Uncanny X-Men #189 (Dec 84): Legacy of the LostCreative Team: Chris Claremont, writer; John Romita, Jr. & Dan Green, artists; Glynis Wein, colorist; Tom Orzechowski, letterer; Ann Nocenti, editor; Jim Shooter, editor-in-chief
Starting Line Up: Storm, Nightcrawler, Wolverine (DNA), Colossus, Sprite (DNA), Rogue, Rachel
Guest Stars: Magik, Sunspot
In New Mutants #22:
Sunspot starts acting funny while training with Colossus; Professor X and Moira study Warlock; Selene makes a connection with the Hellfire Club; Wolfsbane writes a fairy tale, in which her beloved is consumed by shadow, and she kills the one responsible.In Kitty Pryde & Wolverine #2:
Kitty is captured by Ogun and becomes a Ninja.Synopsis: The shadowbeings come through a dimensional portal and attack Storm, Colossus, Rogue, and Forge. Forge gets away and goes looking for Naze. Naze is in the process of calling upon the Great Spirit for help. Some being responds and tells him his soul is now alien. Meanwhile, at the Dallas/Fort Worh airport, Nightcrawler teleports aboard a plane and teleports Amanda Sefton out. The X-Men need her magicks to help them fight the wraiths. They get there in time to save the team. Magik teleports in as well with her soulsword and helps the team. Amanda creates an energy web around the dimensional portal, but can't hold the shadows back much longer because a wraith is still around somewhere using a counterspell. Forge returns and has Nightcrawler teleport him to the roof. The wraith Storm left up there is still alive. Forge kills it and Amanda is able to close the portal. Magik finally explains her mutant and mystic powers to her brother. Forge finally finds Naze, and he's alive, but only barely. Storm checks on him too. She tells Forge she is leaving, but when he sees her again, he'll wish he hadn't. Somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle, Lee Forrester's boat finds a man in the water being attacked by a shark. They scare off the shark and Lee goes in after the man. She pulls him aboard. The man is Magneto, and thanks Lee, whom he recognises from some time ago, and thanks her. Back at the mansion, once everyone is together and settled down, Nightcrawler calls a meeting of the team. Storm doesn't want to attend since she no longer has powers, but Nightcrawler says he really needs her support. Rachel, Magik, and Sunspot listen in on the meeting, but Xavier comes out to tell them all to go to bed. Rachel stays, since she can mentally shield herself, and she's concerned about what's going on. Nightcrawler is questioning the purpose of the X-Men. He agrees the school is need to teach mutants to use their powers responsibly, but with the mutant affairs control act pending approval, and Storm being attacked by their own government, he feels their purpose no longer exists. Why protect a country that hates them? He mentions the maiming of Storm and Banshee, and the deaths of Thunderbird and Jean Grey. Rachel hears that Jean is dead and freaks out with such ferocity that Nightcrawler is in pain. Xavier tries to calm her down, but she explains Jean is her mom. She then goes on to make an empassioned speach about the usefullness of the X-Men as mutant superheroes. She tells how Nightcrawler, Amanda, Illyana, and Xavier die and her being captured and put in a concentration camp. She then recaps the mind switch in the Days of Future Past classic. She then explains she cam back physically to try and change the past, except she seems to be in the wrong past since so much is different. She then begs the team not to turn away from the dream since the fight is as important as the result. Storm quotes Spider-Man (with great power comes great responsibility) and Nightcrawler agrees to stay with the team. On a loading dock, Jaime Rodriguez drops a crate of fish, but inside finds a medallion that promises him great power.
Yeah, but is it good? I don't understand most of the magickal wraith crap, so the first half of the issue isn't my cup of tea. But the last half with Rachel making her plea and giving the X-Men purpose from a historical purpose is great stuff. Just imagine is there was a day MLK Jr doubted his struggle and you could be there to tell him the struggle, and even his death, is worth it. So now we know for sure - Rachel is the daughter of an alternate future Cyclops and Jean Grey. I guess it's obvious the roster is hurting a little with no Wolverien or Kitty since Magik and Amanda Sefton get recruited to help out. Magneto shows up for the first time in a while. His being stranded in the ocean is a result of Warlock accidentally destroying Astroid M over in New Mutants. Ugh... and that enchanted amulate is NOT going to lead anywhere good...
Significata: Rachel revealed as daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey. More of her timeline is revealed. Magneto is found by Lee Forrester. Colossus discovers Magik's powers. Nightcrawler doubts the X-Men's purpose, but is reminded.
