The Kinky Tauntaun 11: How to Fix the X-Men Film Franchise
I. Bryan Singer is DONE! DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD! Contracts have expired! Now what?
a. Buchacha’s Five Fixes
i. Plan for a shared universe. This includes interlocking arcs with Deadpool, New Mutants, X-Force, X-Factor and various incarnations of the X-Men teams through the years. Plan an FX or FXX show detailing the early years of the X-Men with Xavier, Beast, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, and Angel. This would allow more thorough dissection of the main group and less haphazard treatment of Magneto and Xavier. Plus, the sibling dynamic of both Charles and Juggernaut and Scott/Alex. Show is meant to be five seasons, culminating with the rise of the Phoenix entity. Future solo movies: more Deadpool and Wolverine (Havok/Wolverine: Meltdown!), of course, Gambit & Rogue, Storm (Lifedeath) Future shows: Excalibur (with Nightcrawler and Kitty Pryde…plus the others) Dazzler & Longshot
ii. NO ORIGIN STORIES. NONE. Story takes place in modern day. Most X-Men should be early/mid 20’s, with maybe one younger, one older.
iii. Adapt existing storyline closely, a la Batman: Year One became Batman Begins. My vote is for something terrestrial at first (space/Mojoverse later), something like
iv. Be true to the characters = look at Deadpool; Be true to the villain(s)
v. WRITING! WRITING! WRITING! Find a screenwriter who actually, truly gives a shit about crafting a worthwhile, poignant story that give the MCU a run for its money. Also—bring in Chris Claremont as executive producer and consultant.
vi. BONUS: WEART THE FUCKING COSTUMES (or some close approximation)
vii. DOUBLE BONUS: Quit trying to make every fucking X-Men movie a Wolverine movie.
b. Jeff’s Five Fixes
I. Break Buchacha’s rule about only a 7 member team. If you look at the history of the different X-Men lineups the magic number seems to be about 11 members. This can also allow the X-Men to be divided into Blue and Gold teams when necessary, because Blue and Gold is big and bold.
II. Fox needs to sell to Disney or at least needs to get along for crossovers like Sony did with Spiderman in Captain America Civil War.
III. If you’re not going to put in the work setting up the Dark Phoenix backstory than don’t bother trying.
IV. Adapt storylines from the comics as faithfully as possible.
V. Get as many former X-Men comic writers to review the screen play and then listen to their advice.
VI. Bonus: Stick to the personalities and backstories establish in the comics; if a character needs their own origin movie to not seem 1 dimensional, do it.
VII. Double Bonus: If a character seems 1 dimensional but doesn’t call for their own origin movie then introduce their backstory with Xavier in a telepathic psychiatry session. Or two introduce some humor have Deadpool break the 4th wall and walk in from off screen and narrate a flashback.
II. The Team
a. Rules:
i. Seven Members limit, relying on precedent set by Giant-Sized X-Men #1 (with Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, Colossus, and Sunfire)
ii. No Sausage Fest—must have ratios of 4-3 or 3-4
iii. No Deadpool; No characters likely to show up in a New Mutants or X-Force movie
b. Buchacha’s Team (Predicated on my show idea):
i.
ii.
