X-Men '92: House of XCII #2

Issue Date: 
July 2022
Story Title: 
Untitled
Staff: 

Steve Foxe (writer), Salva Espin (artist), Israel Silva (colorist), Virtual Calligraphy's Joe Sabino (letterer), Jay Bowen (designer), David Baldeon & Israel Silva (cover artists), Francesco Manna & Flavio Dispenza (variant cover artists), Lauren Amaro (assistant editor), Jordan D White (editor), CB Cebulski (editor-in-chief)
X-Men Created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Brief Description: 

While the past lives of Jubilee are recounted, in the present day on Krakoa, Rogue is preparing the Marauder ship with her team the Marauders – Iceman, Northstar, Rictor, Shatterstar and Grizzly. Gambit is concerned about Rogue being on a team of men, but Rogue tells him he doesn't have anything to worry about with this crew. Sinister and Beast work side by side in a laboratory, where Sinister begins his Chimera Project. Wolverine visits an arena where mutants are in combat, and finds Sabretooth, who makes a comment to him about mutants all being friends now. This annoys Wolverine, who storms off and finds Jean sitting on a large flower. Jean explains that she is somewhat overwhelmed with everything taking place on Krakoa, so much in train to get their new society functioning. X-Factor are reviewing the Resurrection Protocols, while Apocalypse and the Scarlet Witch prepare safeguards around the Krakoan portals, and Cable is training additional mutants to be part of X-Force. Jean has to leave, as a meeting of the Inner Circle has been called. Wolverine is concerned that something is wrong on Krakoa and vows to find out what. Jean arrives atb the meeting of the Inner Circle. When Cyclops asks her why, she avoids his question. Professor X leads the meeting by announcing that plans for an advanced Sentinel model were destroyed when Magneto imploded the Master Mold Satellite. But on another satellite, Orchis is also meeting – Henry Gyrich, Donald Pierce, Graydon Creed, Cameron Hodge, GW Bridge, Bolivar Trask and Lady Deathstrike. This satellite is stationed near their new enormous Tri-Sentinel, which is sent to Earth and lands on Krakoa. The Tri-Sentinel starts causing destruction on Krakoa so the X-Men and other mutants capable of fighting unite to battle the behemoth, with a powerful optic blast from Cyclops delivering the final blow that takes the Tri-Sentinel out. Magneto and Professor X search for a black box within the Sentinel, but are unable to locate one, and Magneto assumes that if there was a black box within the Sentinel it has been transferred back to Orchis. Indeed it has, and GW Bridge and Henry Gyrich look through the data contained within the black box – the names of mutants and their powers. Wolverine missed the battle, as he continues to look around the mysterious rockface where he saw Magneto and Professor X vanish into earlier, unaware that Sabretooth is watching him and Jubilee is on the other side of the rockface, not wanting to be discovered. 

Full Summary: 

(Jubilee's first life)
In her first life Jubilation Lee a.k.a. Jubilee never met the X-Men. She was simply at the mall, playing a video game at the arcade when a Sentinel dropped down behind her and exterminated her. She didn't even get to look at the Sentinel. Civilians looked on in shock. But it was game over. Score: Zero for Jubilee.

(Jubilee's second life)
Then, surprise! She wakes up. She thought she had, like, the wildest deja vu. In her second life, Jubilee avoided arcades and malls like the plague – and for a bored suburban preteen, that was not easy. But it didn't do her any good, as one evening, while reading a comic, a Sentinel tears the roof off of her house. 'Mutant detected' the Sentinel announced. 'Oh, come on!' Jubilee complained.

(Jubilee's third life)
Three lives now, and Jubilee knew something weird was happening, but it was in this life that she finally met her true family – the X-Men. Wolverine! Jean Grey! Cyclops! Gambit! Rogue! Storm! Colossus! Beast! It was Professor X who taught her how to use her powers, but even he didn't realize she was capable of way more than putting on a fireworks show. Then again, there was a lot that the Professor didn't know, like just how much humans really hated them. Several Sentinels attacked the Institute. 'Eat bolts, you Nintendo reject!' Jubilee called out to one of the Sentinels. The deja vu was one thing. But losing the X-Men? The best family Jubilee had ever known? That made her a little radical.

(Jubilee's fourth life)
This time, a young Jubilee encountered a different group of X-Men. Wolverine! Cyclops! Storm! Dazzler! Colossus! Nightcrawler! Her lives became like what happened when you die in a video game – there is a screen counting down, asking if you want to play again.

(Jubilee's fifth life)
But for Jubilee, she simply saw a big bang, and then she was back at the start of the level. This time, after an encounter with Dracula, she too became a vampire.

(Jubilee's sixth life)
This game only has one goal – stop the Sentinels from wiping out mutantkind, even if it meant going full Linda Hamilton on the dorks who made the Sentinels in the first place. Jubilee armed herself with a powerful rifle in this life.

(Jubilee's seventh life)
Or, like in this life, teaming up with the strongest, most ruthless mutants she could find – even though spikes were totally not her style. Like in this life, where she fought alongside Stryfe against Nimrods.

(Jubilee's eighth life)
Wearing the 90s X-Men training uniform, Jubilee learned that life after life, there was only one bummer lesson: The Sentinels always win.

(Jubilee's ninth life)
Not even something like imminent extinction could get Jubilee down, though. Here, she stands in a ruined world, addressing mutants who stand before her. She told them that Morph died to get them this intel, and that if he was right, the new toaster ovens that are being rolled out are more advanced than anything they had seen before. 'It's up to us now. We are Generation X'.

Jubilee looks over to where a strange Cable, Genesis and three other mutants are gathered. 'The future of mutantkind rests in -' Jubilee began to say, before a mighty BOOM signalled the arrival of several Nimrods. 'There is no future for mutants' one of the Nimrods declared. A Nimrod scanned Jubilee and noted that her primary mutation was pyrotechnic energy blasts.

Suddenly, the Nimrod detected that Jubilee possessed a secondary mutation – explosive reality reset. 'That's right – I've got my own big bang, baby!' Jubilee retorted as the Nimrod picked her up. Jubilee told the Nimrod that it could kill her, but that she would just keep coming back. 'And one of these lives, I'll figure out how -' she started to say, before the Nimrod interrupted her, stating that she was incorrect, and that her secondary mutation was finite. The Nimrod tossed Jubilee to the ground as it reported that Jubilee had an estimated one reset left before her power  reserve ceased to exist. 'One last life, huh? Guess I better make it count!' Jubilee exclaimed as she unleashed her pyrotechnic abilities against the Nimrod, shouting 'Smell ya later, slag heap!'

(Jubilee's tenth life, today)
Krakoa, the mutant nation. This is Jubilee's final life. This time she let “Chuck and Mags” as she calls them – Professor X and Magneto – in on her secret, and literally planted the seed as for their last, best chance of survival. Krakoa is open to all, except the totally awesome mallrat who came up with it in the first place. Because, if anyone with sinister intentions figures out Jubilee's full powers, then this will all go KABOOM.

'Is there no room for Gambit on your pretty new boat, chere?' Remy LeBeau calls out to Rogue as he stands on the dock, next to a large white vessel, where Rogue stands on the deck. 'You know how to make a nice Cajun boy jealous!' Gambit adds. Rogue looks back at Gambit and reminds him that Charlie gave her this boat to help rescue mutants who can't make it to Krakoa on their own. 'You'd just distract me too much!' she adds. Rogue then glances over to where her crew are carrying some boxes – Northstar, Iceman, Shatterstar, Rictor and Grizzly – and tells Gambit that he ain't got nothing to worry about with this crew. 'Remind me to tell ya why Bobby and Lorna didn't work out...' she adds, while noticing Iceman has a hand on Northstar's shoulder.

Elsewhere on Krakoa, Dr Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast is in a laborarory, examining some substances in vials, while Mr Sinister looks through a microscope nearby. The Beast tells Sinister that it is quite invigorating to trade notes with him rather than blows. 'I couldn't agree more, McCoy. We have so much to learn from each other' Sinister responds, while mumbling 'Chimera Project, phase zero...' as he writes some notes on a piece of paper.

