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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Lessons
Marrow, her body exhibiting even more than the usual number of bone extrusions than usual, is squatting on Professor Charles Xavier's knees and she isn't very happy. The Professor fixes her with a determined stare but she is immune to such intimidation. She holds one of her bone daggers above her head and clenches her other fist as she screams, "Don't you ever do that to me again." Charles calmly tells her that he expected her in the Danger Room an hour ago. "So I'm late, big deal. That doesn‘t that give you the right to invade my head!" Marrow replies, but Charles says he is only trying to teach her. He is particularly calm. He knows that he can stop Marrow as he has many others in his time but makes no movement or suggestion that he actually will. He continues, adding that with Marrow being a Morlock, he thought she was made of sterner stuff.
This infuriates her even more and she raises her dagger, seemingly ready and willing to strike but before she can take any further action, Nightcrawler teleports in and grabs her by the forearms, dragging her to the floor. He asks her what she is doing and she warns him, "Leggo freak! I'm gonna kill that creep." Kurt replies, "That's no way to treat one's host" as he uses his prehensile tail to increase his control over the young Morlock. Charles though tells him that he can release her, as her bark is worse than her bite. Marrow reaches for her dagger but Charles leans over and picks it up himself, telling Kurt that she's a rough diamond, but a little discipline will soften her rough edges and she'll learn to cope eventually, like the rest of them. As Kurt releases her, they both stand up and Marrow snatches her dagger back. She asks the Professor, "Oh yeah? What make you think I even want to be anything like the rest of you?" to which Kurt butts in, saying, "You'd probably have returned to the Morlock tunnels if you didn't." Marrow turns to Kurt and scowls but Kurt simply folds his arms and smiles, knowing she hasn't got a decent comeback for that. Still furious, Marrow holds her dagger close to the Professor's head and tells him to stay out of her head, otherwise he'll lose his. He moves the dagger away with a finger and tells her she has a lot to learn about what it means to be an X-Man, and suggests she pays attention.
With this little conflict ended, Charles wheels himself away to his study and Kurt ponders over what might be troubling him. Charles' study is a lesson in disorganized tidiness. Books scatter the tabletops and there are video tapes, computer disks, pens and papers littering every available space. He has been busy, and there is indeed a lot on his mind. He thinks to himself that there is a time in every life when one must look backward in order to move forward. It seems that this time has come for him, and his X-Men. The world's stage has undergone a radical redressing; past fears have become present tensions thanks to one man, his oldest friend and bitterest foe, Magneto.
He places a computer disk into the drive and watches past events unfold. The image on-screen shows his original team of X-Men, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel and Beast taking on Magneto at Cape Citadel many years earlier. It was their first encounter with Magneto and as Charles watches silently, he thinks about how Magneto is the dark mirror in which all mutants are unjustly reflected; the personification of a power more easily feared and hated than understood. He fears Magneto's latest campaign will condemn everyone.
(in a video sequence)
On-screen, his X-Men confront Magneto. He tries to use Cape Citadel's arsenal of weapons against them but each of the X-Men utilize their abilities to thwart him. The Angel swoops effortlessly between the missiles, Iceman freezes them in mid-air, knocking out their guidance systems and Beast grabs them using his overly large and dexterous feet, in order to hold them for Marvel Girl. Taking over, Marvel Girl telekinetically forces them into the ground to explode harmlessly whilst Cyclops uses his concussive beam to remove debris around their opponent before attacking Magneto directly.
(present)
Charles switches off the monitor and tries to think of the last time he saw such a seamless display of teamwork from his students. He wishes the current class were as synchronized as their predecessors but that is something to be worked on. He ejects that disk and files it away, removing another disk from the storage cabinet. It is labeled Valhalla Mountain, Colorado. As he begins to view that footage, he again emphasizes to himself that only by looking backward can they hope to move forward.
(the following morning)
Piotr Rasputin is in a good frame of mind. His current surroundings are conducive to creative expression. During the months he spent on Muir Island with Excalibur, he barely finished one painting but here, in his old room, his old studio, he has already completed three in a fraction of the time. As he stands outside the garage door with a paint can in one hand and a roller in the other, he hears his name called and turns to see Gambit approaching at speed on a motor-bike. He screams at Piotr to look out but feeling he has no time to dodge the bike and Gambit having no time to brake, he armors up and says, "Brace yourself comrade." Gambit leaps off the bike saying, "You crazy Russian, don't!" but Colossus first catches the speeding bike without causing too much damage and then casually catches Remy too. He asks Remy if he's had a rough night and he replies, "Don't even ask!"
Gambit‘s arrival hasn't gone unnoticed. Professor Xavier telepathically contacts Remy in quite a brusque manner. He says, "Gambit! It's been over six weeks since you last set foot near the Danger Room. You are long overdue for a training session. Report to the control booth immediately." Gambit isn't in the right mood for a session right now and replies, "Later Chuckles, busy." Charles angrily responds, "No, Mr. LeBeau, NOW!" Gambit is knocked to the floor with the shock of the Charles' mental reprimand and Piotr helps him up, asking if he's all right. Remy tells his friend, "I'll be fine after Mister Clean gets one t'ing straight. I been m'own 'Professor' since I was knee-high to de winos down in Nawlins. I 'train' if and when de spirit hits me, and right now, dat's a big if." He returns to his bike as Piotr thinks how disturbing that was. He knew that Gambit's cavalier attitude had often frustrated the Professor, but it hardly justified his being so insistent. As he looks at Charles peering out of his stuffy window, Piotr prays he is well.
Charles closes the curtain, thinking that truth be told, they could all be better; their attitudes, their behavior, their good ideas gone bad. He picks up the helmet of Cerebro, recalling that that the device had been originally designed to amplify his telepathy to help pinpoint and catalogue the existence of mutants the world over. It wasn't created, to assume an insane semblance of sentience and try to destroy them as had recently happened. Once on his head, Charles' astral self takes flight and he visits some of the people that are important to him.
First he spirits himself to the Massachusetts Academy, home of Generation X where the team are practicing against simulacra of movie villains such as Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddie Krueger. Charles sees them as being young and arrogant with so much to learn. As he sees Banshee and Emma Frost watching over them in their Danger Room from their control booth, he knows only time will tell whether he, and those he entrusts with their tuition have taught the young mutants well enough.
Charles then moves on to San Francisco where the members of X-Force are relaxing in their kitchen. Cannonball and Dani Moonstar read the paper whilst Domino plays a video game, Sunspot watches over a fry-up as Meltdown hungrily watches and Warpath pours Siryn a coffee. Everything there seems normal.
Charles instead moves on to Babel's Diner in Hells Kitchen, New York where the waitress, Stacey is serving Cable a meal. Charles thinks of Cable as the future. For the average person, tomorrow is an unknown quantity, an unpredictable inevitability cloaked by expectation and uncertainty. Not for homo superior. Dark days lay ahead of them. They must all be prepared. As Charles watches over him, Nate senses his presence in a small corner of his mind, just a spirit.
Back at the mansion, Kitty Pryde is poring over a spaghetti of computer cables, trying to get the mansion's intranet up and running. She figures her social life is in ruins as by the time she's sorted this out, she'll be dead. With a 'ta-ta-ting,' her laptop informs her that she has e-mail, one she has been waiting for. Now after all this time, she hopes, she'll finally find out where her father went. She reads the mail, sent to her by Lostandfound.com, the subject of which is indeed her father. It provides his location as being Hammer Bay, Genosha. Kitty is clearly shocked at the news.
Rogue then wanders into the room and asks Kitty if she has a minute. Covering the screen and stuttering a nervous response, trying to cover up the fact she is trying to find her father, Kitty asks Rogue what's up. She replies that, although they're not the best of friends, there is something she thinks Kitty can help her with, "Somethin' kinda personal." Kitty says, "Guy problems huh? Well, given my stellar track record, you're probably better off calling Loveline instead." Rogue sits down, looking completely fed up and tells Kitty that it isn't Remy that's wrong this time, it's Professor Xavier. She tells Kitty that she doesn't know what's eating him, but he's been strange lately, real determined like.
(flashback)
Rogue says she first realized the problem when it was her turn in the Danger Room. Charles had pitched her against replications of Iron Man, Thor and the Vision, three Avengers she had fought once in real life. He had told her to focus, as a lack of concentration in a combat scenario guarantees failure. That was not an option any of them could afford, and he said she should have known this by now. Rogue had told Charles that she was trying but asked why he had chosen this scenario, as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants attack on the Avengers was something she'd rather forget. Charles had replied "Only by looking back and learning from our mistakes, can we prevent future errors and improve ourselves in the process; you're just not concentrating." He'd flicked a switch on his control panel and Thor's hammer flew straight at Rogue, giving her no time to take avoiding action. The hammer passed harmlessly through her as the simulation was switched off.
Charles questioned "Besides putting your dubious past behind you, what was it you wanted most when you first sought me out?" Rogue answered that she came to him for helping her control his power as she wanted to be able to touch other people without harm. "After all this time, can you?", Charles pointed out. Rogue declined. Charles asked "But you still go on?" Rogue didn't reply, as the Professor's question made her think about her reasons for joining the X-Men in the first place. Charles added, "That's why we all have to try harder, otherwise, we all fail."
(present)
He'd left Rogue thinking which is why she's now sought out Kitty to talk to. Rogue tells her that it's been years since she'd joined the X-Men, and she still can't touch someone's skin without absorbing their entire sense of self. She says she feels like such a failure. Kitty places her hands on Rogue's shoulders and tells her that first of all, she has to put that dumb idea out of her head. Second, they all learn at their own pace; it takes however long it takes and that's that. She adds that Cyclops has been an X-Man forever and he still requires a ruby quartz visor to keep his optic blasts in check. Kitty stands and says that even the most experienced 'student' can stand a little self-improvement once in a while, including the Professor. As she begins to phase through the wall, Rogue asks Kitty where she's going and she replies, "Class is in session."
On the other side of the wall, Kitty enters the Professor's study where he is watching a videotape of the X-Men tangling with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Kitty tells him that they need to talk. Charles tells her he'd appreciate it if she knocked but Kitty replies that he might not have let her in. Holding the remote control and maintaining eye contact with the television, Charles says that now is not a good time but Kitty is determined to speak and holding her hand next to the screen, tells Charles, "One phase and you'll have to listen to me." Their eyes meet in an impasse before Charles resigns himself to the inevitable. Kitty sits herself down opposite her teacher.
Kitty states the problem at hand "I understand you put Rogue through some pretty harsh paces before, Marrow and Gambit, too." Charles says that they have much to learn, to which Kitty agrees, they all have to learn, bust still they are more than just students. They have been out in the world and know of the dangers awaiting them, the Professor should stop acting as if they didn’t. Xavier’s harshly answers "This mansion may not serve as a 'school' per se, but as long as any of you live under my roof, you will always be my students, and students are meant to be educated. So, you can either stay and learn, or you can go your merry way and fend for yourself in the real world. That is the reason I brought you here in the first place."
Charles stops speaking and Kitty looks at him, pondering her next response. She paces around in front of him, giving him a backward glance, but seeing the mulish look on Charles' face, she decides her words are ineffective and departs through the wall with the cry of many a scalded teenager, "Whatever." The Professor clenches his hands and his frustration is evident as he wonders how he can make them understand what lies ahead; the death, the destruction, the darkness. He has in his hand a newer disk, entitled 'Genosha 1999.'
Elsewhere in the mansion, Piotr is relaxing, watching television as Kurt bounces around the room wielding a sword and pretending he is a swashbuckling pirate. Piotr, eating popcorn says "I know that Errol Flynn is your childhood hero, but must you enact every scene? Someone could lose an eye." Kurt replies, "Relax Piotr, I am a master swordsman, I am death to mine enemies and a savior of damsels in distress. Behold! Mein grace, mein poise, mein precision...." Suddenly Kitty appears through his body. "Mein Gott!" shrieks Kurt as Kitty comes to a rest. As Kurt teleports onto the back of the sofa behind Piotr, Kitty tells them that she thinks they may have made a mistake. Piotr asks her what she means and Kitty replies, "Coming home. It seemed like a good idea at the time, what with the Professor missing and us being out of the loop and all, but I'm afraid the reality of our decision is finally starting to sink in. Maybe we don't belong here anymore." Piotr asks her if something has happened and Kurt also asks why she feels this way.
Grabbing the popcorn, Kitty asks them to remember what a jerk the Professor was when he demoted her from the X-Men to the New Mutants. Kurt grins and says, "Who could forget? You moped for days." Kitty stuffs her mouth with popcorn and says, "Yeah, well, he's still a jerk! Basically, he told me to shape up or ship out!" Piotr, grabbing his popcorn back from Kitty and stuffing even more into his mouth replies that he finds it hard to believe. Perhaps she misunderstood him? Kitty warns him not to defend the Professor. Kurt though says that maybe Piotr has a point. He tells Kitty that by her own admission, she questions the merits of disbanding Excalibur and returning to the X-Men. He says that maybe she is subconsciously reinforcing an overly negative response to the professor's behavior, thereby making a once-familiar environment seem alien and alienating. By this time, Kurt not only has the bag of popcorn but uses his tail to steal Kitty's too. "Wrong, Doc Samson. To the Prof we're simply students," Kitty replies as she steals back the popcorn, "and students are meant to be educated, unquote." Piotr begins to question her reasoning but Kurt decides to take matters into their own hands and tells them to gather the others and meet him in the Danger Room in ten minutes. There is something the Professor needs to see.
Soon after, Nightcrawler is stuck to the ceiling, upside-down and is about to knock on the Professor's door when Charles telepathically asks him to come in. Kurt asks him if he sensed his thoughts but Charles replies that he could smell his teleport's brimstone stench. He tells him that he should have controlled it by now but Kurt replies that some skills take longer than others, or so he once believed. Charles looks round at Kurt and tells him not to mince his words. He seems in a slightly better mood now. Teleporting to the top of the Professor's television and squatting down facing Charles, Kurt tells him that he is in danger of alienating those he holds dearest, as well as those with whom he has yet to establish a rapport. Charles points to the screen and asks Kurt "Do you see that? Do you know what that is?" Kurt replies that he sees only static. The Professor tells him, "That... is Genosha. One man's twisted vision of what's 'best' for mutantkind. An impenetrable island segregated from the rest of the world. A mad, isolationist dystopia that, by its reverse-racist nature, only breeds further distrust and prejudice. This is what I have spent a lifetime fighting to prevent. That, I fear, is our future."
Clicking the television off, Charles continues, "Don't you see what's happened Kurt? The United Nations declared Genosha an independent mutant state, just as Magneto demanded. He's achieved his dream. He's won, and it looks like we all stand to lose for it." Kurt leaps off the television to join Charles who has moved away and has picked up a photograph of yet another incarnation of his X-Men. As he stares at the picture, he then tells Kurt "If I hurt a few feelings trying to prepare everyone for the holocaust to follow in the wake of that victory, I'm sorry if that seems a little 'alienating' to some of you." Kurt is by now upside down and balancing on one finger, appearing to try and lighten the situation. He reminds Charles that Magneto has won one battle, but not the war. He asks Charles if he can recall his advice to him that he gave on the flight to America, the day he saved his life. He added that he'd feared his past would someday return to haunt him, until Charles taught him, "Never look back to see what lies ahead of you. It's a lesson I carry with me to this day. A lesson I know you've instilled in all of us." He bows and adds, "I'm surprised you've forgotten it" as he teleports away, leaving the Professor to ponder his words. He looks at the photograph again, an action shot featuring a mixture of older and newer students thwarting a civil war in Genosha.
As he wheels himself to the study door and down the corridor to the Danger Room, his identity is confirmed by the computer, allowing him access to the Danger Room's control booth, and he rolls in to witness his current team of X-Men in action against a simulated Sentinel. The Danger Room doesn't have any created environment, just a team of students against a dangerous opponent – a Sentinel. Teleporting ever higher towards the robot's head, Kurt tells the team to do as they have practiced. Rogue lays a powerful blow on the Sentinel's head as it unleashes its firepower from the palm of its hand. Kitty phases through its right leg, immune to harm while she is phased and damages its electrics. Gambit meanwhile throws his charged cards at its other leg while Colossus punches the back of the leg Kitty has disrupted in order to try and cause the robot to lose balance. Marrow, arguably the weakest of the group leaps towards it, bone-daggers drawn. The Sentinel unleashes a blast from its hand which Kurt avoids using his agility as Marrow ferociously thrusts one of her daggers into the Sentinel's circuitry underneath its eye socket.
Gambit meanwhile throws more cards to cover Rogue's next attack and she flies straight through its arm, causing a small explosion. Kitty then phases through another blast from the robot as Colossus reflects a second blast back towards it using his large steel hands. The plan is effective as it is returned to the Sentinel's face and the giant robot stumbles, muttering binary code as it struggles to maintain its systems in the face of such an onslaught. Rogue rises nearer the helpless Sentinel and says, "See ya!" as she crashes through its chest, teeth bared, putting their opponent down for the count with the killer punch. The X-Men stand victorious, after showing Charles a seamless display of teamwork. They made it look easy, and proved that they had learned much.
Seeing this, Charles realizes Nightcrawler is right; he has forgotten something, the most valuable lesson of all. The mansion is more than just a school and these people are more than just students. They are friends. They are family. But above all else, they are X-Men. As he removes a disk that has been recording the session (number 4825), he smiles the smile of a man who has rediscovered his optimism.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
(First story) Search and Destroy
(Second story) Aftermath
First story:
(Upstate New York)
Wolverine sneaks through the woods and comes across Dr. Cecelia Reyes’ car, empty and in a battered state. It’s quiet - too quiet. There are no fingerprints, no sign of forced  entry and he catches no familiar scents on the breeze. Everything is quiet; too quiet. This translates in his mind to mean he should run and he heads off at full sprint, leaping to the ground as an explosion destroys the vehicle.
As he lies on the ground, thankful to have avoided the brunt of the blast, his fellow X-man, Dr. Cecelia Reyes, runs towards him and makes sure he’s okay. She looks at her wrecked car but Logan informs her that she has more important things to worry about. An attack helicopter appears, lights shining in the early evening sky. He notices that it has armored plating and enough weaponry to make sure even their mommas couldn’t recognize their corpses. Cecelia asks why he always has to be right. “It’s a curse I’ve learned to live with,” comes the reply. Logan sees no visible insignia but knows the craft is Japanese; not normal military though; covert. And to think this started over a normal visit to De Cecelia Reyes’s office.
(flashback)
Cecelia treats Wolverine, who lies in her office, checking his eyes and taking a blood sample. Like Wolverine, she is a mutant, only with her own personal psioplasmic bio-field. She’s also an M.D. with a practice set up in Salem Center. They chat amiably until two men enter the office carrying a patient in urgent need of assistance. It’s a little girl who needs medical attention. They found her about three miles away and there’s no telling how long she’ been exposed. They lay her down where Logan was and Cecelia asks them to give her some breathing space, as she checks the girl. She’s warm and may be running a fever. Cecelia would also like to get an x-ray of her left arm, which she thinks might be broken. Her vital signs, though, are normal and her eyes aren’t dilated.
The girl is well enough to utter a few words in her native tongue; Japanese. She mentions her father and a plane crash and Logan, being a fluent Japanese speaker, understands. He pulls on his shirt and assures the girl that everything’s gonna be all right; Cecelia’s as good as a doc as you can get and will take care of her. He asks her to explain what happened. She tells him everything and Logan informs Cecelia and the two rescuers that something happened to the plane and it went down. Her dad strapped her to a parachute and she wandered around a while before the two men found her. One of them asks if maybe they should round up a rescue party and see if they can find them. His partner says that Trent Vann has some night goggles which could be of use.
