Ultimate Fantastic Four / Ultimate X-Men Annual #1

Issue Date: 
November 2008
Story Title: 
Untitled
Staff: 

Aron E. Colette & Joe Pokasi (writers), Brandon Peterson & Eric Nguyen (artists), John Rauch & Antonio Fabela (colorists), Comicraft’s Albert Deschesne (letterer), Brandon Peterson (cover artist), Paul Acerios (production), Lauren Henry (assistant editor), Lauren Sulkowitch (editor), Ralph Macchio (senior editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief), Dan Buckley (publisher)

Special thanks to Chris Allo

Brief Description: 

In need of Pym Particles, Wolverine, Firestar, Thing and the future Shadowcat break into the SHIELD Helicarrier and confront Dr. Henry Pym. They return to the Baxter Building where the Invisible Woman uses the Pym Particles to repair Mister Fantastic’s time travel device. The present heroes then turn against the X-Men of the future - Shadowcat and the young male Phoenix - until they learn the future is ruled by a despot Invisible Woman. In the future, the present Mister Fantastic is confronted by the future Fantastic Four - the despot Invisible Woman, the Thing, now cured of his rocky form, Firestar and Namor. The Invisible Woman explains the current situation to the past Mister Fantastic, and reveals that they are going to do what Mister Fantastic did to cure the Thing, only to all the mutants in the world to end the current problems. Back in the future, the assembled heroes are split into two groups - the future Shadowcat leads Iceman, Firestar, the Human Torch and the Thing to the future Baxter Building, while the Invisible Woman leads Jean Grey, Wolverine, Rogue (carrying the Wolverine Sentinel head from the future) and the future Phoenix travel to the N-Zone prison located in the future also. There, they formulate a plan to break into the prison, when they are confronted by Nihil. At the Baxter Building, the Human Torch learns that his future self no longer exists. Making their way through the Baxter Building, the Thing continues to hit on Firestar, before they locate the future Thing, Firestar and Namor, while the future Invisible Woman shows the past Mister Fantastic the powerful weapon which he will use to destroy the mutants. Back in the N-Zone, Nihil, whom the Fantastic Four once killed, is revealed to be the future Mister Fantastic. Complicating matters further, at the Baxter Building, the Thing and Firestar learn their future selves are lovers, before Iceman witnesses his future self, a prisoner of the future Fantastic Four, be the first mutant to lose their powers via Mister Fantastic’s power-stripping device. A battle follows, before the future Invisible Woman steals the past Mister Fantastic away. At the N-Zone prison, the future Mister Fantastic warns the heroes of something called “The Ultimatum” which will strike them, before they are attacked by a horde of Wolverine Sentinels. The heroes do what they can to take them down, before the future Phoenix uses his powers to seemingly steal Jean Grey’s Phoenix Force, then reveals that he is in cahoots with his despot mother. While the future Invisible Woman confronts everyone, Wolverine and Rogue sneak into the N-Zone prison, where the find the real future Wolverine, who is the nerve-center of the Sentinels. Wolverine then murders his future self, disrupting all of the attacking Sentinels. This confuses the future Invisible Woman, who is already disorientated by the appearance of the past Human Torch, who along with the others has arrived at the N-Zone prison. This distraction lasts long enough for the past Mister Fantastic to take down the future Invisible Woman and Phoenix with the power-stripping weapon. The various heroes are freed from the prison, before the past X-Men and Fantastic Four head home. Back in their own time, the Thing and Firestar have an awkward moment, which hurts the Thing even more when Firestar agrees to go on a date with the Human Torch. Wolverine and Rogue make up, and Mister Fantastic prepares to propose to the Invisible Woman.

