Issues


 * Academy X Issues **

__**Issue 05**__ || __**Issue 06**__ ||= __**Issue 07**__ ||= __**Issue 08**__ ||= __**Issue 09**__ ||= __**Issue 10**__ || __**Issue 11**__ ||= __**Issue 12**__ ||= __**Issue 13**__ ||= __**Issue 14**__ ||= __**Issue 15**__ || __**Issue 16**__ ||= __**Issue 18**__ ||= __**Issue 19**__ ||= __**Issue 20**__ || __**Issue 21**__ ||= __**Issue 22**__ ||= __**Issue 23**__ ||= __**Issue 24**__ ||= __**Issue 25**__ || __**Issue 26**__ ||= __**Issue 27**__ ||= __**Issue 28**__ ||= __**Issue 29**__ ||= __**Issue 30**__ || __**Issue 31**__ ||= __**Issue 32**__ ||= __**Issue 33**__ ||= __**Issue 34**__ ||= __**Issue 35**__ || __**Issue 40**__ || __**Issue 41**__ ||= __**Issue 42**__ ||= __**Issue 43**__ ||= __**Issue 44**__ ||= __**Issue 45**__ || __**Issue 46**__ ||= __**Issue 47**__ ||= __**Issue 48**__ ||= __**Issue 49**__ ||= __**Issue 50**__ || __**Issue 51**__ ||= __**Issue 52**__ ||= __**Issue 53**__ ||= __**Issue 54**__ ||= __**Issue 55**__ || __**Issue 56**__ ||= __**Issue 57**__ ||= __**Issue 58**__ ||= __**Issue 59**__ ||= __**Issue 60**__ || __**Issue 61**__ ||= __**Issue 62**__ ||= __**Issue 64**__ ||= __**Issue 65**__ || __**Issue 66**__ ||= __**Issue 67**__ ||= __**Issue 68**__ ||= __**Issue 69**__ ||= __**Issue 70**__ || __**Issue 73**__ ||= __**Issue 74**__ ||= __**Issue 75**__ || __**Issue 76**__ ||= __**Issue 77**__ ||= __**Issue 78**__ ||= __**Issue 79**__ ||= __**Issue 80**__ || __**Issue 82**__ ||= __**Issue 83**__ ||= __**Issue 86**__ ||= __**Issue 90**__ || __**Issue 91**__ ||= __**Issue 92**__ ||= __**Issue 94**__ ||= __**Issue 95**__ || __**Issue 96**__ ||= __**Issue 97**__ ||= __**Issue 98**__ ||= __**Issue 99**__ ||=  ||
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_1_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 01 - 'Be True to Your School'"]]
 * Issue 01** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue_02_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 02 - 'Down by the Schoolyard'"]]
 * Issue 02** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue_3_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 03 - 'Hot for Teacher'"]]
 * Issue 03** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue_04_Small2.png link="academyx/Issue 04 - 'Fight for your Right'"]]
 * Issue 04** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue_05_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 05 - 'Smokin' in the Boys' Room'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_06_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 06 - 'Another Brick in the Hall'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_11_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 11 - 'When the Lights Go Down'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_16_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 16 - 'A Long December'"]]
 * __Issue 17__** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue_18_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 18 - 'We Die Young'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_21_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 21 - 'Needle in the Hay'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_26_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 26 - 'Right Next Door'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_31_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 31 - 'In the Court of the Crimson King'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue_36_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 36 - 'Put Out The Fire'"]]
 * Issue 36** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue_37_Small.png link="academyx/Issue 37 - 'Walk Through the Fire'"]]
 * Issue 37 ** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue 38 Small.png link="academyx/Issue 38 - 'Temptation Waits'"]]
 * Issue 38 ** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue 39 Small.png link="academyx/Issue 39 - 'Taste of Blood'"]]
 * Issue 39** ||= [[image:academyx/Issue 40 Small.png link="academyx/Issue 40 - 'Take Me as I Am'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue 41 Small.png link="academyx/Issue 41 - 'The Curse'"]]
 * = [[image:academyx/Issue 46 Small.png link="academyx/Issue 46 - 'Free Falling'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 51 Small.png link="Issue 51 - 'Remix'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 56 Small.png link="Issue 56 - 'Paradox'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 61 Small.png link="Issue 61 - 'Denial'"]]
 * Issue 63** ||= [[image:Issue 64 Small.png link="Issue 64 - 'Depression'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 66 Small.png link="Issue 66 - 'Unease'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 71 Small.png link="Issue 71 - 'Youth of the Nation'"]]
 * Issue 71** ||= [[image:Issue 72 Small.png link="Issue 72 - 'A New Machine'"]]
 * Issue 72** ||= [[image:Issue 73 Small.png link="Issue 73 - 'Wake Me Up When September Ends'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 76 Small.png link="Issue 76 - 'She's Lost Control'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 81_2.png align="center" link="Issue 81 - 'Vermin'"]]
 * Issue 81** ||= [[image:Issue 82 Small.png link="Issue 82 - 'Savage'"]]
 * Issue 84** ||= [[image:Issue 85 Small2.png link="Issue 85 - 'Ironclad'"]]
 * Issue 85** ||
 * = [[image:Issue 86 Small0.png link="Issue 86 - 'Frigid'"]]
 * Issue 87** ||= [[image:Issue 88 Small.png link="Issue 88 - 'Seraph'"]]
 * Issue 88** ||= [[image:Issue 89 Small.png link="Issue 89 - 'Monstrous'"]]
 * Issue 89** ||= [[image:Issue 90 Small.png link="Issue 90 - 'Rebirth'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 91 Small.png link="Issue 91 - 'Judgment Day'"]]
 * Issue 93** ||= [[image:Issue 94 Small.png link="Issue 94 - 'Sky is Falling'"]]
 * = [[image:Issue 96 Small.png link="Issue 96 - 'Pestilence'"]]

__ **Issue Synopses** __


 * Arc** **1: School's Out**

//A group of seniors at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters are thrust into a leadership position when their teachers and several peers are attacked and placed into some sort of coma...//

Issue 01 - 'Be True to Your School' - After foiling a robbery by a group of teenagers high on Mutant Growth Hormone, a group of seniors faces a threat back at their school. Issue 02 - 'Down by the Schoolyard' - The seniors fight off a group of eight black-clad foes known as "The Travelers." Following the attack they must take charge of the school. Issue 03 - 'Hot for Teacher' - A Sentinel attacks a local mall to capture a young mutant; the seniors must intervene. They also learn more about the motives of the mysterious Travelers. Issue 04 - 'Fight for your Right' - One of the X-Men returns to help, and just in time, because the Brotherhood of Mutants arrives to take advantage of the missing teachers.


