trying to stabilize the mental trauma of what is happening to him. Eventually, however, it is Wolverine who saves Jean when he pulls her back into the jet after she is almost sucked out of the door, which had fallen off. It was Jean’s cries which had snapped him out of his delirium. After landing and weeks of healing, Wolverine demands a chance to prove himself in the Danger Room. During a battle with robots, Wolverine instinctively pops his claw and is astonished to learn that he still has them, but they are of bone.

Evidently, whoever gave him the Adamantium skeleton did not give him his claws, they are natural. Considering himself as a liability for the team and needing time on his own to reflect on these revelations, then Wolverine leaves the mansion, as well as member of the X-Men.

Later on Muir Isle, where they are visiting, Excalibur (comprised of Nightcrawler, Phoenix III and Shadowcat) is visited by Cyclops, Jean and Xavier. Xavier informs Kitty of their plan: they wish to use her as bait to lure Colossus away from the Acolytes. Once he is captured, a head injury he received weeks ago can be treated, a head injury which may have led to him joining Magneto. Kitty is horrified at betraying someone so close to her but begrudgingly accepts. Colossus receives Kitty’s message, arrives on Muir Island and is captured, as planned. One hour after his arrival, the Acolytes arrive, as scheduled, to retrieve their comrade. A battle erupts between them and Xavier’s forces until Colossus, healed from his injury, appears, declaring that he wishes to return to Avalon.

Xavier chooses Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Quicksilver, Jean Grey, and himself as the away team, because he wants to only take the fewest people in case they are killed in their mission. After saying their goodbyes, the six-team members transport themselves to Avalon to begin their mission. Worrying about the station’s security they are surprised to find that they are not detected. Unknown to them, though, it was Colossus who programmed the computers to accept their presence as allies and not enemies.

After meeting Rusty and Skids and making their way to a control room, Xavier sends Quicksilver off to place a control disc in the computer’s main frame to allow Xavier control over the station. Xavier commands the station to teleport the Acolytes off of the station, allowing them to attack Magneto without any interference. Magneto, angered by the attack, hunts the team down where he begins to try and take them out one by one. Xavier seizes the opportunity to allow he and Jean to enter Magnus’ mind and try to get him to see the past as what it truly is, the past. After many attempts of trying to show Magneto his wrongdoings and the X-Men attacking him from the outside, Jean breaks the mind-probe when Wolverine wounds Magneto. Wolverine had attacked Magneto in order to save Quicksilver’s life, as he was about to be killed by his own father.

Magneto wounded and kneeling on the floor, begins to use his powers to rip the Adamantium from Logan’s body. Xavier, having had enough of Magnus’ killing, removes Magneto’s mind, leaving him exhausted and barely able to move. The X-Men are confused on what just happened until Xavier explains the horrific actions he just perpetrated on Magneto’s mind.

Seconds later, Colossus walks in and informs the team their teleporters will no longer work. He tells them that he has radioed Bishop and he is on his way with a modified Blackbird. The X-Men leave their friend and their enemy behind, as Colossus vows to take care of Magneto until he heals, if he ever really does.

The X-Men fly in the Blackbird, headed towards Genosha, when they receive a transmission about Cortez from Hammer Bay. Watching the same transmission hundreds of miles away on Avalon, Colossus faces a tough decision on whether to betray his new friends in order to help his old ones.

Elsewhere, below Avalon, the Avengers fight to allow Wanda Maximoff and Crystal the opportunity to free a Quinjet and runaway to Genosha. Captain America, Sersi, War Machine, and the Black Knight all sneak away with the two friends as they head off to face the tyrannical despot in Genosha.

In Genosha already, Charles Xavier and his entourage are attacked by outside forces. Dawning their gas masks, the Beast and Xavier are able to escape the ambush. Shockingly for the Beast, Xavier knew about the ambush and takes Hank to meet his would-be allies a few yards away. Their new allies take Hank and Xavier to their convoy, where Xavier discusses Trish Tilby’s sad fate and his sadness on how he knows Hank feels. A few hours later, the X-Men arrive, only to be greeted by Cortez’s hounds, the Unforgiven. Talking about his father’s vegetative state, Quicksilver pounds on the first enemy while, unknown to them until the end, Cortez hears every word. While the X-Men face off against the Unforgiven, the Avengers have arrived in Hammer Bay, just in time to stop a riot between two Genoshan factions. Horrifyingly, just as Crystal begins to create gale force winds to stop the riot, Exodus hovers down and destroys every human around them.

Search for the Cure

In an alleyway in Los Angeles, a girl named Threnody cries out in pain. Sadly for the two officers that are trying to investigate her cries, the pain comes to its climax, erupting in an energy display that it kills the two officers in its wake. Running away from the accident, Threnody passes by a hospital; the very same hospital that a mutant named Infectia is dying in.

Three X-Men, Rogue, Beast, and Iceman, surround their one-time enemy, as they all wonder about how long Infectia has left to live. While they pondering their own thoughts on her, a doctor named Milbury walks in to take a blood sample from the mutant in question. Milbury tells them that his goal is to see a cure to the Legacy Virus that is killing Infectia. Hank asks why Infectia was even in the Los Angeles area to begin with. Milbury explains that she was here to see a man doctor named Gordon Lefferts. Dr. Lefferts was a mutant himself and, apparently, was the first mutant to die of the virus. After he leaves, the X-Men find out that Dr. Milbury was not a doctor at the hospital and leave to find Lefferts’ lab, in hopes of finding more about his work.

In the meantime, back at Xavier’s mansion, Psylocke attacks Revanche in order to find out if her reflexes and training has been hindered since she has contracted the Legacy virus. Around 4:10 A.M., Hank and his friends finally arrive at the door to Gordon Lefferts’ lab. As they walk in, they scare a young woman; it is Threnody. Rogue tries to calm her down but to no avail. Minutes later, as Hank and Bobby search through Lefferts’ computer files, Rogue finds Threnody at the feet of Minister Sinister.

Sinister is trying to convince Threnody to join his cause and to help him find a cure for the Legacy virus. She agrees but Rogue has different planes. As she knocks Sinister back, she tells him that she will not allow him to use her powers for his twisted goals. Wracked with more pain, Threnody’s powers rise again, causing an explosion, which knocks everyone around her to the ground. Luckily for Rogue and Threnody, Hank and Bobby arrive in enough time to save them. After a brief tussle with Sinister, Hank agrees on Threnody leaving with him; Sinister, a scientist without morals, has a greater chance of helping her. The decision made Hank leaves to be by Infectia’s side. An hour later, Hank picks up Infectia to remove her from the hospital and allow her one last chance as she dies to see the sunrise before she passes.

Jubilee is running through the woods of the estate as she comes across the dead body of her friend, Logan. Wearing her nightgown, she cries out scared as Sabretooth pounces from a nearby tree. Luckily, seconds later she wakes up, realizing it was only a dream. Hearing the commotion, Jean comes into the room to comfort her. Jean, now mad, sends out a psi-call to Scott, Ororo, and Hank to meet her at Harry’s Hideaway, a local tavern. While there, they discuss Creed’s recent addition to the mansion’s residents and their questioning of Xavier’s motives.

In the mansion, Xavier studies Revanche’s condition and is turned down when he asks if he can study her more. Seconds later, Xavier’s attention is diverted, as he has to go check on Psylocke’s failed attempt at giving Victor Creed his glow. While in the Control Annex, Xavier also watches the recording of Rogue and Remy delivering to Creed his evening meal. Later that night, Jean accuses Xavier of not thinking clearly, especially about Creed’s recent admission. Xavier thanks her for her comments and leaves to finally get some rest. Scott questions Jeans anger but their conversation is cut short when Moira calls asking for Jean to help give Creed his glow. Jean agrees and heads off to face her fears. While there, she puts down the force field and goes into Creed’s cell. Jean abuses Creed to ease her fears and leaves the cell without giving him the glow he wanted. Instead, she tells him to have the guts to face his past, just like everyone else in the world. In the morning, Jubilee takes Creed’s breakfast to him to try and ease her fears as well but it is not successful as she leaves just as scared as she came.