Full Summary: 

‘You can flame on in here, it’s okay. We totally Johnny-proofed this thing’ the Fantastic Four members known as the Thing remarks to Liz Allen, a.k.a. Firestar of the X-Men. ‘What?’ Liz retorts. ‘No. I’m good. Thanks’ she tells him, before asking him if he fly’s this thing a lot. ‘Nope. Kinda my first time’ the Thing replies. ‘So basically, we’re all going to die’ Firestar replies, to which the Thing reminds her that Reed is in trouble, so can’t afford to die until he rescues him from the future. ‘And that’s why we need these “Pym Particles”?’ Firestar asks. ‘Bingo!’ the Thing replies.

The aircraft arrives outside a much larger vessel, and the four heroes inside - Wolverine, Firestar, Thing and a somewhat different Shadowcat, get ready for the next part of the plan, while the Thing remarks that the Invisible Woman needs the Pym Particles to get Reed’s time machine going after the X-Men’s future teammates “El-Trained” the Baxter Building. ‘Right here, Logan’ the odd Shadowcat remarks. ‘Gotcha, Kitty!’ Logan a.k.a. Wolverine replies as he tosses Kitty upwards, and she phases into the larger ship. Firestar tells the Thing that he is a good friend, to which he replies ‘Nah. Just a misplaced linebacker with a soft spot for me nerdy counterparts’.

Wolverine tells them to cut the chit-chat as he uses his adamantium claws to enter the larger vessel, which just happens to be the SHIELD Helicarrier, situated over the North Atlantic Ocean. ‘This is where it gets tricky’ Logan remarks while the others follow him through the hole. The future Shadowcat, carrying her now dead teammates’ shield, remarks that Liz has been avoiding her. ‘I’m sorry. It’s just…what do I call you? “Future Kitty”?’ Firestar asks. ‘Only if you want me to call you “Yesterday’s Liz”’ Kitty replies. ‘You two know each other?’ asks the Thing, to which Firestar explains that they went to school together. ‘Class of twenty years ago’ Kitty adds.

‘Here we go. All vents lead to here!’ Wolverine announces as the quartet stand beneath a group of large fans. The Thing asks Logan if he thinks he can sniff out the Pym Particles, to which Logan replies ‘I can do you one better, Stonehenge…I just caught a whiff of Hank Pym’. A moment later, Kitty fires some webbing at several SHIELD security agents, knocking them out, while Firestar blasts another couple with her power. Then, the door to Pym’s room is knocked open by the Thing. ‘Hi’ he exclaims.

Later, at the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four in New York City, Wolverine, Firestar, the Thing and the future Kitty have returned and stand with Jean Grey, Iceman, Rogue of the X-Men, and the Invisible Woman and Human Torch of the Fantastic Four, along with the Phoenix of the future. The Invisible Woman uses the Pym Particles and announces ‘It worked. Power is being restored to temporal thrashers. The head of the future Wolverine Sentinel announces that systems seem to check out on his end. ‘Reed would be proud’ Susan Storm a.k.a. the Invisible Woman remarks, before the future Shadowcat asks if it worked and if they can all get back. ‘Absolutely’ Susan tells her. ‘Except for the “we” part she adds as she holds a gun to the future Kitty.

Iceman a.k.a. Bobby Drake, freezes the future Kitty’s hand so she cannot fire any webbing at anyone. ‘I thought we had a deal. What are you guys doing?’ the future Kitty asks. ‘You tried to kill Reed. What, do you think we’re idiots just because we don’t have flying cars?’ Johnny Storm a.k.a. the Human Torch remarks. ‘Um…dude…’ the Thing mutters. ‘I meant flying cars in general’ Johnny replies. Jean comes face to face with the future Phoenix - Franklin Richards - who tells her that she has a draw at best. ‘I just pulled the mask off my dead boyfriend. You really think I’m losing to the guy who brought him here?’ Jean snaps back.

‘Et tu, Rogue?’ the Wolverine Sentinel head asks. ‘I see you so much as process me in the wrong way and you’re the real Wolverine’s new ashtray’ Rogue replies. The future Kitty asks Susan to be rational about this, to which Susan replies that she doesn’t remember getting a vote on the plan to kill Reed. ‘We did what we had to do. Our people were being wiped out systematically!’ the future Kitty exclaims. ‘None of us live in a perfect world. That doesn’t mean you can kill innocent people!’ Susan snaps back. Rogue tells her that Reed is far from innocent, and adds that neither is Susan for that matter.

The Wolverine Sentinel head suggests that they might be able to use that to their advantage. ‘If Richards can’t be killed, maybe they can help us un-create our future’ he remarks. ‘How?’ Susan asks. Franklin explains that most of their comrades are locked up in a prison inside the N-Zone. ‘We’re the last rebels in a world run by a despot!’ he adds. ‘So you need help in a prison break and the overthrow of a despot?’ the Human Torch asks. ‘Why didn’t you just say that in the first place? That’s the thing we do!’ the Thing exclaims. Kitty announces that it is complicated. ‘Complicated how?’ Susan asks. ‘The despot is Susan Richards!’ comes the answer, causing Susan to go wide-eyed.

Meanwhile, twenty years from now in this very location…’Well, are you going to say anything?’ the apparent despot, Susan Richards asks as she stands before the kidnapped past version of Reed Richards. ‘I don’t think there’s a word. And I know a lot of words!’ Reed replies as he stands before the future Fantastic Four - Susan, Namor, Firestar and someone in bulky armor. ‘Well, spit a few out. See what happens’ Susan tells him. ‘You’re still drop-dead gorgeous’ Reed replies. ‘That’s a good start’ Susan remarks.

Reed remarks that Susan is all that seems familiar. Motioning to Firestar, he remarks ‘I assume she’s not Johnny with a new life choice?’. ‘No’ Susan replies. ‘Johnny’s not with us anymore’ she announces. ‘You mean…’ Reed begins, before Namor interrupts ‘She means he’s dead’ Namor declares. ‘You, I recognize. You so much as mention Johnny’s name and I’ll bury you in a watery…’ Reed begins, until the armored figure grabs Reed and tells him to take it easy, as they are all friends here. ‘Some of us are still charter members’ he adds. ‘I know that voice. It’s not Tony Stark!’ Reed exclaims, before the helmet is removed. ‘Ben?’ Reed asks. ‘In the flesh’ Ben Grimm - the Thing - replies. ‘You’re…’ Reed exclaims, shocked that his friend has a human appearance once more. ‘Did I…’ Reed begins to ask. ‘Yeah. You did. Course it took you long enough!’ Ben replies. Reed just smiles, ‘I did it!’ he exclaims, thankful that he managed to turn his best friend back into a human.

Reed asks the future Susan why the X-Men came to kill him, to which Susan replies that the X-Men are terrorists, and while most of them are locked up, a few remain on the fringe. ‘The fringe of what?’ Reed asks. Susan explains that twenty years ago, the world fell apart, and the X-Men blame her for it, and wanted to kill Reed. ‘And we need your help to level the playing field’ she remarks. ‘Help? How?’ Reed replies. ‘What you did for Ben…you’re going to do the same for everyone on Earth’ Susan replies. ‘We’re going to eliminate the mutant problem once and for all!’ she announces.

Back to the present, ‘We have one shot at this…so pay attention’ Susan exclaims, before announcing that Johnny, the Thing, Firestar, Iceman and the future Kitty will head back into the future, at the Baxter Building, where they will look out for Reed, or at the very least, for future members of themselves, while she, Jean, Wolverine, Rogue, Phoenix of the future and the Sentinel head will go into the N-Zone, where Phoenix will guide them to the prison. ‘Apparently I’ve got some reverse engineering in my future’ Susan remarks, adding that the plan is simple: ‘Get Reed. Free the prisoners. Save the future. Get out’.

Johnny, the Thing, Firestar, Iceman and the future Kitty arrive in the future and stare up at the Baxter Building, before Johnny is taken aback at a nearby statue in memoriam of himself.

