Son of M #6

Issue Date: 
July 2006
Story Title: 
The Purple Testament
Staff: 

David Hine (writer), Roy Allan Martinez (pencils), Pete Pantazis (colors), Dave Lanphear (letters), John Watson (cover), Brad Johansen (production), Molly Lazer & Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief), Dan Buckley (publisher)

Brief Description: 

Luna gets incensed at General Lazer and his soldiers for shooting her father, and asks Lockjaw to teleport them into safety. Quicksilver wakes up, safe and sound, and tells Lockjaw to wait as the crystals are too far away. However, the loyal dog does as told, and teleports them back to Pietro’s beach house in California. Lazer picks up the crystals and claims they’ve got what they came for, unaware that they were being watched by Magneto. Meanwhile, the battle between the Inhumans and the former Genoshan mutants continues. The battle escalates when Unus’ powers grows out of control, causing him to die. Magneto informs the Inhumans about the Mists that have been taken away, and Black Bolt and Medusa confront Lazer about this. The president of the United States considers the crystals as a dangerous item and refuses to give them back. Black Bolt openly declares war, with him actually saying the word. His powers cause massive amounts of destructions around Genosha, killing many soldiers in the process. However, both Lazer and Magneto survive the blasts. Lazer does agree to give the former mutants the medical attention they need, and Shola, Hub, Hack, Purge, Wicked and Freakshow are flown to the hospital that’s also treating Callisto. Later, Quicksilver realizes Luna became addicted to the crystals and decides to have Lockjaw teleport her back to her mother. At the Fantastic Four’s Baxter Building, the Inhumans discuss the matters with the FF and Crystal is glad to have at least her daughter back. Reed also informs her that the effects of the Mists on the mutants only seems to be temporarily, and that the Genoshans are back to normal. The Inhumans return to Attilan to take of Luna, and to further discuss Black Bolt’s war declaration. Back on Earth, Quicksilver travels into time and foresees a horrible future. Traveling back, he inhales all of the left over crystals he had stored in his room and decides to use them to restore the powers of other former mutants.

Full Summary: 

The island of Genosha…

Luna shouts at General Lazer and his soldiers, who shot her father in the back. This confirms what she always heard from her cousin, Gorgon: that humans aren’t real warriors. One of the soldiers reads that it looks like Luna has powers and asks if he should take her out as well. Luna, with glowing eyes, hears that the soldier is afraid of her and stares at him. The soldier looks Luna in her eyes, and freaks out. He states he isn’t afraid of her at all, and on his knees begs for forgiveness and doesn’t want to be hurt.

Lazer explains to Luna that her father isn’t injured. He was shot with a tranquilizer pellet to make him sleep. He promises the pellet barely penetrated Quicksilver’s skin. But, Lazer also promises Luna that, if she uses her powers on one of his soldiers again, his men will open fire and their weapons will fire bullets. Luna can’t believe the soldiers would shoot children. Lazer states he wouldn’t have Luna shot; but the same thing doesn’t count for Pietro! Luna’s eyes start to glow again. Lockjaw appears behind the soldiers and angrily growls and attacks them!

Luna asks Lockjaw to teleport them out of there. Quicksilver gets up, and asks Luna to wait. They can’t leave the crystals behind. However, Lockjaw does as told and teleports himself, Luna and Pietro away; without the crystals. Lazer picks up the container holding the crystals, concluding it looks like they’ve got what they came for.

None of the soldiers nor Lazer realize that, not far away, a quiet Magneto stands on a hill and has seen everything that happened.

Nearby...

Medusa tells the combatants that this battle is futile, explaining the Inhumans simply want what is theirs. Unus mocks that, in that case, the Inhumans should have asked nicely because they are on Genosha now, which is his land. He attacks Karnak, who tries to hit him, but misses. Unus grins that his full name is “Unus the Untouchable.” Karnak continues to try to hit him, but Unus simply doesn’t get hurt. Karnak thinks this is impossible, saying that no barrier is without a flaw, and that no shield is unbreakable.

Unus continues to smile at his victory, but then something weird happens to him. A pink glow starts to surround Angelo’s body, and he can’t breathe anymore. His force field starts covering up his entire body, and he can’t get out! Hub tends to him and asks Hack if he can mind-link with Unus, but the boy can’t. Unus’ force field is keeping him out. Hack thinks this has happened before. Unus has lost control of his powers, and it’s blocking everything: sound, air, even light waves. Hack begs for everyone to stop fighting and tells them that Unus is dying!

Karnak places his hands on Unus’ force field, offering his help. Hub smiles it’s okay now, noticing that Unus’ force field is already shutting off again. Hack thinks he knows why: it’s because Unus is dead. Shola is freaked out by this. He never really liked Unus, but wouldn’t have wished him to die like this.