Storm: Lupita Nyongo (Age 33)
Wolverine: Tom Hardy (Age 38)
Colossus: someone large, Eastern European and relatively unknown (Age )
Dazzler: Natalie Dormer (Age 34)
Psylocke: Lily James (Age 27)
Havok (the real version, motherfucker!): Taron Egerton (Age 26)
Rogue: Tatiana Maslany (Age 30)
i. STORYLINE: Mutant Massacre/Fall of the Mutants
c. Jeff’s Team
Male
Cyclops - Sam Claflin (Age 29)
Longshot - Dylan O'Brien (Age 24) or Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Age 25)
Havok – Taron Egerton (Age 26)
Beast - Jason Momoa (Age 36), Michael C Hall (Age 45) or Nathan Fillion (Age 45)
Wolverine - Tom Hardy (Age 38) or Kit Harrington(Age 29)
Colossus - Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Age 27) or digital like in Deadpool
Female
Dazzler - Margot Robbie (Age 25) or Taylor Momsen (Age 22)
Marvel Girl - Karen Gillan (Age 28)
Polaris - Kaya Scodelario (Age 24)
Storm - Nathalie Emmanuel (Age 27)
X-23 Joins at the end the first movie to start the idea of a new team, AKA X-Force - Paige VanZant (Age 22), Jessica Henwick (Age 23) or Chloe Bennet (Age 24)
-
Storylines:
Legacy Virus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legacy_Virus
The Legacy Virus was actually a viroid and was released by Stryfe, a terrorist (and clone of Cable raised by Apocalypse) from approximately 2,000 years in the future. It originally existed in two forms, Legacy-1 and Legacy-2, but later mutated into a third form, Legacy-3; all were airborne agents.[citation needed]
Legacy-1 and Legacy-2 searched for a target organism's "X-factor," the sequence of mutant genes that gave a mutant his/her superpowers. If it did not find an activated X-factor in the target, the viroid would die off, leaving the person completely unaffected. If, however, it did detect the X-factor, it would begin inserting introns (junk DNA sequences) into the transcription codings of the victim's mutant RNA, the process commonly being triggered after the patient used their powers for the first time after contracting the disease. The result was a major compromise of the replication and transcription process so disruptive as to eventually render the body incapable of creating healthy cells, ultimately resulting in the death of the victim. Prior to death, the viroid causes its host's powers to flare out of control.[citation needed]
Legacy-1 attacked general transcription and replication of all cells, a messy and non-selective process that resulted in a condition akin to a fast-replicating cancer. This is the version that infected Illyana "Magik" Rasputin, sister of Piotr "Colossus" Rasputin.
Legacy-2 was much closer to Stryfe's original template and more in tune to his desire to stir a species war between humans and mutants. Its attacks were selective, working only on the X-factor genes. The net result was that a victim would eventually lose control of his superhuman powers. In addition to developing at a far slower rate than Legacy-1, victims of Legacy-2 developed skin lesions, fever, cough and overall weakness (symptoms displayed by the telepathic X-Man Revanche). The slow nature of Legacy-2 is why St. John "Pyro" Allerdyce survived for years following his initial infection.[citation needed]
Legacy-3 was a complete fluke, accidentally created in the body of the mutant woman known as Infectia. Her powers allowed her to scan and visualize the genetic structure of a living being and then alter it according to her own whims; she was essentially a walking genetics laboratory. Infectia had herself been infected with the Legacy Virus, which her own powers tried to stave off. In doing so, they caused a replication error in the Legacy-2 viroid that was killing her. The viroid's conditioning to infect only if the X-gene was found in the host was stripped. When Henry "Beast" McCoy opened Infectia's containment chamber in an act of compassion to allow her one final look at the night sky, he inadvertently released this new "free agent" strain[volume & issue needed]. Legacy-3 was capable of infecting any living being that fit within the parameters of its general original template; that is, hominids only, not canines, felines, etc. Moira MacTaggert, long-time ally of the mutant X-Men and one of Earth's top geneticists, seemed to have been the first non-mutant human to be infected with Legacy-3.[citation needed]
Mystique had also created (or commissioned the creation of) a strain of the Legacy viroid that only attacked non-mutant humans, leaving mutants completely untouched.[citation needed]
History[edit]
The Legacy Virus was based on a virus created by Apocalypse in the distant future, which was intended to kill the remaining non-mutants. At the time that this alternate version of Apocalypse was killed, the virus had not been perfected, and much like Legacy-3, it targeted all humans indiscriminately. As a result, this virus was never deployed, until Stryfe acquired it and altered it for his own purposes.[citation needed]
During the X-Cutioner's Song crossover, the villain Stryfe gave Mister Sinister a canister that he claimed contained 2,000 years worth of genetic material from the Summers bloodline. When Gordon Lefferts, a scientist working for Sinister, opened the canister[1] after Stryfe was apparently killed by Cable, they found nothing inside. Far worse than that, the canister actually contained a plague, Stryfe's "legacy" to the world.
When Colossus' sister Illyana fell ill and died of the Legacy Virus in Uncanny X-Men #303 (August 1993), he left the X-Men and joined Magneto's Acolytes.