At an arena, dozens of mutants are seated as they watch Silver Samurai fae off against Glow Worm. Wolverine a.k.a. Logan is among the mutants watching, when his nemesis Sabretooth approaches and asks 'This seat taken, runt?' Wolverine pops his claws and aims them in front of Sabretooth, warning him to go ahead and see how much of him is left to sit down. Sabretooth raises his hands overhead and tells him that he thought they were all friends now. 'Grrr...this crowd is more rotten than the show' Wolverine snarls as he walks away from the arena.

Outside the arena, Wolverine pulls his mask up over his face and tells himself that Chuck has got a screw loose if he thinks he is going to pal around with Sabretooth. Suddenly, 'Jeannie? What're you doing up there?' Wolverine calls out when he sees Jean Grey sitting on a large Krakoan flower. 'Logan!' Jean utters. 'I was lost in thought. Come join me' Jean remarks. Wolverine climbs up next to Jean on the flower and tells her that he didn't mean to interrupt. Jean smiles at Logan as she tells him that she could use the break. 'There's so much activity on this island. So many gears turning to make our new society function' Jean adds. Her eyes glow with pink psychic energy as Jean adds that it is exciting, but overwhelming, too.

Jean reaches out telepathically, and finds Forge in the Boneyard, standing over a table where a body lies covered in a sheet. X-Factor – Havok, Polaris, Multiple Man, Quicksilver, Wolfsbane and Strong Guy – are standing around the table too, as they review the Resurrection Protocols. Jean informs Wolverine that on the other side of the island, the Scarlet Witch and Apocalypse are preparing safeguards to ward off magical incursions, as they form another Krakoan gateway. And, down by the beach, Cable is training a new X-Force squad to defend Krakoa from outside threats. Cable watches as Bishop trains Domino, while Psylocke inducts Reaper.

Jean suddenly tells Wolverine that she forgot, Professor Xavier has called a meeting of the Inner Circle. Jean apologizes to Logan, but he tells her not to sweat it, and that he will see her around. Wolverine watches Jean as she flies off above the surrounding Krakoan forest. Up above Wolverine, Sunfire and Banshee can be seen flying past, while walking nearby are Vertigo and Gorgeous George, who carry a vase with a Krakoan flower inside it. Wolverine remarks that he hates to disagree with Jean, but that something smells off about this “island paradise”. Logan looks at a photo of himself and Jubilee and announces that he aims to find out what is stinking up this place.

A short time later, 'Now like you to tun late. Where were you, Jean?' Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops asks as Jean Grey flies down to her seat within the Inner Circle. Sitting next to Cyclops is Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm. Occupying the other seats around the Inner Circle are Apocalypse, Professor X and Magneto, the White Queen, Callisto and Archangel, and Omega Red, Mystique and Mr Sinister. Xavier addresses the Inner Circle, telling them that, as they know the X-Men recently led an assault on the Master Mold Station that Bolivar Trask and his allies constructed in orbit around the planet. 'And the outcome?' the White Queen asks. Xavier, his face hidden behind the Cerebro helmet that he wears, pauses, before announcing 'It is our belief, Ms Frost, that the mission was a complete success'. Magneto glances sideways at Xavier, who reports that plans for an advanced Sentinel model were destroyed when Magneto imploded the station.

Meanwhile, in orbit behind the moon, Henry Peter Gyrich sits at a table and addresses his allies collectively known as Orchis – Graydon Creed Jr, Lady Deathstrike, Donald Pierce, Cameron Hodge, G.W. Bridge and Bolivar Trask, whose consciousness exists within a humanoid-sized Sentinel. 'What a fine assemblage of concerned citizens I see before me on this beautiful new day for humankind' Gyrich declares. Creed frowns and tells Gyrich to stop showboating. 'The mutants took out Trask's Master Mold. What assurance do you have that this Sentinel will be any different?' Creed asks. Cameron Hodge exclaims that Sentinels are obsolete. 'If you'd consider some of my more grotesque suggestions for dealing with gene-trash -' Hodge begins, to which Pierce interrupts him, reminding him that they want the mutants extinct – not turned into abstract art. 'Our mistake was letting the mutants come to us' Gyrich calls out. 'One of your mista-' Creed starts to say, before Gyrich declares that thanks to Bolivar's brave sacrifice, Orchis now knows much more about the mutants' filthy island.

