X-Men #125 (Sep 79): There's Something Aweful on Muir Island!
Creative Team: Chris Claremont, author; John Byrne, penciler; Terry Austin, inker; Orzechowski, letterer; Glynis Wein, colorist; Roger Stern, editor; Jim Shooter, editor-in-chief
Starting Line Up: Cyclops, Pheonix, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Banshee, Storm, Colossus
Guest Star: Polaris, Havok , Multiple Man, Beast
Synopsis: Moira MacTaggert is running tests on Pheonix. Moira is scared by the levels of power she sees. Pheonix reveals she's no longer having burn outs like she used to. Angus MacWhirter appears to be watching them and hungering. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, the X-Men are trainining in the danger room. They arn't doing so well. Cyclops rides them on it. Wolverine flips out because it's all a game and he's sick of jumping though hoops and then takes off. Cyclops has doubts the new X-Men will ever mesh like the old team. Meanwhile, on Asteroid M, a beat up Magneto is watching tapes of his battles with the X-Men. A tape of his X-Wife (get it?) appears. He erases it. Meanwhile, in Stornoway, Scotland, Jason Wyngarde thinks over his plane for Pheonix. He reveals he's been following her since she originally left the states and showed up in the guise of friendly strangers and soon he'll make her fall in love with him. And then she'll belong to the Hellfire Club. Meanwhile, at Moira's house, Pheonix is showing off her powers to Polaris. She's using her advanced telekinetic power to change the molecular structure of her clothes to make them into anything she wants. Moira theorises Pheonix has some sort mental circuit breaker to prevent a power overload, but her ability is slowing growing to the point where she could be a living god. Meanwhile, in space, Xavier feels like an idiot among the Shi'ar. He studies their knowledge of the Pheonix force. He realises the force is much too powerful for Pheonix' mortal body to contain. Back on Muir Island, Moira discovers a gold tooth in front of Mutant X' cell. She checks, and he's escaped. Pheonix senses Moira's panic, and takes off in her direction. As she's on her way, she suddenly transporter back into the 18th century, wearing an elegant dress. Her senses tell her it's all real. Then she's snapped back to the real world, as she's attacked by Angus MacWhirter. When she looks at him, she screams. It alerts Havok and Multiple Man. Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Beast is checking on what he thought was the deserted mansion. Nightcawler sneaks up the intruder and tackles him. Both men thought the other was dead and they freak out. Nightcrawler teleports to the danger room to tell the others. Cyclops rushes out and is shocked to see his old friend. She's even more shocked to find out Pheonix is still alive. Beast has to leave, but Cyclops calls Muir Island to let them know the X-Men are still alive. Polaris answers the phone, but before she can get over the X-Men being alive, she seems something that horrifies her and screams.
Yeah, but is it good? Normally between two big action issues we get a character building issue. This is sort of like that. But instead of developing a character it more explains the dangers of the Pheonix power. It's also a lot like a horror movie. Everyone keeps seeing a myserious figure that looks like Angus MacWhirter and screams. But Mutant X also appears to have escaped. Curiouser and curiouser. And the Jason Wyngarde stuff starts here. This is leading to the all time great stuff.
Significata: The Pheonix power is revealed to be too much for a mortal body. It concerns Xavier enough for him to return to Earth. The two sides of the team discover the other is still alive (except Xavier). Jason Wyngarde reveals his plan to make Pheonix love him and join the Hellfire Club. The Hellfire Club is mentioned for the first time. Pheonix is mentally transported back to the 18th century for the first time. Mutant X is revealed to be escaped. Cyclops finally gives up on expecting the new team to be like old team. Wolverine fights with him over making the X-Men train like children.