Wolverine says that as near as he can tell from what the girl told him; the plane’s been down at least fourteen hours and a search party will spend more time tripping over each other than finding survivors. It’ll be best if he does this alone. Cecelia tells him she’s going but he tells her that he has no time for a city girl who’d only slow him down. She reminds him in no uncertain terms that she’s the doctor, not he, and any survivors will need immediate medical attention. He accepts his and tells her to get her bag. Cecelia asks the ageing nurse to keep the girl’s bandages fresh. She wants someone with her round the clock and Dr. Ringhold is on call if her situation changes.
Out in the woods, Logan thinks about how people tend to forget how beautiful upstate New York is. However, he hasn’t got time to think about that, as people’s lives are at stake. The girl was able to point them in the right direction and, judging by the amount of time she walked around, they have a good start. Logan’s counting on his heightened senses to do the rest. After an hour or so searching, Cecelia asks for a break as her medical bag isn’t exactly light.
He says that he didn’t think she went in for the spandex look, not that it doesn’t suit her. Had a change of heart about it? Hardly, replies Cecelia. She says that one, the suit is insulated, two, mysterious circumstances are involved and three, whenever she’s with any of the X-Men, she finds herself in some bizarre situation not of her making. It’s better to be prepared than not. Wolverine toys with her, telling her that she’s in denial; once you have the superhero bug, you always get the craving. She wants this; she just doesn’t know it yet. He picks up her bag and tells her that their break is over but she grabs it off him, insisting that she can manage and is perfectly capable of keeping up. She then walks off, asking him to get a move on as there are people to save. Logan smiles, as he says he’s right behind her.
They continue their search and know that, as darkness approaches, their chances of a successful rescue begin to diminish. Wolverine uses all his senses and smells something to his left and believes it could be what they’re looking for. They come to a precipice and look down to see a light aircraft, crumpled and battered with its wings smashed beyond repair. Cecelia wonders how anyone could survive that. Making their way down the slope, Wolverine thinks that the pilot did a remarkable job of getting the plane down. He peers through the cockpit window and finds the dead body of the pilot, still at the controls. Cecelia expects to find the girl’s father in the same condition but, happily, she shines a torch inside and finds a man standing inside. Unfortunately, he has a pistol and is aiming it at her.
She sees another man behind him and believes he is injured. She calmly asks the man wielding the pistol to put the gun down as she is a doctor, also asking if he speaks English. He replies that he does and apologizes to her. He introduces his business partner behind him as Tokitoshi and says he needs medical attention. Wolverine pops his head inside and asks if she’s okay. The man squeals and points the pistol at him but, again, Cecelia calmly assures him that he is with her. Speaking in Japanese, Wolverine says he must be the girl’s father. “Tamika? She’s safe?” he asks.
Cecelia turns and asks if everyone could speak English, as she doesn’t like being left out of a conversation. Wolverine tells him she’s fine; a tough little kid who sent them out to find him. Her father had feared the worst but is pleased to know she’s safe; Tamika is his reason for being. He shakes Wolverine by the hand, as Cecelia informs them that his partner needs the kind of attention she is incapable of administering out of a bag. He must be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.
Wolverine grabs Tokitoshi and carries him out of the plane but, as they walk, he warns the others to hang behind him, as things are about to hit the fan. He caught some scents and they ain’t theirs. As a light is shone at them, he asks Cecelia to get between him and the Japanese men and to use her protective shield if necessary; he’ll take care of everything else. He unsheathes his claws and looks into the light. “You can dim the lights now. I might not be able to see you, but I can smell ya, Keniuchio, the Silver Samurai!”
He faces the Samurai, who is backed up by several gun-toting soldiers in yellow outfits. His sword is sheathed for the moment, as he simply wishes to speak with Logan. He tells him that the man he wrongly seeks to protect is Inazo Uehera, a traitor and a thief who has compromised military intelligence and who will be punished accordingly. The Samurai has been charged with assuring his return to Japan, where he will stand trial for treason. Logan, for the moment, appears to go along with this, telling the Samurai that the man is his, which astonishes Cecelia.
Logan then remarks that his buddy still needs medical attention and asks Cecelia to give them what they’ll need in case his symptoms start to flare up again. Cecelia cottons on fast and reaches into her bag in the back of the plane, saying that the first thing they teach you in med school, especially when making house calls in the middle of nowhere, is to always pack for any contingency that may arise.
She reaches into the bag and pulls out three flares, activates them and then tosses them in the direction of the Samurai’s goons, which temporarily blinds them. Wolverine thinks to himself that she has spunk; catching on to his game like a pro. He makes short shrift of the soldiers with his lightning-fast attack, telling her to run while she can. She takes the men into the forest, calling back that she needs his help getting them back to town. Wolverine realizes that she has a point. He warns two remaining soldiers to tell their boss to play it smart, forget about their guests and go home to Japan. If Inazo is a spy, they should go through proper diplomatic channels. Coming after them will only end in pain.
He heads into the woods and catches the group up quickly. He tells her that they can’t hang about and bird watch; they have their chance to escape and should get into a nearby ditch immediately. Keeping still and quiet, the group goes unnoticed by the soldiers on their trail again. Wolverine removes his mask and tells them to listen and listen good. He isn’t kidding around; it’s going to be a fight to get back and he needs them to listen to whatever he tells them. If they do then they may survive the night.
(present)
That was two hours ago. Up to now, things have gone smoothly, too smoothly. For Logan, things are never easy. The attack helicopter begins to fire at them and Cecelia stands between it and her companions, using her force field to deflect the bullets away harmlessly. It is an involuntary action, which he has no control over, but, in situations like this, it’s particularly useful. She has hated it from the moment it manifested itself, this moment being a rare exception. Logan asks if she’s holding out and she replies that she is, barely. He decides to take things from here and leaps forward and upward, grabbing the helicopter by the wheel. Tokitoshi asks her if he’s insane; she replies, “I’m afraid so.”
The pilot sees a hand reach onto the side of his cockpit window and thinks this is impossible. The claws appear and Wolverine smashes through it and into the control panel, causing the helicopter to lose control. With his work completed, he jumps back to the ground, as the pilot heads off to land and make repairs. He then tells Cecelia that he’s tried it her way but now they don’t have a choice but to do it his. There’ll be no more running. The Samurai wanted a fight and he reckons it’s only fair they give it to him.
The full moon hangs majestically in the sky on this cool, summer evening. Hiding in the canopy of leaves, Wolverine stalks a couple of the soldiers; one of whom is unnerved by seeing Wolverine’s claws earlier, the other confident that their weapons will serve them well. ‘Dog food,’ thinks Wolverine. Elsewhere in the forest, Cecelia, Inazo and Tokitoshi rest, as Cecilia tends to Tokitoshi’s wounds. She asks Inazo if it’s true that he is a spy but he replies that he would rather commit seppuku by throwing himself on a sword than dishonor his family in such a manner.
Suddenly, nearby, a twig snaps under the heavy foot of the Silver Samurai, as he steps into the clearing where they sit. His sword is now unsheathed and he tells Inazo that his day of reckoning is at hand. Wolverine, meanwhile, easily takes out his prey, removing one of the soldier’s face masks and demanding to know why the Samurai hasn’t shown his face, unless…. He realizes that he has followed the decoys, while the hunter went right for his prey.
Keniuchio tells Cecelia to stand aside and allow him to complete his duty; no harm shall befall her. He recognizes her uniform as being an X-Man’s but arrogantly appears to dismiss her as a threat in her own right. “Gee, thanks,” she replies sarcastically. She says that he’s the Silver Samurai right, some sort of Japanese hero? What kind of hero denies medical assistance to the injured? The Samurai holds his sword out in front of him, replying that Inazo forfeited his rights when he betrayed his homeland. Cecelia points her finger at him and looks up to his grimacing face, half hidden under his helmet. She tells him straight that she doesn’t care what they may or may not have done, as that doesn’t concern her. What concerns her is that they are in need of medical help and she is a doctor. She’ll perform that duty and only then can he perform his. He understands.
Wolverine then appears through the bushes and pops his claws, warning the Samurai to step back away from the lady and he can see if he still knows how to use his sword. Inazo points at the Samurai, shouting that it was him that shot their plane out of the sky, not only endangering his life, but innocents aboard like Tokitoshi and his daughter. Kenuichio says that the traitor lies. The pilot was an agent of theirs who alerted them to the plane’s flight path, but it crash landed before they could intercept it. Inazo is angry, asking why he falsely accuses him so. The Samurai replies that all compromised data and information have been traced to his own personal security codes and asks how he can deny his guilt. “My codes,” replies Inazo, “But those are classified. The only other with access is…Tokitoshi.
A bullet appears out of nowhere and strikes the Silver Samurai square in the chest, hitting his armor and causing him to fall backwards in pain. Holding the smoking gun is Tokitoshi, still pointing it at the assembled party. “Coward!” screams the Samurai, as he clutches his chest. Wolverine tells him to stand down and let him handle this but the Samurai replies that it is his duty. Cecelia holds him back, asking to look at his wound. Tokitoshi grins, not knowing whether to pity or admire him. He says they’ll all be dead within a matter of moments, yet Cecelia continues to play the role of doctor. She turns to him, asking how he can hold human life in such low regard. Wolverine prepares to gut him but Cecelia holds him back and begins to walk towards him. He raises the pistol and fires shot after shot after shot, yet Cecelia remains unharmed.
“It’s called a psioplasmic field,” she tells him, as she approaches the nervous gunman. “When something threatens my person, my body generates a field that protrudes six inches from the point of impact. It’s an extension of my body, really. It still sends signals to my brain to alert me to the pain, but it does protect me from bodily harm.” Tokitoshi begins to sweat as she stands within inches of him. She grabs his gun and tells him that she’s learned to deal with the pain, and can even deal with the fact that she’s a mutant; but what she will never learn to deal with are morons like him.
She smacks him across the face and he falls to the ground. She tells him that she should leave him here to suffer, but he is still a patient and she has sworn an oath to save his life, regardless of how offensive and despicable she may find him. After this display of contempt, she tells the Samurai that he has helicopters and should go and fetch one. All the injured, including the Silver Samurai himself, have an appointment with her in her office as soon as they get back to Salem Center. She also asks for reimbursement for her car, which he so casually destroyed earlier. It was hers and, if she doesn’t have a new one by tomorrow, he’s going to wish he’d never left Japan. Wolverine, standing behind Kenuichio, says he better do as the lady says; she ain’t no lady to go messing with. The Samurai grins, “So I’ve noticed.”