With Black Bolt standing behind her, Medusa apologizes for what happened, but thinks the former mutants now know why the Terrigen Mists never should be used on humans. They’ve got to have them back. Magneto meets up with them, and explains to the Inhumans that the crystals are gone. Medusa asks Magneto where he has taken them. Magneto states he has no use for the crystals, as he has seen what the Terrigen Mists do to his people. He would return them to the Inhumans if he could. He explains that there are soldiers here, and that they took the crystals with them.

Gorgon wants to know what kind of soldiers were there. Magneto informs it were Americans, who looked like some kind of special forces. When Crystal asks Magneto if he has seen Luna, he explains to Crystal that Lockjaw took her along with Pietro. Crystal asks if her daughter is all right, which Eric confirms. Medusa states that if the Mists are no longer on Genosha, their quarrel with Magneto is over. Gorgon, however, wants to know where the soldiers are now.

Suddenly, Lazer and his troops stand right behind the Inhumans and the others! Lazer thinks they are dealing with an invasion force, however Magneto reminds Lazer that this isn’t U.S. territory, and thinks he could ask Lazer the same question. Lazer corrects he was talking about an invasion of Earth. Medusa explains they are on a diplomatic mission, and are simply there to retrieve stolen cultural artifacts. One of the soldiers finds the body of the dead Unus, and informs Lazer about this.

Lazer jokes the Inhumans have a strange idea of diplomacy. Medusa explains Unus died as a result of his illicit use of the Terrigen crystals. Lazer believes the crystals sound dangerous. Medusa confirms the Mists are just that, but only in the wrong hands. That’s why they demand the crystal’s immediate return. Lazer refuses to give the crystals back, proclaiming they are now in the custody of the Office of National Emergency. He can’t release the Mists without presidential authority. In that case, Medusa suggests Lazer gets just that, and quick.

First, Lazer wants his men to escort the former mutants away from Genosha, noticing they need medical attention. Shola refuses to go. Lazer doesn’t want to be argued with. He promises they’ll take them all to the same hospital that is treating their friend Callisto. Wicked believes they should go, telling Shola there’s noting on Genosha for them anymore. Purge also agrees, looking at how his power is out of control. He feels bad. Medusa agrees for Lazer to take the kids, as they have no further dispute with them. But she wants to know Lazer’s answer: will he return the crystals to them? Lazer mentions he’ll contact the president’s office, and the Inhumans will have their answer shortly.

Soon afterward...

While soldiers help the big Freakshow into a helicopter, the others take goodbye from Magneto. Shola asks Magneto if he’ll leave with them. Magneto refuses to leave the only home he has. Wicked states that Genosha is their home as well, and promises they’ll soon be back. They all step into helicopters as well, which take off.

One of the soldiers informs Lazer they’ve got confirmation from U.S.S. Kilgore, that an F-16 has just taken off with the container on board. Lazer thinks they better go give the high-and-mighty Inhumans their answer. The president refuses to give them the crystals back! Lazer explains that the president considers the crystals a threat to national security, and they will remain in United States custody. He asks the Inhumans if they’ll agree to return to Attilan now. Medusa sees Black Bolt thinking about it, and tells the soldiers they’ll have their answer shortly.

Black Bolt goes to stand on a hill to think things over. Lazer becomes impatient and wants to know what Black Bolt is waiting for, however the soldiers remind Lazer he knows they wouldn’t stand a chance in a firefight with the Inhumans. Lazer tells the soldiers Black Bolt is a head of state on foreign soil. He knows he isn’t going to commit an act of aggression against representatives of the U.S.A. Another soldier sees the Inhumans leaving in another ship. Lazer is surprised they’re actually leaving. “Oh my God”, Lazer realizes. “Black Bolt’s answer!” He immediately orders his troops to scramble the choppers and to evacuate immediately.

Black Bolt, looking at the helicopters, quietly whispers the word “war.” On that moment, the helicopters explode, immediately killing the soldiers within! The nearby environment is also devastate by the blast. Lazer, himself, however, has survived the explosions, and walks away. Black Bolt looks down dejectedly, not too happy about this.

Nearby, Magneto crawls out of some ruins. It starts to rain. Magneto stares disappointed in front of him.

California...

Quicksilver, Luna and Lockjaw arrive back at Pietro’s beach house. Pietro tells Luna it’s all right, as they are safe now, but Luna wants to go back for the crystals. Luna angrily punches Lockjaw in his face for leaving the crystals behind. Pietro tries to calm her down, but Luna wants to go back as she feels sick. Pietro tells Luna to listen to him: there are crystals here, as he kept enough for the two of them. Luna asks her dad to hurry back.

Luna stays behind on the beach, and Pietro searches his rooms for the crystals. He looks outside, and sees Luna and Lockjaw sitting next to each other. Pietro realizes what he must do. He goes outside, and lies to Luna that the crystals will be ready in a little while. She just needs to be patient. Luna agrees. Pietro whispers to Lockjaw that he has to take Luna back to her mother. Lockjaw understands. He goes to stand behind Luna and, as her eyes glow, he grabs her. Lockjaw starts teleporting away, and Luna starts to panic. She doesn’t want to leave her dad behind. But, before Lockjaw teleports them away, Luna’s final words to Pietro are that she loves him.

Left behind all alone, Pietro stares sad at the ocean.

New York, the Baxter Building...

Reed tells Medusa this is the last time he’ll intercept official messages for her. Now that Black Bolt has made a declaration of war against America, he can’t do this anymore. Medusa understands, and asks Reed what he has learned. Reed explains it looks like the Genoshan’s powers have faded. Callisto and the others are no longer mutants. It seems the effects of the Terrigen Mists on them were temporary.

Crystal asks about Luna, who sits behind her in a chair, staring outside the window. Reed explains that Luna is half-Inhuman, and was repeatedly exposed to the Mists. He thinks the Inhumans’ own healers will be better equipped to help her, and tells Crystal they should return Luna to Attilan at once. Crystal walks over to her daughter, and tells her they need to go now. Luna feels sad and thinks her dad send her away. She and her mom hug, with Crystal correcting Luna that Pietro actually sent her back.

The Fantastic Four all watch the Inhumans leave in their ship. Reed wishes Medusa well, and can only hope this mess can be cleared up. It’s hard to believe that their two nations could go to war over so little. Medusa corrects that for the Inhumans, the situation isn’t so little. Wars have been wage for far less. She promises that if the crystals are returned to them, the war can be ended. Reed is afraid they will all have difficult choices to make in the months ahead. In that case, Medusa can only pray that Reed will follow his heart and that the next time they meet, it won’t be as enemies. The Inhumans take off and return home.

Epilogue...

Quicksilver doesn’t know how long he has been in his room. It could have been days, weeks... or months. He has continuously been inhaling the sacred Mists of Terrigen. He has had no other sustenance, only the Mists. Their power is his own now. Pietro has made a decision. He shall travel into the future, further than he has ever gone before. All the way. He has to see. He has to konw what he has done. Pietro travels into the future, and can see nothing but a big fire around him, which also has a weird glow.

Some time later, Quicksilver, wearing a coat over his costume, walks through a city. He looks around himself and is surprised at how peaceful the world seems to be. It’s hard to believe that so much chaos is on its way. But the future he has seen cannot be changed. He accepts that. Pietro Maximoff realizes he is still the son of Magneto, and will have his place in the world.

He walks over to a man sitting on a bench, who acts like he’s trying to chop off his hands. Pietro thinks the man used to be a mutant. The man tries to pretend that he isn’t. He dives into the pocket of his pants, saying he’s got a card in there somewhere. He asks Pietro if he’s from the shelter, and wonders if he got lost.

Pietro touches the man’s face with his hands, which start to glow. The man becomes scared and asks Pietro what he’s doing. Quicksilver explains he’s giving the man back what he has lost. He’s showing him the way. The man’s skin starts turning grey, and black patches get formed around his eyes. One of his hands turns into a scythe, and a mutant’s powers have been restored!

Quicksilver continues his route, and states that, if he cannot change the future... he shall embrace it.

Characters Involved: 

Quicksilver

Black Bolt, Crystal, Gorgon, Lockjaw, Karnak, Medusa (all Inhumans)

Luna

Magneto

Freakshow, Hub, Hack, Purge, Shola Inkose, Unus, Wicked (former Genoshan mutants)

General Lazer (O*N*E* agent)

Various other O*N*E* agents (all unnamed)

Invisible Woman, Human Torch II, Mr. Fantastic, the Thing (all Fantastic Four)

Unnamed mutant who gets restored by Quicksilver

Various bystanders (unnamed)

Story Notes: 

The miniseries ends here, but Quicksilver’s quest to restore everyone who lost their mutant powers continues in X-Factor (3rd series) #8.

The Inhumans continue to make war plans against America, as can be seen in Black Panther (4th series) #20. The actual war can be found in the six-part miniseries, “Silent War.”

Magneto’s story continues in New Avengers #20.

The mutant who Quicksilver restores his powers bears a close resemblance to Reaper, but as there are some slight differences in the drawing of the character it can’t be said for sure it’s him.

Issue Information: 

This Issue has been reprinted in:

Written By: