Star Trek Primer Vol. 4

Gene Roddenberry died on Oct 21, 1991 of heart failure at the age of 70. It was early in The Next Generation's fifth season, but despite his declining health, he was working on Star Trek up until his death. However, Roddenberry effectively lost control of TNG during the second season when Hollywood was suffering from a writer's strike. The show was fairly lackluster at that point, so the producers had an open call for scabs. Literally, the show was asking for fans to submit scripts. This desperate move led to the show hiring Ron Moore, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga, Jeri Taylor, and Ira Steven Behr, all of whom really defined this era of the franchise. The showrunner of the series was Gene Roddenberry's collaborative partner from when he was creating TNG: Rick Berman. By 1991, TNG had gained a cult following and plans were set in motion for a spin-off. Although Roddenberry contributed to its creation, there continues to be a debate as to how much influence he had as well as whether or not the series continues in the Star Trek tradition. With the death of Roddenberry, the takeover of the franchise by other writers, and a perceived general loss of quality on the last two seasons of TNG, this began the eventual and very, very slow decline of the franchise.

Splitting the writing staff to support the new spin-off created an interesting philosophical rift amongst the staff. It was decided early on that the new series was going to be much darker and deal with more long-term storylines, so many of the writers who preferred lighter, more episodic stories stayed on TNG while those interested in darker subjects and long-term story development moved to the new series.

The Premise

In creating a spin-off, the writers decided that they had three different locations which would make sense in a science fiction story: a space ship, a space station, or an alien colony. Feeling that two shows about a spaceship would be redundant and a colony would lack the grandeur of space, they decided to go with a space station. Looking back to the original series for inspiration, the creators took the "wagon train to the stars" metaphor and made their space station like an outpost on the final frontier.

The seeds for this new series were sown in TNG. The location for this series was over the planet Bajor, whose population was a deeply spiritual race hardened by one hundred years of brutal military occuptation by the Cardassians, a race defined by militaristic order and absolute obedience to the state. As a result, the Bajorans were a mixture of generous spiritualists and radical xenophobes.

As the victims of an occupied military, the Cardassian/Bajoran situation served to parallel many real life occupations or genocides including the Holocaust, British India, and Israel/Palestine. Many aspects of the Bajoran religion are influenced by styles and terminology used in Hinduism including the priest-like Vedeks who take their name from the Hindu books known as "vedics." Like most alien cultures in Star Trek, the variety of influences is meant to invoke a sense of familiarity while still being foreign.

The story begins on the heels of the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor. Fearing a return of the Cardassians or another aggressive species, the Bajoran provisional government requests a Federation presence on their only remaining space station: Terok Nor, a Cardassian refinery which was worked by Bajoran slave labor. After renaming it with the Federation designation Deep Space 9, the station is populated by a mixture of Federation and Bajoran officers creating a uniquely integrated crew. The Federation commanders mission (given to him by none other than Jean-Luc Picard) is to help Bajor rebuild the damage done to their planet and encourage Bajor to join the Federation.

If that wasn't complicated enough, the moment the commanding officer arrives, he meets the spiritual leader of the Bajoran people, Kai Opaka, who appoints him with finding their fabled celestial temple. When he discovers it, not only does he find out that it is a stable wormhole to the other side of the galaxy, but also that living inside are the Bajoran deities, known simply as the Prophets, who exist outside of linear time. Consequently, they have influenced the Bajoran people for generations but, lacking an awareness of linear time, their prophesies can often be vague as to when something happens.

By discovering the wormhole, Commander Benjamin Sisko becomes the Emissary, a messiah of sorts to the Bajoran people. So now all he has to do is protect the station, planet, and wormhole, help rebuild from the occupation, facilitate exploration and trade in a new area of space, defend from a militaristic neighbor, convince Bajor to join the Federation, and be the spiritual leader of a religion he doesn't believe in.

It is a lot to pack into a single plot, but I'm guessing the thought was that you should have as many sources for future stories as possible. Yet unlike TNG where literally anything could happen in any given episode, DS9's stories usually came out of and contributed to existing story elements to give a greater understanding of the world around them.

Cast/Crew

Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks)

Beginning the series as Commander Benjamin Sisko, he was promoted to captain at the end of the third season for a TV Guide article on the "Captains of Star Trek." Although he wasn't the first black lead in a television series, he was certainly the first in a science fiction series. Calling the decision controversial would be an overstatement, but it was definitely revolutionary. The nineties were an era of political correctness and a lot of the arbitrary barriers were slowly falling away, so casting a black man as captain was a statement that we were becoming the raceless society which Star Trek advocated.

