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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Prisoner M-13
Professor Charles Xavier, in a moment of weakness, allowed himself to begin the self-transformation that eventually led to the creation of the near-omnipotent being called Onslaught. The consequences led to the sacrifice of the Fantastic Four and most of the Avengers. His acts were so monstrous that Charles felt that humanity was owed the assurance that this would never happen again, even if it meant sacrificing his freedom. What he endures today, however, is not the penance he was expecting.
Charles lies on the floor, scowling as he looks upwards at his jailer. A psi-shield surrounds him that effectively cancels out any remaining telepathic abilities. Watching him on a large monitor are Bastion and Henry Peter Gyrich. Gyrich feels that Bastion’s treatment of Charles is a little harsh. After all, Charles, now known as Prisoner M-13, voluntarily handed himself over to government custody. Bastion isn’t feeling quite so generous. He informs Gyrich that his government has granted extraordinary power to his multi-national task force. This abandoned Hulkbuster base was modified at their expense to confine dangerous… individuals. He was appointed director of the installation and, as such, he has the power to exercise extreme sanctions. Also, he has dedicated the base and all its personnel to one task; finding a way to protect Homo sapiens from homo superior.
Around them, scientists, guards and other personnel mill around the complex, as the two men continue their conversation. Gyrich enquires exactly how prisoner M-13 constitutes a ‘dangerous individual.’ Granted, he’s the world foremost authority on genetic mutation, but that doesn’t make him a mutant. He’s confined to a wheelchair, for God’s sake, he adds, and asks if the psi-shields are really necessary. Bastion replies that there are factors beyond his ken, which he cannot begin to comprehend. For reasons of national security, all he can tell Gyrich is that his so-called harmless scholar is in possession of vital information concerning the entity known as Onslaught. Gyrich clicks a remote control and says he has seen no evidence of that. A tape begins to play, showing Bastion’s earlier interrogation of Charles Xavier in his maximum security cell.
(on videotape)
Bastion and Charles are sitting opposite one another across a table. Bastion has a file in front of him and he informs Charles (Prisoner M-13) that they are not pleased with his level of cooperation. Charles replies that it really is an obvious ploy at dehumanizing a man: reducing him to a number. Bastion thinks it’s curious that someone as concerned with mutants as he should bandy the word around so freely. Mutants aren’t really human, are they? he asks. Charles responds by suggesting that there have been others who have used that line of reasoning for their own twisted purposes. A certain Austrian paper-hanger comes to mind.
Bastion is furious at the comparison to Hitler, simply because he knows the danger the mutant race poses to humanity. Need he remind Charles that it was Homo superior which unleashed Onslaught upon the world? It was a being of such malevolence that he sought to end life as they know it on this planet. He shows Charles photographs of the carnage wreaked by Onslaught. “Look at the price of meddling with nature,” he says. Charles argues that mutants didn’t ask to be born the way they are. They are a result of nature, simply the markers at the cusp of change. He throws the photographs away, telling Bastion that everything changes. If it doesn’t, then it stagnates and dies.
Bastion lunges at the unnaturally calm Professor, and warns him not to spout his rhetoric at him, calling him an unrepentant mutant sympathizer. Charles backs off a little, but responds by assuring Bastion that he is certainly not unrepentant. He will carry the horrors of Onslaught’s depredations with him to the grave - unlike Bastion and his monomaniacs, who would exterminate all those who are unlike themselves in the name of a perverted mission called Zero Tolerance.
This infuriates Bastion beyond his degree of self-control. He raises his arms before striking Charles, knocking him and his wheelchair backwards with some force. He tells Charles that he simplifies and belittles mankind’s justifiable fears, but asks him why he turned himself in to Val Cooper. Was it simply to aid the government in its research into the Onslaught phenomenon, or does he perceive himself to be a danger?
(present)
Gyrich thinks his technique was a little excessive. He also doesn’t understand all these psi-shield precautions and blast doors for a man who is well respected in the world community. What does Bastion know, he wonders, that the rest of them don’t? Bastion removes the remote control from Gyrich’s hand and asks him to watch his tone. They simply guard against a telepath trying to contact him from the outside.
Bastion now wants to check on the status of prisoner M-9. Gyrich sees that the prisoner, who appears to be a young girl, is still sleeping. On the monitors, Rainbow Bears appear singing a nursery rhyme. It’s all that ever appears, says Bastion. He tells Gyrich that M-9 was just re-evaluated and categorized as an alpha class. “There were indications that she is capable of fooling the sensors and registering false readings,” Gyrich points out, upon reading her profile. Bastion replies vehemently by saying M-9 is an it, not a she. At least some of M-13’s friends have a tenuous claim to partial humanity, unlike that abomination that was created in the Manite Project.
An armored guard rushes down the staircase to inform Bastion that a helicopter is coming in and he is needed topside. He and Gyrich head outside as Dr. Ingrid Thysson’s helicopter makes its approach. She is a clinical psychologist; tops in her field. Bastion tells Gyrich that she will be doing a complete psych evaluation on M-13. If one is to be effective in extracting information from a particularly reticent subject, it pays to know all the dark corners of that subject’s psyche.
Thysson exits the chopper, followed by a large bodyguard. Gyrich welcomes her to Nevada and introduces himself. She asks Bastion if the subject is ready for interview, to which he replies that M-13 is indisposed at present. He adds that it would be preferable to run an extensive brief before she actually meets him. He fails to mention that Xavier is actually incapacitated due to being struck by him. Behind them, three guards whiz by on a small craft carrying a body bag with the letters, DX, printed on the tag. They toss the bag into the helicopter, which then takes off. Thysson asks if that was actually a body being so unceremoniously disposed of. “What is this place?” As they head inside, Bastion replies that it’s a place that does not exist as far as the rest of the world is concerned. She should remember that.
The group enter the complex. Bastion explains that this installation was once dedicated to the sole purpose of stopping, incarcerating and eventually destroying the Hulk. The government shut it down several years ago, but they refurbished it and delved deep into its twenty levels beneath the desert floor. Bastion shows Dr. Thysson a screen with Charles on it, lying on the floor, unconscious. The Manite appears on the other screens, asleep.
Bastion simply lies, and informs Thysson that M-13 became violent a short time ago and had to be… restrained. Thysson folds her arms and asks just what is going on here. She was told that Professor Xavier was cooperating with Val Cooper in the investigation of Onslaught. Her bodyguard turns to her and says that there investigations, and there are investigations. It appears this one was the old fashioned kind that hadn’t even progressed to rubber hoses yet.
Bastion snarls angrily at him, telling Dr. Thysson that her bodyguard speaks out of turn. The man replies that he’s not her bodyguard, so Bastion enquires just who on Earth he is, then. He holds up his badge, Mutant Hunter 1527, and says he is Special Operative Daryll Smith. He was the agency’s top mutant hunter, but he’s been out of the loop for a while. Now he’s reporting back for duty. Bastion leans towards him, and warns him that, if he values his freedom, he will restrain himself from questioning his authority. Smith gets his drift.
Bastion gets back to business. He informs Dr. Thysson that Professor Xavier volunteered his expertise to Val Cooper, the chairwoman of the Committee on Mutant Affairs. In turn, under orders from the very top, Xavier was remanded into his custody. The United States… the world… must know how Onslaught happened. Was it an anomaly, he asks, or a genetic portent of things to come? Xavier will help discover the truth. As they look at the monitors, Xavier’s screen begins to blur and his image quickly becomes replaced by Rainbow Bears. Thysson wonders if it could be a glitch in their system.
Bastion feels that Xavier is somehow bypassing the psi-suppressors. Impossible, thinks Gyrich. Bastion replies that it’s far from impossible. That’s part of a kid-vid satellite feed they pipe into M-9’s cell. It’s probably nothing more than a crossed wire, but he wants diagnostics to confirm it.
Inside Charles Xavier’s cell, he is finally awake and struggling to return to his wheelchair. Suddenly, the wall begins to shimmer and, slowly but surely, a shape appears and through the wall appears the Manite prisoner M-9, clutching her toy bunny rabbit. Charles looks up in shock, but the child asks him not to be afraid. She says he’s hurting, and she holds out her hand. She can tell. Charles asks who she is.
Back in the control center, Bastion is growing impatient. An employee tells him that the malfunction is some kind of override. It seems to be generated out of a cell, somewhere in the confinement facility on the security level. Bastion calls for a full alert and troops gather behind him to make their way to Xavier’s cell. “There’s a reason we’re being prevented from seeing Xavier’s cell,” says Bastion.
The Manite tells Charles she is called M-9, but he can call her Nina, just like Tuesday did. “But, how…?” asks Charles. She tells him she slides through the wall, but asks him not to tell them she has done it. With just a touch, Nina raises Charles from the floor with no effort and brings his wheelchair to him. “You’re a telekinetic as well?” he asks. She replies that she can move stuff real good. Now in his seat, Charles asks how she came to be here. Nina says she’s always been there. Tuesday said they got found under cabbage leaves by the Project Elf. “Funny, huh?”
Charles asks if Bastion knows she can moves things with her mind, but she says he doesn’t. Tuesday told her never to tell anyone. She taught her how to slide too. Charles strokes her hair and asks why she’s telling him this. She answers by saying he isn’t like them. They hurt people. “I hurt people too, Nina,” replies Charles. She leans on his lap, and adds, “But they’re not sorry.” She introduces her friend, Harry the rabbit, and asks if he will tell them a story sometime.
Bastion approaches the blast doors and orders them opened. One of the guards reminds him that there are three layers of them, and a poly-steel iris… Bastion wants them open, now! They clang open and the group move down the corridor to Xavier’s cell. Bastion throws open the doors, but finds Charles sitting alone, reading a book. “Yes; can I help you?” he asks. Bastion delivers a punishing kick at Charles, telling him that he’s somehow defeating the psi-shields and sensors. Charles doesn’t react, only questioning why Bastion just doesn’t come out and tell them what he knows about him. Why the game? Bastion replies that there are no games in his life. He has only one care: the survival of the human race
Bastion’s tirade forces Agent Smith to intervene, and he warns Bastion to cool it. Bastion immediately orders his guards to disarm Smith and confine him to a cell. As he is led away, Smith tells Bastion that he’s real good at cooling his heels; real good at some other things too. Bastion turns to Dr. Thysson, telling her she’s up to bat. He wants a full psych-profile on Xavier by the end of the week.
