X-Men (2nd series) #41

Issue Date: 
February 1995
Story Title: 
Dreams Die
Staff: 

Fabian Nicieza (writer), Andy Kubert and Ron Garney (pencilers), Matt Ryan (Inker and finishes), Kevin Somers / Digital Chameleon (colors), Oakley / NJQ (letters), Bob Harras (editor), Tom DeFalco (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

Legion is fighting with Eric in the Past. Whilst they are fighting the time-displaced x-men are trying to reduce the damage being caused to the surrounding area. Psylocke contacts Charles and tell him that they need to stop Legion. In the future Xavier realises that the he and the x-men failed, the Mkraan crystal is destroying the universe and there is nothing they can do. The X-men spend their final moments with loved ones. In the Past Apocalypse decides it is the time for ascension. Legion is winning the fight when Iceman freezes him solid. The x-men believe that they have saved the day however Legion hasn't finished and he knocks them all out. He is about to kill Eric when Charles leaps in the way, and is killed instead. Legion and the X-men, apart from Bishop, disappear and the crystallise wave hits Earth in the present.

Full Summary: 

(Ca 20 years in the past)
The time displaced X-Men watch in disbelief as Eric and Legion fight above their heads, after Legion has finally attacked the man who would become Magneto one day. Psylocke attempts to telepathically locate Charles but cannot find him. Gabrielle wakes up Xavier, who was knocked unconscious by Legion when he first attacked, and he is confused by what is going on around them. Meanwhile Bishop and Iceman are trying to minimise the damage being caused by the fight, and Psylocke is able to contact Charles. She calls him to the X-Men and when he has arrived he is amazed to see more mutants. He recognises Storm as the girl who picked his pockets only weeks ago and realises that they are from the future.
(present)
Lilandra tells Xavier that they have lost contact with several outposts near the M'Kraan crystal and it is as if they ceased to exist. Xavier realises that he and the X-Men have failed and there is nothing he can do but wait for the crystalline wave to hit earth. Gambit tells Rogue that he feels sorry for Xavier and Lilandra, as they are unable to hold each other. Rogue hugs Gambit and tells him to come closer. Archangel can't believe how unlucky he is that he can't be with Psylocke at the end and instead joins Cyclops and Jean who are watching the crystal wave approaching on a large video screen.
(Ca 20 years in the past)
The fight between Legion and Magnus is broadcasted on TV, and Apocalypse, who is watching the events unfold, realises that the genetic tree, which has been watched over by his sinister associate is blooming early and that the order of ascension begins now. He believes in survival of the fittest and sees mutants as the rightful rulers of earth.
Legion is about to win in his fight with Eric and so Storm and Iceman try and intervene. Storm attempts to get Eric away, whilst Iceman tries to stop Legion. Iceman realises that the mental blocks he has had with his powers have disappeared since arriving in the past, and is more powerful. He tackles Legion and turns every molecule of water in his body to ice. The other X-Men are amazed at how Iceman was able to do this and they believe that the threat of Legion has been neutralised. Charles and Psylocke realise to late that he hasn't been defeated, and before anyone can react he unleashes enormous amounts of telepathic energies at the X-Men. When he has finished and his body is returned to normal only Legion himself is left standing. He grabs the weakened body of Eric and is about to deal him the final blow. Charles is still woozy from the attack and is unable to use his powers to stop Legion. Instead he runs to get between the two of them and is hit by Legions lethal blow. Legion can't believe that he has killed his own dad, and then suddenly realises that if Charles is dead then he doesn't exist as he will never be born. Iceman, Storm, Psylocke and Legion disappear, since they never could have followed a nonexistent Legion back in time, whilst Bishop who is a chronal anomaly himself is left as the only witness of a world which is now lost. Eric holds the lifeless body of Charles in his arms and mourns his loss.
(present)
In the Present the crystalline wave first arrives at Avalon, home of Magneto and his Acolytes, before they even know what was happening. As it hits the Earth, Gambit and Rogue kiss as the wave passes over them and then the rest of the X-Men. Images of the other X-men teams are seen as the wave hits them. Adam-X was fighting Eric the Red, Wolverine in battle with Sabretooth, X-Force hunted down Reignfire, Excalibur was about to crashland, X-Factor's Strong Guy had a heart attack, and Generation X is at the school. Finally the crystallised structures shatter.

Characters Involved: 

Archangel, Beast, Cyclops, Gambit, Phoenix IV, Rogue, Professor Charles Xavier (all X-Men)
Bishop, Iceman, Psylocke, Storm (all X-Men) stuck ca 20 years in the past
Cable, Domino (both X-Force)
Lilandra, Shiar Majestrix, as a holographic projection
Legion / David Haller (tiometravelled ca 20 years to the past)
Apocalypse, Gabrielle Haller, Eric Magnus Lehnsherr, Charles Xavier (version of ca 20. years in the past)

Story Notes: 

The Issue is named Part 4 of the Legion Quest crossover, however only the core x-books were numbered, but X-Factor #109 and Cable (2nd series) #20 are equally part of the event.
The next X-title to be released after this issue was X-Men Alpha, which introduced the alternate timeline "Age of Apocalypse" that was created as a result of Legion's tampering with the past. Each X-title was replaced for 4 issues by a four issue limited series with a similar name.
The final images of the various X-teams are taken from the last issues of each of their respected titles before the Age of Apocalypse starts. The full stories can be found in Excalibur #86, Generation X #4, Wolverine (2nd series) #90, X-Factor #111, X-Force #43. The outcome of the fight between Adam-X and Eric the Red is mentioned in Captain Marvel (2nd series) #3

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