Separating him from the older, child-phobic Picard or the brash, playboy Kirk, Sisko was a single father whose wife died in the Borg attack led by the assimilated Picard. This runs counter to a racist tradition in television whereby black fathers were often excluded from shows based on uncomfortable associations of black aggression. Consequently, television reflected a black culture without fathers which is, of course, a major and very sensitive issue within the black community. Sisko is, to my knowledge, the first and only representation of a black single father on television.

Also unlike his predecessors, Sisko is not only a Starfleet captain, but a religious icon as well. This arrangement creates conflict between the character's rational, atheistic Starfleet approach and his growing appreciation for the Bajoran people. Much more than any series before or since, this one explores the meaning of religion and spirituality through a rational secular perspective.

Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

Representing the natives in this figurative Western is the hot-headed Major Kira Nerys, a self-described Bajoran terrorist who has been fighting for Bajoran independence her entirely life, and she isn't happy that Starfleet is filling the void that the Cardassians left. What is truly amazing to me is the sheer number of times they refer to her as a "terrorist" or "former terrorist." It's hard to imagine her character existing in a post-9/11 world, but the show doesn't make a distinction between freedom fighter or terrorist, instead allowing the audience to determine their own distinction.

Chief of Operations Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney)

The great Colm Meaney was incredibly under utilized as the "transporter chief" of the starship Enterprise, so when he was offered a regular role on Deep Space Nine, his position was upgraded to Chief of Operations, essentially making him the engineer in Star Trek's latest spin-off. The role suits him well as his handyman duties contribute to his everyman quality. O'Brien is the quintessential family man of the crew with his wife, Keiko, and daughter, Molly.

Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell)

One of the odd, breakout characters of the new series is Dax. Originally conceived of as the Spock to Sisko's Kirk, Dax is a Trill, living in a symbiotic relationship with an organism which stores the memories of its former host. Because of this relationship, the Trill are said to live many lives. In her previous life, Jadzia was Curzon Dax, Sisko's mentor in Starfleet. Curzon was an unusual mentor, mostly known for getting in trouble, drinking, and womanizing, but he was also a man of strong character and conviction. In later episodes, it is revealed that Curzon was Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire during the Federation-Klingon peace talks. For this reason, Curzon is well-known and respected by the Klingon people while Jadzia is an expert in Klingon martial arts.

Dr. Julian Bashir (Siddig el Fadil; later, Alexander Siddig)

Julian Bashir represents Starfleet, in many ways. More than any other character, he is the one who represents their boundless optimism and naivete. Julian is Starfleet's newest rising star, a true medical genius, who chose to be assigned to Deep Space Nine because he wanted to practice "frontier" medicine. Although he can be incredibly arrogant and pushy, he is shown to have a great deal of compassion and an iron-clad morality. Consequently, he is always either learning humility or standing up for his ideals.

Security Chief Odo (Rene Auberjonois)

Discovered by Cardassian scientists during the occupation of Bajor, Odo was originally just a protein goo given to a Bajoran scientist to analyze. It was designated "odo ital" which literally translates as "nothing." When the goo started to duplicate simple objects in the lab, it soon became clear that it was alive and "Odo" became its name. Although Odo would never be able to replicate the humanoid form to a degree where he could impersonate other individuals or even races, he would continually take the form of inanimate objects or create tentacles as weapons. Seen as an outsider, Odo became something of a non-biased investigator during the occupation and so developed a reputation for unwavering honesty. For this reason, we was made the sheriff of Deep Space Nine. Although his methods often came into conflict with Starfleet rules, Odo was always more honest and reliable than even Starfleet.

Odo also serves the role of the outsider amongst outsiders, often commenting on "humanoid behavior" but since he never knew any of his own people, I often wondered how he made the distinction. More like Spock than Data, his opinion of humanoid behavior was rarely complimentary.

Lt. Cmd. Worf (Michael Dorn)

Following the destruction of the Enterprise-D in Star Trek: Generations, the writing staff of DS9 asked themselves if there were any cast members from the original series that they would like to see join the cast. The only name that stood out was Worf. Torn between his idealistic human upraising and his violent Klingon culture, Worf is uniquely suited to the darker themes of Deep Space Nine. In the fourth season, a Klingon invasion of Cardassia brought Worf to Deep Space Nine as an adviser and never has his character been utilized so well. The war themes of the series really give him a chance to let the character go instead of in TNG where Picard constantly had to stop him from shooting at people.

The Others

With its focus on long-term story development decided at the outset, Deep Space Nine had more reoccurring characters than any Star Trek series before or since. Listed below are the major reoccurring characters of Deep Space Nine, roughly in the order of most to fewest appearances.

Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton)

Son of Benjamin Sisko, Jake could have quickly become another Wesley, but unlike Wesley, he was neither a genius nor a perfect student. Along with his best friend, Rom, he was always getting himself into trouble, even though he got good grades and was generally a good person. Ultimately, Jake decides not to go into Starfleet and his story arc involves his passion to be a writer, eventually with him becoming a war correspondent.

