Issue+55+-+'Explosive'


 * Issue 55 - 'Explosive' **




 * Plot**

(Takes place at the same time as Age of X: Homefront, Part 4 of 4)  The eXalts are in a state of shock upon returning to Academy X. Mystique’s explosives destroyed most of the school. Many died, including Mac’s wife Jubilee, David’s kids, and all but twenty or thirty students. One of the students that died is Ruby Summers, but Peter Rasputin (Piotr’s son) and James Hudson (Wolverine’s son) survived. In the middle of the rubble is Ruth. She somehow escaped from the asylum. She says: “one minute until midnight.” At the same time, war has been declared between the two mutant-lead nations. The war that will destroy the two countries – and possibly the world – is about to begin. Mac does what he can to save injured students. The other eXalts help pull bodies from the rubble. Bastienne, however, falls to her knees. She says it’s not real – it can’t be real. Agape comforts her. S.H.I.E.L.D. arrives to secure the scene and help with cleanup. Dane asks them to take the surviving kids to a safe location, and they do so. While talking to the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, a few eXalts notice some of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents look familiar. One looks like Mac’s cousin, Agent McAlister. But he looks like Agent McAlister of ten years ago, and he calls himself Agent Jones! Another looks like just a younger Agent Owen, but he claims to be someone else! What is going on? But the eXalts have larger concerns. Dane contacts Mutant Republic Defense Minister Alex Summers (Dagan’s husband) to let him know about the attack on Academy X. Alex is shocked to hear about the attack, and is even more upset when he hears the eXalts Red Team is dead and the Scarlet Witch is alive and working for Magneto. Now that Lucius is dead, Alex asks for Dane’s help. Lucius’ teleportation blockers are keeping the east coast from striking the Mutant Republic, but they won’t last forever and they need upkeep. Dane says he can’t help, however. He has other problems to deal with. Alex says he’s likewise busy and they hang up. Meanwhile, David’s thoughts are on his son Davan now that war has officially broken out. He wants him back on the west coast. He asks if Honoka can teleport someone to the east coast school. As Honoka has been there before, she agrees. She teleports Dane using her darkforce energy. When Dane disappears, however, he reappears midair in the middle of a firefight. Before he can get his bearings, he falls into a body of water. In his armored form he sinks like a stone. Fortunately, he doesn’t need to breathe while armored. He realizes he can feel a current: he’s in a river. He guesses he’s at the border between the Mutant Republic and the New United States – the Mississippi River. The water above him is on fire, so he can’t surface in his human form and he can’t swim in his armored form. He walks to the west bank and surfaces. He sees a great battle between the two mutant countries. A shimmering barrier is blocking a bombardment from the east coast. Dane realizes only physical projectiles, like tank shells, are stopped. Energy attacks pass through the barrier. Dozens of mutants on each side are raining various energy attacks on each other. Dane notices former Academy X student Santo pulling wounded to safety and assists. Dane explains how he arrived and how he has to get back. Santo leads him to a teleporter that sends him back to Academy X.  Back at Academy X, Ruth suddenly has a vision. She says they have to follow the path. X marks the spot. The group realizes that Ruth is telling them to listen to X. X told them she’d reappear when the time was right and have a plan to stop the war. She warned the plan would involve taking drastic action. David doesn’t trust X, however. He calls Michael, Vice-Exarch of the Mutant Republic and current leader, to see what’s going on. Michael is in the middle of a meeting with military leaders. As David has been appointed general, he’s welcome to attend. David decides to take Sam to the meeting. That’s when Dane reappears. And before David and Sam can get on the Blackbird to leave, X reappears! X tells them that the time for their mission approaches. In a little over two weeks they will need to infiltrate the east coast school. When David asks why, X says they need to get to Cerebro. In another reality, Xavier was able to use Cerebro to activate latent mutants. X believes Sam can use Cerebro to do the opposite: depower all mutants! It’s the only way to stop the war that could destroy everything. The group reacts to the plan. Some, like David don’t trust X. Others either believe the plan might be the only way (like Sam and Mac), while others agree because they simply don’t care anymore due to losing so much (like Bastienne). X says she’ll inform them when the time is right. They have to wait until there will be less resistance at Xavier’s. She then disappears. David brushes off X’s words and plans to attend Michael’s meeting. Sam accompanies him.  