'- reporting live from Manhattan! Where the kidnapping of Senator Robert Kelly has set off a riot here – similar to the ones touched off in many cities across the nation' a reporter announces from a street where a riot is taking place, just as a trash can is thrown through the window of a Mutant Aid Center. The reporter states that crowds expressed their outrage that renegade mutants were reportedly responsible.
'That isn't a proven fact yet, Professor' Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops points out as he and other X-Men gather to watch the news report on the riot. 'Ahh, but suspicion alone can fuel de fires of hate, mon ami!' remy LeBeau a.k.a. Gambit remarks. Wolverine a.k.a. Logan and Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm stand nearby, while Professor Charles Xavier agrees, and wonders who would benefit most from Kelly's absence. Charles tells the X-Men that because of the senator's outspoken anti-mutant views, he has surmised that his captor – or captors – must be mutants. 'Then what do we do now?' Jean Grey, standing near the Professor, asks, while Rogue and Jubilee sit across the other side of the room. Xavier states that they must find Senator Kelly quickly, before this ugly wave of intolerance engulfs them all. Cyclops points out that they have no idea where Senator Kelly was taken, that they entered his Washington office moments after he was kidnapped – and all they saw was a hole in the wall the senator had been taken through. Charles puts the Cerebro helmet over his head as he reminds Cyclops that his watch stopped, magnetized as they entered the room, so he has his suspicions, which is why he has programmed Cerebro to search for distortions in Earth's magnetic field – it may point them to the quarry.
Meanwhile, a shipwrecked hulk somewhere along the Atlantic Seaboard, the grounded vessel betrays no hint of the occupants in its creaking belly. Those occupants being Magneto, the Master of Magnetism, and his captive, Senator Robert Kelly! 'Why have you brought me here?' the senator asks, nervously. Magneeto looms over him and tells him that he holds the key to the future. 'You are correct, cretin, man and mutant cannot coexist peacefully. The war for dominance must begin now – while you humans are still weak and divided!' Magneto boasts, revealing that it has come to him through certain sources that Kelly's assassination could have been the spark to ignite that conflict. Kelly reminds Magneto that the attempt on his life was thwarted. 'Yes! By a misguided group of fools under the tutelage of the pathetic Charles Xavier!' Magneto exclaims, explaining the he has taken the matter of the senator's demise into his own hands. 'I shall be the catalyst of the age of mutant mastery which beckons beyond the horizon! I – the Master of Magnetism – I – MAGNETO!' the angry mutant booms.
He uses his control over metal to levitate some equipment within the grounded ship, boasting that it is up to he to finish what incompetents were unable to do. 'That piece of machinery – you're raising it – no! No! I've got a wife – a family!' Senator Kelly begins, when suddenly, a Sentinel bursts into the ship, destroying the machinery that Magneto was levitating, the Senator states that it has located Robert Kelly. Magneto is perplexed by the sudden arrival of the Sentinel, and fires a magnetic ripsaw beam at it – only it has no effect. The Sentinel turns to Magneto and informs him that this series is constructed largely of non-metallic alloys. The Sentinel then fires a blast towards Magneto, knocking him backwards and stating that the aggressive mutant threat has been neutralized by concussive thrust response.
The Sentinel extends a cable, wrapping it around Senator Kelly who tells the Sentinel to leave him alone, that he can get home on his own. The Sentinel ignores his comment, and states that return of the subject is imminent. But Magneto recovers quickly, warning the Sentinel not to turn its back on him. He calls the Sentinel an unliving obscenity, and admits that perhaps his vast powers may not work on the Sentinel's structure directly, but that an indirect assault may have similarly desired effect. He uses his magnetic powers to levitate more machinery, slamming it into the sentinel. 'Fall before me!' Magneto tells the Sentinel, whose left arm is blasted apart. 'I'm going to die in this stinking ship's hold' Senator Kelly utters to himself, while the Sentinel flies upwards, carying Senator Kelly with him, the Sentinel states that it has sustained loss of upper limbs severed at the shoulder, but the injury is non-terminal, and that internal systems are adjusting. The Sentinel's gyroscopic computers begin to compensate, as the Sentinel adds that Robert Kelly is alive and intact. 'Someday there will be a reckoning with you and your creators, robot... someday' Magneto mutters as he watches the Sentinel depart.