The Invisible Woman’s squad arrives at the N-Zone prison, and Franklin creates a map of the prison as best as they discerned. ‘What is it about the N-Zone and pyramids?’ Susan asks, motioning to Franklin’s fire-map. ‘You tell me. You built the place’ Franklin retorts. Susan points out that there are only three sides of the prison to protect, which makes a plan just like the one they are going to hatch easier to defend against. ‘So I guess we put all our effort into one side’ Susan announces. ‘You guess?’ Jean asks. ‘It’s an educated guess’ Susan tells the powerful X-Man.

Wolverine turns to the Wolverine Sentinel head, which Rogue carries, and asks ‘How do we dust your fellow Elvis impersonators? Decapitation as well?’ Logan remarks. ‘Clearly, that’s ineffective, given we’re having this conversation’ the Sentinel replies. ‘Try to imagine I wanted to make you shut up for good’ Logan tells the Sentinel head, who replies ‘Our strength is in our spines’. Suddenly, Jean motions upwards: ‘And…umm…what do we do about him?’ she asks as a winged being flies towards them, flanked by an army. ‘That guy. There’ she adds. ‘Nihil. I hate that guy!’ Susan exclaims.

Back in the future, Grimm, Benjamin. Full Clearance the computer announces as the Thing and the others enter the Baxter Building. ‘Still got it!’ Ben exclaims. ‘Yeah, that’s cuz you’re still alive!’ Johnny snaps. ‘Yeah, sorry about that, dude’ Bobby tells Johnny, while the Thing announces that the fourteenth floor is their main hangout. ‘I wonder if the Wii is still set up’ he adds, before asking Firestar if she plays video games. ‘Not so much’ Liz replies. Johnny walks over to Ben, ‘Hitting on Liz?’ he asks. ‘This isn’t some kind of you-secretly-love-me-power-transference thing, it is?’ Johnny asks. ‘I hate you’ the Thing replies.

‘We got incoming!’ Iceman announces as he sees the Fantastic Four of this time around the corner. ‘I think that’s me!’ Liz whispers as she sees her future self. ‘Geez. Which should I be angrier at? That the replaced me with Namor? Or with a girl!’ the Human Torch mutters, while Thing exclaims ‘And that’s me. Or Iron-Me’ before asking where Reed and Sue are. ‘Probably went into the labs in the back. Some things never change’ Johnny remarks, while Shadowcat points out that one of the three should lead them to Reed, and suggests they divide and conquer what they have here. Kitty tells the Thing and Firestar to go after their future selves, while she, Franklin and Johnny take on “Prince Caspian Sea”. Johnny asks Kitty why she gets to pick the teams, to which Shadowcat replies ‘Because I’m the adult. And I said so’.

In one of the labs, Susan and the past Reed stand before a massive device, and Susan tells Reed that this is the most fantastic of all his inventions. ‘Did I give it a good name?’ Reed asks. ‘You just called it “the promise”’ Susan replies. ‘Good name’ Reed exclaims, before Susan tells him that he used the machine once on Ben, and then disappeared forever, and they haven’t got it working since then. ‘So. Namor, huh?’ Reed remarks as he examines the device. ‘Really? You’re really going to go there?’ Susan asks. ‘I’m not going anywhere. Not anymore, apparently’ Reed adds. The future Susan puts her hands on Reed’s back, then rests her head against him, telling him that she thinks about him every nano-day. ‘Good’ Reed replies, before Susan asks if he can get it working. ‘For you? I can do anything’ Reed replies, smiling as he turns his head to look at Susan.

Meanwhile, in the N-Zone, ‘Didn’t we kill you? Blow your head off? Like, a long, long time ago?’ Susan asks Nihil, while the others are all surrounded by Nihil’s army. ‘Things aren’t always what they seem in the N-Zone. Especially since that prison went up!’ Nihil replies, to which Rogue boasts that they are here to take care of that place, and remarks that the Invisible Woman built the prison. ‘Not yet she hasn’t!’ Nihil retorts. The Wolverine Sentinel head points out that this Susan has the same brain in here, to which Nihil replies ‘But this is Sue before it all happened’.