Sometime later, at Cecelia’s medical practice in Salem Center, Inazo sits beside his daughter, as she recovers in bed from her injuries. He holds her hand as she tells him how they gave her ice cream and she got to watch movies. He expresses his gratitude to Dr. Reyes, grateful for all she has done for them but she smiles and says it’s all part of the service. He then asks Cecelia and Logan to join him in the hallway to allow his daughter to rest. There, he tells them that it’s funny how things work out. Yesterday, Tokitoshi was his business partner; a man he would trust with his life. Today, he almost succeeded in killing both himself and his daughter. What would drive a man as close to him as his brother to steal military secrets and set him up to take the fall? Greed, usually, replies Logan. He asks Inazo if Tokitoshi ever told him why the plane crashed. He had, and Inazo explains.
(flashback)
Apparently, Tokitoshi overheard their pilot alerting the Samurai to their flight pattern and knew he couldn’t afford to take the chance that the Samurai was after Inazo and not himself. He took matters into his own hands and killed the pilot, his body collapsing upon the steering column, plunging the craft into a tailspin. Inazo awoke from his slumber to find Tokitoshi at the controls, violently trying to right the plane. He had told him that the pilot had suffered a heart attack. Inazo strapped Tamika to a parachute and shoved her out the plane, pulling her ripcord as he did so. Tokitoshi actually managed to land the aircraft with the pair of them escaping relatively unscathed.
(present)
Inazo bows to them, thanking them again for helping him clear his name and saving their lives. If they’ll excuse him, he would like to spend some personal time with his daughter. He has learned a valuable lesson from this experience; he has always devoted his life to his business and work, but now he has come to realize that what is truly important is your family, especially your children. “Right,” says Wolverine. “Family,” adds Cecelia. The pair share a glance as they leave Inazo and Tamika alone.
Second story:
Hammer Bay, capital city of Genosha, an East African island nation that once stood amongst the most technologically advanced societies on the planet. The island has been devastated by a genetic civil war which many believe is only the first struggle of its kind to come between man and mutant kind. The UN stood by and watched in shame as the proud country became a mockery of its former self; a shell without a pearl. None wanted to acknowledge its existence, none desired to confront its pain and so it was bartered to Magneto.
Magneto stands proud in his full costume, thinking about how the United Nations had hoped to drown him in a sea of misery in dumping the island state of Genosha upon him. But, actually, they gave him exactly what he wanted; a means to at last achieve his dream. His robotic assistant, Ferris, approaches, holding a list, telling his creator that he has a list of his appointments, which he asked to be kept abreast of. He thanks Ferris, who as always has by far exceeded the expectations of his programming.
Ferris points out that Magneto seems pleased and asks for what reason. “Simple, my most loyal servant,” he replies, “I have won.” He tells Ferris that, for far too long, mutant kind has been passive and submissive in its attempts to live amongst man, allowing mankind to keep mutants under the heel of oppression. He has shown his former colleague, Professor Charles Xavier that a proactive agenda will succeed, while a compliant path only leads to a bitter future. He is proud of his achievements and adds that he has survived one genocidal purge in his lifetime and has no plans to suffer through another. Genosha will all but assure that this possibility never comes to pass.
He turns to find standing behind him, Amelia Voght, one of his most trustworthy Acolytes, who, ironically, enough is a former lover of Xavier. Beside her is Quicksilver, Magneto’s son, who was brought to Genosha through Amelia’s manipulative efforts. Pietro is keen for his father to continue his speech, asking if it is perhaps too difficult a challenge to converse with beings he hasn’t constructed out of metal. Magneto removes his helmet and asks if he must always play the insolent son. He replies that there is no role-playing, that’s for sure. Amelia asks Magneto if they can have a word with them and they head indoors.
Pietro informs him that, when he agreed to remain in Genosha, it was for the sole purpose of assuring its citizens would not suffer under his father’s corruptive influence. The Legacy Virus camps are horrific, an atrocity against human life. He tells his father that a person cannot be discarded or ignored simply because he has become infected by a virus. He insists that this practice will end, and the detainees will be set free and given their lives back. Magneto sits himself upon his throne, a large contraption that looks like it was created to somehow tie-in to his power.
He asks Quicksilver if he feels that his detainment centers are inhumane and unnecessary. Has he paused to consider that perhaps these diseased carriers want to be isolated, so as not to risk infecting others around them? Pietro tells him that whatever justification he uses to convince himself of his wisdom cannot change the fact that these unfortunate souls are human beings. They have already spent most of their lives in the chains of slavery. If they are to die, then he should let them die without cages. Magneto furrows his brow and contemplates his son’s words. He then tells him that he wants no discontent amongst his cabinet. Pietro can free the diseased, but should be aware that they are his responsibility from this day forth.
Pietro points at his father, warning him that this had better not be yet another of his false promises. He is no longer the naïve youth from his memories of the Brotherhood and will not tolerate his lies. Magneto assures him that the decision is now his. As Quicksilver sprints away, he says it had better be. Amelia watches him vanish, pointing out that he is as strong-willed and determined as his father. “Both of my children possess that quality,” Magneto replies. He says that one day, he promises that his daughter, Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, will also join him here in Genosha. But, for now, he is content that her fellow Avengers will watch over her and keep her from harm. Amelia adds that thanks to the world media, they will always know her whereabouts.
Magneto stands and says that Pietro was a wild card that needed to be brought into the fold sooner than anticipated. His recklessness would only have gotten him killed. Magneto has learned from his past mistakes and it is wise to only attempt to assimilate one of his offspring at a time to his dream. Once Pietro is convinced of the righteousness of his cause, then he shall turn his attention to his sister.
Through a doorway steps Dr. Alda Huxley, Genosha’s ambassador to the UN. She asks him what he is trying to achieve; the dysfunctional family of the year award? If he has finished playing house, she has important issues to discuss. Magneto likes Dr. Huxley and tolerates, indeed admires, her forthright attitude. He asks her to what he owes the pleasure of her company. She tells him that she is a lifelong politician and knows insincerity when she hears it. She is on her way to meet with foreign delegations regarding mutual trade and commerce. Strangely enough, she is finding it quite a challenge to identify foreign countries willing to establish ties with a mutant dictatorship. She tells him that Genosha’s history of isolationism has, in fact, not become self-induced. They are in effect, completely alone.
Magneto produces a Kinizasa plant from nowhere and uses it as a metaphor to explain his ideas. He says that it is native only to Genosha. Once, it was part of a greater whole, then it was clipped and relocated to this pot of soil, where it blossomed and thrived. Genosha may have been left to fend for itself, but it will ultimately adapt and prosper of its own accord. Huxley as always has a response, saying that its fine for the Kinizasa plant, but until Genosha is able to repair its devastated agricultural industry, then it’s either import the essentials of life, of they’ll be facing a famine similar to the African mainland. Neither of them wants that to happen, do they?
Magneto smiles to himself. Alda Huxley is a woman after his own heart. She yearns for power and recognition with a drive and desire that mirrors his own. She is a survivor, like he, who will do whatever is necessary to achieve the desired result. He finds her exhausting, yet captivating. A helicopter arrives and she climbs aboard, telling Magneto that she will be back in three days, asking him not to start any wars before she gets back; it might hurt their trade situation.
As the helicopter ascends, without even looking behind him, Magneto feels the presence of three familiar faces. It is time for his next appointment. Turning, he finds Jenny Ransome, her boyfriend, Phillip Moreau, and Pipeline. Ransome is a mutate, Moreau, a son of aristocracy, his father being the former Genegineer David Moreau, and Pipeline is a former magistrate. The three do indeed make for strange bedfellows; three former enemies, striving to restore their homeland to its former stature. He folds his arms and tells them that they have five minutes.
Phillip informs Magneto that there is a potential threat that involves an underground movement, involving former magistrates. He replies that they are insignificant; after all, they are only human. Pipeline erupts, reminding Magneto that, until a few months ago, the magistrates were the dominant force in this country. “Only human…?! Who do you think kept the mutates in check for all of these years.” Magneto says that the thought has never left his mind and he often wonders how deep old allegiances run. After all, once a murdering racist magistrate…
Pipeline tells him that he has a lot of nerve. Pointing to Magneto, he tells him that he has forsaken his past, his family and his friends. How dare he question his loyalty? He continues to point out that as long as Magneto’s goal is restoring Genosha to its rightful position, then he is at his command, even if it means separating himself from all he’s held dear. Moreau cuts in. He tells Magneto that, before he starts a rebellion, perhaps he should remember who stood with him against the Zealot’s mutate rebellion. “Ah, yes, the Zealot. Have you forgiven me yet for the death of your long lost brother?” Moreau says he’s forgotten, for now, but never forgiven.
Magneto turns away, telling Moreau that he admires his brashness, if not his bloodline. He tells them to seek out the nerve center of the magistrate insurrection and destroy it. It’s always best to end a potential threat before it actually becomes one. He leaves them to their task and returns to his throne room, where he finds Fabian Cortez watching the monitors, remote control in hand. On screen are pictures of an earlier confrontation between Magneto and the X-Men. He notices that he has set the monitors to replay his initial appearance in Genosha, an unnecessary battle initiated by the very man who now invades his sanctuary. Cortez is a mutant whose maniacal thirst for power led to his nearly successful attempt on his life. He calls his name and Cortez jumps out of his skin, leaping out of the throne. He tries to explain but Magneto has little time for his lame excuses. He warns Cortez that should he enter the room of his own volition again, it will be his last time.