The virus raged on for some time in the mutant population, until Mystique, in an effort to make the world safe for mutants, modified the virus to affect only humans[volume & issue needed]. When Moira found out about this strain of the virus, she finally grasped what the key to the cure was. Unfortunately, she was mortally wounded by Mystique during the Brotherhood of Mutants' attack on Muir Island and did not live to complete the cure. Professor X did manage to telepathically retrieve the critical information before Moira died.[2]
With this information, Beast was able to synthesize the cure a few weeks later, though one that had a price; the virus had first been released by the death of the first victim, and the release of the cure would have the same effect. Colossus, who did not want any more people to suffer his sister's fate, sneaked into McCoy's lab and injected the cure into himself and activated his mutant powers, transforming his body into organic steel. This "supercharged" the Legacy cure, simultaneously killing him and stopping the spread of the Legacy virus, instanteously curing even those dying of the virus at that moment[3] (Although it was later revealed Colossus had been resurrected by alien technology and was being used as a test subject for an experimental formula that would reverse mutations before he was rescued by the X-Men[4]).
Unfortunately, this rapid cure had unforeseen geopolitical effects. Thousands of Legacy-infected mutants had been quarantined on the island nation of Genosha, which was controlled by Magneto at the time. The instant cure gave Magneto a vast army overnight and allowed him to begin carrying out his plans for world conquest in the Eve of Destruction crossover.
In X-Factor vol. 3 #10, it was revealed that Singularity Investigations was creating a virus designed to kill mutants. While Jamie Madrox referred to this as the Legacy Virus, it is unclear whether Singularity is actually recreating Stryfe's virus, creating what is to later actually be Stryfe's virus, or merely engineering a new one with a similar purpose.
In X-Force #7, The Vanisher is seen to be in possession of a mutated strain of the Legacy Virus. It was later destroyed by Elixir in X-Force #10.
During the Skrull Invasion of Earth, Beast discovers that the Legacy Virus can infect Skrulls as well. Beast ponders whether to use it against the invading aliens. Cyclops decides to use it to get the Skrulls to surrender.
The Legacy Virus has returned once more as it turned out there were other samples that fell into the hands of Bastion. Samples have been injected into Beautiful Dreamer and Fever Pitch by the Leper Queen in order to cause their powers to go berserk and kill themselves and thousands of humans during an anti-mutant rally held by the Friends of Humanity. It was later revealed that Hellion and Surge were also injected with the Legacy Virus.[volume & issue needed]
Dark Beast is also rumored to have a sample of the Legacy Virus.
X-Men: Eve of Destruction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men:_Eve_of_Destruction
With the Legacy Virus cured through the sacrifice of Colossus' life, Magneto becomes obsessed with the death of the X-Men and what he felt was Xavier's inability to keep Colossus (who had lost his family due to the Legacy Virus and anti-mutant forces) from dying for the sake of mutantkind.
Magneto attacks the X-Mansion, kidnapping Xavier and taking him to Genosha, where he crucifies his former friend and places a device on Xavier's skull that neutralizes his powers. He then begins a ruthless campaign of recruiting mutants for Genosha's armies. Magneto also agrees to let reporter Trish Tilby visit Genosha. During a one-on-one interview, Magneto announces that with Genosha free of the taint of the Legacy Virus, that the country will begin taking action to secure the planet for mutants. He dares humanity to attack his country pre-emptively.
Magneto's actions come as the X-Men are at their weakest point in terms of strength. Storm, Beast, Rogue, Psylocke, Tessa, Bishop, and Thunderbird III have left the United States to find the diaries of Rogue's foster mother Irene Adler (the precognitive mutant Destiny). With Cable and Shadowcat retired and Angel on a leave of absence, only Jean Grey, Wolverine, and Cyclops are left to deal with Magneto's latest power play and the kidnapping of Charles Xavier.
While Wolverine and Cyclops sneak into Genosha to help Polaris with getting Genoshan humans to safety, Jean Grey gathers a varied team of mutants. Two are neophyte civillains code-named Omerta and Wraith. Jean recruits Alpha Flight member Northstar and the mutant strong-woman and Magneto supporter Joanna "Frenzy" Cargill, who Jean Grey literally brainwashes into becoming an X-Man. Sunpyre, a stranger to Jean, appears instead of the expected help of Sunfire. The situation is so extreme Jean accepts her help anyway. Omerta and Northstar literally come to blows, as Omerta is prejudiced against Northstar's homosexuality.
As the group prepares to fly to Genosha, they are joined by former X-Man Dazzler. In a telepathic conference involving the entire team, it is learned Dazzler has come seeking the X-Men's help, as the Mojoverse has been conquered by an X-Baby version of Apocalypse and his X-Baby versions of the "Four Horsemen" from the "Age of Apocalypse" reality. Dazzler tells Jean that the mini-Apocalypse has killed Mojo and Longshot and all but decimated the entire Mojoverse, but she is willing to put aside the problem to help the X-Men fight Magneto. Meanwhile, Amelia Voght, a former friend of Xavier turned follower of Magneto begins to fear for Genosha's future if Magneto's new aggressive foreign policy brings forth a global "Human Versus Mutant" war.
The makeshift X-Men are attacked by Magneto as they reach Genosha, as their plane is destroyed and they are magnetically lowered to Magda Square, an arena Magneto has set up for the inevitable showdown. Showing off the crucified Xavier, Magneto is attacked by Dazzler, who Magneto promptly disintegrates with an electromagnetic energy blast.
This leads to a full-on battle with the makeshift X-Men and Magneto, as Cyclops and Wolverine join the battle. Wolverine's arrival leads to Magneto overpowering the clawed mutant and proclaiming that he's going to remove the adamantium from his skeleton again but to his horror, he finds himself unable to do so.
At this point, Xavier reveals himself and explains that Amelia Voight freed him from the cross at the start of the battle and with Jean Grey running telepathic interference, had Dazzler use her powers to create a hologram of herself (which was what Magneto "destroyed") while she took Xavier's place on the cross, using her hologram powers to impersonate Xavier.
Magneto realizes that the X-Men have outsmarted him but remains defiant in regards to his plans to militarize Genosha and turn the country into an aggressive global super-power in the name of mutants everywhere. Wolverine responds by stabbing Magneto in the guts, as the X-Men leave Magneto bleeding on the ground.
Returning home, the neophyte X-Men leave and Dazzler, for reasons unknown, declines to stay and prepare with the X-Men to free the Mojoverse from Baby Apocalypse's control. Alone in the X-Mansion, Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Professor Xavier take up Wolverine's offer for a drink to celebrate their victory.
House of M https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_M#Synopsis
Genesis[edit]
Artwork for a variant cover of House of M 1 (Aug 2005). Art by Joe Quesada.
Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, is living on the devastated island of Genosha under the care of Professor Charles Xavier and her father Magneto. Professor X informs Magneto that his telepathic powers will no longer be enough to hold back Wanda's reality-warping abilities and that a permanent solution must be found. Magneto blames himself for twisting his children through the strength of his own dreams and ambitions.
Meanwhile, Xavier arranges a meeting of the Avengers, the X-Men and several lone heroes to Avengers Towers to decide the fate of Wanda Maximoff. Emma Frost concludes that killing Wanda is the only way to end her destructive magic. Captain America argues that the group should seek alternate methods of dealing with Wanda including suppression of her powers and her insanity. The X-Men argue that if word gets out that a mutant with the ability to change reality went insane, it would "send human-mutant relations back to the stone-age." As the conversation progresses, it is revealed that Professor X asked Doctor Strange to help Wanda, but unfortunately neither was strong enough to combat her magic. Wolverine speaks up, saying that there is no other way—Wanda must be killed. The rest of the group decides that they must talk to Wanda in person before making their decision.
Back in Genosha, a distraught Quicksilver rushes to Magneto and reveals that he was just in New York where he heard that the X-Men and Avengers are planning on killing Wanda. Magneto does not know what to do, and clearly upset asks "What would you have me do?". Quicksilver falls to the floor sobbing and Magneto glances over at his sleeping daughter.
Xavier takes the two groups to Genosha, only to discover that Wanda is missing. Suddenly, the members of the group start to disappear one by one. Spider-Man is soon the only one left and becomes engulfed by a white light.