Quark (Armin Shimmerman)

No Western would be complete without a tavern owner making nefarious deals. For that, we had Quark. The Ferengi were invented in TNG season one to be the Klingons of the new series, but the big-eared midgets didn't really catch on, so instead they were reduced to the role of irritant for the evolved ideals of Starfleet. In contrast to the Federation, the Ferengi society is ultra-capitalist with greed not only considered good, but central to the order of things. Because DS9 had several Ferengi as regular cast members, the show did more to establish this race than any other series. Although my ex thought they were Jewish stereotypes, Ira Steven Behr, who wrote the bulk of the Ferengi episodes, later commented that the secret to writing the Ferengi is that they are us. Whether he meant Americans or 21st century capitalists, I'm not sure.

Nog (Aron Eisenberg)

Nephew to Quark, Nog's role in the show was originally as the Eddie Haskell to Jake Sisko's Wally. He would get horrible grades, was discouraged from going to school based on its Federation values, and played pranks on travelers to the station. Late in the third season, Nog turns his life around by becoming the first Ferengi in Starfleet thereby abandoning a life of greed and using his manipulative skills for the benefit of the Federation.

Garak (Andrew Robinson)

The only Cardassian on Deep Space Nine is the tailor, Garak, who often finds a way to get involved when certain matters involving Cardassian intelligence reach the station. Although he claims to be nothing more than a simple tailor, Garak was a member of the infamous Cardassian intelligence network known as the Obsidian Order. His current position as a tailor on a Bajoran station is a mystery, but it is believed to be a form of exile imposed on him by the Obsidian Order. Of all the characters in this show, he was always my favorite because he would never tell the truth if he could find something to be gained by lying.

Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo)

The former commanding officer of Terok Nor, Gul Dukat is a high-ranking Cardassian official who constantly comes to the station to throw his weight around. Marc Alaimo always delivers a powerful performance as a Stalin-esque dictator who views himself as a hero of the occupation for not killing as many people as he could. Part of Dukat's arrogance is his need for the approval and admiration of others, particularly Sisko, who receives the love of the Bajoran people that Dukat never did, and Kira, a Bajoran freedom fighter who loathes everything about him.

Vedek Winn (Louise Fletcher)

Kai Opaka dies early in the series leaving her role as spiritual leader vacant for the next elected leader. Playing the role of the opportunistic fundamentalist is Vedek Winn, ably played by Louise Fletcher who won an Academy Award for her performance as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Her role in Deep Space Nine is equally frightening as the power hungry egotist who puts herself before the spiritual needs of her people.

Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs)

In the third season, the show introduced the Dominion, a sort of anti-Federation on the other side of the wormhole who enslaved other worlds and genetically manipulated entire races into a servant class. These races were genetically altered to be faithful acolytes to their conquerors, known only as the Founders. The diplomats of the Dominion were the small pale aristocrats called the Vorta and the leader of the Vorta was Weyoun. Played by Jeffrey Combs, the star of the classic B-horror movie Re-Animator, Weyoun added sophistication and duplicity to the Dominion as its always smiling face.

General Martok (J.G. Hertzler)

Following Worf's addition to the series, General Martok took on a major role in the fifth season as leader of the Klingon fleet. Working closely with the Starfleet crew, Martok evokes a sense of honor and nobility missing from most Klingons and his perspective is a nice counterpoint to the much more serious Starfleet officers. To date, Martok is one of my favorite Klingons for the gruff, biker-like personality he gives to the role. When the character lost his eye, the makeup artist wanted to give him a false one, but Hertzler said that he was a Klingon, so they simply had the wound heal over.

Grand Nagus Zek (Wallace Shaun)

In Ferengi society, the president, CEO, and pope are all wrapped into one person whom they refer to as the Grand Nagus. The Nagus is the pinnacle of Ferengi greed and all must obey and bribe him if they want to get anywhere. The producers cast this role perfectly using Wallace Shawn, best known as Vizzini from The Princess Bride. Shawn's normally whiny voice is turned up a couple notches for this troll. Although Shawn hated all of the makeup, he seems to regularly forget since he showed up every year for another guest appearance.

Vic Fontaine (James Darren)

Appearing late in season six, Vic Fontaine was a holodeck character who was a much more than your average computer program. In order to be able to "really get in the swing of things," he was programmed with a knowledge of his artificial nature and intuition when it comes to matters of the heart. Consequently, he became the show's Guinan by way of Frank Sinatra. James Darren is best known to fans of sixties beach films as Jimmy Darren, a popular beach rock singer at the time. He has since adopted more of a Las Vegas lounge singer persona and he plays the role flawlessly in DS9. It is clear to see why his character was expanded from a single episode into a regular presence, even at the very end of the series.

