The people of Manhattan helplessly watch he skies as the incursion that heralds the end of the universe begins. As debris from the other Earth falls down, the Marauders try to clear the streets and Magneto and Polaris find themselves facing Sentinels from the other Earth. When Magneto throws the top part of a building at them, Lorna shouts there are people in there and they are falling. Then catch them! Magneto orders. Nice one, she grumbles and swears as she flies off to comply.
Magneto is aware that she deserves better but he must embrace ruthless methods if he is to save their universe. Perhaps one day they will be able to forgive him.
Flashback:
Magneto and Briar visit the dealer cooking Mutant Growth Hormone. Back already? he complains. He doesn’t need more. He needs something stronger, Magneto informs him. He can’t do stronger. He gave him a powerful enough dose to tear a SHIELD helicarrier from the sky. What does he want?
Magneto grabs Briar with his power. What he has provided him so far has suited his needs adequately. But he needs something decidedly more powerful now. Circumstances have changed. The cook stammers that, even if he could, Magneto would burn himself from the inside out. Let him worry about that, Magneto replies, whereas he should worry about whether he is still useful or not. He mutters he might be able to do something, mix hypercortisone D with mutant growth hormone, but even then the boost will only last seconds and every one of those seconds will be like brain aneurysm roulette.
Briar calmly points out that’s the best he’s going to get from him. She warns Magneto if he keeps pushing his powers… He knows, Magneto replies calmly. But this is worth the risk. Sooner or later another, Incursion will occur. When it does, it falls to him to stop it. Them, Briar corrects him. There are other resources to tap. There are other ways to get the power he needs.
Present:
Polaris saves some civilians and lands among them. They gush their thanks and one of them remarks he is so glad they stayed to watch this. What? Lorna asks in disbelief. Again, they admire Magneto, one of them calling him his god. That’s not creepy at all, Lorna mutters sarcastically.
In the air, Magneto battles Sentinels from the other Earth.
Flashback:
Briar Raleigh and Magneto are in some underground tunnels to find the Sugar Man, who is expecting them. Sugar Man was skeptical that Magneto, the “savior of mutantkind,” would show up. Magneto notes with distaste Sugar Man has armed himself with metal weapons and warns him. Tossing the weapons away, the villain replies that Magneto arranged the meeting.
They want to talk in a civilized fashion, that’s fine. He can’t blame him for being cautious though, after all Magneto has been playing serial killer with anyone he perceives as a threat to mutants. And he’s been known to be pretty threatening.
Magneto replies right now his experience in mutant genetics is of more interest to him. Sugar Man admits he is curious. Briar chimes in he wasn’t her first choice. She’d gathered research on plenty of other scientists, established initial contact with all of them, but Magneto picked him out of the line-up.
Sugar Man asks Magneto why he is settling and is told he doesn’t need clever. He needs quick and dirty. Fair enough, the Sugar Man concedes and asks what he needs.
Magneto explains the world is coming to an end soon. He believes he can prevent this from happening but his power isn’t enough. So he needs more juice to make it happen, the Sugar Man continues, musing he has no love for this world. After some calculations, he announces he has something that might work. Mobile power amplifiers. He’s been thinking about them in his spare time. They ain’t ready yet but the plans are. With his help, Joe Public might think of Magneto as a superhero, especially now that he’s given up that nasty vigilante murder business.
Magneto looks at the pans on the tablet screen then looks up and asks who said he has abandoned his mission? He electrocutes the Sugar Man and informs the shocked Briar he was a blight on mutantkind. He has what he needs from him. The world, should he save it, is better off without his ilk.
Present:
While Magneto takes out the Sentinels, Polaris fears he cannot possibly contain all that power. Magneto, in the meantime, realizes it is not enough. He has more power than he ever felt, fueled by the MGH, by the Kick and the Sugar Man’s amplifiers, siphoning the Earth’s magnetic energy into his body. It is more power than he’s ever channeled but is still not enough. His nose begins to bleed and he realize it is too great at the same time. It is killing him too quickly.
Flashback:
Briar joins Magneto, who is analyzing the Sugar Man’s data. She asks if there is anything she can do. He replies he can piece together the power amplifiers. He groans in pain and she realizes he is coming off the MGH. It’s getting harder. He cuts her off. He doesn’t need a nurse. He tells her there is little time left. The Incursion will be too soon. And then it will be too late.
Are they having a moment here? She asks, because she still has bits of Sugar Man’s blood in her hair and… If they had more time, perhaps he’d indulge in their game, he replies. Soon enough, though, he’ll give his life for everyone on this planet, including her… including all those scientists. And, he assumes, hatemongers and terrorists and criminals she boasted she contacted. She’d fed him information as it suited her. Here at the end, though, he needs to know only one thing: He wants to know who she is.
