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Avengers West Coast # 66
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The "X" in Weapon X is not the letter X, but actually refers to the Roman Number Ten. It’s because the Weapon X project was the tenth branch of the Weapon Plus program. [New X-men #129] - Submitted by Lawrence Wong
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Author : Fantomex
| Last Modified : August 29, 2007 |
| There are currently three different teams of X-Men. The Uncanny X-Men team briefly held official approval from the United Nations to act as mutant police across the globe. This team actually carried badges and called themselves the X.S.E. After a time away, they returned home to help rebuild Xavier’s mansion following a terrorist attack. However, in light of the recent M-Day, during which over 90% of the world’s mutant population were turned into baseline humans, the United Nations no longer need their help. Recently, Charles Xavier has once again taken charge of the team and taken them into Shi’ar Space on the trail of Vulcan.
Regular Creative Team: Ed Brubaker (writers), Billy Tan, Clayton Henry (pencilers)
Current Team Members
 Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner)
Powers: neomorphic physiology gives him heightened agility and reflexes, a more flexible spine, iridescent eyes, blue velvet fur, three fingers on each hand, two toes on each foot, fangs, pointed ears, a prehensile tail, and the ability to cling to solid surfaces and scale walls, manifests an invisible wormhole within his body that constantly absorbs light to shadow his features and make him invisible in darkness, and can be activated to teleport him through his extra-dimensional access while accompanied by a burst of flame, a stench of brimstone, and a “bamf“ noise
Notes:
- For a time, Nightcrawler studied to be a priest, but was never fully ordained.
- Nightcrawler’s mother is the shapeshifting terrorist Mystique and his father is an ancient mutant named Azazel, who was perceived as a demon and banished from Earth by a group of “angelic” mutants.
- During Storm’s recent kidnapping, Kurt and Bishop shared leadership responsibilities for the X-Men. When Storm left for Africa they continued to do so. With both Havok and Bishop leaving the X-Men, Nightcrawler is now the sole team leader.
 Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier)
Powers: most powerful mutant mind on the planet possesses vast telepathic abilities, allowing him to read minds, project thoughts, release his astral form, and manipulate thoughts to control minds, alter memories, and cast illusions, now depowered
Notes:
- Xavier founded the X-Men in order to teach young mutants how to use their powers properly and to protect the world against dangerous mutants such as Magneto.
- The professor has had several relationships with other predominant characters such as Dr. Moira MacTaggert, Amelia Voght, Gabrielle Haller and Lilandra Neremani.
- He was once believed to have been killed by Grotesk, only to emerge months later having secretly planned to defeat an alien race known as the Z’Nox.
- In wiping Magneto’s mind, he inadvertently created the psionic entity known as Onslaught who threatened to take over the world.
- Xavier was left powerless when the Scarlet Witch took away his mutant powers in the House of M storyline, but regained his powers after the M’Kraan Crystal healed him.
 Warpath (James Proudstar)
Powers: superhuman strength, speed, agility, endurance, reflexes, and resistance to physical injury, hyper-keen senses, self-propelled flight, carries vibranium knives
Notes:
- James is the younger brother of John Proudstar, the first member of the X-Men to be seen to die in action.
- He once blamed Charles Xavier for his brother’s death, but he has since realized that it was not his fault.
- James spent time as a Hellion and a New Mutant before joining X-Force. He later hooked up the X-Corporation in Mumbai where he remained until hooking up once again with Cable and then the X-Men.
 Darwin (Armando Munoz)
Powers: reactive mutation adjusts his capabilities to his environment, sharpening or hardening his skin, increasing his intelligence, developing night vision, becoming resistant to heat, impact, gas, smoke, poisons, etc.
Notes:
- He was part of a team that Charles Xavier put together, which included Vulcan, who went to the Living Island of Krakoa in order to rescue the original team of X-Men. He was believed to have been killed in action.
- Darwin was on the team at Xavier’s request as he hoped that Darwin’s friendship with Vulcan could help persuade him to cease his hostile activities. This didn’t happen, and Darwin’s future is uncertain.
Supporting Cast and Inactive Members
 Havok (Alex Summers)
Powers: absorb cosmic energy, such as starlight, x-rays, and gamma rays, then metabolize them into plasma wave discharges that can be used for concussive impact or to superheat and destroy objects
Notes:
- Havok was believed dead after he was in an exploding time machine / airplane. However, his mind was shunted into another reality where he took over the body of his counterpart. [Mutant X series] Eventually, after that reality was on the verge of destruction, Havok discorporated into energy and after defeating the force that was causing the destruction, he returned to his rightful body that, comatose, had been taken care of in a nursery home.
- Alex had a long relationship with his nurse, Annie Ghazikhanian, partially due to her mutant son Carter having established a telepathic link between them; the two of them dating each other in their dreams. However, that relationship has since come to an end, with Annie taking Carter and leaving the Institute, claiming it to be too dangerous for her son. He is now back on friendly terms with Polaris.
- When his father, Corsair, was killed by Vulcan, Havok took over leadership of the Starjammers, being joined by Polaris, Marvel Girl and Korvus.
 Marvel Girl III (Rachel “Grey” / Rachel Summers)
Powers: inherited psionic power that she manifests as telepathy, psychokinesis, and a chronoskimming talent that enables her to draw forth her own mind or the minds of others and send them into the time stream, causing them to arrive in another time period either in an astral form, within their own body or that of their closest ancestor
Notes:
- Rachel stems from the alternate timeline knows as Days of Future Past, but thanks to the Phoenix Force she managed to escape that dark future and arrived in the present.
- Later on, Rachel re-entered the timestream and emerged in the Askani timeline, about two millennia in the future. It was actually Rachel who founded the Askani cult and became known as Mother Askani. However, the timeline was erased out of existence due to Apocalypse’s premature end, Rachel found herself stuck at the end of time from where she was rescued by Cable.
- Upon rejoining the X-Men, she called herself Marvel Girl in honor of Jean Grey. She also changed her surname from Summers to Grey, apparently in disapproval of Cyclops’ affair with Emma Frost. Recently though, Rachel has begun to mend fences with Emma.
- She struck up a romance with Korvus whilst on Vulcan’s trail, and remained with him to join the Starjammers crew.
 Polaris (Lorna Dane)
Powers: conduct magnetic energy as pulse bolts, force fields, flight, and the manipulation of ferrous materials, absorb electricity to supercharge her own electromagnetic fields, now artificially maintained
Notes:
- When Lorna was still a baby, her parents were killed in a plane crash. She was adopted by her father’s sister and her husband, and grew up believing them to be her real parents. For years she dyed her naturally green hair brown.
- After learning that Magneto was really her father, Lorna traveled to Genosha, only to be present when the island nation was attacked by a new breed of Sentinels and 16 million people died right in front of her eyes. Beneath the debris she found a black box containing the last thoughts of everyone, magnetically recorded by Magneto. This series of events have caused a severe change in Lorna’s attitude, becoming more violent and arrogant, yet much more self-assured too.
- Polaris is one of the many mutants who lost their powers following the tragic M-Day, though she has since regained some form of power due to Apocalypse choosing her as one of his Horsemen.
- Polaris left the X-Men to join Alex Summers and the Starjammers crew.
 Vulcan (Gabriel Summers)
Powers: energy manipulation powers allow him to produce light, heat, force, and electricity, warp or disable existing energy sources, tap into and suppress mutant energies, survive in the vacuum of space, and fly
Notes:
- Gabriel is the younger brother of Scott and Alex Summers, and grew up on the Shi’ar Throneworld, unaware of his family connections.
- He was recruited by Professor Xavier in order to help rescue the original team of X-Men from the Living Island of Krakoa, but was believed killed in action.
- Vulcan was reborn when mutant energies released during M-Day reached space, and traveled to Earth.
- After he learned what the Shi’ar had done to him, he decided to seek his revenge by destroying their empire. However, instead of doing this, he decided to marry Deathbird, kill D’Ken and take over the Shi’ar Empire himself.
 Hepzibah
Powers: enhanced strength, speed, agility, stamina, and reflexes, night vision, retractable finger claws, skunk tail, secretes mind-altering pheromones during intercourse
Notes:
- Hepzibah is a member of the Mephitisoid race. She is feline/human in appearance and is an expert when it comes to using different types of weaponry.
- She met Corsair whilst imprisoned in the slave pits of Alsibar. She escaped alongside him and those who would join them as members of the Starjammers. Hepzibah was named by Corsair after a character in the Walt Kelly cartoon strips.
- She and Corsair fell in love, a love which lasted until his death at the hands of his wayward son, Vulcan.
Recent events (up to #486)
When the Scarlet Witch altered reality, bringing about the House of M, the Uncanny X-Men, formerly the X-treme X-Men, emerged through the other side only to discover that around 90% of the world’s mutants had lost their powers. This included many of their friends. Sentinels had taken up their posts around the mansion under the auspices of Val Cooper’s Office of National Emergency (O*N*E). Storm decided to leave the team and visit Africa, Cannonball rejoined the team and Wolverine departed in order to try to understand his newfound memories, returned by the Scarlet Witch’s machinations. This left the team roster comprised of Bishop, Cannonball, Marvel Girl, Nightcrawler and Psylocke.
Their first major battle after the House of M was with the Shi’ar Death Commandos, who were charged with placing a permanent deathmark on Rachel Grey. They were afraid that another member of the Grey family could bond with the cosmic force known as the Phoenix and using the deathmark they could trace her wherever she went. During their mission, the Commandos murdered Rachel’s entire family, including Jean’s parents, John and Elaine Grey. The threat that the Shi’ar posed ended after a brutal battle.
Rachel had been having strange visions of Psylocke’s brother, Jamie Braddock, for a while. He finally appeared at the mansion and explained that he had found Psylocke dead and brought her back to life. However, he rebuilt her as a weapon this time, and ensured that she was immune to other reality changers like the Shadow King or Proteus. Before he could inform them about something called the FourSaken, he was grabbed and taken through a portal. The all-seeing Watcher took notice of these events.
With O*N*E soldiers about to grab them, Kurt teleported the team to Central Park, where they confronted the FourSaken. They were old friends of Jamie Braddock’s. They had Jamie captive and stole some souls from the city to try and bring the First Fallen to them. The First Fallen was the polar opposite of the Phoenix, and even the Watcher seemed afraid of what might happen should he be resurrected. Psylocke foiled the FourSaken’s plan, but everyone was sucked through a portal to a place called the Singing City; a place of peace and salvation according to the First Fallen, who Betsy met when she woke up.
He explained that he didn’t allow violence on his world. Betsy’s suspicions brought her to demand answers from the First Fallen, who explained that only the FourSaken would be accepted into his world. Everyone else would be redundant, meaning the human race needn’t continue. Betsy attacked him, plunging her psi-sword into his brain. This brought the original personality of the First Fallen to the fore. Rachel used her telepathy to determine that the First Fallen was actually a king. He was taken over by an essence that sought perfection. Since then, it had plundered many worlds in that pursuit. One of the FourSaken, Ned, killed the man, but inadvertently released the force from Betsy’s grasp, and it prepared to take its revenge. Jamie sacrificed himself to save them, returning the team to Earth where Bishop received a call from Storm who needed some help handling a situation in Kenya.
The team joined her there and they were attacked by soldiers working for a Colonel Shetani. Storm lay injured and dreamed about her forthcoming marriage to T’Challa, whilst the X-Men fought Shetani’s forces. They were struggling, until Storm woke up and turned the tide. She confronted Shetani who explained that he was actually her uncle. He was forced to inform her about a village in the Rift Valley where Ororo met her grandmother for the first time. All Ororo had to do now was to give T’Challa her answer. They soon married and set off on a world tour. With this, the X.S.E. pretty much ceased operations as a mutant police force. Cannonball then left this squad to join Rogue’s.
