Tian:
Standing on a balcony, James Hudson takes in the sight of the floating islands that make up Tian. Glorious, isn’t it? Jean Grey asks him. James considers it terrifying. He doesn’t understand this place. Yet he came, Jean points out. She knew he would.
She has prepared a sumptuous meal. James devours a pear. He explains he hasn’t had something this fresh in years. It’s amazing! She would have thought they ate well in Utopia, Jean remarks innocently. They do, James defends his former home. It’s just… simpler. The Sentient Seed helps them, but doesn’t serve them. He thinks climate and soil are factors… and what the ecosystem supports. They eat what they can grow but ultimately she’s in control. Sounds like kind of a tough lady, Jean smirks. Maybe she just needs to be put in her place.
In Utopia, the Sentient Seed is dying after the sneak attack Jean ordered. At ground zero, Rogue tries to support the Seed, begging it to recover. She needs it!
Nearby, Colossus and his partner, Aleks, fight the Xorn lookalike fliers Jean sent. Kitty and several others run to join them.
Mach Two repels a few fliers with her magnetism. Kitty asks if they are alive, to which Mach Two replies they seem like dolls. Kitty orders her people to hit them hard. Kitty follows her own advice and uses a rarely seen aspect of her power. By heightening her density, she smashes their heads. Ignoring her stubbornness, Iceman and Husk help. Bobby tells her they are in this together. Learn to delegate! More Tian fliers are coming.
In Tian, Jean hushes James and concentrates. She speaks through the fliers, ordering the Utopians to stand down. Further fighting is counterproductive. They will be one people. Tian has spoken.
What did he miss? Colossus asks. Too much, Kitty replies curtly before addressing Jean via the fliers. She reminds her she gave her an answer. Jean didn’t like it, but it was given in peace. And now, she sneak-attacks them? She hurts one of their own? She might have killed her!
Who is she talking about? Jean asks James. The Sentient Seed is one of them, he explains.
Kitty announces that from here on out violence will be met with violence. No hesitation, no quarter, no exception. She addresses Storm whose lightning takes out all the Tian fliers. That’s his girl, Blackheath grins.
In Tian, Jean is horrified. She’s killed them all. She’s a murderer! Jean bursts out. James reminds Jean she told him they were drones with no sentience, unlike Utopia’s jungle, which Jean-- They had potential! Jean screams. And they were expensive. They were the legacy of Xorn and Zorn who she has sworn to honor.
So it’s her reputation, James states. It’s Tian’s, Jean corrects him. She misjudged Kitty’s pacifism. It seems she has a breaking point. Seems like she has a war on her hands. She wanted a war, James reminds her. What she wants is obedience, Jean snaps.
After some thinking, she asks him about the United States’ current stance on the mutant situation and Utopia. After the failed attack, they backed off. Seems the policy for the foreseeable future is live and let live. No wonder Kitty feels emboldened, Jean muses.
James points out, Kitty isn’t looking for a fight. She’s escalating the situation, Jean insists. She no doubt feels secure in her position. Let’s see what she can do about that…
Soon, global news channels show a press release by Tian. Jean Grey announces that Utopia attacked Tian which, Jean stresses, respects freedom and humanity. It would never force itself or its beliefs on the rest of the world. Utopia sees things differently and has chosen to press the issue. She asks the world to let mutants clean up their own mess.
Later, Jean shares a bed with James. Grinning, she wonders how that will cramp Kitty’s style. James replies that was one of the biggest displays of cowardice he has ever seen and a repulsive play to the worst fears humans have when it comes to mutant rights. He hates her so much right now. He sounds like Liz and Derek, Jean scoffs. But here he is. If she is so repulsive why doesn’t he leave? Because he knows her plan will work, she adds and gives him a kiss on the cheek. A mutant war to end all mutant wars.
At Utopia’s western ridge, Amara and Nomi climb up a mountainside. Amara does so effortlessly while Nomi complains. She asks Magma why Kitty wants her along. Wartime protocols, Amara reminds her. Mutants travel in groups. At least one of them has to have combat-adaptive abilities.
Amara helps her up and explains she designed Utopia to be a fortress as well as a cradle of life, hence the sheer walls and the single entrance. But until now, the mountains were only here to help Storm create microclimates… Now it’s time for some fine-tuning. She touches the ground and the mountain moves. She explains she is creating caverns, passageways, tunnels… networking the reservation. New water supplies. Huge lake. Geothermally heated. She just created America’s latest hot spring. Nomi asks if she isn’t destabilizing something somewhere else. Amara laughs and tells her to give her a little credit.
Nomi admits she’s stunned. Magma’s the most powerful mutant she’s ever met. Why doesn’t Kitty have her down as combat-adaptive? She’s kind of more the deterrent type, Amara replies. The sort of weapon no one likes to acknowledge because she can sink continents and divert oceans and stuff.
In the village, Kitty has asked Colossus to come to her home. She explains that Storm told her about her time with him in the camps. She adds Storm loves him. Piotr replies it was unhealthy for her to stay around him. He murdered someone, Kitty spells out. An officer, he agrees. Word gets out he’s representing Utopia, that could mean trouble. Does she want him to leave? A month ago, she would have said ‘yes.’ Now she needs people like him. She doesn’t have it in her to make tough calls. Does she plan on murdering someone? he asks. Kitty doesn’t reply.
If they fight the war, she’ll have to commit herself to it 100 percent. No room for ideologies or codes of conduct. Like she told Jean: She’ll meet her move for move. Is he to be her soldier then? To his surprise, she asks him how he would like to run Utopia.