What does that mean? What happened?’ Susan demands. ‘You were a different person…before you lost Johnny’ Nihil explains. ‘How do you know so much about me?’ Susan asks. Nihil explains that not too long ago, he loved Susan more than anything on every Earth. ‘Heck, I probably still do!’ Nihil replies before taking off his mask - revealing the future Reed Richards underneath!

Back to the future, where the future Firestar says to the Thing ‘Just say it. Seriously. Save me the half an hour before you open up!’, while putting a hand on his armored shoulder. ‘Fine…’ Ben mutters, before declaring that Sue is going crazy. ‘She is crazy!’ he exclaims ‘Then tell her’ Firestar suggests. ‘How exactly?’ Ben asks. Liz suggests that, for starters he could flash those beautiful blue eyes of his. ‘What girl can resist those?’ she asks as she pulls up his helmet. ‘Crazy driven bitter-about-life-and-loss scientist girl, for one’ Ben replies. ‘Good. More for me’ Liz declares, before they kiss. ‘Okay, then’ the past Firestar remarks uncomfortably. ‘Yeah’ the past Thing adds, before they reveal themselves. ‘Um…hi’ Firestar says to her future self. ‘Really hate to break up the most awkward moment of my life. But we got something in common…’ the past Thing declares.

Nearby, the past Johnny asks ‘What’s up with the sneak and creep? Why don’t we just kick Namor’s fishy tail?’. Kitty points out that they need to know where Reed is, and that Namor doesn’t seem the spill-his-guts type. ‘We can waterboard him’ Iceman suggests, ‘Kidding’ he adds. In the nearby room where Namor stands, he is speaking to someone, ‘Congratulations. You’ve just volunteered for a groundbreaking project’ he declares. ‘Poor soul’ Kitty whispers, before the “volunteer” is thrown into view - ‘Um…guys…I think that’s me!’ Bobby exclaims, before rushing to the other room with Kitty and Johnny hot on his icy heels - only the door slams shut before they can enter!

Inside the room, the past Reed holds onto a device, ‘Okay, here goes’ he exclaims, while Namor and Iceman look at him. ‘I think I got the essence of the machine down to this handheld version. ‘A tiny promise, if you will’ the past Reed remarks as he points the device at the future Iceman, who suddenly appears in his human form. ‘What did you do to me?’ Bobby asks. ‘Yeah…what did you do to me?’ the younger Iceman demands as he and the others break into the room. A battle ensues with Iceman and the Human Torch taking on the future Namor, and Kitty heading towards Susan. ‘Reed!’ Johnny calls out to his friend, whom the future Susan places inside an invisible bubble, and pushes Reed and herself into another room. ‘Where are we going?’ Reed asks. ‘We’re needed elsewhere’ Susan retorts.

Back in the other room, the Firestars’ and Things’ arrive. ‘So. Her, huh? We could do worse’ the past Thing remarks to his future counterpart, referring of course to Firestar. ‘Oh, we have’ the future Thing replies. ‘Do you still…um…say it?’ the past Ben asks. ‘What? Oh yeah. Of course’ the future Ben replies, understanding what his past counterpart is referring to. ‘Cool’ the past Ben replies, before both Things, in unison, shout ‘It’s clobberin’ time!’ and smash Namor in the face. ’He’s cute. Who knew there was a Clooney up in all that?’ the past Firestar remarks while she and her future counterpart tear up the room with flame. ‘I hate to break it to myself, sweetie, but you did’ the future Liz smiles. ‘Really?’ the past Liz asks. ‘You don’t even know…’ the future Liz tells her.