Bastion departs, followed by Henry Gyrich. He tries telling Bastion that it might not be M-13. M-9 is apparently capable of bypassing the psi-shields, as well as fooling the sensors. They are still evaluating the data on her. Bastion replies that he is not unaware of the Manite’s abilities. This base exists, in part, to study its evolution, so it can eventually fulfil its purpose. He tells Gyrich that he wants the latest assessment report on M-9 tomorrow.
(The next day)
Thysson has Charles Xavier strapped into a gyro-scanner. He is upside down, with his arms and legs strapped to spherical loops that rotate inside each other. The doctor wears an unusual outfit for a psychologist, controlling the gyro-scanner remotely and wearing a hi-tech helmet, which contains a screen displaying all kinds of information on her subject. Their banter is friendly. Charles tells her that he’s not sure he approves of her taste in couches. Thysson replies that the device monitors respiration, heartbeat, temperature, blood sugar, brain waves and seventeen other functions. She wants to begin the tests with some simple word associations.
First, she asks his name and occupation, for the record. He replies that he is Professor Charles Xavier and he is, he was, a teacher. She asks whom he taught, and he tells her he taught gifted youngsters. She then asks in what manner were these youngsters gifted, but Charles says that he thought it was a word association test, asking if they can proceed with the test proper.
Dr. Thysson removes her helmet and tells Charles that she realizes it’s against his pedantic nature to be the testee rather than the testor, but she has to do her job. Charles is indeed, pedantic. He asks if she knows the real purpose for this installation, and what Bastion intends to do with the evaluation report on him. Does she know why he is a prisoner here, although he has never been charged or indicted? Thysson says he voluntarily gave himself into government custody. Charles, hovering within the gyro-scanner, corrects her. He volunteered his cooperation to someone he trusts, someone who probably doesn’t even know where he is right now. By no means did he ask to help a man whose personal agenda is the eradication of everything he holds dear.
Dr. Thysson presses a switch on her remote control, and the clasps holding Charles in place click open. She helps him out of the scanner, asking what he hoped to achieve by giving himself up. Charles tells her he wanted to help. He wanted… redemption. She asks for what? What did he do that needs redemption? As he clambers from the scanner, he warns her that this is information that would prove dangerous to her. These are not the people he expected to do research with. He fears for Dr. Thysson’s safety if she were to learn more than Bastion wants her to know. Thysson accidentally stands on the toy bunny rabbit left behind by Nina. She picks it up and asks what it is. Charles angrily snatches it from her grasp and clutches it to his chest. “That’s Harry.”
That night, Gyrich is still following Bastion around. He’s been monitoring Thysson’s sessions with Xavier and thinks Bastion should maybe take a look at the tapes; especially the one with the rabbit. As they stroll purposely from the base’s entrance, Bastion informs Gyrich that he brought him out of the base for a reason. They need to be out of psi range. The assessment on prisoner M-13 is conclusive. The little Manite is too dangerous to be allowed to reach puberty and it will have to be a DX Protocol. The problem, he continues, lies in executing the protocol without the target becoming aware. He and Gyrich will have to remain above ground until the matter is resolved.
Gyrich already has a solution. He opens up a small device, which shows a holographic image of Agent Daryll Smith. Gyrich pulled Smith’s dossier and found out why he is such a hotshot mutant hunter. It’s because he is a psi-anomaly himself. He’s got some kind of natural psi-shield that can’t be penetrated by any known telepath. He adds, “This is a grey area. If he’s immune to psi probes, does that make him a…” Bastion breaks him off mid question and replies that it most certainly does not. He orders Smith released and given the DX order. He must carry out the task before dawn when the next transport comes in.
(meanwhile)
Charles Xavier is alone, still holding Harry, when Nina slides through the wall again and says hello. She thought Harry had wandered off again. Charles says he told her to be careful about these visits, but Nina says that she was so sad. The red man keeps thinking bad things about her. “The red man?” queries Charles. Nina describes the red man as being the one with all the red and angry thoughts in his head. ‘Course, she adds, she can’t see his thoughts, but she can see Gyrich’s, and Gyrich is so upset. It makes her sad.
Charles hugs Nina to comfort her. He thinks about Bastion being unable to have his mind read and tells her that Bastion is an angry person, but they should never let other people’s anger make them mad. Nina knows that, but thinks that if everybody could see thoughts like they can, they would never want to hurt nobody. It makes her upset when she sees hurt inside a person; that’s why she came to see him last night.
Charles looks down at her young face, and asks what she means by that, about both of them being able to see thoughts. She looks up and smiles at him. “Oh, you silly! You think the power went away?” Charles tentatively asks if it didn’t. “Of course not,” Nina replies; “It’s just turned off. Do ya want me to turn it back on?” Horror sweeps across Charles’s face at the prospect, and he tells her he isn’t ready. He doesn’t know if the… darkness, is still there, inside, waiting. He wonders what he’s going to do about her. If only he could get to a phone, then he could contact someone who could help her. Nina points to the table and says she has a phone. Surely enough, a telephone materializes on the table; a telephone in the shape of a Rainbow Bear. Charles smiles and says he meant a real phone, before turning to the phone in a sudden realization that the young girl could probably create just that.
(elsewhere)
A car phone rings in a Jeep heading through a forest clearing. Renee Majcomb answers and hears the surprising voice of Charles Xavier on the other end. He asks her to listen to what he has to say. Back at the Hulkbuster base, Dr. Thysson notices that all the monitors are once again filled with Rainbow Bears. She wonders if something has gone awry in Xavier’s cell again, but can’t get hold of either Bastion or Gyrich. This is her chance to get to the bottom of this, so she mounts a speeder and heads off towards the cells. Agent Smith watches her fly away down the corridor and, cocking his weapon, reckons it’s time to earn his paycheck.
Dr. Thysson reaches Xavier’s cell and dashes inside. His phone conversation has ended, but she notices the Rainbow Bear phone on the table and asks how on Earth that got there. Nina suddenly slides through the wall, clutching Harry, and tells Thysson that it’s hers. Charles tells her she should have stayed hidden, but Nina sidles up to Dr. Thysson and tells him she didn’t have any scary thoughts in her head. Thysson is surprised to learn that Nina is a telepath and she can defeat the psi-shields. Charles informs her that she can do more than that and she’s still many years away from achieving her full potential. He explains that he’s given her a crash course on how to handle her power, and the awesome responsibility she has because of it. He tells Ingrid that Nina went into his mind to access much of that information, and he got a glimpse of the true nature of her mind.
Ingrid kneels besides Nina and asks where she came from. Nina politely replies that she came from nowhere. She was born here. Charles explains that she came to him because she sensed he was in pain and wanted to take it from him. He asks if she believes in the purity of empathy, because she sees before her a little person filled with compassion, totally devoid of prevarication. Anger, aggression, jealousy, spite, avarice and pride are all totally alien to her. He continues to tell the doctor that, obviously, she was created there most likely as part of a government project that has no benevolent objective. The question is, what purpose was she meant to fulfil, and what is their responsibility toward her?
Nina turns to Charles and tells him that Ingrid isn’t a mean person. She doesn’t think bad things like ‘Basschun.’ She doesn’t want to DX her like they did to Tuesday. Dr. Thysson is mortified that they plan to kill Nina.
(shortly)
As Bastion and Henry Gyrich wait above ground with a group of guards, a security alert rings out over the compound. Prisoner M-13 is out of his cell and the surveillance system has been compromised. Bastion orders them to deal with it, as they’re not coming below ground. He tells them to quarantine all sub-surface levels, adding that M-13 is a danger to himself and others. Charles, meanwhile, is on the flying craft Dr. Thysson arrived on. He rockets his way through the facility, knowing that the chances of this gambit actually succeeding are slim at best. The consequences for himself and for Thysson will most likely be severe, but, if it offers Nina even the smallest hope of freedom, they must chance it.
Guards chase Charles along the corridors, setting their weapons to stun. Charles has succeeded in drawing their attention away from Ingrid and Nina. They sprint away from the cells, as Charles wonders what his X-Men would think if they could see him now. Ingrid asks Nina if she can slide to the surface if they get caught, but Nina has never seen the surface and doesn’t know what it is. Suddenly, behind them, Agent Smith appears and grins nefariously at Dr. Thysson. “She can’t teleport to a place she can’t even comprehend… isn’t that right sweetie?”
Charles is taken down by the guards, who cripple his craft. He’s stunned, but alive. As he comes to, more guards arrive dragging Ingrid, who is bleeding. Charles tries to ask what happened to Nina, but the cell doors slam shut, leaving him to rue his decision to attempt this escape.
Outside, Agent Smith carries a DX bag and informs Bastion that his dirty little DX Protocol is a done deal. No complications? he asks. Smith holds the bag up and tells Bastion that the little brat was thought controlling the shrink and the other prisoner. She tried the same trick with him, but no dice. He decked the shrink but she’s all right, and he broke the brat’s neck. “Why waste a bullet, right?” he shows Nina to Bastion and asks him to check it out. Her little face looks out lifelessly from the bag. Smith tells him that, if he were a telepath, he could go inside her head and see how dark and dead it is.
Bastion looks up at Agent Smith and replies that, despite what he may think, he takes no pleasure in this. Smith zips up the bag and hurls it into the waiting chopper. As it takes off, Bastion admits that he had doubts about Smith, but he knew his duty and executed it well. Smith says that if there’s one thing he knows, it’s his duty.
Later, one of the soldiers in the chopper informs the pilot that something’s wrong with the bag. It’s way too light. He unzips it and discovers it empty. He could have sworn it was full when Smith dumped it in there. The pilot replies that it’s not their problem. They just pick up the bag and get rid. Their orders are to ask no questions. Nothing happens down there without the man’s say-so.
(two days later)
Dr. Ingrid Thysson visits Charles in his cell, having to come to say goodbye. She’s being shipped out today, to where she can only guess. She supposes they really were in the mental thrall of the child. She reveals a black eye - the result of Agent Smith’s punch. Charles says that if that’s what she wishes to believe, okay. Tell me, he asks, she didn’t suffer did she?
(flashback)
Ingrid replies that it was strange, but Nina had looked into Smith’s eyes and she asked him, “You’re one of us aren’t you?” Smith smiled. “That’s right honey, and I’m sorry to have to do this to your pal, but it’s the only way.” He then punched her in the face, knocking her out. That’s all she remembers.
(present)
“One of us?” asks Charles, wondering what this means. Suddenly, the Rainbow Bear phone rings. Charles says hello and, on the other end of the line, is Renee Majcomb. She tells Charles that she drove all the way out there, like he asked, and she ran into somebody who was very hungry and thirsty. She wants to speak to him. Nina takes her phone.
Nina: Hullo Charlie! Oh, it’s so wonderful up here! There’s wind and there’s the hot sun and at night the sky is full of stars.
Charles: Nina, you’re all right. Is it safe to talk?
Nina: The Bears are on the TV Charlie.
Charles: What happened, Nina? What did the big man do?
Nina: Daryll said he was sorry he had to hit Ingrid. Then, he told me to stop breathin’, and ta make my mind go dark, and he went inside my head and showed me how! He told me to wait until I felt the flyin’ thing go up in the air, and then I should slide down to the ground and hide until somebody came for me. Daryll’s nice, huh? Charlie? Are ya cryin’ Charlie?
Charles tells her that there may be others out there like her. She must seek them out, and help them if she can. Nina promises that she will, but she has to go. She can’t keep the Bears on TV for this long. She says goodbye. Nina then asks Renee why Charlie couldn’t come with them. Renee tells her that it was the only way he could help. Some people care so much about others; they’re willing to sacrifice themselves. Charlie is a good man, she adds, and a wonderful teacher. They should learn from him. Nina says that she’ll never forget Charlie. She wants to be just like him when she grows up. “Someday, me and Harry are gonna turn him back on, “Ain’t that right?”  You bet, kiddo, replies Harry.
The end… for now.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
With Great Power…
Uatu gazes upon the burning remains of Central Park, where the battle for humanity’s survival was just fought. For eons, he had watched the planet’s legacy, to chronicle the splendor of humanity’s achievements and it’s heroes. Today, that story ended.
The unholy creature called Onslaught, created from the combination of the darkest recesses of the minds of Charles Xavier and Magneto, had finally completely freed itself from the body of Xavier. The creature believed that neither Xavier’s nor Magneto’s way could ever succeed: Magneto would never succeed in ruling humanity, as there is no point in ruling that which loathes mutantkind. Xavier would never succeed, as helping humanity, a beast which fears mutants, is a supreme act of cowardice and futility. As Onslaught grew more and more powerful, only one man still stood in his way:
Charles Xavier himself.
Charles tries furiously to combat Onslaught, even though Onslaught has stripped him of his telepathic powers. Xavier insists that Onslaught is not unstoppable. Onslaught mocks Xavier, and tells him that all that is in Onslaught is in Xavier. Xavier replies that there is one important thing missing: one shred of humanity. This will be Onslaught’s downfall. Onslaught, enraged, says that he has no use for any of humanity. A powerful blast hits Onslaught by surprise, and Rogue quickly grabs Xavier and pulls him away from Onslaught. Cyclops and the team of X-Men arrive, along with Joseph. Cyclops tells everyone to prepare to hit Onslaught with everything. Joseph tells Magneto that the onslaught is now over. Onslaught reminds him that his magnetic powers are also a part of him, and he can use them to uproot everyone from the ground. Xavier looks on as the X-Men struggle valiantly, but realizes that the fight is probably futile. This fact comes true, as with one powerful blow, Onslaught sends all of the X-Men flying. The park falls silent.
Xavier looks on in despair, but he senses hope coming through the ashes, as all of the world’s greatest heroes arrive to fight back against Onslaught. The Fantastic Four, the Avengers, Hulk, Namor, and Doctor Doom arrive, and help the X-Men to their feet. Mr. Fantastic tells everyone that this group is Earth’s last line of defense. If they lose, they all go out together. Onslaught reacts, blasting Joseph to the ground. Xavier cries out at his old friend, and crawls toward his fallen body as the team of heroes attack. Joseph asks why, to which Xavier replies that Joseph is here because of him. Joseph says that he remembers that Onslaught is as much a part of him as it is Xavier, and says that though he doesn’t remember much anymore, he feels safe in knowing he could never have a finer ally.
Onslaught cries that there will be no surrender. He will take no prisoners. Those he needs, he already has. Within Onslaught, Franklin Richards, the most powerful mutant in the world with his matter-warping ability, and Nate Grey, the world’s most powerful psi, are bonded to the beast. X-Man panics, knowing that everything is coming true, and there’s nothing he can do to help. Franklin begs for his Unca Benjy to fight back against Onslaught. Nate says that the world he came from, the world where Apocalypse sent Earth to ruin, is a world that Onslaught admires. Onslaught is now using their mutant powers to make the world just like Apocalypse’s, or even worse. Franklin says that Mr. Xavier said to fight back against Onslaught, but he couldn’t. Now, the two of them are together, so maybe they should try again.
In the battle, Iron Man and Captain America fall back to regroup and collect the fallen. Iron Man tells Cyclops that the Avengers are shielded by psi-scramblers, and asks if the X-Men are protected. Cyclops tells him that there are now few enough of them that Jean and Cable can protect them. It doesn’t seem to matter, though, as Onslaught has erected a barrier around his citadel to protect him. Falcon cries out that the ground is shaking, but Bishop says that the ground isn’t the problem, and they all look up to see a second sun above, far too close to Earth. Invisible Woman cries that it will melt the Earth, but Giant Man says that the gravity will kill everyone long before then. Cyclops tells Thor, Storm, and Crystal to try to contain the gravitational upheaval and keep everyone alive while the rest attack Onslaught for the last time.
Inside Onslaught, Nate Grey is freaking out about his situation. He compliments Franklin on his bravery, and Franklin says that he just wants to be with his mommy again. Franklin asks Nate if it’s true that the two of them can do almost anything. Nate says yes, and Franklin says that if that’s true, then they should be able to get out. Nate sighs it wasn’t exactly the super-strategy he was hoping for, but that maybe there is some truth to it. Maybe, with a little help, they can do it.
Outside, Cable focuses with his powers and relates that he’s found the kids. He cries out in pain, and reveals to Joseph that the techno-organic virus in his system threatens to take over his body if he doesn’t stay focused. Cable states that he can tether Franklin and Nate psionically and allow them to escape once Onslaught is defeated, but only with help. Xavier regrets that he won’t be able to help, since Onslaught has wiped away his powers. Cable says that he is able to go into Joseph’s brain and use the power of magnetism to break down the electro-chemical barriers in Xavier’s brain. Xavier forbids it as it is too dangerous, but Joseph insists, as even though it puts him at risk, he has decided that though his past sins are infinite in number, he will pay them back one life at a time if he has to.
Doctor Doom chides Rogue and Vision, claiming that he is so often forced to save the heroes from themselves. As ever, the genius of Victor von Doom will be their only salvation. Doom explains that Onslaught is using most of his energy to keep his barrier up, and that they can only destroy the field by distracting Onslaught. Rogue asks why they should trust him. Doom says that he has no interest in betraying everyone only to rule a planet of cinder and ash in the future. Only Rogue and Vision have the ability to distract Onslaught now. Gambit asks Black Panther if Doom really knows the X-Men. Panther replies that he would be surprised how much Doom knows.
On the streets of New York, many New Yorkers look at the burning second sun as the sky turns red, wondering if this is the end. Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, and Jarvis all look at the sky, helpless.
The heroes do not argue further with Doom. Vision uses his density changing ability to merge with Rogue, dampening her absorption powers and making her stronger.  Wolverine managed to make a small dent in the field with his berserker rage, and Giant Man and Namor hold the rift open long enough for Rogue and Vision to fly at Onslaught. Unfortunately, they bounce right off Onslaught, as Onslaught mocks their lack of physical strength. Reed Richards is stunned at the inability of that blow to hurt Onslaught. Vision is severely damaged as a result, and Scarlet Witch tries to hold him together as Gambit tends to Rogue. Captain America tells everyone to get ready, as Doom’s plan worked well enough to get Onslaught to drop the barrier.
Hulk tells Jean that he can take Onslaught down, but first, he needs Jean to go inside his head and shut off Banner. Jean says that she can’t take away his humanity, but Banner says that the only way for Hulk to become strong enough is to take away his control. Jean reaches inside his mind and shuts it down, asking about Betty. Hulk asks Jean to leave that alone. Hulk screams in pain, and Jean says that she didn’t say it wouldn’t be painful. Hulk goes silent, and Jean asks if Banner is still there. Hulk mutters that Banner is puny. “Hulk is the strongest there is!” Hulk fires a fierce blow at Onslaught, knocking him back. Hulk screams in rage at Onslaught, and beats him down. The heroes rush forward, as Hulk has him on the ropes.
Reed and Susan Richards talk privately as everyone else joins the battle. Susan suggests that this may be the final battle, the fight that all their lives have been leading up to. Reed tells her to look at the trail of masks and mutants that followed the trail they blazed, and says that for the first time in his life, he doesn’t know what will happen.
As Hulk continues to beat Onslaught, a whirlwind of psionic energy begins to blow the heroes back, but they struggle forward, pooling their powers, as Joseph uses his power to keep Iron Man moving forward. They ignore rivalries, as Quicksilver helps Vision to his feet. They rekindle old feelings, as Human Torch pulls Crystal from harm.
Nothing would stand in the path of the heroes. They were comforted only by the knowledge that there would be no better way to go than beside old friends.
The ground shakes as Hulk continues to pound Onslaught. Finally, Onslaught cries out that Hulk cannot win. Judgement has been passed, and no one is worthy. No one will survive the coming of Onslaught. Onslaught hammers Hulk back, knocking him down. Onslaught bears down on the fallen giant, telling him that he despises humans for their prejudice and hypocrisy. He loathes mutants for their cowardly attempts to be accepted rather than to rule. Onslaught asks if he has forgotten anyone. Hulk replies.
“Just Hulk... Makes… him mad… the madder… Hulk gets… the stronger Hulk gets…. And Hulk… is… ANGRY!”
Hulk hits Onslaught with a blow powerful enough to shatter his psionic armor. On the streets of New York, a sound comparable to a nuclear blast hits, and everyone panics. They look, and see that Onslaught’s armor has been crushed. Also, they see the fallen Hulk, and underneath Hulk, an unconscious Bruce Banner. Banner struggles to gain his equilibrium. The heroes claim victory.
