The Good

This is what it all came down to. The X-Men have gone through many changes since the public became aware that the Xavier school was really the headquarters for the team of mutants. Cyclops was always seen as the ultimate X-Man and perfect soldier in trying to make Professor X's dream a reality. When the fate of mutants was on the line, Cyclops decided it was up to him to fix things, no matter the cost.

All of the events of AVENGERS VS X-MEN lead Cyclops to this path. We may have been fooled with the fighting between the teams but it was really about what decisions Cyclops would make with the power of the Phoenix Force. Seeing the repercussions, he doesn't really regret anything. Professor X was just a casualty and he is now ready for the next step in his journey. With the other members of the Phoenix Five refusing to turn themselves in for their part in all the destruction the power of the Phoenix Force caused, we now have a new landscape for the X-Men and mutants.

All of this may have caused Captain America to realize he can do more for the sake of mutants by bridging the lines of communication between the teams, it has also created a new set of enemies for the heroes. The question remains how long this status quo will remain in place.

The Bad

It's hard not looking at this single issue without thinking about the seemingly long journey it took to get here. This issue does establish the motive and thinking of those choosing to oppose the authorities. Parts are a little hard to swallow. It could maybe be said that this has been building up for years but it still feels like a drastic change in character. The feeling of skepticism remains as we can assume eventually all will be better and everyone will someday be on the same side once again. It won't be easy as some bold decisions are made. But we've seen that comic characters can be forgiving when their former comrades fall onto a different path.

There were times the art felt off. Magneto wearing his helmet, Wolverine with his mask on, Hope's expression at times (plus the fact that almost every artist draws her looking a different age) took some getting used to. Seeing a different artist's interpretation is always interesting but becomes difficult when different artists are used in one story (or miniseries).

The Verdict

We are now ready to face the next phase in the lives of the Avengers and the X-Men. It feels like the entire battle, miniseries and tie ins were all meant to get us to this point. The Avengers and X-Men can now join forces in dealing with the repercussions of the events and now have a new group of foes to deal with. This changes the surface of the Marvel Universe for both groups and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out and how long it lasts. There were parts of this story that were a little hard to swallow. We're seeing some decisions and changes being made. In some ways it feels out of character but it's also what has been developing for the last few years. The different and looser art style compared to previous issues made it a little awkward. It's understandable why the decision was made to use different artists in keeping the weekly schedule. If this is meant to be the finale in AVX, it's a little bittersweet. How this plays out in the Marvel NOW! titles will be something to watch for.