Back in the N-Zone, Susan watches the future Reed reach behind himself to grab something, and Susan remarks that she hasn’t seen him struggle to reach anything since their accident. ‘Your powers are gone’ she remarks. Reed explains that it is a casualty of the accident that reverted Ben, and took out himself, Cyclops and Steve Rogers, amongst others. ‘So you decided to reinvent yourself as Nihil?’ Susan asks. Reed replies that it seemed the best way to win over the natives after he was dumped in the N-Zone by his Susan. ‘Reed?’ Susan asks. ‘Yeah?’ Reed replies. ‘What happened to us?’ Susan wants to know as she sits down by Reed.

‘Which of the twenty years should I start with?’ Reed replies, to which Susan suggests ‘The one where we aren’t together forever’. Reed replies ‘I figured he would have told you’ to which Susan asks ‘Who?’. Reed calls out to Franklin, and asks him to come over. ‘Yes, sir’ Franklin replies, before Reed tells him to say hello to his mother, and motions at Susan, who gets to her feet. Reed tells the past Susan that she is going to be tested soon, to which Susan replies ‘Then we’ll stop it. Together. You and me. Like we always do’.

But the future Reed tells Susan that there are some things that even they cannot stop. ‘They called it “The Ultimatum”’ he reveals, adding that they were defined by how they dealt with it. ‘We?’ Susan asks. ‘You, specifically. Your passion. It’s what makes you amazing, you just need to learn to…’ Reed is then cut off, by Wolverine, who is standing with Jean and Rogue as Rogue puts the Wolverine Sentinel head in Wolverine’s backpack. ‘You guys ready?’ Logan calls out. ‘Cuz it’s game time!’ he announces.

Susan remarks that the future her’s security designs are most likely based on Reed’s, which means they will be hit hard and fast. ‘We gotta be faster!’ she announces as she, the future Reed, Wolverine, Jean, Rogue and Franklin storm one side of the N-Zone prison, where they are greeted by a horde of Wolverine Sentinels. ‘And we have to hit even harder!’ Susan exclaims as the battle breaks out. ‘It’s so much like my dreams, it’s scary’ Rogue remarks to Wolverine, who tells her to keep her head about her. ‘Banshee or not, you can barely keep up with one of me’ he points out. ‘They just keep coming!’ Rogue declares, to which the Wolverine Sentinel head remarks ‘That’s the point’, while the real Logan declares that they cannot keep this up forever. ‘Is there a master switch for these guys?’ he asks as he slices through another. ‘Hmmm…maybe there is’ the Wolverine Sentinel head announces, while Susan calls out to the future Reed, urgently, as one of the Wolverine Sentinel’s lunges at him.

Nearby, Jean and Franklin fly close together, both surrounded by the Phoenix Raptor. ‘You’re good’ Jean tells Franklin, who replies that he is following her lead, and asks her if she has had this a while. ‘Longer than I’d like’ Jean replies, explaining that she is not entirely comfortable with all this power. ‘You just got to feel it. Let it flow through you - it’s the only way to handle so much power’ Jean tells Franklin as she destroys several dozen of the Wolverine Sentinels with ease. ‘Thanks. That will come in handy…when I have your Phoenix power as well!’ Franklin exclaims as he begins to draw Jean’s power out of her. ‘What are you doing?’ Jean gasps as she collapses to the ground. ‘Taking what’s rightfully ours!’ Franklin exclaims.

Franklin tells Jean that she never embraced the full power of the Phoenix, and therefore she doesn’t deserve it. ‘You were the traitor!’ Susan gasps as she and the future Reed drop down beside Franklin, while Jean lies unconscious on the ground. Reed asks Franklin why he would do this to them, to which Franklin replies that he is sorry, ‘But I guess I’m just a momma’s boy!’ he boasts as a door opens, and the future Susan, his mother, stands there, with Namor behind her, and the past Reed in her arms, unconscious.

‘A valiant effort. But it’s over!’ the future Susan announces. ‘You don’t have to do this’ the past Susan tells her(self). ‘I’m afraid I do. This tiny rebellion ends now!’ the future Susan declares, ‘Or your boyfriend dies’ she threatens her past self, as Namor stands there, one of his powerful hands around the past Reed’s throat. As this happens, the future Susan doesn’t notice Wolverine, Rogue and the Wolverine Sentinel head enter the prison behind them.