David and Sam arrive at the Exarch’s Place in Sacramento and are ushered into the meeting. They see Steve Rogers and several notable mutants at the meeting, but the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. (former Academy X student Julian) is missing. Michael says he’s leading a group called the “Force Warriors.” They are using their substantial telekinetic powers to keep the east coast forces from entering the Mutant Republic. At the meeting, David urges action. He volunteers the eXalts Gold Team to strike at the heart of the New United States. David tries to recruit Steve and his Avengers. David wants Steve to rally the humans of the New United States to attack the mutants. He also wants to drop the Hulk onto the White House. Steve says he’ll have to talk to Bruce and he’s not willing to use the humans of the east coast as cannon fodder. He says he’ll discuss the ideas with his team. When David and Sam leave the meeting, they see a hooded figure approach them. When Sam uses her telekinesis to knock back the hood, they see that it’s Dagan! She’s escaped her handlers in the palace and she wants to leave with them. They happily take her with them. She explains that she was kept in her suite and not allowed contact with the outside world. She’s realized she’s in the future, however, and that she doesn’t have any memory of the last ten years. David and Sam fill Dagan in on what she’s missed on the ride back to the school. Back at Academy X, Dane realizes the group will need somewhere to stay for the night. He remembers that their ally, Heather Cameron of X-Corporation: San Francisco, can probably help them. He calls her and she agrees to find a place for them to stay. When David, Sam, and Dagan return, the group heads to X-Corp’s house on the Pacific Ocean. There they have a discussion about what to do next. David wants to go east immediately. He doesn’t care about what X said – he wants to rescue Davan. While Sam wants to rescue her children Alex and Kurt, she thinks it’s too dangerous. Ruth breaks in and says the anthill has too many ants. The group knows that many X-teams, such as the X-Men Gold Team, the X-Men Blue Team, the New Mutants, possibly X-Factor, and more could be there. David relents for now. Over the next week the group prepares for their eventual mission at Xavier’s school. Dane uses his connections with the Mutant Republic military to get weapons. He’s able to obtain Capekiller armor for each of them. He also upgrades the jet’s stealth features. The rest of the eXalts train with the new equipment. Meanwhile, there are several skirmishes at the border between the two mutant countries. The Mutant Republic’s defenses are holding for now, but it’s clear they won’t last forever. The Mutant Republic is outnumbered and outgunned. And it’s clear David is only a figurehead general. He is not involved in any of the military action. The next weekend brings widespread human protests all over the Mutant Republic. Mac tries to steer the protests towards peaceful actions or at least doing something positive, like building shelters for the homeless, but it’s clear that he’s lost control of the movement. On Sunday, Heather Cameron of X-Corporation: San Francisco speaks at a huge rally in Los Angeles. In the middle of her speech, a group of mutants emerges from the crowd and assassinates her! The crowd goes wild. As news of her death spreads throughout the Mutant Republic, the humans riot. Michael no longer has any patience for the human protestors. S.H.I.E.L.D. teams are sent in to end the protests by any means necessary. The eXalts watch on television as humans are gunned down in the streets. Sam wants to do something, but the rest of the team doesn’t want to get involved.  On Monday David finally gets word from Michael: his plan to attack New York is too risky. They’re barely holding the border as it is. Getting to New York will be impossible since teleportation has been blocked. Plus they need the eXalts ready for a desperate strike on Washington, D.C… they’re going to throw everything they have at the capital in hopes of killing the Scarlet Witch. Unless they can kill her, they have no hope of ever winning the war. David hangs up in disgust. He decides it’s time to head to Xavier’s and asks if anyone is with him. Bastienne volunteers. Everyone else is more wary. Then Mac seems to agree. He says this is it, even if it means death, and shakes David’s hand. When he touches David, however, he uses his mutant ability to drain him – and David is knocked unconscious! The group agrees to keep David sedated until X says it’s time to attack. A little over a week later X appears. She says that today is the day. It’s the day of the Mutant Republic’s strike on Washington, D.C.. The Avengers will be attacking alongside the most powerful mutants from the Mutant Republic. When the Hulk rampages through the city, most of Xavier’s mutants will be forced to help. With many of the forces gone from the east coast school, it’s the perfect time to try to access Cerebro. After all, Xavier is sympathetic to the eXalts, as he doesn’t want war, either. They should be able to talk their way into the school. When the time is right, they can get into the basement and access Cerebro. The group agrees. They wake up David and tell him only an hour has passed, and they agree with him that it’s time to go east. David sees through the lies and punches Mac. Mac agrees he deserved that. The Blackbird is able to get through the Force Team’s telekinetic barrier when Sam uses her telekinesis to create an opening. Their cloaking and stealth mode seems to work. They pass over the New United States seemingly undetected. When they pass over the former farmland irradiated by a radioactive explosion months ago, they are shocked to see that large numbers of humans have been relocated to that dangerous area. They also pass over several cities destroyed sometime in the past. Clearly things aren’t any better in the east coast. When the jet finally reaches Xavier’s school, the group is surprised when they receive a radio transmission from Hank McCoy. Clearly the technology possessed by the X-Men can penetrate the Blackbird’s stealth mode. Hank gives them permission to land at the school. When the eXalts disembark, they are greeted by Headmasters Scott and Emma, Ororo, Hisako, and Hank. The eXalts brought along Peter to trade for their kids. James is along, but he has no interest in seeing Wolverine, as he hates his father. The eXalts also brought the body of Ruby Summers (a box full of rubies). Emma sees the remains of her daughter and walks off. Scott wordlessly grieves. Hisako brings Kurt, Alex, and Davan. She also brings Piotr and Professor X. Piotr is happy to see his son. Ororo says the X-Men empathize with the eXalts. They heard about the destruction of the school and all the deaths they recently suffered. They also don’t believe that the eXalts were responsible for poisoning the east coast’s food supply, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of mutants. Mac diplomatically explains that they’re only there to talk. Samantha initiates telepathic contact with Xavier and explains the plan to stop the war: they must use Cerebro to depower all mutants. Xavier is reluctant. He reminds Sam that he once tried to take away Agape’s power, and realizes that it’s a violation. How could he sanction depowering all mutants – essentially destroying the mutant race? But he agrees to talk it over with the X-Men.  