With a powerless Professor Xavier now returned to the team, despite Scott’s objections, his first course of action was to assemble a team comprising Havok, Polaris, Marvel Girl, Nightcrawler and newcomers Warpath and Darwin. Alex and Scott’s brother, Vulcan, was heading to Shi’ar space to wreak havoc and Xavier wanted his new team to stop him. They took a Shi’ar space ship from a hidden volcano base in New York and headed into space. Vulcan continued his journey, using a Shi’ar warship to get through the stargates, which he destroyed afterwards to prevent Xavier’s team from following. The team found a space station manned by Shi’ar, but they turned out to be Warskrulls fleeing the Annihilation Wave. The X-Men defeated them and discovered two Shi’ar crewmembers still alive. They recognized Charles Xavier as being a traitor to the imperium, but said nothing.
Meanwhile, Chancellor K’Tor used a man named Korvus to track down Rachel Summers and kill her. Korvus traced their ship, using the deathmark on her back, and attacked the team using the Blade of the Phoenix. Only when he tried killing Rachel did it link with her and show them both what the other had gone through. While they chatted, the two Shi’ar crewmen kidnapped Charles Xavier and escaped in Korvus’ ship. Vulcan, meanwhile, was confronted by the Shi’ar Imperial Guard and defeated by Gladiator. When placed in a holding cell, he was freed by a soldier working for K’Tor – a member of the Secret Order. This was a group whose goal was to take the Empire back from Lilandra. He arranged for Vulcan to discover someone rotting in the cells two levels below - Deathbird. The two found a strong attraction to one another immediately.
Korvus helped the X-Men fix their ship’s damaged jump engines and Marvel Girl became attracted to him, and they embraced. Charles Xavier, meanwhile, was taken to the Shi’ar who began torturing him. Darwin was tracking Charles and planned on freeing him at the first opportunity. Before he could do this, he discovered that the former emperor D’Ken was somehow alive and about to take over the empire once again. D’Ken had been awakened by Vulcan, and in return for this he asked Vulcan to marry his sister. Elsewhere, the X-Men managed to join up with Alex’s father and his fellow Starjammers. Alex informed Corsair about his other son, and he couldn’t believe it. He wanted to rescue him along with Charles and Darwin. All the while, Havok and Polaris began mending their troubled relationship.
To aid them in their ousting of D’Ken, Deathbird and Vulcan, Lilandra joined forces with Major-General Ka’ardum who she had imprisoned some time ago. For the sake of the empire, he agreed to join her on her mission. With a third of the fleet at their disposal, the time was right to attack.
With the M’Kraan Crystal as their backdrop, Vulcan and Deathbird tied the knot in front of a shackled Charles Xavier who the Shi’ar planned to execute. The battle began, with Ka’ardum’s forces, aided by the X-Men, the Starjammers and Korvus attacking them during the ceremony. Vulcan hurled Charles into the crystal, and Darwin followed. Vulcan then murdered D’Ken and proclaimed himself emperor.
To tie up loose ends, Vulcan prepared to kill Lilandra, but Corsair came to her rescue and paid for this with his life. Havok then attacked Vulcan along with Polaris, and Vulcan was badly injured. Darwin managed to pull Charles Xavier from the M’Kraan Crystal and Nightcrawler got them to their ship. There, Lilandra joined them, but once she knew Charles was okay, she programmed the computers to take the ship back to Earth. She rejoined the battle, only to find that Deathbird had ordered a retreat. The empire was safe, for now.
On Earth, the ship crash-landed and Charles surprised Nightcrawler by revealing that the crystal had given him back him mutation. His telepathy had returned. Hepzibah not only mourned a lost love; she had no hope of returning anytime soon to the Starjammers. Her place, and that of Corsair, was taken by Korvus and the three remaining X-Men who sent a communication to Earth, informing Charles that they were leaving the X-Men, and going after Vulcan.
You can also read the detailed issue summaries of Uncanny X-Men here at the site.
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