Inside, Rogue clutches the Wolverine Sentinel head, who reveals that, since he came to be, there has been the rumor of the one called the Master Mold. ‘Master Mold? What the hell is that?’ Logan asks. The Sentinel head explains that it is a central nervous system. ‘Somehow, it allows machines like me to act like…’ the head is interrupted by Logan who declares ‘An animal like me’. The Wolverine Sentinel head asks the real Wolverine how he knew that, to which Logan replies ‘I can smell him. Or should I say…I can smell me!’ he reveals as he breaks into another room, where his future self is strung up to various wires. ‘My God!’ Rogue exclaims, while Wolverine remarks that he thought he’d be much older. ‘Heck, I look much younger here’ he adds, while Rogue points out that he is trying to say something. The words are garbled, but Wolverine listens closely to his future self, before telling Rogue to get out of the room. Rogue takes the Sentinel head and turns to leave, before Wolverine shoves his claws up through the middle of his future self.

Outside, Franklin announces that the Sentinels have gone offline, and motions to the mass of Wolverine Sentinels that have collapsed nearby. ‘That’s impossible!’ the future Susan gasps. ‘Well it’s happening’ her son adds. ‘No matter, Franklin’ Susan replies. ‘Yes, mother?’ Franklin asks, before the future Invisible Woman orders him to kill them all. ‘What?’ Franklin asks. ‘They all need to die’ Susan exclaims, before Johnny calls out to his sister’s future self. ‘What about me, Sue?’ he asks. ‘Are you going to kill me too? Do I get to die again?’ he asks. ‘Johnny’ Susan remarks as she lays eyes upon the past version of her brother. ‘I saw that statue. You know the first thing I thought? At least it was me. And not Sue. Someone was paying attention’ Johnny announces, before asking if it is his fault.

‘No…’ the future Susan replies, beginning to cry. ‘Because I died, because I messed up somehow. You became this. And this world exists’ Johnny remarks. ‘No. It’s me. If I could take it all back…’ Susan begins, before the past Reed, now free of Namor, exclaims ‘Funny you should say that’ as he blasts the future Susan and Franklin with a device. The past Reed rushes over to his Susan, while the future Reed tends to his. Suddenly, countless heroes emerge from the N-Zone prison. The future Spider-Man sees the future Kitty, ‘Oh, man, that’s where those were!’ he exclaims as Kitty hands him his web-blasters. ‘Thanks for holding onto them while I was in the clink!’ he tells her. ‘Goofball’ Kitty replies.

The future Thing tells his past self to ‘Hang in there’. ‘For how long?’ Ben asks. ‘Just hang in there’ the future Ben replies. ‘I’m so sorry for…’ the past Susan begins to say to Kitty, who holds up the Wolverine Sentinel head and replies ‘It’s not you. Not yet. And you gave us a fighting chance. Thanks’. Susan looks at the future Shadowcat and says nothing, before announcing to the others ‘Let’s go home’.

Soon, Wolverine, Jean, Iceman, Rogue, Firestar, Reed, Susan, Johnny and the Thing emerge through the time device in the Baxter Building, returned to their true time. Reed and Susan smile at each other, while Firestar waves to the Thing. ‘Well, that happened…’ Logan mutters as Jean and Susan shake hands, while the X-Men begin to leave. ‘So…’ Ben remarks to Liz. ‘Yeah’ Liz replies while both Bobby and Johnny frown. Ben smiles as he remarks that Reed has told him there are a million futures. ‘No. Yeah. It’s…I’ll see you around, Ben’ Liz replies as she takes her leave, only for Johnny to step in front of her. ‘So. I’ll call you? Maybe a movie next week?’ he asks. ‘Yeah. Sounds good, Johnny’ Liz replies, causing a dejected Thing to close his eyes and hang his head.

