New Mutants #24

Official Solicitation

This is it. As the psychic barricades protecting Fortress X crumble and the human militias flock to exterminate all the mutants within, mutantkind makes its last stand...against the anti-mutant forces who would see them wiped out, but also against the one responsible for their plight in the first place. And when the dust settles? No one will be left unscathed.

Story Information

As the Age of X is set in an alternate universe, many familiar characters have different names. Keeping with the continuity of the story, all characters will be referred to by their new names. The most notable changes in this issue are:

• Basilisk = Cyclops
• Legacy (or "Reaper") = Rogue
• Revenant = Phoenix

This issue starts following the events of X-Men: Legacy #247.

Plot Summary

With thousands of Gunships, Sentinels and Battle Wagons surrounding Fortress X, Cannonball enlisted the help of the Force Warriors on the front line. With odds of a couple of thousand-to-one the mutants begin to fight for the lives. Back inside the Command Room, Legion questions 'Moira' why she is trying to kill them all (by summoning impossible forces to fight against), but she remains indignant about their lives as she only wished to protect Legion. Fading out of the room, 'Moira' leaves Legion with Professor Xavier who tries to convince his son that he has to face 'Moira'. This only causes Legion to grow angry, as he is expected to give up a life where he isn't pitied or broken. Wounded & staggering into the room, Magneto interrupts them by claiming it is their turn to take matters into their own hands.

Out on the battlefield the mutants quickly discovered that the humans' armed forces are even more shielded than ever before. Thinking tactically, Namor throws on Gunship at another to prove that they can still use the humans' weapons against themselves. Cannonball continues to provide aerial combat while issuing orders. As an over-sized Exonim taunts Frenzy that they had invulnerable & self-repairing armor, she managed to lift it off the ground and toss it away. Impressed, Basilisk comments on how much he loves Frenzy, while cross the battlefield the Moonstar Cadre fight to prevent the humans from passing them. They've been observed by Wolverine, who stands on a ledge floors above the action. Knowing that the Cure in his body weakens his healing factor, meaning that his heart would fail if his body was exposed to any stress, he finally decides to pop his claws & dive into the fight.

Inside her quarters, 'Moira' materialises and ignites the fireplace. She drops the box containing the universe into the fire, which is immediately scooped up by Katherine Pryde. However, 'Moira' can control reality and therefore restricts Pryde's use of her phasing powers. Just as 'Moira' approaches Pryde the wall explodes and Magneto appears with a magnetic assault. However, 'Moira' easily redirects Magneto's attack to Professor X who had been trying to ambush her. As Magneto & the Professor fall to the floor, Legion arrives and points out that there's nothing left to save.

Outside, Cannonball directs Dazzler to attack a Battle Wagon when he is blasted out of the air. The Exonim who confirms 'the kill' is quickly dispatched by Gambit who had to resort to using advertising leaflets as he's run out of playing cards. With his body crushed & surrounded by enclosing Exonims, Cannonball is surprised to see Legacy still alive. With his dying moments, he finally addresses her as 'Legacy' instead of 'Reaper' and holds her hand to his face. Having received Cannonball's powers, Legacy then flies into action, knocking several Exonims down in rapid succession. However, the Battle Wagons all focus their attack on the Fortress, sending the top half of the tower crashing down. Without a home to return to, Hellion finds it even easier to attack the humans. On top of a tower of dead human bodies, Basilisk & Wolverine exchange witty comments as they create more corpses.

Safe inside, Legion argues with 'Moira'. He admits that everything is his fault, but she still passionately blames the Professor. As Legion confronts her with the reality that a few miles of war-torn land wouldn't be enough to keep him happy for the rest of his life, she promises she'll make a better world the next time. Legion embraces his adopted mother promising that he'll set things right. While holding her, Legion begins to absorb 'Moira' into his body ignoring her pleas to live.

After having 'called her home', he then flies out of the Fortress' remains and descends onto the battlefield remarking that the human forces are 'nothing but a pack of cards'. As the mutants fiercely battle, the Exonims, Battle Wagons, Sentinels & Gunships all instantly disappear. Apologising as he lands, the others are all startled that Legion had made the humans all disappear. Legacy & Gambit show concern over Legion's ability to rewrite reality; a power he has recently acquired after absorbing 'Moira'. Legion admits that there's no way to practise and he opens the box. The universe inside begins to glow so brightly. All the mutants are blinded as Fortress is replaced with the serene island of Utopia.

With reality restored, the X-Men all struggle to reconcile their real memories. They slowly recall their home on Utopia. Professor X stands among them advising that their real memories will return soon and that he'll do his best to root out the falsely implanted memories. When Angel questions how the Professor can psychicially help restore hundreds of memories, Emma Frost & the Stepford Cuckoos arrive telepathically reassuring everyone that they will help.

As the others are reeling from the shift in reality, Chamber looks down at his psionically burning body. He recognises that something isn't right, while Revenant acknowledges that they are 'the pieces that don't fit'.

With the memories of the 'Age of X' still strong in their minds, Frenzy and Cyclops embrace & share a passionate kiss. However, Emma Frost intervenes and quickly scans Cyclops' mind to find an explanation why her boyfriend was kissing another woman. She refers to Frenzy as a 'skank' as she leads Cyclops away, leaving Frenzy stunned, alone and glassy-eyed. The reunions continue all around Utopia; Psylocke & Angel kiss while Pixie breaks into tears and Storm exchanges a wary glance with Namor.

Professor X finds Blindfold sat alone. She remarks that she is mourning the dead. Although the Professor is quick to point out that the humans were never truly alive in the first place, Blindfold rebukes him that they believed they were alive. She adds that this is not the first time that Legion has caused 'offense' and that he should be held to account. Cyclops interrupts asking if he can talk with the Professor. Although he agrees, the Professor realises that Legion (the one person they wish to talk about) is missing.

Elsewhere, standing alone in a dark swirling nowhere, Legion holds the dusty remains of Fortress X in his right hand. He clenches his fist, and when he re-opens it the contents have vanished.