However, above the fallen Hulk, a vast cyclone of energy appears, and claims that it is Onslaught, and is no longer a physical creature that can be bludgeoned into submission.
“I am thought itself! I am perception! Perception is reality… and reality rejects you!”
Reed Richards says that Onslaught has been playing them for fools all along. Onslaught had been evolving the entire time, and this is his true and final form. Richards says that since they can no longer touch Onslaught, they can’t fight him. Thor says that if they need a vessel for Onslaught, then he volunteers. Thor warns everyone to show him no mercy once he absorbs Onslaught, and dives into the energy field. Thor screams in pain, and disappears from sight. Reed says that Thor is being torn apart, and won’t be able to contain Onslaught alone.  Thing and Human Torch follow Thor, and dive into the field while Susan screams for them to stop. Onslaught screams his final gasp:
“What are you miserable parasites doing? You’re draining me….”
Giant Man says that they need more mass to contain Onslaught, so he is going in. He apologizes to Wasp for all he’s put her through, and says that everything he’s ever done without her has been a big mistake. The Avengers, led by Captain America, storm into the energy field, further weakening Onslaught. Henry tells Wasp that this transformation will be a new one, and possibly his last, but hopefully, the loneliness will have finally meant something. Wasp tells Hank to slow down so she can catch up with him. Hank tells Jan that he’s always loved her, even through the bad times. Jan says that she does too, and they dive into the field.
Mr. Fantastic says that Thor’s idea is working, but they still need more mass. He tells Iron Man to be ready, but Iron Man asks if anyone has seen Doom.
Inside Onslaught, Nate and Franklin are freed from the energy. Nate hears Xavier’s voice telling them to take his hand. Nate refuses, telling him that he’s sick of being on the run because of maniacs like him, mutants that are out of control. Xavier tells Nate to take his hand and find the world that will accept him.
Outside, Wolverine, Crystal, and Quicksilver all attempt to breach the energy field, but Reed warns them to get back. He noticed that Onslaught’s energy grew when Rogue hit Onslaught, so mutant bodies may cause him to grow stronger again. Quicksilver says that he is disappointed that he cannot join his teammates in sacrifice, but is relieved that Crystal will be spared. Crystal, in tears, tells Pietro that he still doesn’t listen: Reed didn’t say anything about Inhumans. Crystal blows Quicksilver back with her elemental powers, and rushes into Onslaught as Quicksilver is held back by Wolverine.
Away from the battle, Doom mutters about the raw power that is crackling through the air, and hopefully, he can use his absorption module to turn this day to his advantage. Before he can do so, an arrow pierces through the device, destroying it. Hawkeye and Iron Man have returned to collect Doom. Iron Man tells Doom that he doesn’t expect him to know what is going on, as it will be a new idea to him called “sacrifice.” The three of them fly into Onslaught’s energy field.
Reed and Sue Richards take a look around and see that everyone has now joined with Onslaught except for the X-Men and themselves. They were the first, and now the last. Reed checks that Cyclops knows that the X-Men have to hit Onslaught with everything once again once the remaining Fantastic Four are in order to blast Onslaught out of existence. Reed takes Sue’s hand, and they dive into the field together.
As the heroes have all sacrificed themselves, Cyclops shouts at the X-Men to attack at once. All of them respond, hitting the Onslaught energy field with every type of energy they have, their hearts filled with sorrow and rage. As they do, one last body stirs, the body of Dr. Bruce Banner. He looks around him, and helps out in the only way he can: by jumping into the energy field.
The fight continued, with the roar of power surging louder and louder, until finally, a deafening blast occurred, and Onslaught was no more.
As Onslaught vanishes, Nate tells Franklin to use his powers as much as he can to create an exit from Onslaught, and they escape into Xavier’s waiting hands. Franklin grasps for his mother’s arms one last time, and everything comes to an end.
“In that moment, time and space froze. Reality warped. And, perhaps, hope was reborn. But as their salvation was secured above, human witnesses gaped in horror at the hell below, and passed a terrible and vicious judgment against those they would hold forever responsible for the tragedy of a world without heroes.”
Everything settles, as the X-Men collect themselves and help Franklin and Nate recover. Franklin asks Xavier where his mom and dad and Uncle Ben and Johnny went. Xavier can only reply that they gave the noblest sacrifice of all so that the world might live. Franklin asks Xavier when they’ll be back, and Xavier assures him that they will all be together again someday. He tells Franklin to always hold them in his heart so that they can always be with him.
X-Man takes Xavier for a flight over Manhattan, so Xavier can see first hand all that has happened and all that mutants will be blamed for in the coming months. He understands that the people who watched the battle saw the X-Men turn against their comrades, and won’t be able to explain why. Nate comments that the heroes were magnificent. Xavier asks if Nate knew any heroes in his world. Nate says that there weren’t any at all. Maybe if there had been, though, his world would have been a better place.
“God knows they made a difference here.”
Uatu finishes his story, and Apocalypse has been listening intently. Apocalypse says that the story is touching – a story of the fittest surviving, and his favourite kind. He says that Uatu was correct when he said that this hour was the end of his age of wonder, as another age is dawning – the Age of Apocalypse. Apocalypse says that now, with the arena cleared of heroes and defenders, the age will be upon us soon.
Perhaps. Or perhaps a different day is at hand, Apocalypse. A day of new possibilities… of heroes rediscovered and heroes reborn. The champions of Earth are but mortal men. Their passing, however tragic, is inevitable… but their legacy will endure, so long as their memory is not forgotten. - Uatu


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[Assistant]
Traitor to the Cause
Forty-five minutes from now…
Phoenix speaks into the X-Men’s communicator, desperately trying to call anyone for help. The haunting message, parts of which haunted Bishop in his own time, is played over the communicator.
Nobody answers her cry for help.
Now…
At the Xavier Academy, Professor Charles Xavier stares at an old photo of himself with Erik Lensherr from a time when they were still friends. He remembers some important words: “Anything worth having is worth fighting for.” He becomes infuriated at their stupidity in thinking that they could change the world. Xavier throws the picture into the fireplace. Xavier telepathically contacts all of the X-Men on the grounds, referring to them as his “former students.”
The X-Men gather in Xavier’s study, perplexed that he would call off the search for Juggernaut. Xavier insists that there are more pressing concerns at hand. Gambit protests, claiming that Juggernaut almost killed him and Bishop. Storm asks Gambit to listen. Cyclops is relieved to see Jean again, as their telepathic bond was severed a half-hour ago. Jean doesn’t speak to Cyclops right away, as she realizes it will break his heart to know that Xavier is the cause of all the problems of late, and that Xavier is Onslaught. Jean recalls that trust used to be the defining characteristic of the X-Men, but that things have changed dramatically of late. When the X-Men found Juggernaut beaten weeks ago, the only thing he could say was “Onslaught.” Later, Post attacked them, claiming to be “testing” the X-Men before they could confront Onslaught.
Jean believes that the only advantage the X-Men may have on Onslaught is that she knows his identity, while he does not know this. She begins to discreetly probe Xavier for any psionic weakness.
The X-Men gather around Xavier’s chair to hear his words, and Xavier admits to Gambit and Wolverine that he feels more awake than ever before. He speaks to his team:
“I made a mistake. A simple, tragic mistake. An honest mistake. But a mistake nonetheless. I believed in us.”
Xavier proceeds to tell the X-Men about his despair and disgust at the situation he has faced all his life. He is realizing that they will never be able to forge a better tomorrow. For all the work they have done to try to show humanity that there is nothing to fear from mutants, there is nothing to show for it. On top of that, there are far too many less-enlightened mutants out there with no desire to help things. Both sides make things worse each day. For every murdering pack of Gene Nationals, there is another breed of Sentinel being produced. For every Exodus and Acolyte and Emplate, there is an X-Cutioner or Graydon Creed or zealot with the Friends of Humanity. Xavier declares that it is time to take control and solve these problems.
 The X-Men are stunned by this declaration. Cyclops looks for some clarity from Jean, but Jean is too busy trying to probe Charles’ mind, but finds nothing of use. Xavier tells Cannonball that he means to help people who are unwilling to help themselves: “tending the flock,” he calls it. Phoenix thinks that this may not be the disaster she thought it would be. Jean thinks to herself that Onslaught may have only been toying with her and Juggernaut, and turns in horror, as she sees the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak sitting on Xavier’s desk, with Juggernaut imprisoned inside it. Jean realizes that this truly means that Xavier is mad – and there is no more time to think about it. She cries out to everyone to act now.
The room fills with psionic energy, and a deep voice fills Jean’s head. Onslaught reveals himself to Jean, and informs her that she has accomplished far too little, too late. The X-Men can no longer hear her, nor can they see the energy filling the room. Energy, which Onslaught claims he wields – and energy which wields him. Jean begs for Xavier to fight Onslaught’s control, but Xavier merely looks at her with disdain, and swats her away with a psionic “muzzle,” prohibiting her from using her powers.
The X-Men rush to Jean’s aid, and Cannonball is frightened – he suggests that the X-Men turn their attentions to Xavier.
Onslaught reveals himself to the X-Men for the first time, rising in his armored form and announces that there is no more Xavier, only Onslaught. Jean demands to know what happened to Xavier, and Onslaught replies that they are all confused – he did nothing to Xavier, but rather, Xavier did something to him. Onslaught says that Xavier created him in his own way to do what Xavier could not. He was forged out of the crucibles of fear, frustration, and rage at what was happening to mutantkind. He was nurtured by all of Xavier’s darkest desires, and incubated by the suppression of those emotions.
Wolverine growls at Onslaught, and informs him that nobody ever said that Charles was a saint, least of all Xavier himself, and that there must be more to this story. Onslaught tells him that there is much more, more than he could possibly imagine. Onslaught orders the X-Men to follow him, as they followed Xavier before him. They have a world to set right, according to Onslaught. Bishop asks if Onslaught intends to impose his will upon humanity to accomplish this goal. Onslaught replies that free will is a privilege that humans need not be allowed to abuse. Cyclops says that for someone who claims to be a creation of Xavier, he sounds a lot like Magneto. Onslaught turns, enraged. To prove that he knows the X-Men better than they know themselves, he reduces Wolverine’s mind to the state of a frightened cub. He prompts Iceman to rearrange his body on a molecular level, forming an ice sculpture that looks like Onslaught. He then makes Storm believe she is still a child trapped under a ton of stone and steel. Storm begins to panic, and screams for her mother.