With Cortez gone, Magneto sits down and commands the computer orally to replay sequence #G203. The request takes a couple of seconds and Magneto tells it to freeze the frame. He looks at Rogue, in another time, another place, thinking that their past might have been much different together if not for the fact that he needs his dream to reach its ultimate conclusion before he allows matters of the heart to cloud his judgement, as it is wont to do. He tells the computer to end the sequence and activate the archival library. Numerous images appear on screen. He sees himself as leader of the New Mutants, as leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, in battle with the Avengers, meeting the ultimate mutant and the Defenders, his trial and another shot of his battle with the X-Men in Genosha. He thinks to himself that, with each passing defeat, he has catalogued away all that he has learned. A lesser man would have allowed himself to slip away into a chasm of pity, but that is not his way. The passion of his dream fuels his ambition.
He stares at the screen and contemplates his life. He is Magneto, arguably the most powerful and influential mutant on the planet. He has taken on the world and won. He knows that next time he adds and archive to the display, it will not be a reminder of another humiliating defeat, but of his penultimate achievement. First comes the stabilization of Genosha, its economy and culture; then…
He is disturbed in his thoughts by Ferris who asks him whether he might be of service. He orders the computer to switch off the archival library and switch to satellite transmission. Faces from around the world appear on the screen and he asks Ferris what he sees. The robot isn’t sure he understands the question. Magneto tells him it is the world, as seen through the eyes of perspectives and ideologies, each one with a common phobia, an intense fear of mutants. He commands Ferris to leave him with his thoughts, as he has much to consider and contemplate. The robot may retire for the remainder of the day. It departs and Magneto leans forward, doubling himself over and stretching his arms down to wads his feet. He has much to consider.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
First Story: In Remembrance - Second Story: Game
1st Story: One hour. A relatively short amount of time in the grand scheme of things but to the passengers aboard this customized built aircraft (the Blackbird), it seems an eternity ago. One hour ago, the X-Men had successfully infiltrated the Skrull’s covert sanctuary in the hope of finding their missing teammate Wolverine. What they found instead was Death. These mutants, each born with an extraordinary power or ability that differentiates him from normal man have stared death sternly in the face countless times. As an X-Man, it’s expected, if not desired. But rarely has the image reflected back in their own eyes seemed so familiar.
Storm speaks up and tells her fellow X-Men (Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Marrow, Kitty Pryde, Jean Grey, Gambit and Rogue) that it was Logan. In her heart of hearts, though, she loathes to admit it; she knows there is no doubt. Yet his essence, his soul was not present. Cyclops states that he was there. His eyes may have been cursed with these optic blasts since adolescence, but he’s not blind. It was Wolverine, but it wasn’t. At least not the Wolverine they know. He’s been twisted into a perverse reflection of himself.
Jean asks if it was the Skrulls. Cyclops replies that he doesn’t think so, what would be their motivation. Every move, every revelation to this point has been precisely calculated. Whoever their foe is, he knows the X-Men, their strengths, their weaknesses. Jean questions if he thinks it’s a coincidence that they discovered Logan’s identity when they did. Cyclops states that it was planned. They’re not only being attacked on a physical front, but also on a psychological one. They wanted them to know that Logan’s been lost to them in the hopes of demoralizing them even further. If their emotions interfere, if it causes them a moment’s hesitation in the forthcoming battle, then they’ve already lost the war.
Nightcrawler points out that at least they know he’s alive so that means he can still be saved. They just have to find him. Perhaps the Professor, or even Jean, can pick up some kind of psionic trace of his whereabouts telepathically. Jean informs him sorry, but she has already tried. The moment Logan made his escape, she immediately attempted to trace his projected destination but with no luck. Apparently someone anticipated a person of her capabilities and shielded Logan’s mind against mental probes. She adds that Scott’s right though. Whoever is behind all this certainly knows their capabilities.
Gambit points out that at least they know Wolvie’s alive, but don’t they t’ink they should let everyone else in on t’is li’l bit of information? Jubilee’s probably ‘bout ready t’have a nervous breakdown, they know how chere feels ‘bout the guy. Perhaps a li’l courtesy call might be in order. Rogue agrees and says that Remy’s got a point. Kitty replies that she’s way ahead of her. She’s already got a call in to Banshee and Moira MacTaggert at the mansion.
The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning located in Westchester County, New York. It is a notable address in a prominent community that prides itself in measures of prestige. To some, it is the residence of the world’s foremost expert on mutations, Charles Xavier but known to a select few, it is also home for the mutant outlaw group, the X-Men. In the command center, Kitty informs Banshee and Moira that they are on their way back to the mansion, ETA T-minus 17 minutes. Banshee informs her that the landing bay’s already prepped f’r their arrival. Moira then tells her not to keep them in the dark and asks if the trip was successful. Kitty says yes and no. It’s a bit complicated and she’ll go over all of it with them in more detail upon landing. But they did find something out, Wolverine, Logan, is alive. Upon hearing the news, Banshee and Moira are happy.
Jubilee is a survivor. Always has been, always will be. She first encountered Wolverine more dead than alive as she nursed him back to health in the Australian outback. She saved him, but more than that, finding Wolverine saved her. An orphan with no purpose, no direction, she took to Wolverine’s lifestyle like a moth to a flame. She only hopes that it’s not too late to express her gratitude to him personally. She’ll never forgive herself otherwise. As she sits in a chair by herself, clutching a pillow, Banshee tells her that Logan’s alive. Upon hearing the news, Jubilee gives Banshee a big hug and says that she knew it! She knew Wolverine was too tough to kill, she just knew it!
Charles Xavier initially created the X-Men to pursue his dream. He dared to believe that in time both mutants and mankind could put aside their petty prejudices and hatred and learn to live together in peace. Time has yet to agree with his hypothesis, but the dream still perseveres. Jubilant, the Beast comes to Xavier’s door and tells him that the ebullient Beast doth bring him good tidings of joy and, he might add, it isn’t even the jovial season of Christmas mirth yet. The X-Men are presently approaching their genial little homestead with some superlative news. While they were unable to procure their missing compatriot, they did substantiate that his demise was greatly exaggerated.
Turning around, Xavier informs him that as a matter of fact, he already knew. He then requests that he keep him updated as to any new developments as they occur. Also, if he would, kindly inform Storm and Scott that they should proceed directly to his office upon arrival to brief him in full on all details of their mission. The Beast replies uh, sure and tells him that the Blackbird’s estimated time of arrival is about fifteen minutes. Should he alert him when they arrive? Xavier replies that won’t be necessary and to just do as he requested. That will be all. Looking at a photo of his deceased students, Xavier again says that he promises him that will be all.
Once the Beast leaves, Xavier looks at another photo, this one of his new X-Men. He recalls that so much has changed since that hastily arranged gathering. Some have left, only to return years later. Some, like Thunderbird, perished in the heat of battle. And then there’s Wolverine. Was his ego so blind that he failed to recognize the depths to which this man’s essence, his very soul, had been corrupted and perverted? It wasn’t until their initial encounter with the N’Garai that he realized how naïve he had been in his assumptions when he first saw the rage, the conflict inside the man.
He also glimpsed for perhaps the first time why mankind fears mutants as fervently as they do. This was a man pitched in a constant struggle, not only with his environment, but with his very humanity. When unleashed, he was almost beautiful in the chaotic madness he invoked. Savage, vicious, untamed; his feral side only thinly contained by sheer willpower and a fragile psyche that could collapse at any given moment. As he watched Wolverine’s furious assault upon this child of the N’Garai, he realized what he represented to him.
One of the reasons he initially formed the X-Men was to train mutants in the use of their powers so that they aren’t a danger to themselves or a society that already fears and hates them simply for being different. Wolverine was the embodiment of this thought. By agreeing to join the X-Men, Wolverine was reaching out for help. He knew what he had become and what he had the potential to become. In, him, perhaps he saw a solution, or at least a possibility to change the path he was so recklessly treading. As he sat there, captivated by the frenzied scene unfolding before his eyes, he pledged himself one thing. This man, Wolverine, Logan, he was going to save.
Coming out of his dream world, Xavier remarks ‘and save him he shall.’ Telepathically, Xavier calls Henry McCoy, Beast, to his office at his earliest convenience. Entering Xavier’s office, McCoy tells Xavier that the obsequious Beast is at his service and asks if there was something else he wanted him to pass along to the X-Men upon their arrival. Xavier tells him that actually, he summoned him for a different reason altogether. He wanted to apologize for him stolid demeanor earlier.
Beast informs him that there’s really no need for an apology. They all know how strenuous this has been on him. Xavier replies that this has been a trying time for all concerned and it was tactless of him to speak to him in that manner. Although he appreciates the effort, there is really no need to make his apologies for him. He’s buried more than his share of X-Men over the years. With Wolverine’s supposed death, he had assumed he would have to bury yet another. He has no intention of including Wolverine on that list. They will find Logan and they will bring him back to them. Of that, he has his word.
Elsewhere, on route – Kurt Wagner, the mutant known as Nightcrawler, as much for his appearance as for his mutant ability of teleportation gazes out at the calm serenity of the setting sun. While he does, he thinks of lost friends and makes a silent prayer to a god he desperately hopes is listening.
Sitting down next to him, Kitty Pryde says to Kurt penny for his thoughts as if she couldn’t guess. Kurt tells her that he was just thinking of his first impression of Wolverine – basically rude, crude and socially unacceptable. It’s funny; he always referred to him as the misfit, when in actuality he was more ostracized than any of them. He was withdrawn, not wanting or apparently desiring human contact or relationships when in fact he was crying out for it, he just didn’t know how to do it. He remembers looking out at a sunset very familiar to this one while accompanying Wolverine to the Canadian wilderness.
He was surprised he had invited him along on the journey, as it was a rather personal one and Wolverine had always been such a private man. He wanted to make peace with the members of Alpha Flight, Canada’s own version of the Avengers, whom he had long since abandoned to join the X-Men. Instead, they found themselves battling alongside Alpha Flight in a violent encounter with a mythical creature called the Wendigo. They were able to save a mother and her child from the creature’s hunger but perhaps the most astonishing revelation came when he witnessed the inner complexities of Wolverine for perhaps the first time.