Sabretooth and Psylocke face one-on-one and, finally finishing Creed off, Psylocke removes his face shield. Creed tells Betsy that she seems to be a lot like him. In the observation room of the Danger Room, Xavier, Hank and Warren watch all this transpires and Warren begins to show feelings for Betsy. Walking down the hall, he meets Betsy walking out of a nearby elevator. The two talk for a moment, until Jubilee busts in with a letter to Warren from the Hellfire Club. He has been invited by Shinobi Shaw to join him at a gala he is having. Betsy reminds Warren that her father was a member of the Hellfire Club and she wants to join him, as his date. Warren obliges Betsy’s request and the two X-Men, escorted by Hank McCoy (chauffeur), go to the party. In the party, they meet a couple of old acquaintances and then they are drugged by Tessa and taken in front of Shinobi Shaw. During their meeting, they find out that Shinobi is a mutant with the ability to phase. After a brief confrontation, Shinobi is left sulking in self-pity and Warren denies Shinobi the chance to drag him down to his level.

The X-Men had these bad times, Colossus's sister Illyana died of the Legacy Virus. Which lead to Colossus giving up on Xavier's dream and joining Magneto in Avalon at Asteroid M. This time Magneto wants to pursue his dream, which is to build a new generation of mutants who deserved to rule the world. He asked his servant Exodus to recruit all-important mutants and asked his Acolytes led by Fabian Cortez to get his son Quicksilver.

Death of Kwannon

Spiral sits in her lair and watches the video monitors flash across the screen about the life of a young woman named Kwannon and the love of her life, Matsu'o, seeing also their chance encounters and brief flirtations of love.

Inside the mansion, of Xavier’s the young mutant named Revanche leaves a note for the Professor X and then leaves the mansion as mysteriously as she came. Moments later, Xavier approaches Betsy and the two of them talk about Revanche’s note and her reason in leaving their team. Waiting for him to leave, she pulls out a present left to her by Revanche, her very own bionic eyes.

Inside Spiral’s lair, her transmission is lost and she curses Revanche for removing the implants. Near the town of Chosin on Japan’s Pacific Coast, Matsu'o looks over a picture of his love, Kwannon, and remembers a happier time between them. Interrupting his memories, Spiral appears and warns him that Revanche is coming after him.

Back at the mansion, Archangel offers to take Betsy for a drive, which she graciously accepts. While they go out to eat, Revanche appears to Matsu'o and, after probing his mind for answers, he tells her that he was just trying to save their love. Revanche tells him that he failed; showing her Legacy-ridden body to him, she tells him that he placed her in a body fated to die! Feeling like he betrayed her, he honors her last request and that is to kill her before the Legacy Virus does.

Back in Westchester, Warren crashes his car, due to Betsy’s panicked convulsions. After freeing themselves of the wreckage, the two X-Men are met by Spiral, who answers Betsy’s question on who has messed with both Kwannon and Betsy’s minds.

Psylocke and Warren fight for their lives against the villainess, Spiral. Amidst the battle, she informs them that the way to find the truth about her past is to use the eyes that were given her. The other Blue team members arrive to help battle Spiral but, as soon as they arrive, the time-witch disappears into the snow-filled sky. Back at the mansion, Banshee and the Beast rig a device that can scan the memory banks of Revanche’s bionic eyes. After seeing the information they contained about the events surrounding their mind transfer, Psylocke decides to leave for Japan to tie up a few loose ends. Gambit watches her leave and turns to Xavier to request some time with him, to talk about his recent encounter with his wife, Bella Donna, and his relationship with Rogue. Xavier agrees to listen. In Japan, Psylocke goes to the estate of Lord Nyoirin but, too late, she finds that Matsu'o has already arrived and killed the Japanese lord.

After a brief conversation, Matsu'o kisses Psylocke and uses last of Revanche’s powers to steal away all of Kwannon’s memories from the mind of Betsy. With his duty finished, Matsu'o grasps Betsy’s Katana and attempts to commit suicide upon it. Betsy talks him out of it and he decides to live his life to honor the life of his butterfly. Two days later, at the mansion, Psylocke hurls the bionic eyes into the lake on Xavier’s estate and meets up with Warren to discuss their future.

