Uncanny X-Men (4th series) #19

Issue Date: 
May 2017
Story Title: 
Untitled
Staff: 

Cullen Bunn (writer), Edgar Sallazar (penciler), Ed Tadeo (inker), Ulises Arreola (colorist), Virtual Calligraphy's Joe Caramagna (letterer), Ken Lashley & Nolan Woodard (cover artists), Chris Robinson (assistant editor), Daniel Ketchum (editor), Mark Paniccia (X-Men group editor), Axel Alonso (editor-in-chief), Joe Quesada (chief creative officer), Dan Buckley (publisher), Alan Fine (executive producer)

X-Men created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Brief Description: 

Psylocke returns to War Room X to kill Magneto – but he is prepared for her and War Room X explodes with Psylocke inside it. She survives, and confronts Magneto, setting a dinosaur against him, before fleeing into the jungle. Magneto protects himself against the dinosaur, and follows Psylocke into the jungle. They both contemplate the actions each of them have taken since the formation of Magneto's X-Men team, before Psylocke confronts Magneto again, informing him what has happened to the other members of the team after he tried to tell her that there is still work to be done. Magneto knocks Psylocke back and destroys her sword, so she creates a psi-blade which she shoves through his chest. Psylocke puts him out of his misery by telepathically shutting down his mind. Psylocke reassures herself that this new world will never work with someone like Magneto in it. But when Psylocke leaves, Exodus and Elixir teleport in, and Elixir revives Magneto. They ask him to come with them, but Magneto tells them that he must remain dead – for now.

 

Full Summary: 

War Room X, within the Savage Land.

Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock tells herself that this is where it ends. She moves quietly through the corridors of the facility, katana in one hand, Betsy thinks that she should have dealt with Magneto – decisively – before now. It was a mistake, and a hesitation that she will see sorted or die trying. So, an ending – for Magneto's X-Men – for both of them – or quite possible just for Betsy. She goes into Magneto's quarters, but finds it empty, and an instant later, War Room X explodes, torn apart with a magnetic pulse. To protect herself, Betsy surrounds herself with a telekinetic bubble. Shards of metal are unable to harm her. Betsyt wanted to believe his agenda, she wanted to believe his methods, he secrets, his ruthlessness wouldn't put one species in grave danger while he tried to save another. But Magneto has been secretly working with Emma Frost. He lied to his friends while he planned to destroy the Inhumans. 'Who knows how many other hidden schemes he's been hatching?'Betsy wonders.

Betsy lands safely nearby. She wanted to believe that she didn't have to murder someone in order to make a difference. Now, though, with the world changing – changing for the better for mutants – changing in such a way that affords them to make another chance to make a go of it, and Betsy sees clearly now, who Magneto is, and who she is – and she knows that the world is better off without Magneto in it. Among the wreckage of War Room X, Magneto appears. 'Elizabeth. You said you'd be watching me. You said that if you didn't approve of my actions, you would kill me. Am I to assume you've come to make good on your warnings?' Magneto asks. 'You've been expecting this. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been waiting to spring your little trap'. Betsy replies. 'Yes' Magneto confirms, revealing that he has from the very moment Betsy agreed to work with him in the first place.

There is a psychic butterfly manifestation around Betsy's head, and Magneto see her concentrating, and asks her if she is trying to read his mind. He assures Betsy that her powers are formidable, but that she must realize this is wasted effort. Betsy smirks and informs Magneto that his isn't the only mind in the vicinity, and suddenly, a large T-Rex bursts through the nearby trees and bites down trowards Magneto, who quickly surrounds himself in a magnetic force field, while Betsy leaps to safety, before she starts to run into the jungle. Magneto strains as the dinosaur clamps its deadly teeth down on his force field. He extends it further and further, until it appears that he has snapped the dinosaur's mouth open. Free from its jaws, Magneto flies upwards and then down into the jungle.

Magneto thinks that this is where it ends. He tells himsel that he knew this day would come, and he prepared for it. Magnetic energy crackles around him and decides that it is a cruel trick that his planning for such an eventuality is what brought it about. The precautions he took, the groundwork he laid to protect the mutant species was too ruthless for Psylocke's tastes. Flying over a river deep within the lush jungle, Magneto thinks that it is equally cruel that his cutthroat tactics, his cold-bloodedness, would be what would turn Psylocke against him. A shadowy figure can be seen behind the waterfall, as Magneto thinks 'Psylocke is nothing if not the embodiment of those pitiless traits'. He wonders if she saw too much of him in her own actions, or too much of herself in his? Magneto turns as Betsy suddenly leaps through the waterfall, katana at the ready, while Magneto admits that it is for this reason he awaited this final encounter between them. Magneto knows that it is an even crueler trick of date that he is remoseful to see it come to pass.