 * Arc 2: High School Never Ends**

//The seniors discover more about the mysterious "Travelers" that have attacked the school and learn that the threat is more personal than they could have expected...//

Issue 05 - 'Smokin' in the Boys' Room' - The seniors, now recognized as the New X-Men, are joined by a former classmate. The Brood and the Brotherhood of Mutants test their skill. Issue 06 - 'Another Brick in the Hall' - The group must rescue a member of their team and deal with betrayal at the school. The revelation of one of the Travelers shocks everyone. Issue 07 - 'Saved by the Bill' - A confrontation with the Travelers leads the seniors to make a difficult decision: will they risk their lives to save the future? Issue 08 - 'Graduation Day' - The seniors must face an enemy powerful enough to kill their teachers. Will they emerge victorious or become another casualty?


 * Arc 3: Welcome to Paradise**

//The seniors are offered the chance to run a west coast mutant school called "Academy X." They form a superhero team dubbed the "eXalts" and just in time, because a threat from their future soon rears its head...//

Issue 09 - 'California Girls' - Following a wedding and opening day of the new school, the arrival of a mysterious young mutant brings danger in the form of killer robots. Issue 10 - 'Frisco Blues' - The group deals with revelations about the new mutant, named Dagan. They also stop a burglary by a group of students from the enigmatic Academy M. Issue 11 - 'When the Lights Go Down' - The eXalts prevent Academy M from recruiting a powerful new student, but then the school is hit by an EMP blast and attacked. Issue 12 - 'It Never Rains in Southern California' - Magneto appears at Academy X, looking for recruits! But then Academy M kidnaps Dagan and one of the teachers...


 * Arc 4: Hotel California**

//Threats from within and without challenge the teachers of Academy X. They must continue to protect Dagan as it becomes clear she is the key to understanding their own future...//

Issue 13 - 'The Rock of the Bay' - Conflict at the school causes one of the teachers to resign and Dagan to run away. Soon Dagan is in trouble and must be rescued. Issue 14 - 'We Built This Kitty' - An attack by Cassandra Nova changes one eXalt forever, forcing the team to search for Xavier and Magneto before Nova becomes unstoppable. Issue 15 - 'All I Wanna Do (Is Have Some Fun)' - A group of sophomores at Academy X are manipulated into releasing a powerful evil hidden at the school. Issue 16 - 'A Long December' - The killer robot sent back into time with Dagan makes a final attempt to kill the young girl, and the eXalts call upon unlikely allies to help save her.


 * Arc 5: My Generation**

//Cordelia Frost, new Headmistress of Academy M, attempts to recruit students from Academy X. Meanwhile, the popularity of mutants motivates the anti-mutant Purifiers to begin a campaign of terror...//

Issue 17 - 'Happiness is a Warm Gun' - At a mutant pride parade sponsored by Academy M, terrorists called the Purifiers strike. Among those killed is an Academy X student. Issue 18 - 'We Die Young' - Following the attack, the eXalts must deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the kidnapped leader of the Purifiers, who is more dangerous than he seems. Issue 19 - 'Number of the Beast' - Dr. Doom's vengeance on one of the teachers leads to two students being sucked into a hell dimension. The eXalts must rescue them. Issue 20 - 'Uncomfortably Numb' - The eXalts find a possible link between the terrorists and Academy M. But then tragedy strikes and Academy X loses one of its own.


 * Arc 6: Children's Crusade**

//Following the death of one of their own, the staff of Academy X devote all their energy to tracking down the Purifiers and their elusive leader. Only one group can survive, and this time it's personal.//

Issue 21 - 'Needle in the Hay' - In the aftermath of the bombing, the staff attempts to pick up the pieces. Soon the Purifiers strike again, and someone close to the team is in danger... Issue 22 - 'Light My Fire' - Academy M infiltrates Academy X, leading to disaster. Secrets harbored by the staff of the school nearly destroy the team, and just as an old enemy returns... Issue 23 - 'Losin' Your Mind' - A former ally of the group asks for help in defeating their old foe, Cassandra Nova. Nova is wounded, but still has some tricks up her sleeve for the eXalts. Issue 24 - 'I'm Your Pusher' - The Purifiers' hidden base is revealed, and when its secrets are uncovered a revelation is made that puts many of the team in deadly jeopardy. Issue 25 - 'Watch Out My Children' - The Purifiers' final stand will cost the lives of dozens of mutants, including several at Academy X. Will the eXalts finish the fight or become casualties?


 * Arc 7: Valley of Lost Souls**

//In the aftermath of the Purifier attack, mutant hatred sweeps the west coast. Meanwhile, Academy X must deal with an influx of Academy M student survivors and threats from within and without...//

Issue 26 - 'Right Next Door' - A new school year at Academy X means welcoming a new staff member, dealing with the former Academy M students, and facing a threat from the past. Issue 27 - 'Round the Corner' - A former ally returns bearing dire warnings. Meanwhile, tension over Proposition X boils over. Will the eXalts stand with the mutants or with the law? Issue 28 - 'Storm the Gates' - Chaos reigns at the school when the conflict between the Academy M and Academy X students erupts into violence. Then protestors outside suddenly strike... Issue 29 - 'South of Heaven' - The Humanity Now! protestors use Reaver technology to injure several students and staff. But the attack is only a feint as a greater threat is revealed: Hellfire. Issue 30 - 'Rise Me Up From Down Below' - Hellfire Club: Tokyo is up to no good, Panzer has lost his powers... and the dead are rising at Academy X! What will the eXalts do? A Necrosha crossover. Issue 31 - 'In the Court of the Crimson King' - Nightcrawler's death hits the team hard but the eXalts have other problems: zombies in the city and a chance to face Hellfire Club: Tokyo! A Necrosha crossover.


 * Arc 8: Empire of the Damned**

//The conflict between the eXalts and Hellfire Club: Tokyo heats up. Following the passage of Proposition X, a civil war is brewing between the humans and mutants of California. What can the eXalts do?//

__Issue 32 - 'After the Fire'__ - In the aftermath of the passage of Prop X, the staff of Academy X attends Kurt's funeral. Meanwhile, unrest is rising in the west. How will the eXalts react when disaster strikes? __Issue 33 - 'Crossfire'__ - After helping at the train derailment, the eXalts get positive PR for the first time in ages. But there's trouble at Academy X: spies, assassins, and an ally caught in the crossfire... __Issue 34 - 'Fire on the Mountain'__ - Wolverine and Amiko are freed from their brainwashing, but the Masters of Silence nearly kill two students. Then a psychic attack reveals the eXalts' true foe: Maya. __Issue 35 - 'Play With Fire'__ - Plans to fight Maya are interrupted by a mutant terrorist attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. Worst of all, Lucius is revealed to be infected by the Techno-Organic Virus... __Issue 36 - 'Put Out The Fire'__ - The staff of Academy X search for Lucius and Dane but are unable to locate the missing mutants. Maya makes a major offensive against the school. Can she be stopped? __Issue 37 - 'Walk Through the Fire'__ - The Phalanx start a genocidal campaign as the Church of Humanity and the Mutant Revoltionary Force clash. Maya's endgame threatens the lives of millions. How will it end?