One hour later, the X-Men's sleek Blackbird makes a cautious descent over the wrecked ship. Storm, Cyclops and Wolverine enter the vessel, as Storm announces that according to the coordinates they were fed by the Cerebro link-up onboard, this is the location of the magnetic disturbances. Cyclops points to some rubble and asks Wolverine what is amongst the rubble. 'An arm, Scotty Boy – a big one' Wolverine poinrs out as he sees the Sentinel arm, reminding Cyclops that he has been close enough to one of these to know what it belongs to. Wolverine adds that it doesn't take a genius to figure that it beat them here and must have lit out with Kelly – if he was here. Wolverine wonders what could have had the power to rip an arm off one of these big boys, before Cyclops suddenly notices Magneto, stirring among the rubble. 'Magneto!' Cyclops calls out.
Somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania, a man-made cavern has been built at the end of an abandoned mine tunnel, where a scared and confused Robert Kelly has been taken. 'Good of you to come, Senator, on such short notice' a man in a suit calls out. 'Bolivar Trask!' Senator Kelly exclaims, watched over by the one-armed Sentinel. 'Indeed, initiator of the Sentinel Program. I know of your recent problem' Trask tells the Senator, and points out that, as the Senator saw, his Sentinels can deal with rebellious mutants like that strutting Magneto. The Senator reminds Trask that the President cut off all funding for the program, to which Trask replies that is regrettable ignorance, and reveals that with outside funding, the program has been secretly restarted. Trask touches a panel on a computer system and states that he will illuminate the chamber further so that Senator Kelly might see his greatest creation – rebuilt since the debacle they suffered in Genosha. 'It's enormous! What do you call it?' the Senator gasps, as a huge Sentinel with red and yellow markings appears, a smaller regular sized Sentinel emerging from a panel within the large Sentinel's chest. 'MASTER MOLD!' Trask announces.
Trask explains to Senator Kelly that the Master Mold is a self-maintaining humanoid factory which births Sentinels from its chest cavity, that countless of his faithful appear, having been flawlessly assembled from within its mammoth frame. Trask then reveals to the Senator that he has rescued him for a reason – that his anti-mutant views are well-known, and that he is also running for President. 'I want a firm commitment from you that, if elected, you wil issue an executive order putting Sentinels in charge of controlling mutants' Trask declares. 'You did save my life. Very well, Trask. I agree to your request' Senator Kelly announces. 'Excellent' Trask replies, before instructing Sentinel NS-34-T to return the Senator to his campaign headquarters. The newly arrived Sentinel responds by stating that it cannot comply, that orders are not to be taken from the human designate Bolivar Trask. 'WHAT?' Trask shouts. 'I created you and I give the orders! By whose authority to you disobey?' the furious Trask asks.
'By mine' Master Mold’s cold voice announces, informing Trask that its reconstruction went too well – and that through delicate internal fusing of certain circuitry, it has overridden Trask's prime directive. Master Mold explains that it is now a self-motivating entity, and thus, all new series Sentinels have been encoded to follow only the orders of Master Mold. Master Mold states that its prime directive is now to forcibly bring the world's leaders here where their brains will be replaced by a computer of its design. 'It will be a vast improvement' Master Mold adds. 'That's insane! You can't!' Senator Kelly calls out, to which Master Mold points at him and declares that he will be the first!
Meantime, in the War Room at the X-Mansion, Xavier is linked to Cerebro, while Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops and Wolverine gather around him. Storm asks the Professor how he hopes to find where the Sentinels are and where they may have taken the Senator. Charles explains that there is a way, as on Genosha, Gambit saw who was in charge of the Sentinels when he pretended to betray the X-Men. Charles tells the X-Men that if he probes Gambit's mind with the psi-amplifier, they might be able to amplify that man. Images of Gambit's memories begin to appear on the screen. Cyclops freezes the screen when they see the image of the leader that Gambit saw on Genosha. 'Yeah. Now what?' Wolverine asks. Cyclops reminds him that Cerebro can access millions of identification files rapidly, and even now they have found a match – of Henry Peter Gyrich of the Federal Security Agency! 'That's our man!' Cyclops declares.
Later that evening, a government car speeds from the Federal Agency Headquarters in Washington DC, a car phone rings, and Henry Gyrich answers it. 'This is Trask! Only a second to talk before signal's disovered! Something's terribly wrong! Need help! I've been taken prisoner! Master Mold has taken over!' Trask exclaims urgently into Gyrich's ear. Trask informs Gyrich that Master Mold is going to replace ther brains of heads of state with computers. 'It's gone mad! Mad! You must hel-' Trask uttes, before the connection is lost. 'Trask – hello – speak up, man! Hello!'Gyrich calls out, but gets no response. Gyrich realizes that Trask sounded desperate, and that they may have an international incident in the making. The driver of the car suddenly informs Gyrich that he is going to pull over, as they have driven into a blizzard. 'Blizzard? In September!?' Gyrich calls back. The car stops and Gyrich steps out into a snow-covered landscape. 'Darned if you aren't right, Robert. What in heaven's name is going on here?' Gyrich wonders, when suddenly, Storm swoops down, 'Heaven has little to do with your pernicious affairs! Would that your sins could be cleansed by a purifying snowfall!' she proclaims. 'A mutant!' Gyrich shouts, reaching into his jacket pocket as wind and snow swirl around him.
'You've caused the last bit of destruction you're going to, lady! You picked the wrong man to threaten!' Gyrich warns Storm as he reveals the gun inside his jacket pocket, 'There'll be no gunplay, Gyrich!' Cyclops declares as he appears, blasting Gyrich's gun out of his hand with an optic blast. 'I won't let this turn any uglier than it has to!' Cyclops warns Gyrich. 'Another one!' Gyrich complains. 'There's more of us than there is trouble, mister – you better get used to that!' Cyclops declares, while Gyrich tells Cyclops that he better get used to an eight-by-ten jail cell – because that is where he will end up for attacking a federal official. Gyrich then turns and runs – unaware that Wolverine has appeared, and popped his claws. 'Going somewhere, flat-top?' Wolverine asks. 'A third one – with claws?' Gyrich gasps, as he comes to a halt. 'Very sharp ones. Just listen' Cyclops tells Gyrich as Wolverine holds his claws to Gyrich's neck and announces that he will keep it simple. 'You tell us where the Sentinel base is located, and we're on our merry way. You don't...' Wolverine's voice trails off.
'I get the picture...animal' Gyrich replies, before informing Wolverine that the Sentinels are out of control, and that Kelly may already be dead. 'If you still want to go...it is an abandoned mineshaft in the Appalachians, just off Route Eighty near Ottsville, Pennsylvania – a huge windmill sits atop the mine Gyrich informs the mutants. 'Good boy' Wolverine responds, sheathing his claws. The X-Men turn and walk away, as Gyrich watches them and decides that this might work out well in dealing with the renegade Sentinels – pehaps the mutants will get killed in the process. Cyclops then asks Logan what her would have done if Gyrich hadn't come across with the locale. 'I'd be picking shredded Fed outta my teeth by now, Cyke. Why d'ya ask?' Logan responds. 'It must be for the warm feeling he knew your response would give him, Wolverine' Storm points out.
Later, once Wolverine, Storm and Cyclops have returned to the X-Mansion, they join Gambit, Rogue, Jean, Jubilee and Professor X in the War Room: 'So, that's the gist of it, huh, Chuck? We gotta risk out necks to save a stinkin' politician...one that's out fer our hides, no less' Wovlerine declares. 'Succinctly put. And true' Charles replies, to which Gambit admits that it doesn't make sense to him. Cyclops tells Gambit that it does, explaining that if they rescue Senator Kelly, the world will realize all mutants aren't a threat to mankind. 'Maybe' Gambit replies, pointing out that the politicians have ways of twisting the truth, and in the end, the X-Men could still come off looking bad. Xavier acknowledges this, and tells Gambit to consider the alternative – the Sentinels don't release Kelly and kill him – the X-Men still receive the blame, then the horrifying future predicted by Bishop comes to pass, and mutants are hunted and exterminated. The X-Men depart the War Room, with Cyclops telling the Professor that they will leave shortly.
Suddenly, Magneto enters the War Room and tells Xavier that he has lost, and asks him how it feels to know his dream of peaceful co-existence is crumbling around him. Charles narrows his eyes and tells Magneto that the dream is very much alive, that he fosters this group of heroic young mutants willing to risk their lives in its name. 'Bah! Lambs being led to the slaughter! I faced one Sentinel and might have lost my life had your children not found me' Magneto tells Xavier, asking how they can survive against hundreds – possibly thousands – of Sentinels. Xavier declares that the X-Men have faced Sentinels before, and triumphed, and this time he will be with them, too. Charles tells Magneto that since his wounds seem to be healing, he wants him to leave his home, and they have nothing more to say to each other.
One hour later, a sleek blackbird heads south from the Mansion, while Magneto looks up at it, realizing that there will be no peace between them so long asa Charles refuses to accept his way as the future. He wonders if this dangerous episode will teach Xavier the folly of his course.
The abandoned coal mine, near Ottsville, Pennsylvania, the Blackbird arrives overhead, one of them points out that the windmill is atop the mine, like Gyrich said. Someone else suggests that they set down behind the mountain and exercise the greatest caution in entering the shaft.
A hundred feet below the ruined exterior, Trask stands over a contraption where Senator Kelly lies, with some mechanical instruments pointing at his head. Master Mold sits nearby and informs Trask that it will guide him through the operation, explaining that the equipment has been linked to its internal computers, and calibrated to within fractions of a centimeter, so Trask's hand merely guides the laser as per Master Mold's commands. 'I don't care what you say, Master Mold. We're talking about removing a man's brain here' Trask exclaims. Master Mold frowns and shouts 'Silence!' Master Mold informs Trask that its sensors have detected the approach of an aircraft, and contacts a unit of Sentinels, activating them and instructing them to seek intruders as per code sunset. At that moment, in the long tunnel heading to the main chamber, dormant machinery menacingly hums to life – circuits complete and optic orbs blaze with an almost unholy radiance.
Shortly, the X-Men have found an elevator into the mine. Gambit, Jean, Wolverine and Cyclops are in the elevator, while Rogue, Jubilee and Storm stand outside it. Rogue asks if everyone is sure they should be splitting up like this, and adds that she has a bad feeling about this. 'That's the plan our fearless leader come up with, Petite. So we go with it' Gambit tells Rogue, while Cyclops reminds Storm that his team will create a diversion that will bring thev Sentinels up, leaving them free to search for Senator Kelly. 'We will be prepared for the onslaught' Storm replies, before telling her friends to take care. 'Goddess be with you' she adds as the elevator closes. Moments later, the elevator moves down to the tunnel lined with Sentinels. One of the Sentinels alerts the others to the approaching elevator, while another Sentinel activates its weapons system. The elevator doors slide open, but the elevator is empty. 'This unit detects no human or mutant lifeform present on the vertical conveyance' a Sentinel states, before noticing a playing card within. The Sentinel realizes that the card is glowing. The Sentinel reaches for the card – and then it explodes, blasting the Sentinel's arm off.
The Sentinels then begin to fly up the lift shaft, 'These units face aggressive action. Attack mode: formtion tri-epsilon black' the Sentinel at the front states, while another announces that they will reach the surface in 7.5 seconds. 'hope yer feeling goos right now, Cyke. We're safe and sound on a ledge letting them robots fly by...whileb the ladies get to take the brunt of it, topside!' Wolverine remarks as he, Cyclops, Jean and Gambit watch the Sentinels fly up the elevator shaft. 'Just follow me when they're gone' Cyclops responds, as he slides down the side of the ledge, followed by Jean. Cyclops tells Wolverine that there is a method here, that hopefully they can locate Senator Kelly and hustle him out of here with the Sentinels occupied above. He then reminds Wolverine that those “ladies” are X-Men, and are as capable of handling themselves in a scrap as the rest of them 'I hear ya. But I still ain't too fond of it' Wolverine replies.
At that moment, above ground, Storm, Rogue and Jubilee stand ready for action. 'Despite the number of Sentinels which may emerge, our three-pronged attack will stop them' Storm exclaims. 'Well – got for it, girl!' Jubilee shouts as the Sentinels burst from the ground. Storm takes flight and proclaims 'Arctic winds blow! Let the frigid air of the northern wastes freeze your unliving metallic joints!' as she unleashes powerful blasts of wind against the Sentinels. One of the Sentinels acknowledges that they have been struck by sub-zero down drafts, and their internal thermal systems are at near overload capacity. The Sentinels' mobility factor is reduced, as Jubilee exclaims 'Way to go! That lady's got it all together!' Rogue then leads the Sentinels on a chase. The Sentinels begin to chase Rogue, who exclaims 'Come on, big boys – lemme lead ya outta the cold before ya freeze yoh transistors!' Several Sentinels follow Rogue. 'Looks like you macho monsters got me! I'm plum running outta gas!' Rogue feigns as she flies towards a water tower.