Snowbird, a shape-shifter, had assumed the form of a wolverine in defeating the Wendigo but had been consumed by the animal-persona. Wolverine, with nothing more than words and emotions, was able to reach inside her and coax her humanity back to the surface. It was the most remarkable thing he’d ever seen. Although he counted Wolverine among his closest of friends at the time, his admiration for him increased considerably. Kitty tells him that she had never heard that story before and thanks him for sharing it with her.
Kurt thanks her for listening and tells her that there was another moment with Logan that stands out to him, another time where he got a glimpse inside his soul. Oftentimes, they found themselves knee deep in grease and grime making repairs on the Blackbird after almost every mission. It was just something that the two of them always did together. He guesses it was a bonding type thing but who knows?
They talked a lot as they worked. Mainly about superficial things but one day he caught him by complete surprise. Logan had asked him if he ever thought ‘bout dyin’. Kurt had told him that he guesses so from time to time and asked him if he did. Logan told him not really. He figures when it’s time t’ go, it’s time t’ go. No reason dwellin’ on somethin’ you ain’t got no control over. He figures he should live for the moment day to day. Don’t think ‘bout what may or may not happen and forget ‘bout the past. It’s done, ain’t nothin’ can change that. He, Kurt’s, got his religion, his beliefs in the afterlife. Him, he’s not sure what he believes. He only hops that whatever happens after they move on, he don’t have to remember what he did in this life. Some things are best forgotten.
Jean then tells Kurt that they’ll get him back; he just has to hold onto his faith. Scott Summers, Cyclops, tells Jean that he knows she may appear to be the soothing voice of optimism on the outside, but he shares a psychic rapport with her, remember? Jean tells him of course she does, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She then asks him what if Cable’s right and if it is Apocalypse behind Wolverine’s transformation into Death. Scott tells her then they’ll deal with him as they always have. Except this time, they’ll make sure it’s permanent.
He then asks Jean that she really cares for Logan, doesn’t she? Jean replies that she does. He knows he’s the man that she will love for all eternity but there’s a reason Logan will always have a special place in her heart. They had just narrowly defeated Magneto upon his orbiting sanctuary Avalon and they were frantically attempting a reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere in a frenzied sprint to save Wolverine’s life when everything went to hell. Magneto had forcefully extracted the adamatium skeleton from Logan’s body and it was painfully obvious he was not going to make it. There was an explosion, the hatch was blown away, and she found herself only moments away from plummeting to her death when Logan reached out and saved her.
With a tear streaming from her eye, Jean tells Scott that he was dead, his vital signs were nonexistent, he was clinically and medically dead but he came back for her. Hugging her, Scott tells her that he knows they’re all a bit emotional but not to give up hope. They’re going to find him and then they’re going to take down whoever’s responsible for all this – that’s a promise.
Sitting alone, Rogue wonders to herself what they’ve done to him. When she saw that it was him who’d been tryin’ to kill them, her heart musta skipped a dozen beats. She remembers back when she first joined the X-Men. Up ‘til that point, they’d been enemies. She was young an’ misguided back then, but that’s beside the point. He doesn’t know how nervous she was when she first walked through the door an’ was introduced to him as part of the team. She guesses she expected his response but she’d be lyin’ if she didn’t say it still hurt.
He had told Mariko that if it was up to him, he’d cut out her heart. Rogue knew he hated her an’ she couldn’t blame him either. She’d almost accidentally killed one of his best friends, Carol Danvers. She survived, but she absorbed her Ms. Marvel powers permanently. It took her years t’ recover. She, Rogue, doesn’t know if she ever will. She so desperately wanted to prove herself to him, to all of them, but he wouldn’t give her the chance. She found her chance when she took a blast from the gun of Viper meant for him an’ his lady, Mariko. He then saved her by givin’ over to her his healin’ factor. Though she almost died, she wouldn’t have changed a thing. She had proven herself in his eyes. He never told her he forgave her fer what she did to Carol, but it was left in the past where it belonged. She’ll never forget what he’s done fer her in her time with the X-Men. She owes him an’ she’s a girl who repays her debts.
Looking at the look on Rogue’s face, Gambit thinks to himself that the look on her face reveals a lot ‘bout th’ passion in her soul. He knows in times like t’is, it’s best t’ leave her alone an’ let her work it out for herself, don’t mean he’s gotta like it though. They’ve all got their own ways of dealin’ with th’ pain they’re facin’ right ‘bout now. Wolvie an’ he are two of a kind, loners who never thought they needed anybody. That is, ‘til th’ X-Men adopted them, took them into their homes an’ showed them what family was all ‘bout. They may not have always gotten along th’ best but if there’s one thin’ he’s learned with his time with th’ X-Men, you never let your family down an’ the X-Men are the only family they’ve got.
At Salem Center in New York, the day stretches into night as a restless Lorna Dane, the mutant mistress of magnetism, finds solace in a hot cup o’ joe. Sean Cassidy, Banshee, mentions to her that she looks like she hasn’t slept in days and that she should be tryin’ t’ get some shut-eye. If she’s still worried ‘bout being watched, ol’ Banshee will guarantee her that she’s as safe there as if she was in her mother’s arms. Lorna tells him it’s not that at all, she was just thinking about Wolverine. It’s funny, it seems that half the time they’ve known each other, it’s been as enemies. She was a brainwashed puppet of Eric the Red, her possession by Malice, the Shadow King, she’d rather not go on.
Anyway, they’ve barely spoken two words to each other over the years, yet it’s obvious to even an outsider like her that he’s not the same man he once was. With respect to Scott, Jean and Storm, in his own way, Wolverine’s the backbone of the team. With the progression he’s made since coming there, he’s successfully shown them that the X-Men don’t have to be locked in a battle to make a difference. Isn’t that part of what being an X-Man is all about, learning to help themselves as much as they help others?
When Wolverine came to the X-Men, he was a third cousin of the human race. He’d sooner bite you than look at you. Now, oftentimes, he’s the conscience of the team. Who would have thought that? Sean informs her not he, that’s f’sure. The lad’s a changed man, in more ways than one. He’s watched as he’s become a father figure of sorts t’ both Kitty an’ Jubilee an’ he’d be the first t’ admit it, he dinnae see that capability in th’ man when he first met him. The boyo’s full o’ surprises.
He then begins to tell Lorna what he remembers most ‘bout their early days in the X-Men. They were on their way to Valhalla Mountain, tryin’ t’ get there before Count Nefaria used his nuclear arsenal t’ blow up chunks o’ the world. He told him, ‘I think I’m gonna cut him into very tiny pieces if any of his friends stationed there had been hurt.’ He thought the lad was joshin’ but he looked into his eyes an’ knew better. He’ll admit, he was fearful o’ him. He began t’ question his decision t’ join the X-Men in the first place.
But as she said, he’s changed, more so than he ever thought possible. Yet for all the violence in his life, there’s a depth to the laddie only a select few e’er get a glimpse at – a tenderness reserved for those he allows t’ get close enough to him t’ matter. He saw it when he first met his lady love, Mariko. The gentleness he displayed, well it was unexpected t’ say th’ least. If he dinnae know better, he’d even go as far as t’ say the lad was nervous in her presence. ‘Tis a curious sight when all ye’ve known is one persona of the man up ‘til that point. He began t’ realize just how complex Logan was.
Just then, Hank McCoy pokes his head in and tells the two of them that he hates to interrupt what appears to be an illuminating journey down nostalgia avenue but he thought it pertinent to inform them that the Blackbird is currently in the process of making its final approach – the X-Men are home.
If a victory could ever seem shallow, then this would be the one. Although they successfully routed the enemy and destroyed their base, they return to their home still minus one X-Man, still missing a friend. As the X-Men exit the Blackbird, Banshee mentions to Scott welcome home and adds that it’s good t’ see him and Jean back in uniform, they both wear it well. Scott tells him maybe, but not to get too attached to the idea. Cyclops and Phoenix are still officially retired and don’t have any plans to change that status any time soon. This is merely an emergency situation that they couldn’t turn their backs on. Once it’s been taken care of, Jean and he’ll be heading back to the hustle and bustle of suburban living and domestic bliss.
Banshee tells them best o’ luck to the two of them then, they both deserve a bit o’ peace and quiet, they’ve done their share for the cause. In the meantime, he believes th’ Professor would like fer him an’ Ororo t’ join h’m in his study. While Scott walks off, Banshee tells Jean ‘tis a fine lad she’s got there, steady as they come.
At that moment, Jubilee emphatically asks that is she to understand that they had Wolvie in sight and let him go? Why the heck are they all just standing around patting each other on the back for basically doing nothing? Shouldn’t they be getting all available X-Men together and going after him? Somebody get on the phone to the Fantastic Four, the Avengers. Don’t you super geeks have each other on speed dial or somethin’? As she storms off, Jean tries to get her to stop but Jubilee tells her to ‘stuff it Red.’ Generation X, heck, even X-Force could have done a better job. They may mess up a bit, but at least they don’t sit around on their rear ends waitin’ for the bad guy to come to them.
Once she leaves, Piotr Rasputin asks what that was all about. Beast informs him that it would appear their young Jubilation is having a challenging time coping with their inability to procure her missing mentor. Kitty asks if somebody should go after her, maybe she’d better… Speaking up, Marrow tells them that she’ll do it, much to the shock of her fellow X-Men.
In Xavier’s office, Xavier asks Scott if he’s absolutely positive. Scott tells him that there is no doubt in either of their minds, Death is Wolverine. He knows they all feared the worst when they discovered that Logan had been replaced by a Skrull infiltrator. At least they now know he’s alive, but frankly, he’s afraid it might have been better for all involved if he wasn’t. Storm asks him how he can say such a thing, Wolverine is their friend. She would no sooner wish for his death (Logan) than she would for his (Scott).
