Harvest of the Innocent

• Writer - Fabian Nicieza
• Penciler - Andy Kubert
• Inker - Dan Panosian
• Inker - Mark Pennington
• Inker - Bob Wiacek
• Inker - Al Williamson
• Colorist - Joe Rosas
• Lettering - Bill Oakley
• Editor - Bob Harras
• Editor in Chief - Tom Defalco

A Skinning of Souls

Summary

  The Soul Skinner has the X-Men down, and he revels in their worst memories. He can't see how Scott handled the loss of his baby, when he was devastated by the loss of his child Oskana, whose mind he had entered as she died, to ease her pain. He learned his wife was a government agent, set to watch him, and he shredded her mind.

  He sends Omega Red to stop Vazhin and Piotr, who are protecting the children and trying to find out how they are immune to the Soul Skinner. They see a government aircraft land, with Illyana in a box. Piotr punches out Vazhin and goes to rescue her; Vazhin says she is the only chance to save the city, and he hesitates. The Soul Skinner arrives and shows Piotr that his parents have been killed (last iss.).

  In Westchester, Rogue, still blind, takes Remy flying to act as her eyes. Hank sees them and remembers being young; Jean commiserates with him (and complains about her lack of code name). He's almost 30!

  Piotr bashes Vazhin for letting his parents be killed. The Soul Skinner says Piotr considered letting Illyana be used against him and tries to overwhelm him with guilt, but then gets overwhelmed with his own. Illyana pleads with the Soul Skinner not to hurt Piotr; he says he's tired of hurting others, and just needs to hurt her. He presses a button on the box, and she screams. The X-Men arrive but can't get her out. Piotr brings the local children together and tells Betsy to knife one of them. She does, collecting their innocence, and then sticks the Soul Skinner, who shuts his own mind off, to forget the pain. Vazhin finishes it, shooting him through the head. Omega Red has escaped, but Illyana is unharmed.