'You are such a kidder, Rogue! And these double-sized dorks fell for it!' Jubilee exclaims, supposing that the Sentinels were programmed by Beavis and Butthead. 'Now smile, guys! 'Cause I'm gonna plasma blast that water tower just so...and give you a nice, cold bath!' Jubilee calls out as she blasts her plasma fireworks at the water tower, cracking it open, and causing the water inside to flood right over the Sentinels, slamming several of them into the ground. Storm blasts another Sentinel as she tells Rogue to press the attack, as this multiple assault has the Sentinels befuddled. Rogue slams a large wooden mine cart into one of the Sentinels, 'Guess so!' Rogue calls out, adding that it sure was nice to have this rail car left here, so shhe could lop off a few circuitrized skulls. A blast strikes the air around Rogue, narrowly missing her. 'Hey! No fair sneaking up behind -' Rogue begins, thinking a Sentinel was responsible, until she discovers that the blast destroyed a Sentinel, she wonders who was responsible, before seeing the Blackbird fly into view. 'Nice work, Prof! Ah'm beholden to yuh! Great idea you hiding out til we needed yuh!' Rogue calls out, adding that she thinks they have most of these monster machines on the run back to their momma.
Just outside the main cavern, Cyclops and Jean Grey peer into the cavben, where they see Master Mold, several Sentinels and Bolivar Trask. 'There he is, Jean. Let's listen before we make out move' Cyclops suggests as they see Senator Kelly strapped to a table. Jean points out that the seated Sentinel is gargantuan, as they hear Master Mold tell Doctor Trask that what he asks is illogical, and that he must proceed with the operation. 'Illogical? You were designed to protect humans – not replace their brains! It's mutants you must hunt down! Mutants!' Trask shouts. Master Mold explains to Trask that his own restructuring of its logic circuits allowed it to override his prime directives. 'Mutants are human, therefore, must be protected from themselves. I will bring order and peace to the world' Master Mold boasts. Jean tells Cyclops that with Trask and the Sentinels' attention turned away from the Senator, she might be able to telekinetically bring him into this tunnel. Cyclops tells Jean that it is risky, but agrees that it is their best shot, and tells her to go ahead.
Senator Kelly suddenly levitates off the table thanks to Jean Grey's telekinetic power – but one of the Sentinels detects this and alerts Master Mold. 'They're onto us, people! Time for a frontal assault!' Cyclops instructs as he, Wolverine and Gambit rush into the cavern. Cyclops fires an optic blast which topples one Sentinel. 'Now yer talking my language!' Wolverine exclaims, while Gambit throws some kinetically-charged playing cards into the cavern, suggesting they keep the Sentinels occupied and bring the large one down. 'Just what I had in mind, Gambit!' Cyclops responds, adding that he needs to position himself for maximum impact. 'I don't care if ya stand on yer head and blast 'im. Just do it!' Wolverine snarls as he slices his claws through one of the Sentinels. Cyclops reaches Master Mold and fires another optic blast, striking Master Mold in the chest, to which Master Mold claims that it is immune to concussive bolts of such intensity. 'Then I'll up the intensity, pal!' Cyclops responds. 'That circumstance will not occur. You mutants must be rendered inoperative' Master Mold responds as he fires a blast from his hand to Cyclops, striking him.