Scott tells her neither would he but she saw him. He’s not trying to be cold, just humane. If the situations were reserved, he think he’d prefer death to being so devoid of conscience that he would attempt to kill those closest to him. Imagine if you had even a slight awareness of your actions, but were powerless to stop it. He can’t think of a worse fate. Xavier pipes in and says regardless, they must assume that there is a way to cure Logan of his current predicament. They cannot abandon hope, perhaps, if he knew all that transpired at the Skrull facility…
Scott tells him that as Death, Wolverine was very near to delivering what appeared to be a killing blow to Marrow. After Rogue cleared Marrow out of position, he unleashed what he hoped would be as lethal an optic blast as necessary to bring down their foe. Instead, they fell victim to a pre-planted bomb that momentarily split the battle lines. As most of them recovered, Colossus was able to land a crushing blow against Death shattering his helmet and revealing the man behind the mask. Storm adds that the reality of the situation stunned them all, freezing them all in their tracks as he made his escape. She couldn’t bring herself to believe that it was Logan but... they failed him.
Xavier tells her that he is sure she did her best, he’s sure all of them did, no one can fault them. Scott pipes up and says that he’s not so sure about that. He doesn’t mean to be disrespectful, but he thinks he’s wrong. As Death, Wolverine is untraceable. His mental shielding has to this point proven flawless, so finding him might prove extremely difficult, if not impossible. Xavier remarks that now that they know he’s alive, it should only be a matter of time before they’re able to locate him and purge him from the corrupt hand of the fiend responsible.
Scott tell Xavier to remember that they had three of the world’s most powerful telepaths present when they first fought Death – Cable, Nate Grey and Jean – and none of them were able to pierce his shields. If it is Apocalypse, then Wolverine may already be beyond their help. Storm states that if it is Apocalypse as they suspect, then Warren, who had been transformed into the Archangel of Death by this monster, proves that the process can be reversed – Logan can be saved.
Scott says yes, Warren was able to resist Apocalypse’s control, but that was years ago. Apocalypse would have learned from his past mistakes and corrected any flaws. They know the extent of Wolverine’s will power, yet he was out for blood, he wanted them dead. They weren’t there when he looked into the eyes of Death. They were empty, hollow, devoid of reason, logic, and compassion. He’s only seen eyes similar to what he saw in Wolverine’s once before, when the Phoenix entity he believed to be Jean was manipulated and mutated into the Dark Phoenix. He remembers peering into her cold, dark eyes and realizing, painfully, that the person he loved was no longer present. She had been taken from him forever. Wolverine’s eyes were eerily comparable. He looked inside, but he didn’t look back.
Storm asks him what he expects them to do, just give up. Concede that their friend, a man who is as a brother to all of them, is beyond salvation? If that is what he believes, then he himself is sorely mistaken. Scott replies of course not, he’s an X-Man and they take care of their own. He’s merely voicing his concerns that when they do find him, don’t expect it to be Logan. He’s already tried to kill them more than once and there’s no indication to believe he won’t try again. He’s just saying be prepared for the worst case scenario. Maybe to save Wolverine, it may be necessary to kill him.
As Jubilee sits by her self outside underneath a tree, Marrow arrives and asks her if she minds her joining her. Jubilee coldly tells her ‘whatever.’ Marrow says to her that she just thought she might want to talk to someone, open up a bit. Looking at her, Jubilee says that considering the only thing they have in common is their gender and their species, why would she even contemplate a conversation with her? Don’t think she didn’t hear ‘bout how she stabbed Wolvie in the throat when he was tryin’ to knock some sense into her. He may have put it behind him, but she’s not as forgiving. Marrow tells her yeah, what a fight that was – no quarter asked, none taken.
Jubilee tells her she acts like it was a schoolyard fight, but she could’ve killed him. Marrow tells her but she didn’t. That’s just the way things were back then, two animals each staking their claim as the dominant one, the leader of the pack. That’s why she thinks they have more in common than she knows. Like her, she was young, rebellious, an orphan and Wolverine tried to take her under his wing. The only difference is that she (embraced his efforts and she resented them. Things change, people change. If there’s one thing she learned from Wolverine, it’s to never give up no matter what the odds. He’ll be back, she has no doubt. Like the Morlocks and orphans, he’s a survivor.
As she walks away, Marrow tells Jubilee to quit feeling sorry for herself and do something productive. If he truly means as much to her as she alleges, then let him know that when he comes back. She doesn’t know about her, but she never had a chance to tell her parents how much they meant to her. Don’t let that kind of opportunity pass her by.
Alone, Jubilee picks up a pad of paper and begins to write Logan a note. She tells him that, when she first met him, she’ll admit she was scared stupid. Here was this guy who had just pulled himself off a crucifix and he was asking for her help, her. But he entrusted her, depended on her as they made their escape from Pierce and his Reavers. They made it out of there, but that little excursion was just the tip of the iceberg. For the first time since her parents’ death, she felt like she was a part of something that had been missing from her life – a family. And she can’t thank him enough for that.
She’s seen so much, much more than she ever would have thought possible. Heck, as far as she was concerned, she didn’t care if she ever set foot outside a shopping mall again until she fell in with him and the X-Men. She didn’t really have any ambitions beyond finding her next meal and decoratin’ herself in the season’s fashions. That all changed because of him.
Not only has she seen the world and beyond, but she’s gettin’ an education and learnin’ the full extent of her mutant powers. Not bad for a former mallrat. Thinkin’ he was dead was the worst thing emotionally she’s had to deal with since her parent’s death. She’d almost forgotten how much it hurts. Now to know he’s out there somewhere, well, it eases the pain somewhat. But until he comes back to her and the X-Men, it won’t completely go away. She misses him, he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Come back home soon, please. Putting the note on his bed, she signs it ‘love, Jubilee.’
2nd Story: As Logan drinks by himself in a virtually empty bar located in the deep woods of Manitoba, Canada; he thinks that if there’s a difference between man an’ beast, it beats him what it is. After all, man started as a beast. Sure, they say man evolved a more advanced brain around the limbic or “reptilian” mind, makin’ him more than a “mere” animal. But the limbic’s still there, maybe sleepy at the core of what man’s become, but always ready to awaken.
In him, it’s a light sleeper, wakin’ hard and fast. He’s a mutant, more evolved than the average man in some ways, maybe less in others. Sometimes he reverts to the limbic state and gets downright feral, even lost in a bestial rage. They call him Wolverine but he’s really Logan – a man, not a beast, and there’s gotta be a difference.
After hearing some gunshots coming from outside, Logan asks the bartender what’s with all the shots. When the bartender tells him he doesn’t hear anything, Logan tells him that he’s got bad ears, but to trust him – it sounds like bloody war out there. The bartender tells him nah, that’d be just huntin’ season for tweedledee, tweedledum, an’ tweedledumber. But if it’s rapid fire, them boys ain’t shootin’ nothin’, not yet.
After Logan asks him why that is, the bartender tells him first they punch holes in the sky, herdin’ all the game through this blind pass they use, ‘bout a mile north o’ there. See, they get their prey all boxed in, settin’ up a dry land version of shootin’ fish in a barrel an’ them boys ain’t choosy neither. Whatever they flush an’ trap, they’ll shoot at their leisure an’ pleasure. Logan asks him that they don’t even hunt? The bartender tells him not the kind o’ huntin’ he’d call huntin’. Logan states but they take “prey,” so that makes ‘em predators. When the bartender asks Logan what he would call them, the answer he gets is killers. The bartender tells him that it’s the same difference. Logan says no, one’s for a reason an’ the other’s for its own sake. The bartender tells him that he’ll let him be the philosopher but if you ask him, until them nasty space aliens come down, man’s the best predator there is. Logan says yeah, or the worst.
The bartender tells him that he might have a point. Given the herdin’ tactics, these boys must expend a good twenty rounds per trophy. Logan asks that they’re after “trophies?” The bartender asks him who he thinks gave him all these heads. Even yuppies only got so much wall space. Logan asks that they don’t eat what they kill? The bartender tells him nah, these boys can’t be bothered dressin’ meat. Logan says so the whole point is cuttin’ off heads? The bartender says let’s just say the scavengers hereabouts are mighty fat an’ happy game wardens too. If you believe the rumors, them rich blubber yups make quite a crew. Logan quips ‘he said fondly.’ The bartender states that he ain’t in love with weekend warriors but he is fond o’ money and even idiot predators gotta come to the waterin’ hole, friend. Logan tells him hole is right with décor to match and goes to leave. As he does, he tells the bartender that he ain’t his friend.
Lighting a cigar outside, Logan thinks to himself that he oughtta burn the lousy house o’ horrors to the ground but a fire that big might jump to the trees. And as an old Madripoor proverb says, “Never use an axe to swat the fly on your friends’ forehead.” If you’re a man who can think, there’s always a better way providin’ ya take the time to think of it. Logan decides that it’s time to take the time. It’s time to help some friends under the skin, even if he is a man.
The next day, the three hunters, Jared, Frank and Mason are sitting on hammocks while they hunt their prey. Once Mason shoots the first moose and wins a bet, Frank gets up to move to another section hoping to find a better killing angle. Standing above the dead moose, Logan thinks to himself that seein’ red like this can trigger the animal rage if he lets it. But he’s a man, not a beast an’ he’s gotta stay that way long enough to deal with men that don’t. Just then, Jared catches a slight glimpse of a man running away from the moose Mason shot and tells him that he just saw a man except it wasn’t. Mason asks a man that wasn’t a man and proceeds to tell Frank that Jared just had a Sasquatch sighting. Frank tells him to be quiet; he’s got something in his… sight? Just then the sight goes black and Logan appears before Frank with his claws popped. When he does, he sarcastically tells him nice sense o’ smell bub.
Away from Frank, Mason says to Jared that maybe his beast-man is the “spirit of the forest,” in which case, he’ll never see it again. Maybe he’ll only hear it when it’s too late and all he’ll hear is… While he talks, Logan punctures the tires on their vehicle. Mason hears it and points out the hissing sound and wonders if it’s coming from snakes. Jared informs him that it’s coming from the ar-vee which leads Mason to ask if it’s the stove’s gas-line. As he looks over, Logan deftly slices his hammock which causes Mason to fall to the ground with a thud and to complain about the lousy hammock. Over next to the ar-vee, Jared tells Mason that they have three flat tires, something’s very wrong there.
