X-Men #128 (Dec 79): The Action of the Tiger!Creative Team: Chris Claremont, author & plotter; John Byrne, plotter & penicler; Terry Austin, inker; Tom Orzechowski, letterer; Glynis Wein, colorist; Roger Stern, editor; Jim Shooter, editor-in-chief
Starting Line Up: Cyclops, Pheonix, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Banshee, Storm, Colossus
Guest Stars: Havok, Polaris
Synopsis: Proteus is destroying the city by warping reality. The X-Men go about trying to save the cities inhabitants. Wolverine starts to freak out again. The story of how Proteus escaped his cell is retold (Magneto accidentally short circuited the locks on his cell in #104, and then he took over the body of Angus MacWhirter in #119). Banshee wants to rush in an save the woman he loves, but Cyclops reasons with him it will do no good. Cyke leads the X-Men as a team and plans on exploiting Proteus' two weaknesses: metal and his need for new bodies. They plan on burning out his existing body first. The attack doesn't go so well as Storm, a powerless Banshee with a gun, and Nightcrawler all fail in their attempts. Pheonix launches a mind attack on Proteus that is successful for a while but he managed to fight back. Wolverine comes to her rescue and cuts Proteus with his metal claws. That hurts Proteus enough for Cyclops and Havok to blast him from each side. He uses his powers to escape and the two brothers blast each other. Cyke mentions (I believe for the first time, but I havn't any Havok from the old X-Men) that their powers don't have any effect on each other. Wolverine tries to help Moira escape, but Proteus catches up with them and throws Wolverine aside. Proteus comes for Moira until Colossus (in human form) comes to her aid. He throws Proteus' rapidly decaying body against a wall and it smashes into dust, leaving only a energy form. Proteus tries to take over Colossus' body, but he turns into his steel form and throws himself into the energy mass. Proteus' weakness to metal causes him to disappate and seemingly die. Moira is saddened by the death of her husband and son, but is relieved two great burdens from her life are now gone. Wolverine congratulates Colossus on "acing" Proteus and, surprising, Colossus doesn't look that upset over killing someone. Bansee and Moria are reunited and the story ends with their embrace.
Yeah, but is it good? The conclusion to a great story arc. Lots of action here. Proteus does some neat things with his power (like turning a brick wall into bees). Cyke even gets a neat power usage section as he slows a falling Wolverine by hitting him with a pulsating optic blast. Painful, but saved him. Havok and Polaris were pretty useles for the most part in this issue and the previous. I understand it made sense to have them in the first part of the story, but really they could have had them stay back with Multiple Man. I like Havok, but he's wasted here.
Significata: Proteus dies, killing both Moira's son and husband. Colossus does the honors, but show no sign of remorce. Wolverine, while saving Pheonix, says "Leave her alone!! I loved that lady, bub!" Loved. Past tense. So we know he's apparently over her and now in love with Mariko Yoshida. It's revealed for the first time, at least since the series was relaunched, that Cyclops and Havok's powers can't hurt the other (very much). Banshee and Moira finally get to be together since she found out he's alive.