 * Arc 9: Bloodlines**

//Winter break is over for Academy X and new mysteries emerge. Why are dangerous adult mutants suddenly manifesting powers throughout California? And what new threat is lurking in the shadows?//

__Issue 38 - 'Temptation Waits'__ - The spring semester at Academy X brings a new S.H.I.E.L.D. commander and a new superhero team called The Guardians. But are they exactly what they seem to be? __Issue 39 - 'Taste of Blood'__ - While investigating The Guardians, Academy X allies Meghan and Jubilee are attacked by vampires, and Jubilee is taken! Can the eXalts rescue Mac's girlfriend before it's too late? __Issue 40 - 'Take Me as I Am'__ - The eXalts are arrested for a crime they didn't commit and just before Sam and Matt's wedding! When the big day arrives, more surprises are in store for the mutants... __Issue 41 - 'The Curse'__ - Matt and Sam are on their honeymoon, but the eXalts have problems to address: violent adult mutants, vampires, and The Guardians. Then a tragic event changes everything... __Issue 42 - 'Fresh Blood'__ - The team's still reeling from Joni's death when there's a new crisis: vampires have Jessica and Santo! Can Jess be saved before she's turned? And which former foe is waiting to strike? __Issue 43 - 'Forget Me Not'__ - Jess is safe, but Doctor Doom has kidnapped Dane and David's son, Davan. While rescuing the boy one team member will not return - and several eXalts will be changed forever.


 * Arc 10: Live Forever**

//The staff of Academy X barely has time to mourn their losses when their true foe is revealed: Xarus, son of Dracula! But what is his plan, and can the mutants defeat the seemingly unstoppable vampire lord?//

__Issue 44 - 'At Dawn They Sleep'__ - The staff is in shock following the damage to Academy X. Several of the group struggle with loss and change. When Blade arrives, can he help the eXalts finally strike back? __Issue 45 - 'My Time (Has Come)'__ - After making a deal with the devil with Hellfire Club: Tokyo to rebuild the school, the eXalts take the fight back to the vampires - and uncover secrets that shock them... __Issue 46 - 'Free Falling'__ - The eXalts have struck another blow against the vampires, but internal conflicts and secrets threaten to tear them apart. With so many threats, can they pull together to be a team? __Issue 47 - 'Sick Things'__ - A brutal attack on an Academy X student causes mentally ill Zach to unleash a psychic assault, forcing everyone to switch bodies. Will the eXalts adjust in time to save San Francisco? __Issue 48 - 'Deception'__ - Fin Fang Foom has been defeated and everyone is back in their own body, but the eXalts can't rest: Xarus wants revenge for the loss of his blood supply, and one eXalt will pay the price... __Issue 49 - 'Devil Town'__ - Dracula is reborn and Xarus has been defeated. But Dracula has disturbing news: Xarus was working for a man named Kaga who plans to destroy all mutants! What will the eXalts do? __Issue 50 - 'Sanctuary'__ - The eXalts must face the greatest battle of their lives - every mutant on the west coast is in danger! With enemies on all sides, can the mutant team save their school and save the day?


 * Arc 11: Age of X**

//Mutant registration has begun. The team is divided on how to handle the crisis. Before they can act, however, they somehow find themselves in the Age of X - a future where mutants are in control!// //(Age of X: Homefront takes place during Arc 11: see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)//

__Issue 51 - 'Remix'__ - A new school year always means change. A staff member, Cameron, has disappeared. A new teacher arrives. Several eXalts are replaced. And just in time, as an old foe returns... __Issue 52 - 'Exiled'__ - It is 2020, the Age of X. In a future where mutants rule, problems remain: Magneto's New United States and Dagan's Mutant Republic are on the verge of war. What can the eXalts do? __Issue 53 - 'Six'__ - The eXalts have somehow lost their memories. They must adjust to the Age of X quickly, because a mission to recruit or defeat the Avengers may be their only chance to stop an apocalyptic war. __Issue 54 - 'Tinderbox'__ - The Mutant Republic prepares for war. Can the eXalts trust a mysterious woman named X who wants to stop the conflict? And when Magneto attacks, can they stop him? __Issue 55 - 'Explosive'__ - The two mutant nations move inexorably towards a war that will destroy everything. Are the eXalts willing to depower all mutants to stop it? Then a shocking twist changes everything...


 * Arc 12: X Squared**

//The eXalts have escaped the Age of X to discover they were really in the present all along. But what did they miss while they were trapped in another world, and what happened to their mysterious foe X?//

__Issue 56 - 'Paradox'__ - The eXalts learn that the Age of X was a mental prison they've escaped, and in the two months they've "lost" a group of eXalt doppelgangers have taken over Academy X! What can they do? __Issue 57 - 'Extremist'__ - Unsure who to trust, the eXalts try to recruit allies to help re-take Academy X from their clones and stop the mysterious X. When they face X again, she shows who has the upper hand. __Issue 58 - 'Jinxed'__ - Mistaken for dangerous clones, the eXalts are on the run from their allies - and themselves! Even worse, X has used Cerebra to depower them! Can the eXalts regroup, or are they doomed? __Issue 59 - 'Exposed'__ - After barely escaping a S.H.I.E.L.D. raid, the eXalts are refugees. New allies soon join them. But when they are ambushed, a mole is revealed - as is the identity of their enigmatic foe, X! __Issue 60 - 'Climax'__ - At any moment X could use Cerebra to wipe out the entire race. Forced to ally with their enemies, the eXalts must invade Utopia without their powers and somehow stop X and their clones...


 * Arc 13: Grief**

//Academy X has been moved to Utopia, an island off the coast of San Francisco and a sovereign country. How will the staff handle their roles as leaders of a mutant nation while reality itself seems to be in flux?//

__Issue 61 - 'Denial'__ - Major changes are afoot at the start of the new semester. Agape, Honoka, and Jubilee have left, but Cameron has returned... and just in time, as strange visions and visitors plague the school. Issue 62 - 'Anger' - Purifier biosentinels attack X-Corporation: Los Angeles, and new students Ethan and Mercy are teleported into the fray! Meanwhile, Hellfire Club: Tokyo has plans for Utopia... Issue 63 - 'Bargaining' - Cassandra Nova has been freed on Utopia! Can the eXalts stop her before she completes her endgame? Meanwhile, several Academy X staff members must make difficult decisions. __Issue 64 - 'Depression'__ - Academy X ally Cordelia Frost and staff member Jessica Lisowski have died. Will the shared losses bring the staff of Academy X closer together, or will internal conflicts tear them apart? __Issue 65 - 'Acceptance'__ - A group of fire demons attack Academy X students and the eXalts discover the demons' leader is a figure from their past. Stopping her plan for revenge will mean the ultimate sacrifice.