Later, in Westchester County, New York, Xavier’s School for Gifted Children. ‘Are you avoiding me again?’ Rogue asks as she approaches Wolverine who is lounging under a tree while the sun sets in the distance. ‘Just avoiding life’ Logan replies. Rogue asks Logan if they are going to talk about this, about her using Banshee. ‘You gonna use it again?’ Logan asks. ‘No’ Rogue replies, to which Logan tells her they are square. ‘Logan…’ Rogue begins, but Wolverine interrupts, ‘It’s my baggage. Got my monogram on it. I don’t want anyone else carrying it. You get it?’ Logan tells Rogue.

Rogue replies that she understands, and asks Logan if they are good. ‘Good? Far as I can tell, we’re lovers’ Logan replies. ‘We are so not!’ Rogue retorts, to which Logan tells her that she must either have a thing for him or a thing for robots. ‘I know a guy who knows a guy who knows Ultron’ Logan jokes. Rogue rests on the other side of the tree and tells Wolverine that she is glad there is only one of him. ‘Me too, kid’ Logan replies.

Back at the Baxter Building, in one of Reed’s labs, Susan sits on Reeds’ knees and tells him that the future him told her they have tough times ahead. ‘So it seemed, huh?’ Reed replies, before Susan asks ‘What if I’m destined to become her?’. Reed assures her that there is no way that will happen. ‘There’s always a way. You always say that!’ Susan smiles. Reed tells Susan that she has the sweetest heart he has ever encountered and a brain that serves it pretty well. ‘And in case I don’t tell you enough, you’re kinda my hero’ Reed whispers, moving his lips closer to Susan’s. ‘It could still happen’ Susan points out. ‘Not a chance. So long as you have me’ Reed assures her. ‘And we’re going to be together forever!’ he adds, their lips almost pressed together.

Susan gets up and walks across the lab, telling Reed that he looks kinda hot with a beard. ‘So I hope you’re right’ she adds as she leaves the room. Reed stretches his arm across the room and opens a drawer, where he pulls out a small ring box, and brings it closer to him, where he opens the box, revealing a diamond ring. ‘I know I am!’ Reed exclaims….

Characters Involved: 

Firestar, Iceman, Phoenix / Jean Grey, Rogue, Wolverine (all X-Men)

Phoenix II / Franklin Richards, Shadowcat (both X-Men of the future)

Iceman and Wolverine of the future

Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, Thing (all Fantastic Four)

Firestar, Invisible Woman, Namor, Thing (all Fantastic Four of the future)

Mister Fantastic / Nihil II from the future

Spider-Man of the future

Dr. Hank Pym of the present

Wolverine Sentinel head from the future

Nihil II’s army

Wolverine Sentinels in the N-Zone

Other heroes from the N-Zone prison

SHIELD Security Agents on the Helicarrier

Story Notes: 

This issue takes place after Ultimate X-Men #97, and presumably before Ultimatum #1, and directly follows Ultimate X-Men / Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1.

Jean refers to pulling the mask off her dead boyfriend - this of course is the future Cyclops / Captain America in Ultimate X-Men / Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1.

An error occurs on page 11, when Nihil arrives, “That guy. There” comes from Susan, when it is supposed to be Jean saying it, and “Nihil. I hate that guy” comes from Jean when it should be Susan.

The Fantastic Four encountered Nihil (the Ultimate version of Annihilus), in Ultimate Fantastic Four #13-18.

“Who knew there was a Clooney up in all that” refers to hugely popular American actor George Clooney, constantly voted as one of the best looking men (if not the best) in the world.

The future Cyclops was revealed to have lost his powers and took over the mantle of Captain America as Steve Rogers was killed [mentioned in Ultimate X-Men / Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1]

Rogue took Banshee in Ultimate X-Men #95.

Mister Fantastic proposes to the Invisible Woman in Ultimatum #1.

Issue Information: 
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