Cyclops cries out that he has seen enough, and blasts Onslaught. The creature flies backwards, shocked that Scott would lash out at Xavier. Cyclops says that no matter how painful it will be to stand against him, they won’t rest until Onslaught is defeated. The X-Men gather and prepare to fight. Onslaught mocks them again, asking if they truly comprehend what has happened.
“I am as much Professor Xavier as I am M—one other!”
Onslaught says that there is a part of him that refuses to destroy what Xavier has worked so hard to create, and that Xavier believes the X-Men will still follow him. Onslaught disappears to do some “other things” around the mansion, and leaves the remaining X-Men behind, frozen in their tracks and unable to move. Cyclops notes that Xavier has the power to do this, but this is cruel. Jean says that they need to use their powers just as creatively.
Suddenly, the floor begins glowing with kinetic energy, and everyone is free to move around again. However, the glow does not stop getting brighter, and the floorboards explode. Gambit apologizes and says that it might have been a little extreme, but at least it worked. Bishop worries that it shouldn’t have worked. Jean theorizes that perhaps Onslaught isn’t fully in control of Xavier’s mind just yet.
 Jean reveals to the team that earlier in the day, Onslaught pulled her forcibly into the astral plane. She explains that Xavier seemed to be trying desperately to fight Onslaught from within. Gambit tells her not to worry about it, and to gather and stop Onslaught cold. Wolverine and the others hesitate, worrying about having to fight their mentor. Bishop suggests that it won’t help anything to fight him with their hands tied. Gambit agrees, and says that if Bishop can figure it out, then they all should agree, as Bishop has wasted the last few years looking for the “traitor” to the X-Men that got them all killed. Bishop is stunned, and realizes that Onslaught may be the reason that Bishop returned to this time from his future.
Cyclops tells them to worry about it later. He orders Storm, Phoenix, Wolverine, and Cannonball to go to the Professor’s ready room, to get rid of the hard data on the mutants down there. The rest are to go to the Cerebro unit, to avoid letting Onslaught have a means of recruiting mutants for his cause. Beast hesitates, asking if some should stay behind and prepare for Onslaught’s return. Cyclops refuses, saying they can’t risk being separated further. The Dark Beast thinks to himself that he will not follow the X-Men into a situation of certain death, and believes he can turn the situation into one advantageous to himself. He believes that Onslaught will win the battle, but Iceman interrupts his thoughts by grabbing him and dragging him behind everyone. Cyclops worries at the thought of having to face the mind that trained them all.
Four Freedoms Plaza, New York:
Susan Richards looks out the window of the Fantastic Four’s headquarters. She wonders why she is filled with a sense of dread, especially now that finally, her son has been returned to her, and the entire Fantastic Four is united. She feels as though something is about to go horribly wrong.
Meanwhile, Reed Richards attempts to fix a toaster, while the Human Torch enjoys breakfast and Thing reads his horoscope. The horoscope says that “you are about to go on a trip with twenty of thirty of your closest friends.”
Little Franklin Richards, son of Reed and Sue, talks to his new friend, li’l Charlie, unnoticed by the others. Franklin asks Charlie if he wants some milk. Charlie, a psionic apparition of Onslaught, says that he is just there to talk. Charlie asks Franklin if he ever gets scared. Franklin says no, and offers Charlie milk again. Charlie begins to get angry, and tells Franklin that the world fears and is mean to people who look like his family, because they are different. He says that sometimes, different people need to be protected. Franklin says that that is what his parents are for. The boy appears confused, and again offers Charlie some milk. Charlie reacts with rage, and throws Franklin’s glass across the room. Susan looks sternly at her child, asking why he would throw a glass on the floor. Franklin says that it wasn’t him, it was Charlie. Susan looks angry, and Reed picks up Franklin to go help in the lab. Charlie worries that he needs to control his temper if he wants to control Franklin’s powers.
Xavier Institute, Westchester:
The X-Men combine their powers to blow the door off of Xavier’s study. Right away, Storm gets to work attempting to disable and delete all of the stored information on the computers. They notice that on the recently accessed files, Franklin Richards and Nate Grey appear repeatedly. Sam thinks that maybe the Richards family asked for help, but Storm thinks there is a far less benevolent reason. Bishop wonders if there’s a connection between the Nate Grey files and the fact that Xavier fought him several weeks ago. Sam says that they should just blow the place and go. This angers Wolverine, who pops his bone claws and threatens to gut him if he doesn’t shut his yap. Sam continues to act panicked, and blasts straight into Wolverine. Bishop and Gambit suspect that Onslaught is controlling Cannonball’s mind, and they should have seen it coming. Bishop realizes that he’ll need to use some of his stored energy to take down Cannonball. He blasts Sam, and Onslaught reappears. Wolverine says that he just doesn’t see a resemblance to Xavier in Onslaught. Wolverine says that he looks a lot more like Magneto, but he is cut off by a psionic blast right into the X-Men’s minds. Onslaught says tat he is enraged, disappointed, and frustrated that the X-Men will not follow him, and is tired of their betrayal, he tells the X-Men to taste their greatest fear, the mind of Xavier – unleashed. He knocks all of them to the floor.
Avengers Mansion, Manhattan:
While the X-Men struggle to fight Onslaught in Westchester, Nate Grey pleads his case to the Avengers, begging them for help as Onslaught will surely attack the city. Nate complains that the Avengers refuse to take him seriously. Vision replies that it is difficult to do so, as Charles Xavier is an old and trusted Avengers’ ally. Scarlet Witch insists that they will look into it, but Nate insists that they need to act now, as he is already inflicting damage. Thor looks on in shock, as Nate suddenly freezes and begins to bleed. Captain America orders the quinjet immediately, so they may question the X-Men in Westchester immediately.
Xavier Institute, Westchester:
Onslaught lifts the body of Bishop, as the remaining X-Men lie unconscious on the floor. He tells Bishop that he never would have succeeded without Bishop’s memories of the Age of Apocalypse. With Bishop’s memories, Onslaught has learned how Apocalypse created a less benevolent version of the future Onslaught seeks. Onslaught mocks the irony of the situation – how he could never have done what Bishop came from the future to stop without Bishop’s own memories.
Meanwhile, in the Cerebro chamber, Dark Beast smiles with glee, as he examines with awe the files on almost every mutant on the planet. Cyclops asks what the point of it all is, and Beast says that he just finds it “fun.”  Cyclops says that the minute he severs the connection, Cerebro will become little more than a ghost in a shell. Iceman watches the door intently, saying that Onslaught gives off enough ambient energy to detect him immediately. Suddenly, Iceman lashes out with a blast of ice, and surprises Onslaught. Iceman could see the heat flowing from Onslaught, and focused on this rather than any other form of perception. Onslaught marvels at Iceman’s improved skill, then, as Cyclops orders the rest to attack, Onslaught turns Cyclops’ own blasts on the others, first on Jean, then Bobby, then causes them to feed back into his own head. Beast begins clapping and pledges allegiance to Onslaught immediately. Onslaught asks what the Beast of another reality could offer him, and Beast offers his “resources.” Onslaught insists that there is nothing he could offer, but starts to stagger and topple in his tracks. As Beast catches Onslaught, he says that he is not as powerful as he hopes to be. He asks Hank if he truly wishes to serve, and Henry replies yes, but Onslaught cuts him off immediately by siphoning some of his thoughts. Onslaught says that Xavier is resisting him. McCoy does not understand, as he thought that Onslaught and Xavier were one. Onslaught says that he is not supposed to understand, but one among the X-Men may be able to help.
Later, Onslaught strings Jean up in the study, telling her that if she would choose not to give up her thoughts willingly, he would forcibly tear them out of her mind. He asks Jean to scream for him. Jean continues to resist, and Onslaught drops her to the floor. Onslaught demands that Dark Beast begin disposing of the bodies of the X-Men, beginning with Jean, but Jean has escaped. Onslaught orders McCoy to find her immediately, before she is able to summon help. Jean rushes into the shielded Z’Nox chamber, where Onslaught cannot read her thoughts. Here, Jean begs for help from Havok, Nightcrawler, Banshee, or Cable – anyone from the other teams that may be available. Onslaught rips into the chamber, berating Jean for not accepting the inevitable.
As Jean finishes her fateful message, Onslaught knocks her down – but Cyclops and Wolverine attack from above, surprising Onslaught again. The X-Men have reunited in the Z’Nox chamber, where they will make their last stand against Onslaught. All of the X-Men pool their powers into Onslaught, as Wolverine and Cannonball attempt to break his armor open. Gambit tells Iceman that none of his nightmares are this bad. Bishop worries that he has failed in his mission by failing to protect Charles Xavier from himself. Bishop continues to blast Onslaught, until finally, the body stops writhing in resistance. The X-Men gather, frightened by the possibility that they just killed their own mentor. However, Onslaught’s voice echoes in Bishop’s mind.
“You realize, of course, that this is all YOUR fault. Because of your failure, Bishop – EVERYONE dies!”
Onslaught releases a blast of psionic energy at the X-Men, but Bishop jumps in the path of the blast, intending to sacrifice himself, but absorbing all of Onslaught’s attack. Onslaught looks on in shock, because he had just released enough energy to kill a thousand mutants. Bishop insists that the dream will never die, and falls over, seemingly dead. Onslaught turns away, saying that he would have been proud. Dark Beast asks Onslaught if he may begin experimenting on them now. Onslaught tells Beast that he seems to have difficulty understanding – that his plans reach beyond the X-Men. Soon, the whole world will tremble, and they will behold his mighty hand.
Later, the X-Men reawaken, and help Bishop regain consciousness. They look around and see that Beast has joined Onslaught of his own free will. Iceman asks where do they go from here – it appears they can’t trust anyone. Cyclops says that they can trust each other. They recap everything they have learned about Onslaught – Storm says that the text of the files on X-Man and Franklin Richards suggested that he was more like Magneto than Xavier, but that Onslaught went crazy when Wolverine suggested that Onslaught was Magneto. Gambit suggests that perhaps Magneto is exerting his mind over Xavier. Cyclops thinks that it is unlikely, but that they should be prepared for anything at this point. Cyclops suggests that this may be the entire reason the X-Men were brought together in the first place. Xavier gathered them to learn about their powers, but also to protect the world from mutants who could not or would not control their own. When next they meet, they need to be prepared to kill Professor Xavier.
