New X-Men (1st series) #121

Issue Date: 
February 2002
Story Title: 
Silence: Psychic Rescue In Progress
Staff: 

Grant Morrison (writer), Frank Quietly (artist), Hi Fi Design (colors), Richard Starkings (letters), Pete Franco (assistant editor), Mark Powers (editor), Joe Quesada (editor in chief), Bill Jemas (president)

Brief Description: 

While the comatose body of Cassandra Nova lies in life support, the X-Men prepare to rescue the tortured psyche of Professor Xavier from her mind. After they permeate Cassandra’s consciousness, Jean and Emma embark on a psychic journey, but are plagued by hostile manifestations of Cassandra’s personality. Emma quickly becomes detained, but Jean presses on. Jean locates Professor Xavier’s psyche and discovers that Xavier tried to kill his twin sister while they were both in the womb. Once Jean and Emma regroup, they travel back out of Cassandra’s mind and Jean reveals her findings to the rest of her teammates.

Full Summary: 

Jean and Emma prepare to journey inside Cassandra Nova’s mind to find Professor Xavier’s consciousness. Before they go to work, Jean gives Cyclops a peck on the cheek as Emma watches with a look of displeasure. Wolverine also notices the exchange. When Cyclops tries to say something to Jean, she silences him. Jean and Emma make their way into Cassandra’s room and venture into Cassandra’s consciousness, though not before Emma knocks back a stiff drink.
Jean and Emma find themselves on steps leading down from a dark corridor. Along the walls are several doors containing Cassandra faces. The steps lead down to a desolate beach facing a vast sea. Jean and Emma are surprised when the Cassandra doors sneer and give them dirty looks. Emma stays behind as Jean descends the stairs. After Jean leaves, the Cassandra doors attack Emma, but her astral self switches to siamond form and she is unharmed.
Jean makes it to the beach. Out in the water is a tall tower, Jean’s destination. Jean uses her telekinesis to remove bricks and objects from her surroundings to create a bridge crossing the sea. While Emma fights with the Cassandra doors, Jean crosses her bridge, moving toward the tower. The top of the tower is lined with Cassandra gargoyles that fire blasts at Jean. The blasts destroy the bridge and Jean falls into the sea. As she falls, Jean looks at Emma, pleading for help, but Emma sticks her tongue out at her.
Jean swims the rest of the way and reaches the tower. She hauls herself out of the water and forces the tower doors open. Jean enters the tower and sees Professor Xavier chained down to a pit of bubbling tar, holding the weight of his massively swollen head in his hands. Jean walks toward the Professor and finds a snow globe on the ground, which she picks up. Inside the snow globe are figurines of a husband and wife, Professor Xavier’s parents, surrounded by what seems to be snow. However, the snow is actually sperm swimming around inside the globe. Soon Jean finds herself floating inside the globe while the sperm swim along. She becomes a spectator in the creation of human life. One of the sperm penetrates an ovum, which initiates a chain of events that result in a pair of twin babies. While the babies rest in the womb, one of them awakens and tries to strangle the other with the umbilical cord. The dying baby retaliates by unleashing powerful psychic energy, forcing the other child away. Outside, their mother feels the psychic energy as well while she’s walking up the stairs. The impact makes her tumble down the stairs while her husband watches in horror.
Jean, now back in the tower room, holds the snow globe in her hand. She discards the snow globe and telekinetically breaks the chains containing Professor Xavier. Jean liberates Professor Xavier from the tower and brings him to the beach. Emma still remains in the corridor, recovering after her battle with the Cassandra doors. Jean arrives and sarcastically thanks Emma for her help. She leads Emma down the stairs to the sand where Professor Xavier lies in a fetal position.
Back in the Xavier Institute, Cyclops and Wolverine wait for their teammates to come back. Once Jean and Emma return, Jean tells everyone that Professor Xavier tried to kill his twin sister when the two were in the womb.

Characters Involved: 

Cyclops, Emma Frost, Phoenix IV, Wolverine, Professor Charles Xavier (all X-Men)
Cassandra Nova, as psychic manifestations
Brian and Sharon Xavier, as psychic manifestations

Story Notes: 

The issue is part of Marvel’s ‘Nuff Said silent month. Besides on the last page, there is no dialogue, thought bubble or sound effect in the entire story.

Written By: