Mutant X #10

Issue Date: 
July 1999
Story Title: 
The X-Men Cometh!
Staff: 

Howard Mackie (writer), Carey Nord (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Gina Going (colors), Jason Liebig (editor), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

The underling battles have stopped as everybody watches in fear, at how the leader of the X-Men, Magneto, has suddenly arrived to aid Havok in his battle against the Goblin Queen and her allies. Magneto destroys the Sentinels, but in the time the Goblin Queen and her team have teleported away. At her base, the Goblin Queen tortures her team for failing her and congratulates Reed Richards for his help in assisting her in the creation of a brand new generation of Sentinels. Havok, Polaris and Magneto try to make it back to Westchester, but are once more attacked by the Goblin Queen, the new Sentinels and the others. One of the Sentinels appears to be Nimrod, and the three heroes are clearly outnumbered. Once more aid comes in an unsuspected way, as the rest of the X-Men show up and help their leader and friends in their battle against the Sentinels. But the Goblin Queen can only laugh at the display, as tonight she will begin her plan to let the world tremble for its soul!

Full Summary: 

Havok notices how everybody has stopped fighting and trying to kill him, and notices them all staring at the man who just arrived: Magneto! The X-Men’s leader realizes that a lot has changed on his planet since he left: Havok is no longer part of the Six, Madelyne has completly changed into the Goblin Queen and New York is in ruins. Everything seems to have gone wrong while he went off to save the galaxy. He asks how he can begin to set things right again. Havok can barely say the words. Madelyne fills in for him, saying Magneto only has to do the thing Havok was too weak to do, namely kill her and her allies. But the Goblin Queen isn't about to let that happen and orders her Sentinels to open fire again and kill her enemies.

Magneto explains that he doesn't take the idea of friendship lightly, especially when the ones in need of his help are mutants. Havok watches Magneto fighting with his awesome power and destroying the Sentinels and wonders if he truly is one of the good guys. When Magneto turns his powers down a bit, Havok notices his friends survived, but the Goblin Queen and the rest of her crew teleported away when Magneto started his attack on the Sentinels.

Magneto thinks she disappeared because she fears him, and that's a good thing for their cause. Magneto starts to fall down because he used to much power. Polaris rushes to his aid, saying that she knew this was all a mistake, he's just in no condition to fight yet. Havok is of course surprised to see Polaris, but realizes that she is not the woman he loved in his universe. Polaris orders Havok to not just stand there and help her get Magneto up. Magneto thinks it to be best to leave this place before the Goblin Queen returns.

At the Goblin Queen's place, she tortures her group, because she cannot believe they have failed her. She also hates the fact that Havok keeps interfering in her plans of succeeding, and now Magneto aids him. She can't have that and calls Richards to her and asks how their project is coming. Richards hates the fact that she mindwiped Larry Trask, a brilliant man, but the new Sentinels are ready and just await her command. The Goblin Queen is pleased.

Polaris has lifted herself, Magneto and Havok into a magnetic wave and flies them to safety. Havok can't stop thinking about how much he loved Lorna in his timeline, after all she was the love of his life and he must begin to realize that this is just not the same one. From behind, an explosion takes place and Polaris loses her concentration, thereby dropping Magneto and Havok. She can just in time get a grip on herself and rescue them before hitting the ground.

Polaris gets angry at Magneto for coming, but he claims it had to be done. Polaris knows that he isn't fully healed yet after saving the rest of the team, and the Kree Captain Marvel could have done something to help him. But Magneto says that he didn't and through that he saved billions, and also the rest of the X-Men, who were in no condition to fight back then, or now.
Havok points to the back, where a bright light comes from the city. Polaris orders her father not to go, but Magneto shuts her down and apologizes to Havok for Lorna's behavior, as she sometimes forgets who her father is and who he leads. Magneto promises he'll stop whatever evil the Goblin Queen is at, with any means they have.

A little later, the three have made it to the once great Yankee stadium, now almost destroyed. They find it suspicious because it's totally empty, just destroyed and not one Sentinel in sight. Havok thinks it's a trap. Magneto agrees and goes scouting. Polaris gets angry with him and asks Havok why he's always staring at her. Havok apologizes but finds it odd to see Lorna with him. Lorna defends her father ranting they all know about his past, but with all the good he has done so far he really shouldn’t have to prove himself anymore. Magneto signals it's clear, and Polaris lifts herself and Havok magnetically towards him.

Magneto knows the main entrance is clear, but fears it could still be a trap. He'll lead the assault, but Lorna hesitates and wants him to go back. Havok orders them both to shut up, and blasts an unnoticed Sentinel! Magneto realizes what a fool he has been and apologizes to Lorna for not listening to her warnings He tells Havok he'll be listening and taking orders from him now and asks what to do next. More new Sentinels appear from the ground, and Havok jokes their just staying alive for the moment will be enough.

Havok and Polaris realize that they not the same Sentinels from before but blast them anyway. Magneto notices that the Sentinels are not attacking to kill, but to point them into some direction. Polaris thinks that the Goblin Queen must have a great desire to see them, so Havok wants to oblige that wish. Havok, Magneto and Polaris run outside, and are greeted by a happy Goblin Queen. She informs them that Richards has helped her build these new Sentinels, and now she is planning to fuse living demons into the Sentinel bodies, so that they will become impossible to defeat. Magneto panics and wants to leave, but Havok refuses to let her win. Magneto sees no way into winning but Havok wants to take her on alone.

Magneto congratulates him on the brave words, but this is a war and since they can't win alone, they'll need allies. A Sentinel transforms into Nimrod and Havok starts realizing that Magneto could be right. He gets blasted by Nimrod and barely survives the attack. Havok knows he can't destroy Nimrod with his powers, but can slow him down. Havok's plan works and Nimrod collaps for a few moments.
Then a teleportation noise can be heard and Nimrod shows up, slashed into pieces! Brimstone clears up, and reveals Nightcrawler! The German mutant apologizes to Magneto for disobeying his orders, but sitting in the mansion waiting for him to return seemed usesless, after all Scotty wasn't the only son missing his father.

Quicksilver, Rogue and Mystique also show up, as do more Sentinels. The three X-Men greet their leader and prepare to destroy their foes. Magneto informs them to harry them only, because the real battle lies ahead, and he prays that they are prepared for it. The Goblin Queen laughs as she sees the X-Men running from her. Tonight she will begin in earnest - let the world tremble for its soul!

Characters Involved: 

Havok

Callisto, the Mole Man, the Thing (the Underground)

Magneto, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Polaris, Quicksilver, Rogue (X-Men)
Bloodstorm, Brute, the Fallen, the Goblin Queen, Ice-Man (the Five)

Reed Richards

Sentinels

Nimrod

Story Notes: 

Havok and Polaris have been a couple for a very long time, ever since they both joined the X-Men. They broke up when Havok was seemingly being manipulated by the Dark Beast and drawn to the evil side. Once Havok revealed that was merely a ruse, Polaris could not handle it and broke up with him once more. [see Uncanny X-Men #54 - X-Factor #149]
Nevertheless Lorna mourned for him while she believed him dead and wanted to start their relationship again when Havok returned from the Mutant X universe.

Quicksilver is the son of Magneto Nightcrawler speaks of. It has often been hinted in the real universe that Polaris could be Magneto's long lost daughter, and in recent issues Polaris has made that claim again, apparently giving proof of her true parentage. [see Uncanny X-Men #442-#443]

Issue Information: 
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