Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils Chris Bachalo
Inks Tim Townsend, Marc Deering, Wayne Faucher, Mark Irwin, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba & Al Vey
Colors Chris Bachalo & Antonio Fabela
Lettering & Production VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover by Chris Bachalo & Tim Townsend
In case you were wondering about Havok being on the cover, Bendis answers that question here :
So Bendis had to stretch one full issue into this storyline. I wonder which pages were filler? Probably the ones that I didn’t post in previous issue reviews for this title.
The New Xavier School. Location Secret. Today. The Cuckoos each take a word of – oh my god, as they can’t believe that Professor Charles Francis Xavier is alive and in front of them. Celeste is not happy with Tempus for bringing Xavier into the future.
Xavier tries to calm the students but is interrupted by a sound.
The sound is a hologram of Cyclops, as he apparently recorded several messages one night. This one is to be played in case all three professors are dead – Cyclops, Emma and Magik. I suppose he had to update several of them, once Magneto left the team. It is weird that he says his own real name, right? Who would be present, and not know his name or would need some sort introduction to this fellow?
Oh Cyclops, he isn’t that great at naming of things. “If All of the Teachers of Our School have Died” but he did name his competing school “The New Xavier School.” Apparently, there is even a protocol, if the X-Jet is gone, that there is a second X-Jet that will fly the remaining students to the Jean Grey School. Xavier will like to know where this, Jean Grey School, is. Oh, he is in for a surprise.
Jean Grey School. Now. I guess Bendis really likes his telepaths to say, oh my god. She and the rest of the X-Men (including Kitty Pryde) can’t believe they just watched Matthew Malloy kill Emma Frost on the front yard.
Rachel sends the students a telepathic command to go through the underground tunnels to safety. Those have to be the Morlock Tunnels, right? I’m glad they are not putting the students in the Danger Room, as that has been shown to not be a safe haven.
Storm and Dazzler get Matty M to admit to killing Scott, Illyana and Emma. He tries to explain how it isn’t his fault but it isn’t like he killed some C-Level mutants that one has to have read a handbook to know them, as they haven’t seen print in years. I’m looking at you, Exodus.
Some students charge at Malloy. Storm unleashes some lightning bolts. We are shown a page of Malloy essentially destroying the school – I think.
Tempus has taken Xavier to where Matthew’s parents meet for the first time. Xavier makes it so that she doesn’t give him a flyer and they meet at the rally. Xavier also makes the young Mister Malloy want to change schools and become a doctor. Tempus wants to make sure that Matthew isn’t ever born.
Austin, Texas. Years Ago . . . Xavier and Tempus go to Matthew’s house on the day that Xavier originally met Matthew and another family lives in the house.
Xavier’s School for Gifted Younsters. Years Ago . . . Tempus asks if Xavier is worried about the Butterfly Effect, and I’m glad someone finally is concern about that. Xavier isn’t that worried, as the world should still be spinning. The main change should be all of those that Matthew’s father has saved, now that he is a doctor.
Great exchange between Xavier and Tempus, calling her either the best or worst mutant in the history of mutants. Her quick response to him that he could also have those labels, reminds me that I really dug her as a character way back in the first issue of All New X-Men.
Xavier tells her that he is going to mind wipe himself, he believes he has done it before – which is a fun aside.
Xavier doesn’t want to know any of his new found knowledge of the future. She goes on about how he should be proud of his major accomplishments. Magneto is a good guy and there are two mutant schools. Xavier is curious where he goes wrong with Scott, Tempus assures him that she is going to fix Scott.
This sequence ends with Xavier, maybe, erasing his powers. Back in this days, he was mind wiping all types of fools.
Jean Grey School. Today. She-Hulk goes back to reading the Last Will & Testament of Xavier’s. He has given the school over to Scott Summers. No one is shock. If Scott isn’t around, the school goes to Storm.
Since he doesn’t start with the confession that he is married to Mystique, then the time line has been changed. So Xavier Junior is not born so Battle of the Atom didn’t happen, nor does the sequel story. Also, Exodus shouldn’t be dead.
Emma is disappointed as she was hoping to learn that he had a strange secret marriage.
Cyclops walks out of the room, in disbelief. He sees Tempus standing outside and goes out there to talk to her. She tells him that she changed the timeline as he, Miss Frost and Magik were all killed today.
Tempus gets some nice digs at Cyclops. Calling his mutant revolution actually his nervous breakdown. She tells Cyclops that she will be watching him, going forward. She threatens to make sure his parents don’t ever meet up, which would change all types of history.
Hey, since Battle of the Atom didn’t happened, does that mean the All New X-Men can go back in time? Like, the reason they couldn’t was before that present wasn’t the right one. Perhaps? I’m sure that isn’t the case and it all sort of builds to Secret Wars 2015.
Cyclops tells Tempus that she is out of the school. She isn’t shocked as graduates don’t stay in school. Man, Tempus is rocking all types of butt now. Tempus walks out after dropping the mic in front of Cyclops.
Iceman wants to challenge the will, as wants to call Matt Murdock. She-Hulk wants to know why him, he is the only other attorney that Iceman knows. Which is pretty clever.
Cyclops comes back into the room and says that he gives Storm the Jean Grey School, on one condition. She takes in the New Xavier School students. Magik is pretty shocked to hear this. Cyclops needs to figure out his next step.
Issue ends with Kitty needing some clarification and Emma spells it out, Cyclops has closed the school. So the Schism, if AXIS didn’t do it, has closed the school.
Next issue promises to be the Kitty Pryde and Magik, Demon Hunters storyline, so that must take place prior to Black Vortex. I’m so excited!
Shadow and Flame with Magik 