Astonshing X-Men #23

[selenak]

And yet again makes me very happy. Firstly, a word about the new mystery set up for the finale. Hank and Brand (Hank, you do protest too much about still being paired up with her, you know you want her) find out that the Colossus relief, while made of ancient stones, was carved by modern weapons and reads like an instructions manual. A plan, not a prophecy, says Hank to Emma later, and Emma wonders who could have planted it but then is distracted by the big event of the issue. Also, at the start of said issue, you have Aghanne and Dafi (and btw, continue to be glad that Joss gives us individual sympathetic Breakworlders) talk about the Augurs. Kruun, we hear, slaughtered them back in the day before Aghanne, then not yet an outcast, pointed out the usefulness of their gift. Hmmmm. Right now, I suspect both Augurs and Brand - my favourite ruthless Agent can read and speak the language, as she demonstrates to Hank, and I wouldn't put it past her to set a complicated prophecy up in order to take out an alien race she considers a threat to Earth. But she'd need the cooperation of the Augurs, since the Colossus prophecy wasn't just produced by the stone relief but confirmed by every Augur. Why would the Augurs do that, if it's not true, since such a thing would go against their own people? Well, if their goverment used to persecute and slaughter them, you have some motivation going on.

But of course, the main event is Scott Summers going through with a plan that depends on himself a) dying, b) getting captured and resurrected, and c) getting tortured for a while. The only other character written by Joss Whedon who'd do something crazy, masochistic and yet inspired like that I can think of is Mal Reynolds. Though the telepathy mission briefing thing is actually from the s7 BTVS episode Showtime, but I'd argue it's far better set up here; a lot of us had guessed that at least Scott and Emma were in telepathic communication in the relevant scene last issue, and Emma linking all the others to Scott has been shown several times in AXM, for example at the start of the Dangerous arc. You could figure it out. But Kruun didn't. And I feel just the slightest bit smug because I had predicted since Torn that Scott would end up/be revealed to be in full control of his powers in this arc, after that trip through personal hell back in Torn. Also, you have to admire Joss & Cassady for the way they use Scott's power in AXM. They use it very sparingly, and the impressiveness rises accordingly - with the two big scenes being the one versus the Sentinel back during Dangerous, and now this one, which is just flat awesome. And makes complete storytelling and character sense, which is not always the case in X-Men comics.

Scattered observations and more questions:

- I'm starting to get worried about Kitty. There is quite the emphasis on the Breakworld substances affecting her badly, she and Peter have made up, and now she's making sympathetic overtures towards Emma - is she set up for a death?

- this being said, the Kitty/Emma scene demands a follow-up where Emma is the one trying to talk to Kitty; also, their conflict has been a subplot from Gifted onwards, so I really think there will be some kind of resolution

- I doubt they'll go through with the Breakworld-destroying instructions manual, though obviously that's what we're meant to assume; partly because I suspect Brand and the Augurs as the origin, see above, and partly because Jean Grey as Dark Phoenix aside, destroying worlds really is a no for X-Men. But between Hisako and Logan saving civilians from execution, Kruun freezing a lot of same to their death in order to capture Hank and Brand in the previous issue, and Aghanne & Dafi's talk, and now Kruun & the prison taken out by Scott, I'd say the revolution could be about to start. (The storming of the Bastille, anyone?)

Comments

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

The only other character written by Joss Whedon who'd do something crazy, masochistic and yet inspired like that I can think of is Mal Reynolds.

Heh -- did you read my post first or did we come up with that independently? Oh, Scott. The only other character I could think of who would do something like that is Batman, but he wouldn't tell anybody else he was doing it. (Jack does something similar too Sloane on Alias but if I'm remembering correctly, Sloane genuinely thought he was going to die). And the psychic conversation device works much better here than on BtVS, because Willow's telepathy was a convenient deus ex machina that got turned on and off for plot convenience, so while that ep was kind of nifty, it was a cheap twist. Not so with Emma; using her power to link them all up happens all the time. It's also been used with Jean and Xavier over the years, so this is a case of Joss taking something that's always been there and pulling it out of his hat as a surprise -- a bit like Scott's power, actually. Also, while I was racking my brain for how they were going to save Scott's life, "The Breakworlders have a resurrection machine that they have made prominent use of in this very series"

I'm now a little perpelexed trying to sort out exactly when Scott realized he had control of his powers. Presumably he was trying to hide that information from Brand as well as the Breakworlders, but I'm not sure if he initially lied to his teammates about it (doesn't he tell Kitty or Hank that he can't access his powers?) Maybe because he knew there was a mole? Well, I"m sure all will be revealed -- in six months or whenever we see the final issue.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Heh -- did you read my post first or did we come up with that independently?

I swear I didn't read yours until later!

Jack does something similar too Sloane on Alias but if I'm remembering correctly, Sloane genuinely thought he was going to die.

Yes, you remember correctly. Sloane thought Jack would actually let him die for the Irina affair 25 years ago. That's Jack Bristow for you. :)

Also, while I was racking my brain for how they were going to save Scott's life, "The Breakworlders have a resurrection machine that they have made prominent use of in this very series"

Yes, I didn't think of it, either, and that despite this being really a big established plot point right from the start. Kudos, Whedon.

but I'm not sure if he initially lied to his teammates about it (doesn't he tell Kitty or Hank that he can't access his powers?)

He says to Kitty "...and I can't even begin to access my power" when talking her out of shooting Emma at the end of Torn. I think he realised only once they were in space; if I had to guess for fanfic purposes, when he and Emma cleared the air, followed by a plane crash. That was sort of familiar...

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

if I had to guess for fanfic purposes, when he and Emma cleared the air, followed by a plane crash. That was sort of familiar...

Oh, very true. I think that's what a lot of people guessed in the first place. So maybe it really did happen, Joss has just been holding off on the reveal.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

Such an awesome issue and one wishes it could be sent back in time to BtVS s7 to show how to do secret telepathic flashbacks correctly.

I love your speculation on Brand's involvement with the prophecy and am wondering if all the problems Kitty's been having on Breakworld are also somehow connected. Peter's defining characteristic in this series, besides his confusion over his resurrection, has been his rage - however detailed the prophecy it still requires Peter to go along with it, and I don't think he would risk world destruction without some major motivation, such as saving Kitty's life or beserker grief over her death. On the other hand, Kitty's chief complaint on Breakworld has been the difficulty of moving something heavy - usually Peter - through the ground. I could see a scenario where Kitty is unable to rescue Peter from the underground reactor core resulting in Peter's sacrificial death. It would be a nice wrap up to Kitty finding him for the first time underground, and a big callback to Chosen. We shall see, one thing this series has been consistent about is surprising me.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

The reason why I'm pretty sure that Peter won't die is that Joss just brought him back. Usually Marvel lets pass a few years before killing off resurrected characters again. (See also: Jean Grey, several times.) Also, he sacrificed his life before (during the Legacy virus storyline.)

Though agreed re: motivation for world destruction, though again, I'm pretty sure the Breakworld won't literaly be destroyed - though the X-Men will be given the opportunity t do so - just metaphorically. At the moment, I think Kitty's the one in biggest danger, given Blindfold's prediction that one of the X-men will not come back. (Though it could also be Hisako, since she's on the team now, but I doubt it.) Of course, Kitty might not die but could choose to go with Lockheed to his home planet, talking about the whole mole business, finding out why he did it etc., instead of returning to Earth.