 * Arc 14: Fear**

//The barriers between dimensions continue to crumble and reality itself is at stake. Is this the start of Ragnarok, and can the eXalts help stop the end of the world? A Fear Itself crossover.//

__Issue 66 - 'Unease'__ - Following Billy's sacrifice, the eXalts are reeling from their recent losses. But there's no respite for the team, as visits from Magneto, a vampire, and a Norse god foreshadow disaster ahead. __Issue 67 - 'Worry'__ - Eight hammers, weapons of an evil god, have crashed to Earth. Amidst the destruction in San Francisco, Mustang touches one and becomes Runak, Breaker of Skies. Can he be stopped? __Issue 68 - 'Dread'__ - Hammer-wielders, called the Worthy, cause chaos worldwide. Meanwhile, the dead rise at Academy X and Runak is terrorizing Sacramento. Can the eXalts save their ally and their school? Issue 69 - 'Panic' - Runak has been temporarily defeated, but the eXalts are needed to combat Blitzkrieg USA in Washington, D.C. Academy X students provide support, but a greater threat arises in Sweden... __Issue 70 - 'Terror'__ - The dead have risen, an army of giants has massed, and the Serpent approaches a gate to the World Tree in Oklahoma. Ragnarök is here. Can the eXalts halt prophecy and save the world?
 * Arc 15: Crossroads**

//Longtime tensions have boiled over, causing a rift in the mutant community: Schism! Can Academy X adjust to the departure and deaths of several students and staff with new threats on the horizon?//

__Issue 71 - 'Youth of the Nation'__ - In the aftermath of Schism, Academy X copes with the loss of many students and allies. New teachers arrive, and just in time, as a danger from beyond threatens innocent lives... Issue 72 - 'A New Machine' - The staff of Academy X must deal with mutant refugees, problems on Utopia, and the deaths of adult mutants in San Francisco. But the biggest danger may lie below in Asteroid M... __Issue 73 - 'Wake Me Up When September Ends'__ - An artificial intelligence in Asteroid M has emerged, and the mutant serial killer dubbed the X-Killer strikes again. Could answers lie in the Santa Muerte cult? __Issue 74 - 'Don't Fear the Reaper'__ - Carom must face his past and confront his mother, who has become a vampire and leader of the Santa Muerte cult. And how is she connected to the black-masked man? __Issue 75 - 'The Living Dead'__ - The eXalts face off against vampires, the Kree AI in Asteroid M, and the X-Killer (or their former foe, Phantom). But Phantom's defeat leads to revelations that stun the team.
 * Arc 16: Road to Nowhere**

//The eXalts true foe is really Bastienne's sister, Georgie! Georgie rules thousands of followers as the Egyptian goddess, Sekhmet. Can she be stopped before her plans come to fruition - and can she be saved?//

__Issue 76 - 'She's Lost Control'__ - Sekhmet recruited David and her sister Bastienne to her cause, then disappeared! The eXalts must regroup as they try to find their missing allies and face the threat of vampires. Issue 77 - 'Fix You' - The eXalts venture into Sekhmet's pyramid temple in Aleph to rescue David - but her fiancé Rafé and risen mummies stand in their way! Then the alien AI under Utopia makes its move... __Issue 78 - 'My Way'__ - Evan has broken the AI's mind control, but Plex left a presence inside Carom's girlfriend, Alice! Meanwhile, Mac learns shocking news from his past and Agape has a lead on the vampires. __Issue 79 - 'Black Hole Sun'__ - The eXalts have a final stand off with the vampires to determine the future of Utopia. Meanwhile, Sekhmet gathers forces for her army and a shocking betrayal changes everything. __Issue 80 - 'How to Save a Life'__ - Sekhmet leads an army for her lord, Evan! Will the clone of Apocalypse become a tyrant or a hero? Meanwhile, Mac can only save Sekhmet or Bastet. Who will he choose? **Arc 17: Retribution**

//Over the years the eXalts have defeated several threats but also made many enemies. When those foes return seeking retribution, no one will be safe. But those challenges pale compared to what's coming...//

Issue 81 - 'Vermin' - A new semester begins at Academy X and changes are afoot on Utopia as 100 mutant refugees move to New Genosha. Then a foe both new and familiar emerges, changing one eXalt forever... __Issue 82 - 'Savage'__ - While facing mind-controlled bay area mutants, the mental shards of Alex Nova in each mutant were drawn to Dagan and created the murderous entity Xandra Nova. Can Xandra be stopped? __Issue 83 - 'Godlike'__ - Bastienne's personality was merged with the Egyptian goddess, Bastet. When Sekhmet arrives, Bastienne is torn between the lion goddess and her twin. Which sister's side will she take? Issue 84 - 'Patriot' - The "Red Star" Sekhmet warned of is a comet headed right for Earth! Then Nova crashes into Manhattan with a dire warning, putting the eXalts in the crosshairs of the Avengers and the X-Men. Issue 85 - 'Ironclad' - The comet on a collision course with Earth is the Phoenix Force itself! The Avengers and X-Men search for its intended host, leading to a shocking betrayal that will change the teams forever.
 * Arc 18: Evolution**

//The Phoenix Force's//// intended host is Dagan! The Avengers may have to kill her to save the world. The X-Men want to use her to change the world. What will the eXalts do? An Avengers vs. X-Men crossover. //

Issue 86 - 'Frigid' - The Avengers ambushed the eXalts in hopes of taking Dagan captive before she can merge with the Phoenix Force. The Avengers have been stopped for now, but what will the eXalts do now? Issue 87 - 'Deadeye' - An alliance with the X-Men crumbles after the mutant team convinces Dagan to leave Utopia. But a crisis close to home demands the eXalts' attention as the Phoenix Force nears... Issue 88 - 'Seraph' - The Phoenix Force was split, creating the Phoenix Five: Cyclops, Storm, Lifeguard, Panzer and Phantasma! As the others change the world, Sam must decide what to do with godlike power. Issue 89 - 'Monstrous' - Sam used her Phoenix powers to resurrect her dead husband. Now everyone has ideas as to what she should do next. But is the Phoenix Force corrupting her and the other Phoenix Five? Issue 90 - 'Rebirth' - Cyclops has declared "No More Avengers!" As each member of the Phoenix Five creeps closer and closer to becoming the Dark Phoenix, can the eXalts help stop the end of the world?


 * Arc 19: Revelations**

//In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men and the destruction of the Phoenix Force, the eXalts face a changed world. The future is uncertain, but revelations from the past are what will really change everything...// __Issue 91 - 'Judgment Day'__ - David is one of many eXalts who must face the consequences of their actions during Avengers vs. X-Men. Will he be jailed for his time in the Mutant Revolutionary Front... or worse? __Issue 92 - 'Run Boy Run'__ - The revelation of David's fate causes unforeseen consequences. Billy has little time to adjust to life back on Utopia before a mysterious group tries to kidnap a mutant teenager. __Issue 93 - 'Protect and Survive'__ - Dmitri, the mutant teen abducted by mysterious gray-skinned soldiers, is only the tip of the iceberg. The soldiers are after his sister next, and the eXalts must find her first. __Issue 94 - 'Sky is Falling'__ - The eXalts foe is revealed: Clan Akkaba is after mutant seeds that can host Egyptian gods. A seed has been found on Utopia, but the island itself will prove to be the greatest danger... __Issue 95 - 'Beast and the Harlot'__ - After going missing, the eXalts grapple with changes in Utopia during their absence - then a shocking death and a sudden betrayal lead to the rise of an even greater threat. //Following Hellfire Club: Tokyo's shocking betrayal, the most powerful threat the eXalts have ever faced has risen: Apocalypse! Can the eXalts stop Apocalypse from ruling the world - or destroying it?// __Issue 96 - 'Pestilence'__ - Evan has embraced his destiny as Apocalypse, but the eXalts have time before he puts his plan into action. Can they uncover Evan's plan and find the other seeds before Clan Akkaba? __Issue 97 - 'War'__ - A bioweapon that kills humans or activates their X-genes was tested on Utopia. How long until Evan unleashes it on the world? The eXalts try to create a weapon to stop Evan before it's too late. __Issue 98 - 'Famine'__ - A mission to take down one of Evan's allies leads to disaster. Evan seized control of the seeds and now has his Four Horsemen. The eXalts must regroup and escape before all is lost. __Issue 99 - 'Death'__ - The group makes plans for their final confrontation with Evan, but when the Four Horsemen attack Disneyland the eXalts must intercede. And death has come to a beloved ally... __Issue 100 - 'Apocalypse'__  The Phoenix Force – a cosmic force of destruction – has returned. The Avengers and X-Men have clashed over its intended host, Academy X professor and eXalt Dagan Lightfoot. The Avengers wanted to stop the unprepared mutant girl from merging with the Phoenix while the X-Men trained her so they could use the Phoenix to make the world a better place for mutants. The eXalts were caught in the middle. But when the Phoenix Force arrived, Tony Stark blasted it with his Phoenix Buster armor splitting it into five shards. Each shard found a mutant host: Scott “Cyclops” Summers (X-Men leader), Ororo “Storm” Munroe (X-Men member), Heather “Lifeguard” Cameron (CEO of X-Corporation: Los Angeles and eXalt ally), Dane “Panzer” Lightfoot (former eXalt and Academy X headmaster), and Samantha “Phantasma” Stone (eXalts leader). There isn’t one Phoenix host now – there are five! The Phoenix Five levitate into the air, glowing with immeasurable power. Is the danger over, or have things gone from bad to worse?... In the week and a half before the Phoenix Five were created, eXalt Liam “Primal” Stonecrow traveled to New Mexico to seek advice from his people, the Apache. He met with the Apache elders. Beyond the dire warning that the Phoenix Force had destroyed several planets on its way to Earth, they had no further insight. They knew of another option, but it was risky. One Apache group, the Mescalero, knew of seven communities in the Land of Ever Summer. One of them, called the “Under-City”, was the crossroads where lost spirits were called. Liam could go on a spirit quest to the Under-City with the help of the elders. But if his trek was unsuccessful he could become a lost spirit himself. Liam agreed to the risk. After a days-long ritual, Liam’s spirit left his body in astral form and traveled the space between life and death. He followed the subtle pull the Under-City exerted on all lost spirits until he reached the fabled refuge. It resembled a run-down neighborhood in a sprawling metropolis, but it was made up of dwellings whose architecture came from cultures across the world and from all different time periods. A rickety shack from medieval China sat next to a hut from an African tribe which sat next to a FEMA tent from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was people by orphans and castaways from every time and every place. And standing in the middle of the main street – mostly a dirt road, but showing evidence of broken pavement and occasional cobblestones – was Dog Brother. He seemed to be some kind of Asian warrior, perhaps a samurai or assassin. A pack of stray dogs formed a semi-circle behind him and his followers peeked out of buildings along the road. He sensed Liam’s tie to the world of the living – his connection to the Apache elders allowing him to return from this land between life and death. As ruler of Under-City, he demanded to know why Liam had come. Liam explained how he sought knowledge of the Phoenix Force he couldn’t find in the present day. Even in the Under-City, Dog Brother had heard of the coming of the Phoenix. He gestured for Liam to follow and brought him to an old man. The ancient sage had been in Under-City for time immemorial, somehow resisting the call that even the spirits between life and death must eventually heed. The sage produced a brittle, time-worn scroll about a warrior from centuries past called Fongji Wu. Also called “Fongji the Silent”, “The Crimson Heart”, and “The Dragon’s Fist”, Fongji repelled the “Phoenix of Life and Death” and prevented the “Celestial Rebirth of Earth” and stopped the “Collapse of the Seven Capital Cities.” Liam realized Fongji had been the Iron Fist of her day and her mystical knowledge had allowed her to stop the Phoenix. As the sage could offer him nothing more and since Liam heard the voice of his daughter Jasmine calling for him, he left the underworld. Even in astral form he realized the short trip to Under-City had actually taken over a week in the real world. But more pressing was Jasmine’s call for help. After the Avengers had attacked Utopia, Academy X’s Board of Trustees voted to move the students to Avengers Academy for safekeeping. But the Academy X students were trying to escape and a school-wide brawl had broken out! Liam emerged from astral form at Avengers Academy to witness a battle between the Academy X and the Avengers Academy students. The Avengers students were joined by the Avengers Academy staff who were trying to stop the mutant kids from leaving to help Dagan. The Phoenix Force was visible like a second sun on the horizon and the battle between the Avengers and X-Men was about to begin! Liam joined the battle on the side of the Avengers Academy teachers. He tried to convince the Academy X students that they were safer on the west coast. But a number of Avengers Academy students joined the Academy X kids, feeling it wasn’t right to keep them prisoner. The teachers, including Tigra, Hercules, and X-23, were defeated, and Liam was knocked out! When he came to he overheard Tigra telling the Academy X kids they could help Dagan if they wished, as she didn’t feel right locking them up. About two-thirds of the Academy X kids, along with one-third of the Avengers Academy students and Liam, were transported by Julie “Lightspeed” Power. The former member of the Power Pack transported everyone to Xavier’s school, where the great battle between the Avengers and the X-Men had just ended with the creation of the Phoenix Five… Cyclops, levitating at the head of the Phoenix Five, tells the heroes across the battlefield that the Phoenix Five will use their power to change the world for the better. Captain America, now revived after Sam knocked him out, tells Scott he can’t possibly control such immense power. The X-Men leader says, “Just watch us.” The Phoenix Five then split off to fly in different directions – all but Samantha. She had been communicating through a mental link to the other Phoenix Five. They each agreed to head to a different part of the world: Dane vowed to help in North and South America, Scott wanted to address a surge of anti-mutant hysteria in Europe and Asia, Storm wanted to return to Africa, and Heather planned to head for her homeland of Australia. Scott urged Samantha to continue her work of creating a mutant haven on Utopia. Samantha remains above the battlefield, indecisive. David approaches Captain America and yells at the Avengers team leader. He says, “Everything that happens from now on is all your fault!”, referring to the actions the Avengers had taken to attempt to prevent Dagan from merging with the Phoenix Force, including their raid on Utopia. Steve ignores the verbal barb and instead assists his injured allies. Mac joins Cap to help Hawkeye, drawing from his own energy to assist the fallen Avenger. Steve thanks Mac, saying now is the time to plan the best course for the future instead of lobbing petty recriminations. While Mac is helping the Avengers, Carom is busy salvaging what he can of Tony’s destroyed Iron Man armor (both the drone he damaged and the Phoenix Buster armor). He teleports the remnants back to his bosses at Hellfire Club: Tokyo. Bastienne finds Black Panther, who is watching his wife Storm fly away. She offers the Wakandan King her condolences about how his wife has changed into one of the Phoenix Five. T’Challa bitterly says that she had begun to change even before her transformation into a Phoenix. Bastienne asks T’Challa his advice on what she should do. Now that she’s merged with the goddess Bastet, should she return to Wakanda to help her followers there, or should she remain with her people on Utopia and cultivate her followers on the west coast? As T’Challa is the head priest of Bastet, she wants his guidance. T’Challa says he doesn’t have the wisdom to advise a goddess and leaves the choice to her. Finally Samantha approaches the group. Before she can speak, Carom says she now has the power to bring her husband, Matt, back to life. Sam killed her husband when she accidentally drew upon the Phoenix Force’s power and caused a fiery explosion. While Carom meant the advice to help Sam, it’s obvious the mention of her spouse’s death brings her pain. She wordlessly flies west. Dagan watches her go with a guilty look. She admits that she’d been training with the X-Men in another dimension (as the eXalts had planned), but the power of the Phoenix called out to her across the dimensional boundaries. She used her mutant powers to gain the ability to open a portal back to Earth. But as the Phoenix Force reached out for her, she panicked and worried she couldn’t control it. She gave into her fear and rejected the Phoenix Force – though maybe, as she rejected the Phoenix, it rejected her, too. The conflict gave Tony Stark time to attack with his Phoenix Buster armor. If it wasn’t for her, maybe Sam wouldn’t have become one of the Phoenix Five. Mac tries to console Dagan. He tells her there’s nothing wrong to saying no to power if you don’t think you’re ready. Dagan seems unconvinced. But there’s nothing more to do at the site of the battle. The Avengers and X-Men have collected their fallen and are heading home to lick their wounds and plan their next steps. Carom opens a portal. The eXalts usher their students through the portal and return to Academy X. The students are brought inside the half-reconstructed school. The students’ rooms were undamaged so they will have a place to stay for the night. The classrooms underneath the dorm area are also intact, meaning students can still take final exams next week, though that announcement doesn’t bring a lot of cheer. Most of the damage is in the common area and the staff rooms on the second floor above. David and Bastienne’s rooms were destroyed by Sam’s Phoenix-powered explosion. Fortunately David’s son Davan was with Dane’s mother in the Midwest. Bastienne is still grieving over the loss of items owned by her deceased wife, Jessica, however. Carom suggests that Sam now has the power to rebuild the school and maybe even return the lost keepsakes lost by David and Bastienne. Bastienne says they wouldn’t be the same, though, and David says Sam needs to learn how to control her new powers first. Carom opens a portal to Avengers Academy to retrieve the one third of the student body that chose not to get involved in the battle between the Avengers and the X-Men. Hank “Ant-Man” McCoy, the Avengers Academy Headmaster, has already returned the school’s missing students and staff members through his microverse technology. Hercules slaps Carom on the shoulder, nearly knocking the teleporter over. He congratulates the eXalt on the yeoman’s job he’s done training the mutant students. Not since his battle against the Argonauts has he had so many skilled combatants attacking him at once. He offers to buy Carom a mead so they can discuss the great battles they’ve fought, and Carom awkwardly agrees before bringing the remaining Academy X students to Utopia. Academy X Headmaster Mac holds an assembly to discuss recent events. He assures students that Sam is still their professor and friend and that she won’t do anything with her new powers to harm them. Students return to their rooms for the night. The Academy X staff begins to discuss the possibilities of Sam’s power. Bailey overhears Carom saying that Sam can use her power to remove threats to Utopia, including the Kree artificial intelligence residing below Academy X called Plex. As a half-Kree, Bailey has bonded with Plex and has a mental link with the AI. He tells Plex about Sam’s recent change and warns it to leave Sam alone. Plex agrees. Moments later a fireball is visible in the eastern sky streaking towards Utopia. It’s Samantha. Students see the fiery Phoenix glowing around her and leave their rooms to witness her approach the school. She hovers over the building and reaches out towards the section damaged by the explosion. Construction materials begin flying through the air. Through her telepathy and Phoenix powers she reshapes each piece to fit perfectly. In just a few minutes the entire process is over. The damaged section of Academy X has been rebuilt like new. The students watch in awe of Samantha’s display of godlike power. Sam lands in front of the school. Mac is the first to approach. He asks how she’s doing. She admits she’s not sure. Liam and his daughter, Jasmine, step forward to hug her. Sam appreciates the gesture. Bastienne tells the students to go back to their rooms – they have finals to study for, though they’ll be open book. Once everyone leaves David tells Sam her children are still with the Morlocks. Sam immediately flies to San Francisco. She heads for one of the Morlock tunnel entrances and sends a message through the signal pipes. Several Morlocks respond. They lead her down an abandoned subway access tunnel through man-made passages and past several security checkpoints that could be locked or collapsed to defend the colony. Sam can effortlessly sense dozens of minds nearby. Besides empowering her telekinesis, her telepathy is also boosted by the shard of the Phoenix Force inside her. She notices a few dozen Morlocks are missing, however. She reaches the central cavern of the colony and is reunited with her children. Twins Alex (“Serenity”) and Kurt (“Indigo”) happily embrace their mother despite the aura of power around her, but Jessie (“Sapphire”) is a bit standoffish. After hugging her children, Sam asks the Morlock elder where Matt has been buried. The elder is leery about telling her, as he has been put to rest according to their customs, but