Betsy leaps towards Magneto, telekinetic fury surrounds her, sweeping up trees and rocks in her wake, but Magneto, over the river, throws another magnetic force field around himself and decides that it is an even crueler trick of fate that hhe is remorseful to see it come to pass. 'It does not have to be like this, Elizabeth. There is still much work to be done. The X-Men -' Magneto begins, interrupted as Psylocke reminds him that his X-Men are gone. 'You made them – you made us – dance to your little symphony. You burned the team to ash' Psylocke declares. Psylocke tells Magneto that Mystique is in the wind again, but her personality has been stabilized – Betsy saw to that. Betsy adds that Mystique may still be a merciless killer, but that she is grounded enough to know that she should stay the hell away from Magneto.

Betsy continues, informing Magneto that Sabretooth and Monet are gone. She adds that she always thought Creed would revert to his old ways, and points out that Monet hasn't been the same since her encounter with her brother – and for all she knows, they are off on some starkweather and fugate joyride. Betsy reveals that Xorn vanished after what happened in New Attilan, as he thought himself too dangerous to be around innocent people, and he left Archangel in charge of the Sleppers, so Warren is acting as their shepherd now – the heir to Apocalypse guiding weaponized mutants. 'Sooner or later, that's going to come back to bite us'. Finally, Betsy reveals that no one knows what became of Fantomex – he went deep into the World and never came back.

“You're a poison. You wanted us to be X-Men... but you also wanted us to be the Hellfire Club and X-Force and the blasted Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. You wanted it all, and it cost those around you everything!' Betsy exclaims as Magneto forces her back with a surge of magnetic energy. 'Not everything. I see you still hold your true, murderous nature, dear' Magneto calls out. Betsy lands in the river and reminds Magneto that he said he would temper his rage – and points out that he just lets other minions channel it for him. 'I haven't killed anyone since I signed on with you' Betsy declares, before she runs towards Magneto, katana held ready to strike, she warns Magneto that is about to change. 'You can't be serious' Magneto responds casually as he destroys Betsy's katana with a wave of his hand, and tosses the shards of the blade at Betsy, striking her. 'To attack me with a sword... I have to wonder if you stand by your convictions... or if you are just making a show for your own -' Magneto remarks, bnefore Betsy forms her psychic energy into a psi-sword – and lunging at Magneto, she shoves the psi-blade through his chest and out the other side, while magnetic energy crackles around them.

Betsy steps back and tells herself that it is done. She did it – and she wasn't sure she had it in her. 'It's over. She did it. Somehow, I always knew she would' Magneto admits to himself, keeling over, clutching at his chest, he utters that the telekinetic sword was cold – like metal – he wasn't expecting that. Blood pools around the wound, and Betsy uses her telekinesis to lift Magneto's helmet off of his head. 'The cut...it will kill you' Betsy warns Magneto, revealing that it will take time, and that he will suffer. 'I deserve no less' Magneto replies. 'Maybe not. But maybe it's time... for both of us to rest' Betsy declares as she puts Magneto out of his misery with a psychic assault. Magneto gasps his last breath, before collapsing into the river.

'A second chance. That's what mutantkind has' Betsy decides. She turns and walks away from Magneto's body. Betsy knows that this second chance will never work with someone like Magneto out there in the world, and maybe not with someone like her, either. Like she said, it is an ending for both of them.

Blood pours down the river as Magneto's lifeless body floats limp – suddenly – a portal opens, and Exodus and Elixir appear. 'There! There he is, Exodus!' the young mutant calls out. 'You found him!' Elixir adds as he rushes over too Magneto's body. 'Indeed, Elixir. And now that he's been found -' Exodus begins. Elixir interrupts him, telling Exodus not to worry, that he knows his part in this. Kneeling beside Magneto, Elixir holds his hand over Magneto's wound and tells him that it is timew to wake up. Magneto gasps, and sits up, rubbing the back of his head, he utters 'She did it. She really did it'. 'Was there any doubt?' Elixir asks. 'For a moment' Magneto tells him. 'You live again, Magneto' Exodus points out, but Magneto standing up, informs them that for the sake of their people, he must remain dead. 'Either way, whatever debts I owed you, they're repaid' Elixir tells Magneto.

Exodus suggests to Magneto that he come with them, but he thinks they both know what his answer would be. 'Dead, perhaps. But not that dead' Exodus remarks as he opens another portal and steps back through it with Elixir. 'No' Magneto agrees, raising his helmet from the river, he puts it back on, and a surge of magnetic power radiates around his fist, as he frowns and agrees 'not yet'.

Characters Involved: 

Psylocke

Magneto

Elixir

Exodus

In llustrative Images:

Archangel, M II, Sabretooth

Fantomex, Mystique

Xorn II

 

Sleeper mutants

Story Notes: 

Final issue of Uncanny X-Men (4th series).

Psylocke gave Magneto the warning that she would be watching him in Uncanny X-Men (4th series) #14.

Magneto’s story continues in X-Men: Blue.

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