While the X-Men were in San Francisco, the New Mutants had the mansion to themselves. While an old Western movie played in the background, Magik pretend to fall down dead from Cannonball's imaginary gunshots. Wolfsbane objected as she wanted to enjoy the movie, Karma confessed to having a crush on John Wayne when she was a little girl, and Magma used her fiery power to make popcorn. Wolfsbne complained that the movies demonised Native Americans, and that they should have been more considerate of Mirage's feelings. Mirage was on the phone to her mother when she began to see different ghostly images above each of the New Mutants. Each of her friends had different images of death according to their own religious and personal beliefs. It frightened her so much that she ran out of the room.
As she ran passed a mirror she realised that he reflection was of the Valkyrie head-dress she'd received in Asgard. The reflection then transformed into Hela who announced that as a Valkyrie Mirage could detect when a person would soon die. Hela also told Mirage that she had the power to fight death and save her friends. However, Mirage ran screaming, too frightened to admit the truth. She rode on Brightwind's back up through the clouds. There her power began to interact with her own mind. Reflected against the clouds she saw an image of her grandfather Black Eagle. It was a memory of him teaching her how the Cheyenne spared their victims as a sign that they were better than them. She was then shocked by Cannonball's sudden appearance, flying through the clouds. He apologised on behalf of the team, thinking that the movie had upset her like Wolfsbane had warned. Then they both began to fly back down to Earth.
Meanwhile in Midtown Manhattan, Sunspot's chauffeur driven car was stuck in traffic. He deicded to get out and see what the problem was. He came across a toppled Caterpillar digger. The crowd watched, trying to see the girl trapped underneath. Sunspot crossed the police line and offered his super strength to help lift the digger. He quickly helped take the weight of the digger. A policeman slid underneath and grabbed the little girl just as the jack stands buckled under the weight. Sunspot began to struggle just as She-Hulk suddenly hoisted the whole machine off his shoulders. Immediately she became the centre of attention offering interviews and photographs for the local press. The sergeant who had been underneath the crane comforted Sunspot. He said that Sunspot had held the crane long enough for him and the girl to survive in those crucial seconds between the jack stands collapsing, and She-Hulk arriving. He was clear that Sunspot had helped to save their lives. When he returned to the car, Sunspot asked to be taken home. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to return to the school or go to his father. He asked the chauffeur where his mother was, and upon learning that she was at their family home in Rio De Janeiro he immediately decided to go to the airport.
Back at the mansion, Mirage regretted not saying good-bye to her mother when she had the chance. Brightwind landed and the other New Mutants ran outside to see the arrival of the Beyonder. He was quietly angry that the New Mutants had rejected his path to glory (see New Mutants #36).
Immediately Magik stepped forward claiming that she was responsible, and therefore asked to suffer his wrath alone. Her body repidly disintegrated into dust as soon as she had finished speaking. The others screamed in horror and Magma tried her best to burn the Beyonder. Cannonball swiftly followed her lead, but was soon knocked backwards through the mansion. The Beyonder attacked Mirage's mind, flooding her head with images of both the beauties & horrors of the world. In an attempt to save her, Karma tried to posses the Beyonder's mind. Instead, he reflected her mind back on he, instantly killing Karma. Wolfsbane was reduced to tears and Mirage felt powerless to fight back.
Magma poured another volcanic assault on the Beyonder. Warlock followed the attack unleashing some of the natural capabilities of her tehnocratic race. Magma resumed her attack and appeared to have defeated the Beyonder. They stood victorious, but felt empty for the loss of their friends. However, Mirage remembered how she was unable to defeat the Demon Bear with arrows alone, and just as she had warned the Beyonder rose to his feet.
Removing Magma's powers, he hurled her underground. Cannonball flew to save her, but their escape route was covered up and they were buried alive. The Beyonder struck Warlock, and his lifeforce faded as he bounced along the floor. As Cypher offered Warlock to share his lifeglow, the Beyonder made his body turn into dust. Wolfsbane shivered & prayed as the Beyonder disintegrated the flesh from her bones. In one last ditch effort Mirage mounted Brightwind, but as soon as they were in the sky the Beyonder turned her body in to dust.
As Mirage's ashes floated away in the wind, the entire population of the world forgot about the existence of the New Mutants. They had been erased from the minds of everyone they loved and from history.
Note: Secret Wars II #9 details the events between New Mutants issues 37 & 38.
Log in to comment