he is aware of her great power. He eventually leads Sam to the community’s compost piles. One of them is used to bury the dead members of the community. Food for the animals kept by the colony is grown there. Sam can sense Matt’s presence in the compost pile as there is an energy aura around him due to his death from the Phoenix Force. She taps into that energy and uses it to resurrect Matt. He rises from the compost pile, naked, but living once more. When the Phoenix energy fades, he seems normal except that his pupils are in the shape of phoenixes and his scars have all been healed. Matt embraces his wife and children. Sam apologizes profusely for what she did but Matt doesn’t remember his death. He says it’s okay because he knows it was an accident. Empowered by her successful use of Phoenix Force energy, Sam then manipulates the compost piles to promote growth and re-powers the colony’s generators. Affecting living material is more difficult, but she’s also able to promote healing among the Morlock sick and injured. Soon Sam returns to Utopia with Matt and the kids. The eXalts are waiting for her. Carom immediately tells her that he knew she could bring Matt back. Mac hugs Matt and tells him that he’s missed him and everyone shares the sentiment. When Carom asks Sam what she’s going to do with her power next, she says she doesn’t know. David says that’s okay – less is better for now. Sam says she’s worried about Scott. When he communicated with the Phoenix Five right after they were empowered, he told the group to use their powers to change the world. She’s frightened of his intentions. David tells Sam she should be scared of Scott. He’s dangerous now. The group wonders what the other Phoenix Five are up to. Dane has claimed the western hemisphere. Since he recently came from Muspelheim, where their lost teammate Billy was stranded, perhaps he could bring Billy back? Sam says she could try to find Billy. She wishes she could bring Bastienne’s dead wife Jessica back to life like Matt, but cannot do so. She could only bring Matt back because he was suffused with Phoenix energy when he was killed. David says Sam should resist using her powers for now if possible until she has a chance to learn to control them. As they head inside, David notices Agape (Academy X Board of Trustees member and former eXalt, but also thrall of a vampire in San Francisco) watching from a distance. He approaches her and bluntly asks why she’s still there. She says she came to help after the Avengers attack. David says that danger is over and she can leave. Mac tries to smooth the situation over and says she’s welcome to stay if she wishes. Agape says she’ll leave in the morning if she isn’t wanted. Bastienne tells her to stay in touch. Next Carom approaches Sam to ask a question. He wants to know if she can use her Phoenix powers to prevent Plex’s mental influence. Plex has been blocking most psychic communication to and from the island. Sam says she doesn’t want to tangle with Plex at the moment. Sam then has some alone time with Matt after the kids are put to bed. She’s worried the Phoenix Force has changed her doesn’t know what to do with the power. Matt says he trusts her. She’s handled having extraordinary powers for years and he knows she’ll use the same good judgment in using her new powers. Before bed Sam mentally contacts Evan. He’s halfway across the world in Egypt but she has no trouble contacting him. Evan is thrilled to hear she’s alive but he won’t be returning to Academy X. He’s following his own path and needs alone time. On Saturday Carom once again approaches Sam about Plex. He says his concern about the AI’s mental powers is because Plex has been using them to control Alice, Carom’s girlfriend. Sam agrees to talk to Plex. She’s able to easily establish a psychic link to the AI despite the powerful shielding around Asteroid M below Utopia. Plex is very deferential. He agrees not to control Alice again and says he’ll contact Sam instead if he needs to communicate with the surface. Mac checks in with the Stone family to see how they’re doing. Sam says she’s going to look into how she can use her powers to help Utopia. She telekinetically destroys the blight beginning to afflict some of the island’s crops. Liam’s daughter Jasmine is thrilled to see Sam help the school’s farm and helps grow the crops she healed. Sam then uses her powers to boost the immune systems of the animals in the pens near the school. She also reaches out to the cats on the island and is surprised to find twice as many as expected. There are nearly five dozen across Utopia. In addition to the new kittens, apparently many in New Genosha have adopted cats or brought more to the island. When Sam tries to contact them, however, she’s surprised that they begin hissing at her. It seems another has influence with them and they don’t like the intrusion (perhaps Bastienne?)… Later in the day Neil Shaara, X-Corporation: Los Angeles’ manager of New Genosha, calls Mac. He says he’s now acting CEO of X-Corp: LA in Heather’s absence. Neal seems upset that Heather didn’t come to him after becoming one of the Phoenix Five (as they are dating). He says former Academy X student Rafé (who was Heather’s bodyguard and was once engaged to Bastienne’s sister Georgie, though he recently slept with Bastienne) will be taking over as New Genosha’s manager. Neal also says that Heather had fast-tracked two people from the next wave of New Genosha immigrants: Crystal and Aiden. They’ll be arriving next week. Neal is unaware that Crystal is Mac’s ex and Aiden is his son. Elsewhere in New Genosha, Bailey organizes a movie night as part of his campaign for mayor. He uses a projector from the municipal building and projects a movie onto a large sheet in one of the fields. That night Bastienne watches news coverage of the Phoenix Five’s activities. In just one day they’ve brought energy, food, and water to poor areas across the world. Meanwhile Sam runs into Mac. He is researching how restore his lost abilities. Sam says she’s pretty sure she can recharge his powers. Mac thanks her, but says he needs to find the problem and solution for himself. He says he’d ask her for help if he was in dire need, though. Liam also sees Sam. He can sense that the Phoenix has not only merged with her body but changed her spirit as well. David is concerned with how eager Carom is to use Sam’s Phoenix powers. He sends Carom an e-mail about Jean’s time as the “Dark Phoenix” after she lost control of the Phoenix Force. Jean killed many, including the death of an entire planet. Carom deletes the e-mail, unread. David gives Carom a printout of the e-mail to read. Carom opens a portal to an active volcano and disposes of it. David is frustrated and gives up. On Sunday the eXalts have a meeting during training time to discuss the Phoenix Five situation. Ruth, reserve eXalt and precognitive mutant, doesn’t speak, but instead shares a vision with the team. They see a conversation between Scott and Professor X. Xavier says the world is afraid of the Phoenix Five. Scott says the Phoenix Five are using their powers to make the world a better place and the populace will thank them. He says he’s made Xavier’s dream a reality. Xavier is worried about Scott’s arrogance. The eXalts share his concerns. David says Mac needs to re-establish his relationship with the Avengers. Mac was a reserve Avenger until he refused to give them Dagan, but he’s still the eXalt with the best relationship with the super-hero team. Mac says he’s heard the Avengers are concerned about the Phoenix Five. He likens it to Superman and Lex Luthor’s conflict from DC Comics. Bastienne says they shouldn’t use comic book examples to deal with reality. Mac says it fits, however: Lex Luthor doesn’t trust Superman because he’s one bad day away from becoming ruler of the world. The Phoenix Five likewise have the capacity to become tyrants. Liam says he doesn’t see a reason to distrust the Phoenix Five. So far