Sentinel Factory, Classified Location:
Two employees of the U.S. government check on the Sentinels being produced, and wonder if they will ever need to use them. One of them says that just having them around is enough to keep mutants in line. Suddenly, one of the Sentinels becomes active, and utters a single word…
Onslaught…


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[Assistant]
The Beast Within
A terrible cry rings out. It is a cry that has been heard many times since and strikes fear into the hearts of even the most steadfast hero. It is the cry of a beast but yet of a man. This cry signifies the birth of one of the most dangerous mutant the world will ever see. James is shocked by the claws that have popped out of his hands, and cries again.
Rose is shocked and terrified at what she has just witnessed. Elizabeth Howlett, is shocked too, yet she has seen something similar before, as she say “Not again, not you, James“ before slapping him in the face and telling him to leave. James is confused and doesn’t understand what is going on. The trauma of witnessing the death of his father and killing Thomas Logan has given him selective amnesia (A problem that he will suffer from for the rest of his life). James runs from the house and Rose follows.
Dog sits holding his face whimpering as Elizabeth looks at the two dead men. She kneels down buy Thomas and holds him in her arms. Thomas was obviously the man she really loved.
Ouside Rose finds James lying amongst the leaves in the garden maze. Claws still protrude through the backs of his hands and he looks dazed and confused. Meanwhile Elizabeth picks up a rifle and holds it to her head. Outside a gunshot rings out.
While James and Rose hide out in the barn the police inform the elderly Mr Howlett what has happened. James doesn’t seem to recognize Rose at first but he slowly becomes more lucid. He complains that there is so much noise and that he can smell things that seem far away. The Police question Dog about what
happened and he so very nicely testifies that it was Rose, who shot the others.
Rose gets turned away by her only living family, her Aunt Hazel. She has no choice but to continue to walk with James through the snowy night, and remarks to James that his claws are slowly sliding back under the skin. As the two walk through the woods they come across old Mr Howlett and Rose explains what really happened. He takes them into the his house and in an uncommonly generous act (for him anyway) gives them a coat, money and the promise to use his power in the town to keep the police off their backs for 10 hours, if they will never show up again.
Rose and James travel by train and then by horse and cart out to a frontier mining town in Northern Canada. Rose realizes that James seems to be healing as they travel and all his injures and his claws seem to have disappeared. All the time James is quiet and subdued. When they reach the town the guy in charge, called Smitty, notices James and asks to see his hands. Realizing that James has never done a hard days work in his life he questions Rose about him. Rose promises that James will do more than his fair share of work and that she will cook and clean. Smitty asks for James’ his name. Rose thinks on her feet and says that his name is Logan.


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[Assistant]
Heaven And Hell
Logan stands looking at his hands trying to get his claws to pop. He is interrupted by his boss who tells him to get a move on with the barrow of bricks he is wheeling. As he travels up the hill we see the camp cook called Malone getting a beating for dealing up small portions of food. As he takes the next load of bricks Smitty, the foreman, busts his chops for slacking. Logan wheels his load of stone down the hill but as goes past the beaten Malone he looses control. Malone grabs it for him but them lets it go. Logan has to chase the barrow down the hill as Malone smiles.
Logan burst into his and Rose’s cabin and throws himself down on his bed. Rose tries to get him to talk but he brushes her off. Rose writes in her diary explain how she and Logan survive. Rose works in the camp office and Logan get up early to move rocks. Rose is unhappy as the mining camp is unpleasant and rowdy.
Logan walks back from work and is accosted by Malone. The fat cook gives him a bit of a beating until Smitty arrives and tells him to back off. Smitty helps Logan to his feet and tells him he needs to stand up to Malone or Malone may well kill him.
A year or so has based and Rose has become a young woman. She baths in a calm part of a river while Logan hunts a deer. Logan spears the dear and Rose leaves the water. Malone can be seen spying on her. Rose hears Malone moving around but she is distracted by Logan’s arrival with the deer. Logan also spots something moving but Malone has already left. Rose and Logan go on to talk about how good Logan has got at hunting and how Logan believes this is how is meant to be. Rose tries discuss the events back at the big house but Logan says he had no life before they came to the quarry and will not discuss it.
Rose again writes in here diary as we see a more muscular Logan working breaking up rocks, drinking and smoking a cigar.
It seems Logan has got a reputation as a hunter and gives away parts of his kill. This has not helped his relationship with Malone. Logan again gets a severe beating off the cook but still doesn’t put up much of a fight. Again Smitty saves Logan’s butt again and gives Malone a heavy beating. Logan freaks out starring at the backs of his hands and runs off into the forest. As it grows dark in the forest Logans gets surrounded by a pack of Wolves. As the wolves close in a familiar look crosses Logan’s face. Three claws burst from the back of his right hand. Logan and the lead Wolf stare into each others eyes. There is obviously some connection between the two because when Logan collapses the wolf doesn’t attack but simply stand over Logan and howls.


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[Assistant]
Revelation
A pack of Wolves run through the forest hunting a deer. Running with them for the hunt is Logan. Truly at home with these expert hunters Logan is learning his trade. Logan gets to the deer first and tackles it to the ground. His claws make short work of the kill and he leaves the deer for the Wolves to feed from. Meanwhile Rose read poetry from a book Smitty has just given her. Something is about to happen but they are interrupted by Logan’s return. Smitty says he has come to see Logan and has a job for him.
The next morning Logan meets Smitty by the entrance to a cave in the quarry. Smitty instructs Logan in the art of setting explosives to open up new seems. He sets the fuse and runs. Logan is a little slow off the mark and nearly gets blown up. The two end up laughing together.
Elsewhere Cookie Malone is cheating at cards again. The miners playing with him spot Smitty and Logan and start ribbing Cookie. They praise up Logan’s work ethic and compare him to a Wolverine. Cookie get annoyed but the miners say Logan is worth ten of Cookie and almost give him a hiding. In the end they decide he is not worth the trouble so they wander off.
Rose is writing in her diary again and tells us how Logan as become a man. Despite his short stature his physical stamina has made him a popular man. So fond of him are the miners that they jokingly call him “Little Smitty”. Though at night Logan still goes out to hunt with his pack of Wolves.
Cookie is not a happy man however. He wrongly blames Logan for his fall from grace and plots his revenge. He steals away to the explosive shed and cuts the fuses short on some dynamite.
The next day disaster strikes. Smitty and Rose are discussing the accounts but they are interrupted by a miner bringing bad news. He tells them that there has been a cave in at the Quarry. Smitty is soon there directing his mean but the outlook is bleak. They all ready have lost six men and they do not hold out much hope for the others. Eventually they come across a barrow buried amongst the rock. Underneath the barrow they find Logan clutching a young boy in his arms.
The next day Logan is a hero and Smitty comes to see him. He brings with him another book this time for Logan. It’s a book from Japan about the way of the samurai. He tells Logan that the Japanese have a lot to teach about inner strength and his sees that inner strength in Logan.
That night inspired by Smitty’s book Logan seeks out Cookie, and finds him stealing from some houses while the families are burying their relatives that died in the cave in. Logan gives Cookie a damn good hiding and makes him swear to come clean about what happened at the quarry. Wound up and excited by what just happened Logan runs to tell Rose. Sadly he finds her in the arms of Smitty and runs away.
Deep in the forest he takes his frustrations out on a tree with his claws. Then the wolf pack arrives. Mad as hell Logan takes on the Alpha male and wins. As the defeated wolf limps off Logan takes his place as the leader of the pack.
Many miles away the old Mr. Howlett has become a very sickly old man. Confined to his bed he laments his decision to drive James away. Talking to an unknown person he asks him to track down his grandson. Then we see who he was talking too. A huge muscular man with 3 large scars running across his face. He promise to hunt James down like a Dog !


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

[Assistant]
Dust To Dust
A tall man in furs with three scars over his face talks with and old man and asks about a man called Howlett. When the old man points him to the quarry the tall man snaps his neck.
Meanwhile a rather annoyed Logan chops wood. Rose comes to talk to him and their exchange
is heated. Logan is mad because Rose is to marry Smitty and move back to the city. Logan storms off and Rose sits and cries.
In the bar Smitty is trying to sell some belongings to get the train fare to the city. Failing miserably he decides to sign up for a cage fight, because the winner will get 200 dollars. On the way to sign up he has a brief exchange with the tall man dressed in furs, Smitty tells him that he is doing it for the girl he loves – Rose. Right after the tall man has left, Logan walks in and ignores Smitty. He joins some of the men drinking at a table. When he sees Smitty signing up for the cage fight he decides to do the same.
Back at the cabin Rose complains about Smitty signing up to fight. When she realises that Logan may be fighting too she warns Smitty not to fight Logan. He promises not to hurt Logan, but Rose tells him that it is him and not Logan she is worried about. Smitty doesn’t see the danger and brushes off her warning with some annoyance. He leaves for the fight and Rose sits on the bed, looking at her diary.
As Logan and Smitty cruise through the initial rounds of the fight Rose packs her things and writes a note for Logan addressed to James. When it is Cookie’s turn to fight Logan the tall man slips Cookie some knuckle dusters. Cookie goes to town on Logan but Logan eventually turns the tables and almost kills him with his claws. At the last minute he stops his claws popping out and lets him live.
The final fight is Smitty versus Logan. Logan beats on Smitty really badly until he almost has the win. Logan suddenly tells Smitty to hit and make it look good. Smitty does so and Logan throws the fight so Smitty and Rose get the money they need.
Logan and Smitty leave together as friends. Smitty tells Logan that he has recommended him to be the new foreman. Smitty goes off to Rose and Logan watches him leave. The tall man jumps Logan and tosses him about before throwing off his Furs to reveal that he is Dog. He looks very similar to Logan, only somewhat taller with slightly lighter hair and Logan’s claw’s scars across his face.. He accuses James Howlett of having stolen his name “Logan“.