New world[edit]
When the light departs, we see that the world has changed: Spider-Man is a celebrity married to Gwen Stacy; Cyclops and Emma Frost are married; Doctor Strange is a psychologist; Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel, America's most beloved superhero; Gambit is a criminal; and Steve Rogers is an aged veteran. As we follow vignettes of their lives, it becomes readily apparent that none of them remember the change. Wolverine recalls all of his lost memories and knows this new world is a lie. He finds the world has changed into one where Homo superior are the dominant species instead of Homo sapiens. Mutants rule humans—and Magneto and his "House of M" rules mutants.
Wolverine seeks help from his fellow X-Men and Avengers. Unable to find Professor X, Wolverine goes looking for Spider-Man and Tony Stark. He is confronted by his "teammates" in the Red Guard, elite mutant soldiers of S.H.I.E.L.D. Wolverine escapes and finds the Human Resistance Movement led by Luke Cage. Cage has gathered other non-mutant crimefighters to protect humans from the House of M's abuses of power. Wolverine is shocked to see one of the members is Clint Barton (Hawkeye), a hero who had died in the real world.
Wolverine explains why he knows this world was created by the Scarlet Witch. He theorizes Magneto used her to create a world where everyone's deepest wish was granted. Magneto got the mutant supremacy he always wanted. Spider-Man got a life of happiness and contentment. Wolverine is an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. but remembers the world from before 'House of M'. Cage reveals that a little girl named Layla Miller told him almost exactly the same thing days ago. The heroes begin visiting the Avengers and X-Men in their new lives as Layla awakens their true memories.
Wake-up call[edit]
Wolverine and the Human Resistance awaken many heroes to the truth, including Cyclops, Spider-Man, Shadowcat, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Daredevil, Rogue, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Toad, and Spider-Woman. Hawkeye becomes distraught over learning of his death and briefly leaves the group. The rest travel to Genosha for a final confrontation with Magneto.
House of Magnus, from left to right: Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, her two children William and Thomas, Magneto, and Polaris.
Back in Genosha, Magneto receives representatives from around the world to commemorate the mutant triumph over humanity. The heroes attack Magneto and his family directly, while Cloak, Emma Frost, Doctor Strange, and Layla search for Xavier. They find a gravestone with Xavier's name, but Cloak discovers no body buried beneath it.
Battle Against House of M[edit]
The battle between the House of M and the heroes continues with great ferocity. While the chaos ensues, the Scarlet Witch disappears from the battlefield only to be discovered by Doctor Strange in a tower with her children. The two begin to talk as Doctor Strange attempts to discover the origin of the madness that is happening. Wanda reveals the answer to him in a flashback from when Quicksilver confronted Magneto about the fate of Wanda. It turns out that Quicksilver himself was the one responsible for the creation of the alternate world, suggesting to Wanda to make everyone happy in an almost-perfect world. After this revelation, Emma Frost tells Doctor Strange to ask about the fate of Charles Xavier. Before she can answer, Wanda is struck in the back by an arrow.
The attacker is Hawkeye, who begins to break down emotionally to Wanda about his death in the real timeline. After a heated exchange, Hawkeye is killed for the second time as one of the Scarlet Witch's antagonized sons uses his mutant powers to "erase" the Avenger. Meanwhile, in the memorial garden, Magneto confronts Emma Frost and Layla Miller, who reveal the truth to Magneto about all that has happened. He then unleashes his wrath on everyone, especially his son Quicksilver. He nearly kills Quicksilver by pummeling him to a bloody pulp with large pieces of steel. Suddenly the Scarlet Witch appears, stopping Magneto and returning her brother to healthy form. She begins to lash out, saying "We're freaks, Mutants... You chose this over us and you ruined us... Daddy!" She then utters "No more mutants." Everything turns to white once again.
No More Mutants[edit]
In a blinding flash, the world seemingly returns to normal.
The Avengers come together to try to make sense of what happened that night, only to be confronted by a distraught Doctor Strange who states that the House of M really took place and its effects are slowly being felt on a wider scale. They later get an alert from the ruins of Avengers Mansion. Investigating, they find Hawkeye's uniform pinned to a wall with his arrows, suggesting Hawkeye is alive.