they’ve used their powers for good. They can’t judge them for crimes they haven’t committed. Liam then shares what he learned from his trip to the Under-City. Bailey asks if he will be running for mayor of New Genosha. He says he has another position in mind. He tells the story of how Wicked (one of Utopia’s federal agents) allowed him to contact his dead wife. He now has her legal knowledge and can take over as Utopia’s Attorney General. Sam suddenly recalls that the former Attorney General, Evangeline Whedon, is in a coma in San Francisco after being caught in a Mutant Revolutionary Front bombing. She mentally reaches out to Evangeline and brings her out of the coma. Evangeline is understandably alarmed to find she has lost months of her life. She tells Sam she’d like to resign her position and send time with family. Mac appoints Liam as Utopia’s Attorney General. Sam, Bastienne, and Ruth (Utopia’s legislators) agree. The group then has a discussion about Sam’s powers. David says Sam should reassume leadership of the eXalt to show the Phoenix Five are doing good in the world. Sam agrees, though she’s still nervous about her abilities. Dagan looks guilty – it should have been her that became the Phoenix Force’s host. Mac sends Sam an e-mail that night to tell her he’s available to listen whenever she needs someone to talk to. Sam’s teammate Bastienne is frustrated (and perhaps jealous), however, because Sam has tremendous powers but isn’t doing anything with them. Meanwhile Bastienne has merged with a goddess but has a fraction of her former powers and can’t help those praying to her. At bedtime that night Sam is contacted by Scott. He shares all the incredible things the Phoenix Five have been doing and urges Sam to do more with her powers. Final exams begin on Monday. The Phoenix Five are still the main news story worldwide. Carom begins sending Sam the articles about the Phoenix Five’s activities in hopes she’ll begin using her powers more. Mac reaches out to Captain America but is transferred to a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Mac asks the agent to tell Steve that he’s keeping an eye on Sam. Bailey begins a community garden in New Genosha and addresses the residents’ hopes and fears about Sam’s powers. Bastienne finds time to travel to San Francisco to meet with Deacon Graves of the Santa Muerte church that worships her. She gets an invitation to visit Rafé in New Genosha but guesses he is looking for a rendezvous and turns him down. Mac brings a welcome present to Crystal and turns down her offer to thank him physically. At the Tuesday staff meeting, Sam asks Ruth what Utopia needs. Ruth says they more space for additional immigrants. They also need a way to make money, like aquafarming. The staff agrees with those priorities. David says the goal should be for Utopia to be large enough to house all of the mutants living in the United States (estimates suggest around 5,000) and their families. But he says Sam should wait until after graduation to attempt anything drastic. The end of the school year approaches. David discusses post-graduation plans with his team’s seniors, Shaun and Shiloh. Shaun is considering community college near his family and Shiloh has already been accepted to a four-year university. David asks Shiloh if she’ll use her reactive evolution power to test Sam’s Phoenix abilities. Shiloh declines. Carom checks in with Madison, a student who’d been using her mutant ability to get drunk. He’s been mentoring her. She says she’s doing better and is even dating one of the Avengers Academy students. Carom says he’ll use his teleportation powers to enable them to go on dates. Bastienne is also looking for Carom’s help. She asks Carom if he’s ever been to Wakanda. She’s hoping to travel there over the summer. Carom says the closest he’s been is Egypt. Coincidentally, Evan contacts Bastienne from Egypt. He’s checking in as she asked and says he’s doing fine. Bastienne says she may be headed there soon. On Friday the winner of the team competition (the Ardents) is awarded a special field trip. Carom takes them on a world tour – visiting the Great Wall of China in the morning, the Great Pyramid of Giza before lunch, a meal in Paris, an afternoon in Rome, visiting Chichen Itza and the Sydney Opera House, and more. The kids are excited for the expedition. At several places they visit, they see signs of Phoenix Five activity. Cyclops has restored crumbling sections of the Great Wall, Heather has brought water to the Outback west of Sydney, Dane has helped the indigenous people of Mexico, and so on. During the trip Christine sends a text message to David. She says the MRF’s big plan is ready. They need his help to attack a gathering of an anti-mutant religious group in San Francisco on Saturday afternoon. He doesn’t need to kill anyone – just create a distraction by attacking the church while Christine plants the bomb. David agrees. That night Mac’s research pays off. He realizes he needs to recharge the artifact he’s bonded with that’s the source of his powers (the Ruby Scarab). The Orb of Ra could do it, but it’s in his father Doctor Strange’s possession. He begins looking into other options. Saturday morning is graduation. Graduates include Combat Club Captain and Head Girl Carrie, long-time student Dondre (the last student that knew some of the eXalts from their time at Xavier’s), “bug girl” Erica, Native American Shiloh, Filipino student Tani, reserve eXalts Ethan and Mercy, Avengers Academy transfer students Kevin and Jimmy, and former Academy M students Pedro, Robin, and Shaun. While the Academy X staff mingles with friends and family of the graduates, David slips away to play his part in the MRF plan. He dons his “Erik the Red” costume and attacks the church housing the anti-mutant gathering. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents from across the city respond. David realizes they were handling security at a large demonstration downtown. A judge will soon make a ruling about whether Prop X (which requires mutant registration) should be suspended while its legality is argued in court. Pro-Prop X protestors line one side of the street while anti-Prop X protestors line the other. Suddenly a series of explosives erupt from one end of the pro-Prop X block to the other end. Dozens are instantly killed and hundreds more are injured, many dying. Sam senses the attack and hurries to the scene. As she passes, fires go out, smoke disperses, buildings piece themselves back together, and bleeding slows. She can’t quite heal the injured, but the dying are stabilized. Sam can also sense six nearby MRF members: teammate David, cell leader and former Academy X student Christine, another former student Rodrigo, a mutant called Knightsabre, a Morlock named Troll that hundreds of years old, and a mentalist she can sense somewhere nearby but can’t read. She ignores David and the mentalist that somehow has the power to block a member of the Phoenix Five. She finds the other four mutants responsible for the attack and pulls them out of buildings or underground hiding places. Then she senses something else that’s troubling – around three or four dozen Morlocks are underground near the scene of the attack. They were the ones that planted the bombs! Why are the Morlocks in league with the MRF?... On Sunday, Sam is contacted mentally by Scott again. He invites her to visit the United Nations building in New York City on Monday. Some of the Phoenix Five will be attending to make an announcement before the countries of the world – there will be no more war. Sam is shocked by Scott’s audacity. He can’t take away everyone’s free will. Scott says ending war is far more important than letting people have the freedom to kill their fellow men. Sam shares Scott’s plan with her teammates. Bastienne, as Secretary of State, vows to be there. On Monday Scott, Heather, and Storm appear before the general assembly and outlaw war…
 * Arc 20: Countdown's Begun**