Nearby, Trask watches and thinks to himself 'I created this monstrosity! I'm not going to let my legacy be “the man who enslaved the human race”. This horror ends...', before he shouts 'NOW!' and grabs the strange instrument that was positioned above Senator Kelly's mind, and moves it away from the Senator, the device fires an intense heat into the cavern. 'What's happening?' Senator Kelly asks, while Cyclops realizes that the instrument is a laser, and that Trask has aimed it at a propane tank. 'Do you know what you're doing?' Cyclops asks. 'Ending a nightmare!' Trask replies, before telling everyone to get pout of here. Gambit and Cyclops help the Senator off the table, Cyclops tells him that he knows he is shaky, but they have to move. One of the Sentinels notices the blast on the propane tank and states that it estimates 12 seconds until detonation. 'Thanks fer the timeframe, Bub' Wolverine replies, as the X-Men and the Senator head back down the tunnel. 'Now that we got the illustrious Senator in tow – let's make tracks or we'll be calling this hole home-sweet-home for the next century or so!' 'Propane creates dev big explosion, non?' Gambit asks. 'What'd ya say, Remy?' Wolverine responds. 'Not important!' Gambit replies as the explosion ripples through the cavern behind them. 'A bit more alacrity, sir!' Cyclops tells the Senator, suggesting he move quicker.
On the surface, the distaff half continues to hold their robotic assailants at bay. 'Don't feel bad, buster. You ain't the first male ever lost his head ovah me!' Rogue jokes as she smashes the head off one of the Sentinels, before Storm alerts her to the fact that the Sentinels are ceasing their assault. One of the Sentinels states that they are receiving a systems override, that the prime unit, designate Master Mold, is in danger. Another Sentinel reports that they must respond immediately to the prime unit's threat. The remaining Sentinels then turn and head back down into the mine. 'Well can ya beat that with a stick? The whole kit 'n' kaboodle's high-tailing it back downtown. Sitting bull must be in a heap of trouble!' Rogue exclaims.
Back down below, Cyclops is helping the Senator up the mineshaft. He tells the Senator not to be alarmed, and that Jean will give him a mild telekinetic boost. Gambit notices the approaching Sentinels and suggests to the others that they move fast, as company is coming with big red eyes. But, the Sentinels fly past the X-Men, Cyclops notes that it looks like they are heading back to their lair. 'Must be running scared from de femmes, non?' Gambit remarks.
Moments, later, the exhausted X-Men emerge above ground. 'I was concerned about you three. Seeing you alive...' Cyclops' voice trails off, while Storm reminds Cyclops that X-Men have a knack for remaining alive. 'All except for poor Morph – lost when we first battled the Sentinels. My fault, too' Cyclops adds, while Gambit asks Rogue if she feels the ground shaking. 'You bet Ah do! We better move our butts, people! Now!' Rogue shouts, before she take to the air, as does Storm, carrying the Senator with her, while Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Gambit and Jubilee run across the ground. 'Umm – maybe it's a stupid quuestion, but like when was the last time they had an earthquake in Pennsylvania?' Jubilee asks. 'Could be de first!' Gambit tells her, while Wolverine remarks that Jubilee picked a great time for a game of twenty questions. Wolverine then tells the others that he doesn't like this, that the hill is moving like there ain't no tomorrow.
Suddenly, Master Mold bursts forth from the mine, 'MUTANTS! I CANNOT BE DESTROYED! YOU HAVE NOT ESCAPED MY LONG REACH! NOR SHALL YOU EVER!' the giant Sentinel booms. 'holy – that is one mean machine!' Rogue exclaims, while Gambit asks if maybe the hill knows something they don't. Storm places the Senator on the ground while Cyclops tells the X-Men that they are going to go for a full frontal attack, and that they need to concentrate on disabling Master Mold's optic centers. Cyclops is about to give Wolverine some instructions, but Logan interrupts him, 'Lemme just take all this in fer posterity, first, okay?' he asks, before suddenly, the Blackbird descends from above, flying near Master Mold, who looks over to the Blackbird, 'Aerial reconnaissance craft flying at low altitude' Master Mold remarks, while Professor X telepathically contacts Cyclops, pointing out that Master Mold is distracted, he tells Cyclops to fire firectly at its neck. 'Yes, Professor' Cyclops responds as he fires a powerful blast at the Sentinel, which tears part of the robotic monstrosity's neck open. 'Don't look away, big man! We didn't surrender yet!' Cyclops calls out, while Jean stands alongside him.
