X-Treme X-Men #33

Publisher
Marvel
Year
2003
Month
12
LastChanged
2/3/2024 10:39:33 AM
Intifada

Manifest Destiny
Summary

  Wetherell reports: the Feds have Marie in custody for terrorism. Valle Soleada was the fulfillment of Xavier's dream of mutant integration, but some believe it's a species war, and protesters on both sides gather outside the courthouse. X-Corp denies Marie's claim that they're buying up properties to drive out non-mutants.

  Sunspot calls the governor to promise X-Corp's support of those who oppose anti-mutant crimes; the D.A. will seek the maximum penalty; Marie pleads not guilty.

  Revenant (X-Men I:383) sneaks up to Rogue's beach house at night. In the day, Rogue takes a swim, happy with her new life as Anna Raven. Brushing her hair, she sees herself transform into Mystique's form, though she never imprinted her foster mother. She hears her voice and attacks and kills the X-Men, knowing her goodness was absorbed from others, and she's bad to the bone.

  Lila teleports back to earth with Sam, to the beach house; they trip in the dark and realize Rogue's having a bad nightmare. Over coffee, the X-Men calm her, and Sage reassures her she's not metamorphic. She suggests she's getting the same treatment as Marie's family, being pressured to sell the house. The doorbell rings; Molloy, a lawyer, offers to buy the place from Rogue and Sam, who pose as a non-mutant couple.

  This changes everyone's opinion of Marie; Sage tails the lawyer, and Lucas borrows Lila to teleport him to New York (via the Horsehead Nebula). Sam comforts Rogue; she remembers her early days with the X-Men, he was the first to accept her. They're both Southerners (and former villains; this would be ca. New Mutants 14).

  Ororo reminds the government liaisons they've worked together in the past for the common good. Magneto is old news, and the hundreds of thousands of adolescent mutants are the new danger; the first generation of mutants must take responsibility for them, since the world's governments have only last century's tactics: gene-warfare programs (X-Men II:145) and concentration camps (Weapon X 1). Xavier was the teacher, but he can't be everywhere, and someone must champion the non-mutants or they'll turn to doomsday weapons. We're all human and need to play by the same rules.

  Young mutants frolic on the beach (see X-Treme X-Men X-Posé LS), racing, playing guitar around a bonfire, joking about the flat-scans they ran off the road (iss. 31). Sam and Rogue fly in and attack to demonstrate their superiority. Porous starts to dehydrate Sam, and Cutter is about to finish him, but he puts his blast in his fist and punches him skyward. Porous attacks again, but Rogue punches him. Dervish whirls Rogue, and Barb throws spikes, but Rogue breaks out of the twister and holds spikes to Dervish's throat. The kids do this for fun, but the X-Men are the pros.

  Sam lectures them with Spider-Man's mantra: "With great power comes great responsibility," and shows them pictures of dead D'ancantos. Cutter laughs at him, but Rogue talks tough, intimidating everyone including Sam.

  Sage learns the lawyer works for X-Corp. Bogan's red eyes watch, knowing Sage would eventually return and eager to take possession once more.

  Note: in Rogue's house, posters of two more Anna Paquin films: Fly Away Home, and Castle in the Sky.