At the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, most of the students lose their mutant abilities. Emma Frost scans the whole world with Cerebro for mutant activity. She learns the number of mutants in the world has dropped from millions to a few hundred. Meanwhile, Wolverine awakens remembering everything about his past.[5] The X-Men fly to Genosha looking for Magneto and his children. They find Magneto is also powerless, and does not know where Wanda or Quicksilver have gone.
The heroes can only guess about what has caused the majority of the mutant population to lose their powers. Xavier is still missing, and Cerebro and Doctor Strange are unable to detect Scarlet Witch. Hank Pym warns that all these powers could not simply vanish—they are contained somewhere, and that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The question remains, as Pym said, "What will be the reaction?"
As if to punctuate this statement, a colossal red ribbon of energy begins to orbit Earth.
"Decimation"[edit]
Main article: Decimation (comics)
The "House of M" storyline resulted in the reduction of the mutant population from millions to hundreds. Only two current members of the X-Men (Polaris and Professor X) suffered this fate, as well as the former X-Man Chamber. Several minor allies and enemies were depowered, including Callisto and the Blob, the longest-running character to be affected. Although their main adversary, Magneto, also lost his abilities, as have two members of the Avengers, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Magneto and Xavier have since been repowered, whilst Polaris and Quicksilver (and others) have either gained new powers (sometimes almost exactly like their old powers) or regained lost powers by other means, within a span of well under two years. Other reasonably popular mutants have also been repowered by technology, such as Wind Dancer and Jubilee.[volume & issue needed]
Other consequences include:
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2015)
The temporary disappearance of Charles Xavier (he returned in X-Men: Deadly Genesis without his powers), Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver. Quicksilver's disappearance is explained in the Son of M limited series.
Wolverine's total recall of his past, which caused a serious change in his status. Multiple governments and agencies for which he has worked or which have manipulated him consider him to be one of the most dangerous threats to them.
Though not explicitly expressed in the House of M series, as of New Avengers #26, Clint Barton has been revived in the Marvel Universe.
The Collective, a new villain that destroyed the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight, was created as a result of the Decimation event. The Collective was apparently formed from all of the mutant energies displaced by Wanda's actions.
The Shadow King was able to return to this reality with Shadow-X when Wanda shifted reality.
Onslaught was reborn.
Jim Jaspers was brought back to life and fused with The Fury.
The disappearance of Meggan and return of Captain Britain to the United Kingdom as a result of preventing the destruction of all realities from the strain of the House of M rewriting the Earth-616 reality; later Meggan was reportedly taken prisoner by a demon named Plokta. Finally she managed to free herself, reuniting with Captain Britain.
Due to the vast depowerment of mutants, America won the super powers war without lifting a finger.[6]
The Skrulls gained a massive advantage in their infiltration and sabotage. With so many millions of mutants killed, lost, or powerless, one of the three primary threats Veranke stated was neutralized.
With all the mutant energy released, Vulcan, the third Summers brother, was revived from a long slumber.
Illyana Rasputin was reborn as Darkchylde.
X-Men: Messiah Complex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Men:_Messiah_Complex
Overview[edit]
The "Messiah Complex" storyline is the climax of events set into motion in "House of M" and defined the direction of the X-Men franchise for the next several years. The storyline's main plot involves the birth of the first child with the X-gene since Decimation, sparking a race between the X-Men, the Marauders, the Acolytes, the Reavers, the Purifiers, and Predator X to see who will find the child first. The event also marked the return of X-Man Angel, who had been away from the X-Men teams for a while.[1] "Messiah Complex" also involves X-Factor and New X-Men, Sentinel Squad O*N*E*, and Cable.
Plot[edit]
A mutant activation is detected in Alaska and Cyclops and several X-Men investigate, discovering bodies of Purifiers and Marauders. After discovering the source of the battle was for possession of a newborn baby, the group returns home and Cyclops seizes control of the X-Men from Professor X as Predator X detects the newborn mutant, and devours the bodies of the dead Marauders present.