Gyrich announces that they had to cut some corners on their production schedule, but that this time, they are bringing the fight to the mutants. Bolivar, through the Sentinel he is housed in, and Lady Deathstrike look out a window, to the massive Tri-Sentinel which floats in space nearby. 'I've given everything to the cause, Yuriko. The mutants have taken everything' Trask utters. 'Not everything, Bolivar...you still have me' Lady Deathstrike responds as she kisses Bolivar – or, rather, the Sentinel.

Back on Krakoa, the Beast walks out of his lab, 'Nothing primes one for the day like fruitful scientific progress' he remarks. Caliban, Maverick and Silver Fox are standing nearby, all looking upwards as the Beast adds 'In the admittedly excerpted words of Monsieur Pasteur, “Science is the highest personification of the nation”' he quotes, when suddenly, 'Oh dear' the Beast gasps as the massive Tri-Sentinel slanms down on Krakoa, its impact destroying nearby buildings.

At the Inner Circle, the impact of the Tri-Sentinel's landing causes a loud rumbling. 'At, yes. Frightful tremors and distant screams – a sure sign of “mission accomplished”' Sinister remarks. Xavier looks over to Cyclops, who announces that he is already on it. Cyclops instructs Jean to alert Cable and X-Force, and asks Storm to take them up. 'WINDS CARRY US ALOFT!' Storm cries out, as she causes tornados to spin around herself, Cyclops and Jean Grey, lifting them into the air. Magneto looks at Xavier and asks him 'Already, Charles? Did our mission buy us so little time?' while Apocalypse glances at Xavier and grunts.

At that moment, the Tri-Sentinel begins inflicting damage on Krakoa. One of the faces of the Tri-Sentinel unleashes optic blasts, while the other two sides of the Sentinel use their feet and fists to destroy buildings. On the ground, some mutants look on in shock, like Morph, Feral and Toad. Jean Grey and Cyclops are near them, and Cyclops asks Jean to link him to every mutant in the vicinity. Jean does so, and Cyclops telepathically speaks to the mutants of Krakoa, warning them that there is an extinction-level threat on Krakoa, and that as of this moment, everyone who can hear his voice is officially an X-Man, that they are to fight for Krakoa, fight for their fellow mutant. Aurora and Sunfire can be seen attacking one of the Sentinel heads with light and flame, while Havok and Avalanche ready their destructive abilities, and Iceman unleashes a beam of ice towards the Tri-Sentinel.

Up above, Storm flies towards a mutant who stands on a rooftop and blasts the Sentinel with energy, which Storm intensifies by surrounding with wind. Dazzler uses her light powers on the Sentinel, assisted by Banshee and Ruckus who both scream. Cable is joined by Bishop and Domino, the trio firing powerful weapons at the Tri-Sentinel. At the Sentinel's feet, Thunderbird slams his fist into one foot, while Frenzy and Colossus rush to assist him. 'Fight for tomorrow' Cyclops urges the mutants, while Quicksilver races onto the scene, carrying Fabian Cortez. 'I'm giving you all the juice I've got, Summers...' Fabian declares as he uses his powers to enhance Cyclops' optic power – and the result is devastating as the blast strikes the Tri-Sentinel's three heads, causing the behemoth to fall backwards. 'You did it, Scott' Jean smiles as she helps Cyclops to stand up. Cortez smirks, while Quicksilver throws a fist into the air. 'No, Jean. We did it. All of us. Krakoa...the Professor's dream of a better world for mutantkind. It works, Jean. Krakoa works'.

Later, Xavier and Magneto are inspecting the Tri-Sentinel. 'No trace at all, Erik?' Xavier asks. 'None' Magneto responds as he hovers over the Sentinel and announces that if there was a black box on the Sentinel, it and any data it obtained during the attack have been transferred back to Orchis.

And, back on Orchis, Gyrich tells G.W. Bridge that his SHIELD teleportation tech did not let them down. 'I'm just surprised the muties didn't realize that bucket of bolts was just a Trojan Horse' Bridge responds. The two stand before a computer montior, which lists the names of several mutants and their gifts. 'It must have squished the smart ones when it landed' Gyrich jokes, before declaring that, thanks to the mutants' teamwork, Orchis has all the information they need to make sure today's “victory” will be their last....