At that moment, Jared calls out to Frank. When he does, a single rifle shot takes out the “hunters” television. Seeing Frank run by him in his underwear, Jared asks what happened to him. Emerging from the forest, Logan tells him that he evolved from predator to prey. Jared proceeds to exclaim ‘the beast-man’ and attempts to shoot him in the gut. As Logan rushes towards him, he thinks to himself that the “hunter” probably can’t believe he just shot him in the gut and he’s only staggered. Other “prey” drops an’ bleeds an’ dies. He just bleeds, an’ not for long. He has a mutant healin’ factor. The gunshots hurt like hell but he doesn’t show it. He can’t give him that satisfaction or the courage for a second shot.
Once he reaches the hunter, Logan tells him that he ripped his gut, now let’s see his and slashes at him with his claws. Shocked, Jared looks down at his chest and doesn’t see any blood. Pointing over to Mason, Logan tells him to not even think about grabbing a rifle and to just waddle over there an’ survive.
Three minutes later, Logan destroys all of their gear and sends the men out into the wild with no weapons, no vehicles, nothin’ but their own skins an’ primitive reptilian brains. But unlike other animals, they’re nobody’s idea of a prize. Popping his claws and pointing them in their direction, he tells them that even if he liked “trophies” there’s no way he’d want their ugly heads. He then orders them to get out of there and to high-tail it back to so-called civilization an’ take up some other “recreation” – bowling, or pie-eatin’, some other way of killin’ time without killin’.
Once the hunters are gone, Logan starts a fire and burns the dead animal’s hides. As he does, he thinks to himself that maybe the difference between man an’ beast is simple. Animals focus on survival, but man can think beyond, to death and even beyond that, to survival after death. That should make man more than an animal, but all too often there’s greater nobility in beasts so maybe they have souls too.
There’s somethin’ he heard at a funeral once an’ never forgot. It was written by John Donne, a rare man who restores faith in man. “Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. One short sleep past, we wake eternally, and death shall be no more. Death shalt die!” Kinda flowery for such a small fire, but nice an’ brassy too. As if havin’ a soul lets ya spit in death’s eye an’ live to tell about it in a better place. An’ if that don’t hold true for animals as well as men you can keep heaven, an’ I’ll go with the beasts.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Day Of Judgement
Full Circle
First Story :
This story takes place in the near future. The X-Men are on the blue area of the moon fighting against a group of Shi’ar warriors. The Shi’ar want to take over the Earth and if the X-Men fail in their battle today humans and mutants alike will be conquered.
Already in the heat of the battle, Cable yells out to Iceman to watch his back. Iceman defends himself by erecting a twenty-foot wall of ice. Rogue busts through the wall and it collapses on top of the soldiers. Flying above the moon’s surface, Phoenix and Storm dodge enemy gunfire. For some reason Jean cannot sense their thoughts. Storm believes that due to the X-Men’s history with the Shi’ar they were able to construct some kind of defense against her.
Back on the ground a rank of Shi’ar are waylaid from behind. They have no idea who their attacker is. It’s the newest X-Man, Siphon. She emits force beams from her eyes. She takes out a few more grunts. Jean watches as Siphon takes care of the opposition. It bothers her to see her use her mutant power. It reminds her too much of Scott. She is still bothered by Scott’s death to this day.
An explosion occurs on the ground. Cable, Iceman and Rogue are knocked aside. Phoenix, Siphon, Storm and Wolverine look up and see the Horsemen of Apocalypse approaching. Deathbird (aka War) is now empress of the Shi’ar Empire. She assassinated Lilandra and took over her throne. She yells for the Horsemen to destroy the X-Men. Eric the Red goes straight for Wolverine. He wants Wolverine because he was the previous Horseman of Death and traitor to Apocalypse. Deathbird lands near the fallen Iceman. She asks the X-Men to surrender and she’ll kill them quickly. Storm blasts her away from Bobby with a strong wind gust. Storm says they’ll never give in to her. Deathbird smiles widely. She was hoping they would say that.
Nearby, the X-Men have setup a hasty infirmary. Marrow lies in one of the patient beds next to an unidentified person. Gambit is near her and asks Moira if she’ll be all right. Moira says she’s doing fine, but they’ll know more when the transport comes and picks them up. An explosion rocks the infirmary and Ahab and Pestilence enter the area. A host of Shi’ar soldiers accompany them. Ahab gives the kill order and laser blasts come from everywhere. Cecilia uses her force field power to protect everyone for as long as she can.
In comes Excalibur to the rescue. Colossus goes for Ahab while Nightcrawler, Banshee and Captain Britain go for the Shi’ar brigade. Nate and Mastermind protect the doctors and the injured. Colossus pounds on Ahab. Apparently he killed Meggan and Rahne previous to this encounter. Kitty tries to stop Caliban from attacking them. She brings up the feelings he once had for her. He won’t listen. He was once weak like the Morlocks. Now he is strong and will kill the weak. Captain Britain comes over and knocks him out. He tells Kitty that words won’t work against him. He’s too far under Apocalypse’s control.
Kitty looks around at everything that’s going on. Thoughts of what it means to be an X-Man run through her mind. She realizes that if she died in the line of duty she would be happy. She would die a hero, an X-Man.
The battle between Wolverine and Eric the Red continues. Wolverine lunges at him with claws forward. He misses and Eric the Red makes him pay. Force beams from his hand knock Wolvie down. He picks Wolverine up by the head. Iceman comes over and starts encasing him in a block of ice. Eric’s not too worried until he sees Rogue and Siphon heading in fast. Rogue decks him and Siphon fires her optic beams at him. He falls to the ground.
Above, Banshee joins Storm and suggests they should retreat. Storm tells him that it is not an option. Banshee flies away intent on doing whatever he can to overcome the impossible odds. Storm yells after him, but to no avail. He heads up to where the Shi’ar aircraft are located. He uses his sonic scream to destroy all the ships in the area. Having fully exhausted his mutant power, he falls lifeless to the ground below. Storm catches him before he hits. She lands on the surface and Kitty runs over in fear of Sean’s life.
Nightcrawler comes over and the three of them discuss the situation. Kurt doesn’t think they’ll last too much longer with the ground battle. Kitty remains optimistic. The rest of the X-Men are near the infirmary. Wolverine’s body comes flying by them. The Horsemen are quick to follow. Now the X-Men are trapped. A horde of Shi’ar warriors is with them as well. Storm points up at the sky. Everyone looks up and sees Charles Xavier flying towards them with a large contingent of Skrulls.
Professor X flies towards Deathbird. He accuses her of killing his love, Lilandra. He is very angry with her. Deathbird scoffs at him. Xavier uses his mutant power to its full extent to punish her. He hasn’t done that since he mind-wiped Magneto. She goes down hard, but she’s not out. Eric the Red starts in on Charles. He gets Snikt’d from behind. He falls over and we see Wolverine standing there. Ahab is worried now that two of the Horsemen are temporarily out. He fires at Moira, Marrow and Banshee. Kitty dives in the way and takes the hit in the shoulder. After seeing this, Caliban goes nuts. He grabs Ahab and lifts him in the air. He’s about to throw him when the newly recovered Deathbird hits him with an energy blast.
More Shi’ar war cruisers enter the scene. It looks like the end of the X-Men. Jean can think of only one way to stop them. She tells Mastermind to open her mind to her. Suddenly, Jean lights up with fire. She ascends into the air with the Phoenix fire behind her. She claims she is the Phoenix and that she has been reborn again. The Shi’ar warships flee in fear. Deathbird sees the odds are against her and retreats with the Horsemen. They teleport away with Deathbird claiming they’ll be back.
Jean lands and the illusion dissipates. Professor X commends her for her quick thinking. She played on the only thing the Shi’ar fears, the Dark Phoenix. Professor congratulates his people on their performance. He knows there will be many battles ahead. He warns them of adversity and death. He doesn’t think this war will be won without casualties. He reminds them that the Earth’s future is in their hands. They must succeed. He swears victory. Death is the only thing that can stop them.
Second Story :
Wolverine drives on his bike to a dark area of the lower east side of Manhattan. Tonight he is not out to fight; he wants to do something good, so he practises charity to make up for many ugly things he did in his life. Logan walks around and offers the homeless people food and coffee and sits with them to listen to their problems.
Logan recognizes a young woman who seems out of place. She looks frightened and lost, so he offers her to point her in the right direction. The woman replies that she has to find her son Charlie first, and in her hand is the boy’s baseball cap. Logan asks if Charlie has ran away, but she answers that the police told her the same, and they wouldn’t do anything until he is missing for twenty-four hours. Yet she knows that something has happened, Charlie is a quiet kid, always on the computer, he would not run away. She has been searching for him the whole night, showing his picture to everyone, but nobody could help. Logan takes in the scent of the cap and promises to help, before  telling the woman to rest in a nearby coffeshop.
Logan drives on his harley through the city and finds the boy’s trail leading to Harlem. It löeads to an abandonedhotel, and Logan enters. Dozens of rooms and Logan checks them all out, but finds them empty. However he finds a hole in the celeing, leading to the next floor, and the scent trail confirms that litlle Charlie is up there.
Logan takes a peek, and sees a man talking to himself. It’s a mad scientist scenario, and this Professor Gibbon is congratulating himnself on his invention. Next he is pulling a chest from the next room, inside is Charlie tied up and gagged. Logan has seen enough and pops his claws. He storms in, but the weirdo recognizes the opponent and uses a chair to defend himself. Logan gets hit on the head, he stumbles and winds up in the corner. He starts threatening Professor Gibbon, but suddenly he holds a knife to the kids neck and tells him to stay back where he is. He then claims that the boy came with him of his own free will, but naturally Logan doesn’t believe him. Giffon goes on that the bonds are only temporary till the neurotoxin he gave Charlie will kick in. Then both off them will departs into cyberspace with his new invention and their bodies will have no longer any function.
Hearing that the weirdo drugged the boy, Logan gets even more annoyed than before. He leaps ahead and quickly disarms Gibbon. He then tells Charlie to look the other way before gutting the kidnapper. Later on Charlie is happily reunited with his mom, while Gibbon is in police custody with a bandage around his gut.