Cyclops creates an "assault team" (consisting of Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Angel, and Nightcrawler) with the intent of locating the Marauders, who have a comatose Rogue captive. Cyclops sends X-Factor leader Multiple Man and member Layla Miller to visit Forge, and has member Rictor (who lost his powers on M-Day) pretend to join the Purifiers to see if they have the baby. Forge tells Madrox that Scarlet Witch's hex spell flatlined mutants across all possible futures until the baby's birth, which spawned two futures with mutants present. Madrox sends a duplicate to each timeline, and Layla Miller runs in the portal with the second dupe as Madrox falls comatose and Forge takes care of his body.
Rictor joins the Purifiers and discovers they are working with Lady Deathstrike and the Reavers, and that they do not have the baby, as a group of New X-Men attack the Purifiers base. In the fight, Hellion is wounded and in an escape, Pixie accidentally scatter-teleports Rictor and her friends. The assault team track the Marauders to Alaska and attack them with Emma Frost's assistance, until Hellion's wounding leads to the assault team's defeat and Nightcrawler's injury. In New York, the O*N*E* Sentinels are infected by nano-Sentinels and turn on the X-Men, but they are defeated when Iceman returns with the scattered New X-Men. When the assault team returns and Wolverine tells Cyclops he learned Cable has the baby, Cyclops assumes his son used the nano-Sentinels to attack them for some reason, so he dispatches a new X-Force (consisting of Wolverine, Hepzibah, Warpath, Caliban, X-23, and Wolfsbane) to locate him. Cable wanders Alaska with the baby while Predator X continues killing mutants, making his way to the X-Mansion when it loses the baby's scent.
In the future, Layla and Madrox discover there are mutant concentration camps, a result of mutant activity, and they get themselves locked in one and permanently marked with "M" DNA face tattoos. In present day, X-Force finds Cable, who is battling Deathstrike and the Reavers. X-23 defeats Deathstrike at the cost of Caliban's life, and Cable steals X-Force's Blackbird, making a path for Texas, where he goes to Forge's headquarters to use a time traveling device. Cable is hit from behind by X-Man Bishop, who in the future, Madrox and Layla discover would kill the mutant "messiah" since she killed a million people and lead to the camps' creation. Bishop is ambushed by the Marauders, who take the baby to Muir Island under Gambit's leadership. Once on Muir Island, it is revealed that Mister Sinister, who has the baby, is actually Mystique and that Mister Sinister is dead by her forcing him to touch Rogue.
Cerebra is repaired and used to track Gambit as Cyclops rescues X-Force, Bishop and Madrox. Bishop says Cable knocked Forge out and ran away after both him and Cable lost the baby. Cyclops sends Bishop and X-Force ahead to Muir Island in a faster O*N*E* ship. After they leave, Madrox reawakens after Layla uses a stolen grenade to kill his duplicate and send future Madrox's memories to Madrox Prime, now with the duplicate's M scar. He tells the group about Bishop. Predator X arrives at the X-Mansion and fights the New X-Men until Pixie teleports them to Muir Island, and Cable uses his stolen Blackbird to get Xavier to help him, explaining that in his future, the baby was a Messiah who united all of man and mutantkind.
Mystique explains to Gambit that Destiny, her former lover, had told her about the baby and that it would heal Rogue. She holds the baby to Rogue's lips, and Gambit removes her hand, saying Rogue would not want an innocent to die for her, as the Marauders and Acolytes battle X-Force and the newly arrived X-Men. Professor X interrupts Gambit, coming in with Cable, and when Cable gets the baby again, Bishop walks in along with Predator X, and the mutant killer bites Bishop's arm off, and is killed by Wolverine. Rogue awakens and disowns Mystique as punishment for risking a baby's life, then touches her before realizing that the baby wiped her memories away. She leaves Gambit, along with her and Mystique's memories. Cyclops demands that Cable hand over the child, and Professor X, in a sudden change, tells Cable to do it, so that Scott can see what everyone is been fighting for. Cyclops remembers what it was like to lose Nathan, and tells Cable to take the baby and give it the chance Cyclops never gave his own son. An infuriated Bishop takes Scalphunter's gun and shoots as Cable timeslides to the future, missing him and hitting Professor X. In retaliation, Cyclops takes out Bishop with a powerful optic blast. After Professor X is shot, his body is teleported away as Cyclops declares there are no X-Men.
Afterwards, Cable appears in the future, with the baby in his arms. The story ends as Cable thinks to himself, "here comes the hard part".