(Chicago, Millennium Park)
The stadium, which is filled with hundreds of people from the Humans Now protest, starts to rip apart. The metallic frame of the roof peels back as helicopters fly around and film the whole scene. People run from the stadium screaming that the muties are going to bring the whole place down. A car is flung at one of the circling helicopters causing it to explode and fall to the ground.
Inside the stadium Joseph, dressed as Magneto, levitates up high whilst metallic debris and the bodies of the Humans Now supporters float around him. Amongst the smoke and fire, Christopher Bach looks on it horror. Joseph turns to him and asks him what’s wrong… but all he can do is start stuttering.
(Five Days Ago )
In his apartment, Bach stares wide eyed as a number of floating knifes and guns point at his face. He says he can’t do it, they had a deal. He continues and tells Joseph that he paid Astra a great deal of money to bring him back and do what he asked. The agreement was that a small group of Humans Now supporters would be killed by him, dressed as Magneto, to whip the masses into a frenzy. He can’t attack the rally. Joseph, wearing a smart suit, tells him to calm down, he’s getting himself very worked up. He points out that firstly his agreement was with Astra and that’s none of his concern. And secondly he can and will murder them all.
With that, he uses his powers to pick up Bach and throw him out of the window. He holds Bach in mid-air high above the street below. Joseph walks to the broken window and looks out at Bach. He explains that Bach wants him to slaughter his sheep so he can use them as weapons. Joseph applauds his commitment but he just isn’t thinking big enough. A few dozen bodies on the evening news will get them listening for a few moments. But a few thousand… live… will get them in the streets with torches. That’s what he wants, right?
Bach says Joseph will never understand why he is doing this. Joseph tells him not to embarrass himself, his scheme is hardly original. It’s almost laughable that Astra took his money and didn’t teleport that heart out of his chest. But alas, she didn’t and here they are. Joseph floats Bach back into the room and drops him on the floor. He tells him that he can’t see this right now but it will work out perfectly for them both. Humans will know once again that the name Magneto is to be feared. And they will rush to Bach’s side… the poor shepherd who lost his flock. Bach can only stare up at him as he cradles his hand, which has a shard of glass in.
(The Present)
Back at the stadium, the smoke and fires still rage on. The roof has been completely stripped of its metal sheeting and cars are seen being flung high in the air. A cameraman films the scene and the look of shock on Bach’s face. Suddenly, a purple hand covers the camera. Joseph introduces himself to the viewers in the guise of Magneto and claims that this is a dawn of a new era.
(Utopia)
Astra is still strapped into the machine that negates her powers. Her arms and legs are bound and she is only wearing red underwear. As a chess board floats in front of her she asks what is it with him and chess? Erik floats in a sitting position on the other side of the board. He tells her that a few of the students have gotten into Uno lately if she would prefer that. She stares at him and says that she would prefer to get out of there. She says that he is one of us not them… just push a few buttons and he will never hear from her again.
Erik looks down at the chess board and tells her she took money from a man that wants all their kind in a cell or in the ground. In return, she gave him on of the most powerful mutants on the planet. She sarcastically tells him he is humble but he simply tells her it’s her turn. Emma Frost suddenly telepathically contacts him. She says that Joseph and his Brotherhood are attacking a Humans Now rally in Chicago. He’s on air nationwide and it’s not pretty. If they are going to stop this, they have to go now… they will be in hanger four in three minutes. Erik flings aside the chess board and releases Astra from her confinement. As she lands on the floor, he tells her it’s her lucky day.
Back at the stadium, Joseph is speaking into the camera. He tells them that this is only just the start, no man or mutant alive has the power to stop him. Before he finishes, though, a metal spear suddenly strikes his head, flinging him helmet off. Floating in front of him is Erik, now dressed in costume as Magneto. He disintegrates Joseph’s helmet and tells him that he loves a good speech but that was a bit much even for him. The cameraman can only exclaim with surprise that there are two of them. Magneto tells him that he is here to help and then tells him to get to safety.
Astra teleports in behind Magneto and Joseph says that he is glad she is back but they are going to have to talk about her loyalties. Astra says that she would love to stay and play with them but she’ll… just not. With that, she teleports away.
Blob and Mastermind appear and Joseph tells them that Magneto can’t hurt them as Cyclops has probably only given permission to scold them with his big, mean words. Magneto calmly says “no more words” and raises his hands in the air, using his powers. The Brotherhood look upwards into the sky and Blob can only utter “uh-oh.” High above, Magneto has taken control of a plane and is steering it towards the ground. He grabs the passengers out of it as it gets closer. Joseph raises his hands and rips the plane in half, but is unable to stop it hitting the ground. Joseph saves himself but the Blob and Mastermind are killed by the explosion.
Magneto just stares at Joseph, who has become enraged and lunges for Magneto. As the two begin to fight in mid-air, Joseph says he has to give it to him for the plane trick. Magneto kicks Joseph of and he lands on the ground. He says he will follow his lead and, with that, the ground starts to split beneath Magneto. Suddenly, a subway train bursts through the earth and hits Magneto. The train continues high up in the air before Magneto takes control of it.
He holds the trains in the air as the passengers all climb into one carriage. Then with the remaining empty carriages, he throws them towards the ground at Joseph. With a wave of his hand, Joseph send the carriages catapulting away. Magneto then safely lands the carriage with the passengers in and they start to get out. But before they all make it, the carriage suddenly collapses like a concertina, killing everyone inside. Joseph comes up behind him and simply says “oops.” Angered, Magneto looks at him and flings him backwards. Realizing that it’s time to end it, he uses his powers and physically punches Joseph numerous times until his clone is subdued on the floor.
Magneto takes off his helmet and tells him that all this death isn’t like Joseph. Crouching down, Joseph tells Magneto that what he doesn’t understand is that all of this is him. And he knows him because he is him. He can stand with the X-Men and sell himself on redemption but what they both remember is Magneto killing him. Magneto puts his hand on Joseph’s shoulder and tells him things are different. Joseph just laughs and says that they aren’t. Joseph says that Magneto wants a world where mutants rule. He can dress it up however he likes but part of him will always be jealous that Joseph has come back and he is superior. Magneto can switch sides all he wants but there will always be someone there to take his place.
Magneto grabs him by his hair and pulls his head back. He leans down close to him and tells Joseph that what none of them understands is that there are no heroes and no villains and no sides. Just what he wants and how he’ll get it. Joseph says that they have an audience now so what is Magneto going to do and he calls him a hero. Magneto turns to see Christopher Bach walking towards him with some dazed and confused Humans Now supports. Magneto tells them that they should walk towards the city as the X-Men are coming to help. Bach tells them not to listen to Magneto and to stay where they are. He calls Magneto a parasite and a filthy sub-human monster. The other people around him start to pick up stones and pieces of metal and they shouts out slurs like “mutie,” “monster” and “killer”. Bach tells him to show them what he is. With Magneto’s hands firmly around his head, Joseph mocks Magneto by repeating “no villains?” to him.
Magneto looks down for a few seconds and then magnetically picks up a huge chunk of metal debris. He then slams it down on the crowd, killing them all.
A short while later, the X-Men arrive in their plane. They see Magneto walking towards them with Joseph over his shoulder. He throws Joseph on the floor and tells Cyclops he is late and that he has a present for Iron Man and Captain America. Cyclops says there is a warrant for Bach and asks him if he knows where he is. Magneto says he doesn’t but he is sure when he turns up he will get what he deserves. Unbeknown to Cyclops, Bach’s body lies mangled among the debris of the stadium.