Finally, on Krakoa, Wolverine is standing near a rockface and looks over to where smoke rises from the battleground. He decides that Cyclops rallied the troops without him, which gives him more time to sniff out just what Chuck and Magneto are hiding. He looks around the rockface, unaware that Sabretooth is lurking in the bushes nearby. 'Not easy staying downwind from you, Logan. But you're up to something...and I want in on the fun' Sabretooth utters. And as Wolverine presses his face up against the rocks, Jubilee is on the other side of the hidden chamber built within the rockface. Jubilee looks concerned and gasps 'C'mon, Wolvie... just this once, couldn't your nose have kept you out of trouble?'

Characters Involved: 

Beast, Cyclops, Gambit, Jean Grey, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine (all X-Men)
Jubilee
Apocalypse, Archangel, Callisto, Magneto, Mr Sinister, Mystique, Omega Red, White Queen, Professor X (all Inner Circle)
Grizzly, Iceman, Northstar, Rictor, Shatterstar (all Marauders)
Havok, Multiple Man, Polaris, Quicksilver, Strong Guy, Wolfsbane (all X-Factor)
Bishop, Cable, Domino, Psylocke, Reaper (all X-Force)
Fabian Cortez (member of the Five)
Aurora, Avalanche, Banshee, Caliban, Dazzler, Frenzy, Glow Worm, Gorgeous George, Feral, Forge, Maverick, Morph, Ruckus, Sabretooth, Scarlet Witch, Silver Fox, Silver Samurai, Sunfire, Thunderbird, Toad, Vertigo (all Krakoans)
G.W Bridge, Graydon Creed Jr, Henry Gyrich, Cameron Hodge, Lady Deathstrike, Donald Pierce, Bolivar Trask (all Orchis)
Tri-Sentinel

(in Jubilee's first life)
Jubilee
Sentinel
Civilians

(in Jubilee's second life)
Jubilee
Sentinel

(in Jubilee's third life)
Beast, Colossus, Cyclops, Gambit, Jean Grey, Jubilee, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine (all X-Men)
Sentinels

(in Jubilee's fourth life)
Jubilee
Colossus, Cyclops, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Storm, Wolverine (all X-Men)

(in Jubilee's fifth life)
Jubilee
Dracula

(in Jubilee's sixth life)
Jubilee

(in Jubilee's seventh life)
Jubilee
Stryfe
Nimrods

(in Jubilee's eighth life)
Jubilee
Sentinel

(in Jubilee's ninth life)
Jubilee
Cable, Genesis and other unidentified mutants (all Generation X)
Nimrods

Story Notes: 

The X-Men in Jubilee's fourth life (Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Dazzler) are the X-Men from the 1992 animated special “Pryde of the X-Men” and the 1992 video game.

This issue includes an advertisement for volume 1 of the “Inner Circle Jams” available on compact disks and cassettes, sold at the Green Lagoon, courtesy of Boom-Boom and Whiz-Kid. The tracklisting is as follows:

Professor Xavier - “(Everything I do) I do it for You,” Bryan Adams
Magneto - “Nothing Else Matters,” Metallica
Apocalypse - “Killing in the Name,” Rage Against the Machine
Storm - “My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It),” En Vogue
Jean Grey - “Stronger Together (Hated & Feared),” Dazzler ft. Cher & Lila Cheney
Cycops - “Achy Breaky Heart,” Billy Ray Cyrus
Emma Frost - “Justify My Love,” Madonna
Archangel - “How Do You Talk to an Angel,” The Heights
Callisto - “Pretty on the Inside,” Hole
Omega Red - “Drain You,” Nirvana
Mystique - “Cold Hearted,” Paula Abdul
Mister Sinister - “Creep,” Radiohead (replaced by “I'm Too Sexy,” Right Said Fred as described by Mr Sinister)
This issue also includes a one-pager called KRAKOA BEAT, which introduces the seven members of Orchis, complete with headshot, their likes and dislikes.

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