Meanwhile Rose is shocked that Smitty left Logan alone and goes off in search of him. Dog uses a pitchfork to beat the hell out of Logan all the time taunting him about that terrible night years ago, when he first popped his claws (issue #2). Logan doesn’t recall any of it, not even the name James. He is confused to the point he is unable to put up much of a fight. Dog makes the mistake of revealing to Logan that it was him who killed his father. Snapped back to reality by the shock Logan takes the fight to Dog. He takes down Dog quickly and easily. He pops his claws and goes in for the kill. Rose runs through the crowd to stop him, but she topples and accidently gets skewered by Logan’s claws. Rose dies.
Some time later Smitty is running through the snow calling after Logan. He tells him to come back and that they need each other to get over what has happened. Logan hides in the trees and makes a choice. Life in the complex world of man or life in the simple world of his Wolf pack. He leaves with the wolves as Smitty calls out his name.
Meanwhile Cookie Malone is going through Logan’s and Rose’s belongings looking for valuables. He finds Roses diary and casually throws in onto the fire. As it sails through the air a small note addressed to James slips out and escapes death in the flames. The diary however is not so lucky and slowly burns away.


[User]
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[Assistant]
None
On the surface of the Earth’s moon stands Uatu the Watcher. Silently, ponderously, he gazes up at the planet his home orbits. The Watcher is a being who has seen it all. For untold eons he has watched from on high. Such is his sacred duty. To bear witness. To be a living record of the Earth’s evolution. He has seen all the beauty and horror that a world like Earth has to offer. He has seen more births and deaths than he can count. More war than any other living thing. He has seen the colossal events that shook the planet, that echo through history still. And the quietest of moments, that changed its inhabitants without them even noticing. He has seen their greatest secrets. Their struggles. Their successes. Their sins. He has seen all there is or ever was. And yet with the coming of each new day, the Watcher is still full of wonder. Over what he might see next.
As silently as he observed, the Watcher returns to the ruins of the Blue Area of the Moon. Machines older than the sun and infinitely more powerful come alive around him. However, it is not his mere machinery that leads him to where he needs to be or what must be seen. It is a feeling. An innate sense for where and when the world is on the verge of changing. As always, the Watcher gives himself to that feeling. But today… today that feeling tells him for the first time in his very long life… that he won’t be going anywhere. And in that moment, he knows. He knows what he will be watching today. And for a second he feels a twinge of what he has seen on the faces of so many others at times like this. Uatu the Watcher knows fear.
Still, he does not blink. He does not run. Still, he watches without flinching. Because some things cannot go unseen. He is the Watcher. And he will keep his eyes open wide… until he can see no more. Glancing over his shoulder at the one who watches him, the Watcher speaks. “I see you.” A moment later, a massive explosion rocks the Watcher’s facility and the Watcher watches no more.
Elsewhere, late at night, a convertible sits parked next to an Avengers’ Quinjet at a Cebulski’s Steakhouse restaurant. In a booth within sit four friends, soldiers in arms in the world of the super-powered, though for the moment all dressed in civilian garb. On one side sits Steve Rogers and Logan, each known as Captain America and Wolverine. On the other sits Nick Fury and Natasha Romanov, the latter of whom is known by many as the Black Widow.
When Steve declares that he cannot eat another bite as he’s about the burst, Logan mocks that he’s liable to get stabbed if he lets that meat go to waste. It’s “meat night.” He should stop worrying about his figure. Hearing this, Natasha interjects that it’s a good steak but the best meat is from an animal you hunt and kill yourself. Next time it’s meat night, she’s taking them to hunt bear. Sneering at this, Logan replies that he’s eaten bear before. No bear in the world tastes like his rib eye. He hasn’t eaten Russian bear, she counters. If he had, he wouldn’t be so short.
It’s a really good steak, Steve admits. But he’s stuffed. He’ll have to get up at dawn just to run it off. To this, Logan asks when has he ever not gotten up at dawn just to run? Smiling, Natasha asks “old man Rogers” what was the best steak he ever had. Steve begins to muse but before coming to a decision the answer is given for him. Christmas 1944, Nick answers. Bastogne.
Continuing, Nick explains how they’d been under siege for almost a week, when out of nowhere a cow came running into the midst of a firefight. Once it went down, them and the Germans were basically fighting over who could get at it first. He had never seen Bucky fight harder. That night he butchered it for them. God knows where an army brat who grew up in Virginia learned to butcher a cow. Some grunt from Texas fixed up a grill from a burned-out Jeep. It was the first good meal they’d had in month that didn’t come out of a can. And the last anything they’d have for days. By the time they finished eating, he swears the whole damn cow was gone. Tip to tail. They gave the bones a proper military funeral. They slept like babes that night, even with mortars falling all around them. At least he did. And they fought like hell the next morning. Steve here took out two Panzers himself.
Bastogne, Steve says aloud, now remembering the tale. That was the best steak he ever had. Smiling, Nick adds that that was the best steal anyone’s ever had. Hard to top that. To this, Natasha opines that it would’ve been better if it’d been a bear.
The memory of the past is shattered by the technology of the present, as a mobile phone rings. As Steve answers it, Logan takes the opportunity to grab the last of the captain’s steak. Having trouble understanding what he is being told, Steve instructs Thor to slow down. Say again? Recognizing something has happened, the Black Widow calls for their check. Is he sure? Cap asks Thor. Is that… even possible? Okay, calm down. They’re on their way.
As the other three rise from their booth, Nick waves to them that they should go ahead and save the world. He’ll handle the tab. Actually, Cap begins, he might want to come with them. Apologizing, Nick replies that Steve knows he doesn’t do that sort of thing anymore. That baton’s been passed. He wouldn’t ask, Cap replies, if it didn’t sound like they might need him on this one. That bad a fire, huh? he asks. Where at? Told on the Moon, Nick agrees that’s never good. All right, he finally replies. But he’s driving.
Five minutes and 238,000 miles later, the foursome are in Fury’s flying convertible automobile, approaching the Moon. A small force dome holds in their atmosphere, while the tires have fanned out like horizontally to facilitate flight.
Soon the foursome are in what was the Watcher’s outpost, joined by Iron Man and Thor. Calmly, Thor explains that he was flying through the cosmos, on his way to Midgard, when something struck him in the face. It was blood. There was blood… floating in space. Then he noticed the smoke on the Blue Area of the Moon, coming from the Watcher’s lair. He came inside… and found this. He had Mjolnir circle the moon many times. There was no one else to be found. Whoever was there, whoever did this, they had already fled… like craven trolls.
Raising his hand to interject, Iron Man asks Thor to hold up. They shouldn’t go making assumptions and calling anybody trolls, not until they’ve weighed all the options. For all they know, this could’ve easily been some sort of accident. He means, look around. He couldn’t tell them what most of this stuff does, and he’s the smartest guy he knows. There could’ve easily been an explosion or… When Cap softly interjects, speaking only Iron Man’s given name, the golden Avenger admits that he knows what it looks like. He just doesn’t want to say it, okay? Something this big? He means, not until they know for sure.
Then he’ll say it, Fury says. It doesn’t take a super-genius to see what happened there. The Watcher was murdered. Below, at the feet of the six assembled heroes, stands the apparent corpse of the Watcher. Lying in his own blood, the Watcher seems to have a single wound to the center of his forehead, with both of his eyes removed from their sockets.
Kneeling down to the Watcher’s wrist, Captain America asks if they should check his pulse, only to then ask if he has a pulse. Do they know? Still regarding the whole body from his feet, Iron Man reports that he’s getting no energy readings whatsoever from the body. He’d say that means he’s almost certainly dead. Yeah, there’s that, Wolverine agrees, and the giant hole in his forehead. Ignoring the attempt at dark humor, Iron Man asks who or what is powerful enough to put a hole in a head that size? Thanos? Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube?
It was a gun, judging by the blood spatter, the Black Widow answers. She should know. She’s seen a lot of blood spatters. If they were lucky, there’s still a bullet lodged in his skull. When Wolverine asks what the hell kind of gun could do that, Cap answers the kind they need to find. Quickly. Spying something noteworthy, Fury voices that the Watcher’s eyes are gone. Both of them. Carved out post-mortem, he’d say. What kind of person takes another man’s eyes? Examining the body more closely, the Widow asks if that’s a sign. Did he see something he wasn’t supposed to? ‘Tis madness is what it is, Thor opines.
Considering something else, Cap asks Wolverine if there are any scents he can follow, but Wolverine replies that there’s nothing. Just them. Air’s antiseptic. His crazy machines must keep the place scrubbed clean. Speaking of machines, Iron Man interjects, he doesn’t think eyes were the only thing their killer took. Shining a light on the rest of the area, Iron Man says that the damage isn’t just from a fight. This place was ransacked, quickly and crudely. Looks to him like there are all sorts of items missing. Weapons, super-tech, who knows what they’re talking about. He knows just enough about the sort of things the Watcher kept there… to be very afraid right now.
So, Cap considers aloud. They’ve got a killer on the loose, armed with a gun that can kill a Watcher. And now he’s loaded with enough stolen super-tech to do God knows what. Don’t forget about the eyes, Wolverine reminds him. Turning to Fury, Cap asks if he sees why he asked him to come along. He needs SHIELD on this, Fury replies. And SWORD and everybody else. They will, Cap agrees, but something this big… they need to take point on this. Except the Avengers aren’t murder police. When Fury replies that neither is he, Cap retorts that he’s as close as they’ve got.
Thoughtfully, Fury pulls Cap apart from the rest of the group, placing his arm on his shoulder. Calling him Steve, Fury tells him that he must realize the list of people who even knew the Watcher existed, let alone who could’ve done this, is extremely short. And not all the names on it are bad guys. This investigation… could lead to some very dark places. Some was murdered, Cap replies bluntly. Will he help him find it? For a moment, Nick Fury silently lowers his head, considering his reply.
Elsewhere, underground, below the ruins of the Necropolis, the Wakandan city of the dead, T’Challa, king of Wakanda and the Black Panther, sits in his control center, surrounded by monitors. He may have heard, an electronic voice informs the king through the system’s speakers. There’s been a murder. On the Moon. He’s heard, the Panther replies. There was an alert from Captain America, just before he called. Though, let him guess, he knows something he doesn’t. To this, the voice replies that he knows that there are some jobs the Avengers just aren’t cut out for. This is one of them. Asked by T’Challa what makes him think that he is cut out for it, the voice replies that he thinks the Panther is used to going places the Avengers wouldn’t dare. Told that he’s not sure that that’s a compliment, the voice replies that, for him, it was. Take a look at this.