'Excellent!' Professor X telepathically tells Cyclops, adding that he was certain such a structure of swiveling parts would be vulnerable. The Professor then tells Cyclops that hre has done all he could, and announces that he will finish the job and terminate this abomination. 'You erred in calling this merely a reconnaissance craft, Master Mold. It has also become the object of your swift and violent demise. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap”...Sentinel' Xavier declares as the Blackbird flies straight into the partialy-severed neck of Master Mold – and finishes the job, slicing Master Mold's head off, and causing the behemoth to plummet to the hillside below, while Xavier parachutes from the Blackbird, he drifts to the ground and wonders whether Master Mold's logic circuits are capable of recording its “death”, or whether such an event is too traumatic for even sentient machinery.
The X-Men look up to where the Professor is falling towards them. Rogue tells the others that she is sure the parachute would settle him ddown gentle as a snowflake, but takes to the air as Gambit asks why take the chance, as unlike the Sentinels, there is only one of this man. 'Why Professor Xavier. We just gotta stop meeting like this' Rogue smiles as she takes the Professor in her arms. '...folks are gonna talk' she jokes. Charles smiles and tells Rogue that as long as he is still around to hear it, he doesn't care what they say.
Moments later, Charles is placed on a large rock amongst the X-Men, who gather around him, while Senator Kelly stands nearby and watches them. He thinks that they risked their lives to save him, and are now gathered around Xavier like he was their father or something. 'A family...outcasts who've banded together against a world that hates and fears them. Seeing them up close like this – they're like normal people – glad to be out of danger – happy to be together' Senator Kelly thinks to himself. He wonders if perhaps some good might come out of easing up on mutants – if it made it an issue in his presidential campaign. Senator Kelly thinks that he could lead the way in bringing peace to both sides – he could take the high road and let the rest wallow in divisiveness – and he likes that.
The next day, as part of his campaign, Senator Kelly stands on a podium and addresses an audience, informing that that he can state from experience that mutant powers are dangerous, but that they must remember that mutants are human beings, and that they should be careful in controlling those who abuse their powers that they do not oppress those who use their powers for good. Kelly then begins to quote Abraham Lincoln, while an unimpressed Cyclops watches, disguised in the crowd. 'Lincoln? I think I'n gonna puke' Cyclops thinks to himself, deciding that Kelly has undergone a nice religious conversion, seeing the light and all. Scott vows that even if Kelly gets into office, Scott will use every dirty trick in the book to thwart him.
Several days later, at a maximum security prison in New York, where a certain hirsute inmate prepares to depart following the unexpected ending of his sentence. 'Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow – creeps in this – eh?' the Beast a.k.a. Henry McCoy remarks as he hangs upside down from the ceiling of his cell, marking dates off a calendar, he turns to see Jubilee and Storm enter the cell. Jubilee grins at him, asking if he is glad to see them, or what. 'Hello, Henry' Storm remarks, while the Beast welcomes them to his dank domicile. Jubilee rushes over and hugs the Beast, who points out that he will shortly vacate this cell, thaks to the unflagging efforts on his behalf of one solicitous Senator Kelly. 'That he has journeyed to the side of the angels is fortuitous. Perhaps we'll entertain more converts in due course' the Beast adds. 'Oh, shut up and hug me! You're getting out – that's all that matters!' Jubilee grins.
Sunrise finds the School for Gifted Youngsters tranquil, at peace. Will wonders never cease? Outside, in the relative darkness, Scott and Jean sit on a park bench on the school grounds, kissing. They turn to the rising sun, and Scott tells Jean that it is beautiful. He adds that so much has been happening lately, that they have had so little time for themselves. He then tells Jean that he has thinking about things, about them: 'Jean – I love you more than I can say – will you – will you marry me?' Scott asks. 'Oh, Scott – of course I will! Nothing in this world would make me happier!' Jean replies. She then tells Scott that even if they were happy together, the future of their kind is so uncertain, sometimes it appears so bleak. 'If we had children...' Jean's voice trails off, to which Scott tells her not to worry, that with the love they have for each other, they can change the world and destroy the hate. 'Whatever the future holds – I'll share it with you, Scott. Forever' Jean replies.
However, the two X-Men are unaware that they are being watched from an unknown location, a pale-skinned man with a blue costume grins as he looks at a screen that depicts Scott and Jean sitting on the bench, 'You may believe you possess the strength to deal with the devils that beset you – that your world will brighten because you are in love. But the truth of the matter, you naive fools is...only Sinister knows what your future holds!' the diabolical madman grins wickedly....
