Readthrough: Uncanny X-Men 100

[sheliak]

This issue starts right where the last one left off: Scott, Jean, the Professor and Dr. Corbeau held captive (and captive audience) to Steven Lang, while the rest of the X-Men fight what seems to be the original team and Lang gloats about it.

The "originals" are somewhat off model; aside from being rather more murderous than they should be, "Jean's" telekinesis is weaker, "Scott" has the wrong visor, and the Beast is lacking in blue fur. They also refuse to accept that Steven Lang and his Sentinels might be more of a threat than the new X-Men...

It's a dramatic fight!



Because of her friendship with Jean, Ororo is the first to suspect that something (beyond the obvious) is wrong:



Marvel Girl and Polaris manage to get the drop on Storm, before being driven away by her teammates.

Next, Wolverine faces off against Xavier.

Xavier: Your threats do not impress me, Wolverine.

Marvel Girl joins the attack, and Wolverine--already suspicious--escalates.



The X-Men are horrified... but so is someone else.



(Sorry for posting just half of a two-pager, but I really wanted that reaction shot.)

Lang goes on to explain his plot. He was convinced that his X-Sentinels were unbeatable--as most villains would be in his place--and he explains his alliance with the Council of the Chosen (who he was eager to double-cross) and how Larry Trask's notes convinced him that mutants were a threat to humanity.

He rants so long, in fact, that one of his prisoners has a chance to make a move of his own...



Lang gets into a fancy "flying gunship" and continues to rant about how he is superior becaue he is human. As he and the escapees all reach the battle, Scott announces that Lang is the first person he's ever hated, while Jean thwarts his latest murder attempt by taking over the gunship's controls with her powers.

(Meanwhile, the X-Men are making short work of the X-Sentinels, now that they know they're not really hurting their friends.)

Lang tries to fight Jean for control of the gunship (Lang: I'm a man--my will is stronger than any mutant witch's.), and those controls end up jammed. He has time to call out to his enemies for help before crashing into the wall and exploding.

The X-Men take a moment to note that Lang's minions have already escaped the space shuttle as they head for their shuttle. Alas, it's in lousy condition (thanks to those Sentinels poking holes in it earlier), and the autopilot Corbeau meant to rely on is out of commission. The heavily shielded "life-cell" is still intact, but that doesn't do them much good when there's no way to pilot the shuttle from it... and any pilot would take the full brunt of the solar storm, unprotected, for over half an hour.

Corbeau: Sure, I can fly a re-entry, no sweat, but I wouldn't last thirty seconds in that flare.

One of you might survive the flare, but you can't pilot the shuttle. We need someone who can do both, and there's no such animal.

The other X-Men are just as aware as Scott that this is a suicide mission.



Jean knows she has to work fast: the life-cell is well-protected, but the longer the shuttle stays in space, the more chance there is that radiation will get through to her friends.

In the life-cell, Scott has regained consciousness, and tries desperately to reach the door and go to Jean. Nightcrawler and Colossus hold him back as he begs them to let him go to her before it's too late. Kurt, weeping, replies, It's already too late, my friend.

But it's Jean herself who gets the last word, as well she should.

Twenty-seven minutes to Earth's atmosphere.

Not long at all.

I really love this issue. The fight has its moments--I love that Ororo knows "Jean" isn't herself because the real Jean wouldn't be so cruel to her, the showcasing of powers, and the way Wolverine--who doesn't know that Fake Jean is a robot, but does know that she can't be who she claims to be--strikes first and horrifies his teammates. And I love the panel where Scott frees his three fellow-captives with one well-placed optic blast.

But the heart of the issue is the sequence at the end, when Jean looks at an impossible situation and makes her choice.

I love how determined she is from the moment she hatches her plan, how implacable, not letting anyone gainsay her, just knocking out her boyfriend--the team leader--when he tries to stop her.

I love her exchange with Logan, who's worried about her but can't help but express it obnoxiously, and that she finally yells at him--and he backs down, daunted.

And with Storm: the one who understands her choice, respects and accepts it, and hugs her goodbye instead of wasting their last moments together with arguments.

I love her line at the end: Not long at all. Just the rest of my life.

And that last panel is gorgeous.

Poll #21428

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6

View Respondents

Favorite Scenes (Battle)

View Answers

Steven Lang's villainous rants (of which he must be very proud)
1 (16.7%)

Nightcrawler vs. Beast
0 (0.0%)

Havok vs. Colossus
0 (0.0%)

"Jean" vs. Storm
3 (50.0%)

"Xavier" vs. Wolverine
3 (50.0%)

"Jean" vs. Wolverine
3 (50.0%)

Scott breaks out
1 (16.7%)

Last fight with Lang
0 (0.0%)

Something else, as I will explain in the comments
0 (0.0%)

Favorite Scene(s): Jean's Plan

View Answers

Corbeau explains the situation
0 (0.0%)

Jean makes her plan
1 (16.7%)

Jean and Scott
1 (16.7%)

Jean and Logan
1 (16.7%)

Jean and Ororo
4 (66.7%)

Jean in the shuttle
6 (100.0%)

Any other thoughts about this issue?


As a head's up, this is the last Uncanny X-Men issue I've got collected in a color hardcover, so later posts may be rather less image-heavy--I don't want to wreck my poor Essentials, and I don't think they'd scan well anyway.

Next Sunday: Retcon damage control. Alternately, a dance with the devil within.
Next Thursday: The X-Men return to Earth.

Comments

[rachelmanija]

I love this issue. Jean is so heroic, Logan is so himself, and there's the bonus hilarity of "Xavier" punching out Wolverine.

[sheliak]

It's amazing! I love Jean's heroism so much.

(And yes, "Xavier" decking Wolverine is hilarious--which I appreciate given how dark things get later!)

[theemdash]

For me, Jean in this issue was formative to what women heroes look like. I love her so much here. Everything from the fact that her yelling at Wolverine is "ugly" to her tearful hug with Ororo to her knocking Scott out so he won't stop her. Her sacrifice here is so good.

[sheliak]

She's amazing here! I love all those scenes, and how none of them makes her doubt her resolve.