War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1

The few X-Men left are currently on a mission. Dani Moonstar muses she cannot get the poem out of her head: “This is the way the world ends.” When she was a child, she tried to make sense of it, tried to figure out what TS Eliot meant by it. Now she just wonders how he knew.

Cyclops asks her what she is thinking. She replies she is just distracted by the strange weather. Feels like bad things are coming. He opines they are already here. Is she sure she’s up for this? Dani reminds him her powers are back. What about him? she asks, referring to his recent eye injury. Cyclops replies he is not supposed to use his power, but they have enough fire power, so he is just along for the ride. Along with them are Havok, Wolfsbane, Magik and Multiple Man.

They good? Havok asks. When Scott replies in the affirmative and begins a speech, Havok fires his plasma blast at the cabin in front of them over Wolfsbane’s protest. He explains himself. He thought everything was clear. Scott was beginning his big be-safe speech he always does when they start…

That moment Nanny and e Orphan-Maker burst from the cabin.

The X-Men attack. One of the Madroxes reminds them nobody gets a statue if they get killed by villains this stupid looking. Who is gonna build statues of them? another Madrox asks. He just meant ‘don’t die’ the first points out. Then say that, a third dupe suggests.

Orphan-Maker takes on Havok, vowing they won’t stop them from saving the mutant kids. Cyclops tries to reason with him and finds his power doesn’t work. A little help! he shouts. Moonstar creates a psychic bow and arrow, but before she can fire she senses something strange – a feeling – a call to arms.

With Dani out of the game, Wolfsbane intercepts to attack Orphan-Maker. Cyclops asks Dani why she didn’t take the shot. She has to go! she replies.

The Madroxes are getting pummeled by Nanny. Magik is about to help when Dani whispers something into her ear. Instead of helping Madrox, she calls a teleportation circle and announces they have to go. She and Dani disappear.

Madrox gets hit by Nanny again for good measure.

35 minutes and two beaten foes later, Cyclops chides what’s left of his team on their poor performance. When Havok mouthes off, Cyclops sharply reminds him that he used to be a teamleader, so act like it. Havok retorts that Cyclops is leader now and hence responsible for this disaster.

Madrox tries to point out that they won and Wolfsbane tries to separate the brothers physically, even as Cyclops announces he takes his share of the responsibility, but it’s not his fault if his team acts like it’s their first day in the Danger Room! Havok snaps that a third of the team vanished mid-fight. He wants to blame him and Jamie for things going south? Where is the rest of his team?

That moment Magik teleports in, shouting Dani is in trouble. A moment later, she teleports them to the West Village. The first thing Havok notices is the snow. Wolfsbane points out something more important, namely scores of armored armed Dark Elves.

As the mutants enter the fight, Magik brings them up to speed on the situation: Malekith, king of the Dark Elves, has conquered all the known realms save this one. The Asgardian War has come to Earth. Dr. Strange has already cleared the people from the city. Havok sensibly wonders where the Asgardians are.

Fighting what looks like a Frost Giant, Cyclops demands why Magik came here in the first place. She explains Dani begged her but they got swarmed and Magik couldn’t fight her way to Dani. Cyclops demands she teleport them out. They are being overwhelmed! They don’t even know if Dani is still alive. Wolfsbane, however, can still sense Dani through their psi-link, though it’s faint. Good enough for him, Havok announces and lets loose a blast and flattens the Dark Elves, buying them some time to retreat.

Cyclops asks what Dani wanted, anyway. Magik doesn’t know. He begins berating her for abandoning the team for no good reason. She sharply replies that she trusts Dani.

Cyclops asks Wolfsbane if she can pinpoint Dani, but the signal is too faint. When they run into some hungry Frost Giants, Cyclops orders Magik to teleport to Harry’s Hideaway and get the rest of the team.

Reluctantly, Magik obeys and Madrox asks Cyclops about the plan. He explains they are boxed in on these small streets, so they need to get to Sixth Avenue where they can outmaneuver their foes. He orders Havok to do something stupid. Alex blasts them a shortcut through a building. As they run he asks what’s next. Scott admits that he is winging it here. Alex retorts that Scott is still better at this than anybody he knows.

They come out on the other side, facing a Frost Giant who shouts that Midgard is theirs. They should have run with the rest! He brings down his cudgel, almost hitting Wolfsbane. In response, Havok blasts him with all his power, only to find the Frost Giant is still standing. Cyclops theorizes that Frost Giants are magical creatures, so the normal rules don’t always apply. Fortunately, they hear a familiar scream, as Banshee tears right through the giant.

Cautiously, Madrox asks if Banshee isn’t supposed to be locked in the basement. Magik shows up with the others – Banshee, Chamber, Karma and Hope. Referring to Banshee and Hope, Illyana reminds Cyclops that he told her to get everyone, so she did.

Cyclops asks for Logan and is told he was already gone when she arrived. So she brought Hope instead? he asks. She retorts they need the whole team. Cyclops insists Hope isn’t on the team. She is a prisoner. Holding her firearm, Hope disdainfully calls him grandpa and reminds him things are looking pretty bad, and he is still holding on to a little grudge? He reminds her she shot him in the face because he tried to stop her from killing somebody. It’s a decent-size grudge. Hope sensibly points out that, if they don’t deal with what is going on, none of it will matter. They can fight now and ground her tomorrow.

lllyana notices Rahne missing and Madrox explains she fell into the hole in the street along with one of his dupes. He believes it’s a water main or old sewer tunnel. Without listening to the rest of his rambling, Magik jumps down. Hope takes command telling Banshee to stay. Chamber knows the tunnels, so he is coming with her.

Cyclops interjects that they don’t know what’s down there. It might be a trap. Hope reminds him she isn’t on his team, so she is going where Magik goes. She and Chamber climb down. So… that went well, Havok comments amused.

Suddenly, they hear a booming nose. It’s a group of Frost Giants flanked by an army of Dark Elves. Karma asks if they will follow the others. Cyclops disagrees. Their best chance is to wait for the Avengers and coordinate with them. Karma protests that they have teammates down there. Cyclops states Hope and Magik knew what they were doing. His job is to keep everyone else alive. And Rahne? Karma asks pointedly. Scott believes Hope and Magik will look after her, but they have to go or no one will make it out alive.

In the tunnels, Wolfsbane and the Madrox dupe have taken care of a Dark Elf but don’t know where to go. She can smell Dark Elves everywhere. A group attacks them but is taken out by Hope’s guns. She and Chamber have found them. Hope suggests getting out then notices Magik isn’t with them anymore. The Dark Elves attack. Chamber intervenes and takes them out. He suggests Hope synch with his power.

Hope tries but, instead of displaying Chamber’s energy signature, she begins to glow with black, solar energy. Surprised, she announces there must be someone else nearby whose power she tapped into. He thinks she just found out what it feels like to be him, a new voice announces.

Above, the others are fleeing for their lives. Bringing up the rear and firing plasma at their pursuers, Havok informs the others they have got flying dogs now. Cyclops orders Banshee to get into the air and give them cover. Banshee complies.

Havok points out he is getting pretty drained here. Where the hell are the gods who are supposed to deal with this? He hates this Lord of the Rings stuff! Cyclops assures him they are on their way. They need to hold on.

A moment later, a flying dog makes the grab for Havok. Luckily, the beast is shot by an energy arrow, courtesy of Moonstar, who tells them they shouldn’t have come here.

Cyclops tells her they need to find cover until there are reinforcements. Grimly, she reveals none are coming. Asgard has fallen. All of the other realms have fallen to Malekith’s forces. She came when Odin summoned the Valkyries. But she arrived too late… her sisters have all fallen. They were Earth’s last hope.

This is the way the world ends, she thinks. Not with a bang but a whimper.