Images suddenly appear on the monitor. Images which surprise the Panther. What is this? the Panther asks. What did he just send him? A trail, the voice replies. One he’s been following for a very long time. One that goes in a lot of different directions. But only leads one place. To the unseen. To the original sin.
Far away, the speaker of the voice sits in a darkened room. In his hands he holds a small, luminescent, green object, cylindrical in shape.
He’s being cryptic, T’Challa tells the voice. He doesn’t like cryptic. This trail, he believes it leads to the person who killed the Watcher? To this, the voice replies that he believes it leads to answers, yes. Then send this to the Avengers, T’Challa informs him. He has a country of his own to protect. That’s all he’s asking him to do, the voice rejoins. Look at the files he sent him. He’ll see. This threatens everyone. He’s not interested in playing his games, the Panther replies resolutely. If the answers are all in these files, then why does he need him?
The answers aren’t in the files, the voice replies. Only the questions that need to be asked. And the places they must go in order to ask them. Pondering what he sees on his screen, the Panther haltingly admits that there are interesting places. He could never cover all of this alone. No, he certainly couldn’t, the voice replies. Stop being coy, the Panther instructs him. He’s already put together a team. He had some thoughts, the voice informs him. He’s sending them to him now. He thinks he’ll find it… a lively little mix. His eyes going wide as he reads the list, T’Challa mutters that he had better be joking.
Elsewhere:With one hand, the diminutive Ant-Man holds the reins of the two winged ants on which he is standing. With his other hand, he waves to his new ally and asks her to cast her eyes down to him. Is she ready to get this team-up in gear? Dismissively, Emma Frost of the rogue X-Men informs Ant-Man that he shouldn’t have sent him there. Ant-Man can’t know this location. Don’t worry Ant-Man counters. With such a tiny brain, he forgets things easily. Yes, Emma replies, see that he does.
As he buzzes near her eye level, Ant-Man notes that her super-secret hideout with Cyclops is around there, huh? It’s likely none of his business, he knows, but considering he’s still a wanted criminal, their new boss must really have something on her to get her to agree to come along on this. Growing visibly angry, Emma warns Lang that one more word and she will render him incapable of speech. Alrighty then, Ant-Man replies, daring two words. With that, he directs his two flying ants toward a tunneling craft which has just erupted from the ground some distance away. He guess it’s gonna be a long ride down.
Los Angeles:In a darkened warehouse, Frank Castle, known as the Punisher, stands before a man he has bound to a chair. Weakly, the man informs the Punisher that that’s it. He’s told him… about every last one of them. He’s lying, the Punisher replies bluntly. To this, the bound man swears that he’ll take him to where they’re buried.
He’s telling the truth, Doctor Strange voices as he emerges from the shadows. Believe him, he tells the Punisher, he sees things other men cannot. To this, the Punisher replies that he knows he’s telling the truth. The first 15 minutes were for making him talk. The last hour was because he deserved it. He’s had enough, Strange tells him. And they need to be going. When the Punisher replies when he’s finished, Strange proclaims that he is finished and with a wave of his hand the bound man disappears in a flash of crimson light.
As the Punisher begins to balk, Strange explains that he sent the man to a dimension ruled by beetles the size of Dobermans. Surely even he must approve. Get this straight, doc, the Punisher replies, brandishing his automatic rifle, if he does that again, he’ll shoot his kneecaps off. His warning given, the Punisher suggests that they get this over with.
Earth orbit:In a space craft sit Moon Knight and the Winter Soldier. The Watcher, huh? Moon Knight muses aloud. Big bald guy who lived on the moon, right? Funny, he never crossed paths him. Or him either, he then says of the Winter Soldier. Say, what’s his connection to their boss? And are all the crazy stories he hears about him true? He could’ve sworn the guy was dead or at least…
Spector, the Winter Soldier interrupts, speaking Moon Knight’s true surname, shut the hell up. And slow down. They’re supposed to pick up their other team member right around there. To this, Moon Knight points out a female figure, floating in the vacuum of space before them, two giant swords cross-crossed across her back. Something tells him that’s her. In short order, the craft reaches the woman and Gamora, daughter of Thanos, enters the craft.
Back on the Moon, Nick Fury records his thoughts in a wrist device. Start with the obvious, he begins. Their killer… is no amateur. You don’t find your way to the moon, into the Watcher’s home base, and put a bullet in the big guy’s brain without knocking what the hell you’re doing. It was a clean kill. Neat. One shot. This was no panicked, shaky hand. This was someone who didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Their killer has killed before.
Fury’s musings are interrupted by Captain America, who calls out to the spymaster and asks if he said something. Nothing, Fury replies. What did SHIELD say? They’re working with SWORD, Cap replies, poring through spaceflight records and looking for any available satellite surveillance footage of the Moon. He’s sent Stark to help. He’s also assured them the scene is secure. He’s got Thor and Wolverine on patrol. Asked by Fury if he told SHIELD that he was there, Cap replies no. He didn’t know if Fury still was. Good, Fury says. He doesn’t know if he is either.
Hearing this, Cap pulls an item out of a pocket and suggests that this will help him make up his mind. In his hand, Cap holds a plastic bag with luminescent green shards. Widow dug these fragments out of the Watcher’s skull, he explains. They think it’s a bullet. When Fury notes that it’s glowing green, Cap agrees, then adding that he’s learned to get real uneasy around things that glow green.
Rubbing his chin, Fury begins to muse that they’re going to want to talk to Banner as soon as possible, but Cap interrupts, asking him to hold that thought. Touching the side of his helmet, he informs Fury that he has a call coming in from the FF. Sounds like they may have their first suspects.
In Manhattan, among the ruins of a street and the buildings that surround it, one of the Mindless Ones delivers a devastating series of blows to the outmatched Thing, followed by a powerful blast from its wide, Cyclops-like eye. As the civilians attempt to flee from its path, the Mindless One impossibly begins to project a thought. At first it is without structure, but then becomes one of formless surprise. Finally, a full thought is formed. I, the Mindless One telepathically projects. I!!!!!!
Appearing on the scene, Spider-Man is startled. That’s one of the Mindless Ones, he informs the still-recovering Thing. Super-strong extra-dimensional monster dudes. He’s fought these guys before. They’re no joke. He doesn’t say, the Thing sarcastically retorts as he tries to return to his feet.
I know!!! the Mindless One announces. Why he make I know? Was better not knowing! Hearing this, the Thing quips that it doesn’t seem so mindless to him. Something’s wrong Spider-Man replies. They’re not supposed to be telepathic. To this, the Thing adds that that ain’t even their biggest problem. Did he see what he’s got in his… Knowing is pain! the Mindless One bellows in their minds. Make I not know again!!!
He asked for it pal, the Thing replies, delivering a powerful right-cross. As he follows it up with a left hook, Spider-Man assists by wrapping the whole Mindless One in webbing. Even as Spidey does so, the Thing urges him to get the creature down fast, and watch his hands! However, it’s no use and the Mindless One easily breaks free of the webbing with a powerful shrug.
No!!! You’ll take I back! I… We never should have gone! We never should’ve gone to the Moon! The things we found there… changed I. Changed us. ARE changing us. Making us see. The man in the Moon knew. As he dodges a car thrown by the Mindless One, a feat which the Thing is not able to replicate, Spider-Man repeats “the Moon.” Making us know… was his revenge, the Mindless One states. With that, he raises the object he had been holding and points it at the two heroes.
Oh, hell, the Thing voices. That’s the Ultimate Nullifier. Hearing this, Spider-Man quips that, unless it is ironically named, he’s guessing that’s bad. Raising his hand, the Thing tells the Mindless One to look. They’re not its enemies. Whatever’s wrong, they can help. Just put down the Nullifier.
You can’t change what I’ve seen. What I’ve done. I was so content being a… a beast before… being a mindless monster… before I knew the meaning of sin. But now… Now SIN is all I can see. Better to see nothing at all.
With that, the Mindless One turns the Ultimate Nullifier toward its own head. The Thing has but a moment to yell “NO!” before the trigger is pulled. A giant explosion rocks the center of Manhattan, a sight viewed by the approaching flying car of Nick Fury and its passengers. In short order, as the car hovers over the scene of destruction, Cap leaps to the ground, yelling for Ben. What happened? Is everybody all right? No, Cap, the Thing replies. Not everybody.
At the center of the explosion, all that remains of the Mindless One is the intact Ultimate Nullifier and the hand of the creature which once held it. Seeing the weapon lying on the shattered street, Captain America orders for nobody to touch it until they can get some sort of containment team down there. Hands on his hips, the Thing asks what the hell’s going on? Is it true what they’ve heard? Is the big, bad guy really dead? Before Cap can reply, Nick Fury steps forward and tells the Thing that he’s going to need him and everybody else to take a big step back. This is officially a crime scene. And he’s in charge. Receiving no objections, Fury continues. Now… they have a murderer to track down. Let’s get to work.
As their craft tunnels straight down into the planet, Ant-Man says that he just wants to get this straight. They’re looking for a killer… at the center of the Earth? They’re following a lead, the Black Panther replies from behind the controls. Theirs isn’t the strangest destination.
As they leave the warehouse, the Punisher asks Doctor Strange whose plane are they using. Plane? Strange repeats. The boss didn’t tell him the details, did he? Oh, this is going to be good. Not liking the inference, the Punisher begins to object, but it is too late. A flash of crimson light later, they are gone.
In their spacecraft, with Gamora now settled in, Moon Knight announces that their course is laid in. Here they go, boys and girls. Hearing this, Gamora asks if they know what sort of resistance to expect once they arrive. Do they have backup they can call if they need it? To this, the Winter Soldier incredulously asks if she hasn’t heard. The Watcher’s dead. There’s no one watching anything anymore. They’re on their own. With that, the spacecraft departs lunar orbit.
Elsewhere:In an empty warehouse, over a dozen Mindless Ones writhe on the floor, each telepathically exclaiming I!!! Watching this, a woman wearing a long coat informs her hooded colleague that she can’t control them anymore. They lost one today. They’re… changing too fast. As are they, the hooded man adds. The things they stole, the woman continues, somehow they’re… evolving them. They’re opening their eyes. Aren’t they? Yes, the hooded man affirms. Holding up a giant eyeball, held in a bloodied cloth, the hooded man adds that it’s not their eyes he’s most interested in opening.