The X-Men invite the eXalts inside. They leave to discuss their options. While the battle in Washington, D.C. is ongoing, X assured the group that there was still some time before the Scarlet Witch would be injured and then lose control of her powers, destroying everything. While the X-Men discuss their options, David comes up with a plan. He says the eXalts should help the Scarlet Witch win the battle against the Mutant Republic. He still doesn’t trust X. At that point X appears. She says the time is right – while the X-Men are out of the room, the eXalts can sneak downstairs and access Cerebro. All agree, except for David. He stays behind. Since Dane was once prefect and later ran Xavier’s school, he knows how to hack into the elevator controls. He gains access to the elevator, but accidentally trips a silent alarm. The group is able to get downstairs, but the X-Men will be coming after them!  David watches as the X-Men respond. They quickly get into the elevator to follow the eXalts. Once the elevator descends and returns, David enters to follow from behind. Meanwhile, Dane has cracked the door code and has opened the Cerebro chamber. As the door opens, Academy X’s ghostly student Shura appears! She says, “The blind one can’t see. The false prophet is showing you a mirror! Break the mirror!” All of a sudden her ghostly form is torn apart by invisible hands. She screams as she’s ripped apart! But the eXalts have little time to respond. The X-Men have exited the elevator and they’re charging towards them! Panzer and Academy X student James form a front line. Nightwind teleports behind Emma Frost and attacks her with her darkforce sword, slightly injuring her. Emma steps aside and mentally controls Icegirl. Phantasma puts on the Cerebro helmet. As soon as she’s distracted, Icegirl attacks under Emma’s control. Before Icegirl can fire, Bast tackles her to the ground. Due to the impact, Icegirl shakes off the attack. Wolverine and Warpath attack James while Colossus and Armor attack Panzer. James is hurt, but his regeneration keeps him standing. Panzer’s armor helps him withstand the powerful attacks of the two mutants.  Beast leaps over the front line to attack Glimmer. His vicious attack stuns her. Storm uses her weather control to create storm clouds in the Cerebro chamber. She sends a lightning bolt streaking down to strike Medic. He’s badly hurt, but he still manages to teleport next to Emma and drain her of some energy. Cyclops fires a blast at Phantasma, injuring her. The telepathic mutant is still able to concentrate enough to control Cerebro, however. She scans the area first, and senses X’s telepathic contact with each of the eXalts. Is she somehow controlling or affecting them, or is it simply how she brought their minds forward into their future bodies? Mustang emerges from the elevator just in time to see a shocking sight: Magneto rips the metal floor open and descends from above. He uses his magnetic powers to throw Panzer off the ledge to the pit below. Panzer crashes into the floor, but his armor protects him. Then Mustang flies into the room and shocks everyone when he attacks Phantasma! He’s siding with the X-Men! His light blast stuns her. X suddenly appears and shakes Phantasma out of her daze. The battle rages on around them, but Mustang keeps his focus on Phantasma. He fires again. X solidifies and takes the hit. She’s badly hurt. In that moment, all of the eXalts see a flash of a different scene. Panzer only has one arm. Bast doesn’t have her physical mutations. Everyone looks ten years younger. Is that the true reality? Has X been deceiving them? Mustang strains himself to keep up the attack. His next blast is yet again blocked by X – but this strike knocks her prone! And, as she collapses, the illusion fades. The eXalts can see that they’re not in the future after all!  The X-Men are unaware of all this. They press the attack. But now the eXalts can hear what they’re really saying. Cyclops says, “Don’t kill them. They might not really be duplicates!” From his vantage point below, Panzer isn’t aware of what’s going on. He rips a panel free from the wall and throws it at Mustang, knocking him out. Phantasma removes her helmet, now sure that she shouldn’t follow X’s plan. She’s then hit by Magneto’s attack and is knocked out. Professor X mentally stuns Glimmer and she falls unconscious. Icegirl is then taken out. Nightwind can see the battle is lost. Straining her darkforce powers to their limit, she extends her teleportation range and teleports the entire group away. The team arrives back at Academy X, finally back in 2010. That’s when they see the most alarming sight yet: instead of their school, all they see is an empty crater. What happened to Academy X, and what have they missed in the months they believed they were in the future? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Next (Issue):** Age of X: Homefront, Part 4 of 4 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Next (Storyline):** Issue 56 - 'Paradox' <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Previous (Storyline):** Issue 54 - 'Tinderbox'
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