First Story:
In one of Mojo’s twisted television sets Longshot is in Xavier’s mansion that is in the sky, falling to the ground. Longshot talks to himself vaguely remembering losing a fight to a fat mad man and also having a sensation to say that he is not in “Kansas anymore.” Longshot walks from the crash landed house to find two feet sticking out from underneath the house. He comments on how he will not be able to ask her where exactly he has landed. Longshot wonders what way he should travel when Cyclops, Rogue, and Wolverine show up with Cyclops commenting on how “some people like to go that way. While others like to go this way. Of course, there are those who like to go both ways but who am I to judge.” Cyclops looks like he has straw sticking out from all parts of his body. Rogue says that she would shake Longshot’s hand but she can not touch anyone especially kiss them. Rogue has metal cuffs that surround her neck and mouth and both of her hands. Cyclops comments on how his advice is not very good and that no one listens to him. Wolverine is hiding behind Cyclops and tells Longshot that he is the best at what he does and what he does best is “cower.” Longshot is surprised because he knows these people as the X-Men but he can not remember his name just then Beast appears and tries to tell Longshot his name and that Mojo is controlling them, but all his words come out starting with an “R”. The X-Men are in one of Mojo’s television programs of the earthen version of the Wizard of Oz. Cyclops is the Scarecrow, Rogue is the Tin Man, Wolverine is the cowardly Lion, Beast is Todo, and Longshot seems to be Dorothy. Longshot then, thanks to the Beast, comes to his senses and realizes that the X-Men and himself are trapped in Mojo’s World. Though when he tries to snap the other X-Men out of their mind control they just say that the Wizard will figure it out and they head down the yellow brick road. Longshot commands the X-Men to follow him and they go in search of Mojo.
In Mojo’s palace Major Domo comments to Mojo how that his “live broadcast of the Wizard of X has the highest ratings in the history of the Mojoverse. Mojo, who has Xavier trapped in a containment device, has his one hand on Xavier’s head and laughs about how he should have thought of this idea years ago. Mojo tells his guards to prepare the second group of X-Men for their entry. Gambit tells Mojo that if he let the X-Men cause Mojo’s downfall that his ratings would sky rocket. Mojo tells Gambit that if they were maybe X-Factor, he would but the X-Men’s audition tape did not go very well. Major Domo says that Mojo should play their clever attack on the X-Men earlier that day over again, which he does.
(flashback to the events before this issue)
Meek transports himself and Dazzler to present day earth where they go to Xavier’s mansion, to find, and ask the X-Men for help. The X-Men console Dazzler and ask her to rest. Gambit notices Meek preparing to open a portal to Mojo’s world and he jumps on Meek, but too late and Meek transports all the X-Men Blue team and Charles Xavier to Mojo’s world.
Mojo exclaims “Okay People! X-Men fight for their lives VIII! Take One!” and Wolverine still down from the teleportation mutters to himself “Mojoverse again ? Might as well get a summer home here!” Xavier is the first that Mojo’s army attacks, jamming his telepathic abilities, and then Mojo himself takes out Gambit and Jubilee. Cyclops turns a volume control up which amplifies Dazzler’s powers and she takes out most of Mojo’s army. Wolverine tells her to run and find help and as she runs off she runs into Longshot. He is under the control of Mojo acting like a security guard; he just stands by while the army members shoot Dazzler off into a pit of water. In the last scene Mojo holds Wolverine in one hand and Longshot in the other, ending the taping and saying that the movie is a wrap.
(present)
Mojo wipes tears from his eyes commenting on how he is the only actor that can do that to him. Xavier tries to mutter something but since his face is wired back it all comes out as jumble of nothing. Mojo taunts him by calling Xavier a critic and telling him that he did not criticize Xavier for recruiting Nightcrawler. Mojo then restarts the taping of “The Wizard of X”.
The scene begins with the four X-Men plus Longshot running into Gambit, Psylocke, Jubilee, and Lila Cheney as Batlike characters. Longshot comments on he will go through the X-Men if that’s what it takes to get to Mojo and avenge his wife’s death. Mojo laughs as Xavier mutters something and Mojo asks Xavier if he has ever heard of creative licensing ?
At the bottom of Mojo’s citadel Dazzler lies near death as Mojo 2, the Sequel has his henchmen carefully pick her up and take her off to try to save her so they can, in his words, “pull the final plug on Mojo TV.
Second Story:
Maverick is on a remote tropical isle being held hostage by about twenty mercenaries hired to protect the lab Maverick was trying to break into. Maverick warns them to surrender, but the men just laugh at him. Maverick gives them ten seconds to run and he drops a grenade to the ground. Maverick then seals himself in armor as the mercenaries try to run but none of them escape; they all die (except for Maverick) in the explosion.
Inside the lab, Alexander Ryking watches on a video screen as the men die and he is sad because he knows they died protecting him from Major Barrington’s hired man. Ryking wonders whether or not he should turn himself in when a mysterious person behind him tells him to forget about it and to concentrate on saving his life. He tells Ryking that he did not bring him all the way out to this Island for nothing and that after all the atrocities Ryking has already committed, the men dying should not matter. Just then Maverick blows through the wall and Ryking, who had thought he just saw Maverick blow up, is shocked. Maverick reaches for his gun and points it at Ryking saying how if his Major asks to see one of his scientists, “later” is not the appropriate answer. Just then the mysterious person hits Maverick from behind – it’s Warhawk. He says that he needs Ryking to complete the experiments on him, as Barrington rendered his body almsot useless after his failed attack on the X-Men. If he wants to kill Ryking he must go through him first. Maverick jumps from the ground knocking Warhawk down saying if he is so eager to “Mambo with Maverick, fine,” he leads.