Rogue requests that Creed tells her about Gambit's time in Paris. He does as she says, using his image inducer she portrays holograms of Gambit and a woman he once knew named Genevieve. Creed was employed to steal back an item named the Cheating Star from Genevieve. While threatening her for the return of the jewel, Gambit arrived on the scene and saved the damsel in distress. After weeks of passionate days, Gambit breaks Genevieve’s heart by stealing the Cheating Star for herself and revealing that it was the jewel he was only after, not her. Going to his apartment to meet his brother, Henri, he is shocked to find his brother missing. Following a note left by Henri's kidnapper, he goes to Notre Dame, where he finds Sabretooth waiting. Creed has captured Genevieve and Henri and holds their lives in ransom for the jewel. Gambit returns the jewel to Creed but Creed drops Genevieve and Henri, leaving only one of them for Gambit to save. Making his choice, he chooses Henri and leaves Genevieve to die. Back at the mansion, Hank McCoy ponders their next move and hopes that he can find a cure for the Legacy Virus. Elsewhere, on the grounds of Xavier's estate, Gambit meets up with Rogue after finding that Creed and Rogue had talked. Rogue acts hurt and wonders if Gambit really knows what love means. He tells her that he needs her to help him find out if he truly does. Rogue leaves, saddened by the things she has learned today, and Gambit does not follow. Back in the mansion, Hank McCoy tells Creed to prepare for a debriefing tomorrow, because he is going to tell them all he knows about Mister Sinister.

Following a hint of Sabretooth, a small strike force of X-Men, led by the Beast, discover Mister Sinister’s secret headquarter beneath the orphanage in Nebraska. Rogue is giving Gambit the cold shoulder because of something Sabretooth revealed about him, but the Beast reminds them to stay focused on their mission, which is to find any information on the Legacy Virus. On their way in, the team gets attacked by the Marauder Riptide. He is easily defeated, and curiously Psylocke registers no mental activity, additionally his skin begins to deteriorate. Deeper in the complex they find Threnody connected to hundreds of monitors. She explains that Sinister has stabilized the plasma build up in her system and is using her to scan for Legacy infected mutants. Yet she is also using him, as she has learned a lot from the base’s databanks. The X-Men warn her that Sinister would not give away such information for free, but she says that he only comes to this lab every few months and never stays long. She shows them a chamber filled with genetic material that Sinister uses to clone his Marauders and other people. Turns out that the chambers have recently been malfunctioning, as the slightly damaged Riptide was cloned without command. Threnody explains that the chambers work in pairs, so his matrix partner – Sabretooth – was cloned too. Soon the X-Men find themselves under attack by the clone, but he is in even worse condition than Riptide and falls apart after one of Rogue’s punches. Threnody destroys the cloning chamber as it is too dangerous. She then tells the X-Men not to worry, as it will be months before Sinister finds out. The X-Men reluctantly leave her behind, but Threnody prefers to help their cause from inside Sinister’s organization.

Jean and Scott stand upon the deck of a SHIELD Hellicarrier and the two newly weds are met by Nick Fury. He tells them about his recent finding of their comatose bodies and his need for their assistance near the town of St. Bart’s. Agreeing to help Fury, they immediately travel to the place where a dimensional rift has taken over the sky. Jean nears the rift and is sucked in. Scared for his partner’s life, Scott plunges into the abyss after her and the two X-Men arrive in a land with a plethora of images attacking their senses. Walking down a path, they meet up with the mutant that is causing the rift; her name is Sunset Grace. After requesting a meeting with her, she opens up to them about her past and her powers. She informs them of how her dimensional rifts were, at one time, a place of solitude for her but now they are a place of distress. She goes on to say that she has been in search for her family that disappeared into the portal years ago and just now has learned how to use her powers again to find them. Sadly, Jena knows the truth but is able to bring her family to her. After their arrival, Grace is overcome by joy and she makes everything that she almost destroyed safe once more by shutting down her rift. Luckily for the Summers, she sends them back through the rift before shutting herself in it. After a quick debriefing, Scott and Jean head off on their own and discuss if it was the right thing to do, by bringing her family back to life, even though they had died years ago. They agree that a make-believe life is the goal of a family.