Morn (Mark Allen Shepherd)

I couldn't finish a list of DS9 characters without mentioning Morn. His name was an anagram of Norm, the ever-present barfly of Cheers. Morn serves the same role in DS9, usually as an interesting prop to add to the Mos Eisley-esque tavern called Quark's Bar. Although the script would often make mention of Morn's long-winded conversations, extended family, sense of humor, and martial arts ability, the audience rarely saw him do anything but sit quietly on his stool.

Episodes
Unlike other Star Trek shows, DS9 gives a lot of emphasis on long-term storytelling so you are going to lose a lot more by "cherry picking" favorite episodes than in other shows. If you want to watch it for long-term story development (which I definitely recommend), you may want to skip forward to the third or fourth season. You are going to miss some good episodes, but on the whole, the quality of the show becomes top notch in season four and only leads to bigger and better things. But if you just want to watch a couple episodes to see what it is all about, below are my recommended episodes in chronological order.

Duet

The first great episode is from the end of the first season with the great character actor, Harris Yulin, as Aamin Marritza, a Cardassian file clerk, who may in fact be the commander of a brutal Bajoran labor camp. When Major Kira holds him on suspicion of being a war criminal, she must come to discover not only the truth, but whether or not her need for revenge is clouding her judgment.

Whispers

This is one of my favorite episodes of the series, based largely on the simplicity of the premise. The episode is your standard conspiracy paranoia tale where O'Brien returns to the station after his most recent mission only to find everyone treating him differently and locking him out of secure areas. I won't spoil the ending, but its one of those stories that you'll get a lot from if you join in the mystery, and it will all make sense in the end.

Blood Oath

The show's first Klingon episode is a treat for fans as it brings back three of the original Klingon commanders for a story of old men seeking revenge. John "Kor" Colicos, William "Koloth" Campbell, and Michael "Kang" Ansara dawn the prosthetic ridges to reprise their classic villainous roles from the original series. All three, it turns out, are old friends with Curzon Dax who swore a blood oath to avenge the death of his grandson who was murdered by a Klingon albino. Together, the four of them plot their revenge, but Dax must decide if Curzon's oath applies to her as well.

The Wire

This is the first standout episode featuring Deep Space Nine's local Cardassian spy/tailor Garak and it clearly illustrates why he is one of my favorites. An old implant designed to protect Garak from torture begins to malfunction when he alters it to relieve the every day torture of exile while Dr. Bashir tries to help him work through the effects of withdrawal. But while Bashir attempts to solve the mystery of the device, Garak is doing everything possible to get in his way and Bashir is determined to find out why.

Crossover

After encountering an anomaly in the wormhole, Kira and Bashir find themselves in the "mirror universe" world of TOS' Mirror, Mirror where Major Kira is now Intendent Kira, overseeing a human slave labor force on the station. It is said that the goatee'd Spock of the original episode began a Federation based in pacifism. This kind Federation was then destroyed by the Klingon Empire, which Bajor is now a part of. This is a fun episode that gives us a dark look at the regular cast, but unlike the original series, DS9 would return to this universe almost every year, presenting it as a major sub-plot in the overall series arc. For more, check out the sequels Through the Looking Glass and Shattered Mirror or rent Star Trek: Alternate Realities.

Past Tense

A standout two-part episode from the third season, Past Tense features Sisko, Bashir, and Dax accidentally traveling to San Francisco in the early 21st century where Sisko and Bashir, having no form of ID, are sent to a controlled community for the homeless where they are forced to live like prisoners. Dax, lucky enough to be found by a kind benefactor, tries to get them out just as the community is stuck in the middle of a riot. After accidently contributing to the death of one of the heroes of the riot, Sisko must take his place and protect the hostages if the future is to remain unaltered.

Way of the Warrior

Season four gets off to a strong start when the Klingon fleet shows up at DS9. Sisko requests a Klingon adviser and is sent Worf. This episode really started to highlight what this show could do with CGI technology for large fleet battles which I consider unparalleled today. Add to that, the whole episode parallels our invasion of Iraq with America as the Klingon Empire and changelings as WMDs. Granted the episode predates the second Gulf War by roughly five years, but that goes to show you that the writers know their history.

Rejoined

This is the only episode of Star Trek to address the issue of homosexuality directly (unlike TNG's The Outcast) and it handles the matter beautifully by hiding a metaphor in with the reality. The plot centers around Jadzia Dax reuniting with her wife from a former life (now in a new body herself), but forbidden from exploring her feelings due to a cultural stigma regarding associating with loved ones from past lives. What makes this episode particularly interesting is that the characters don't mention any issue with the fact that they are both women, either implying that homosexuality is not an issue in the future or simply demonstrating that Jadzia is known to be a bisexual. However, the Trill taboo of "reassociation" draws obvious parallels in the taboo of homosexuality. This episode was quite controversial. I know of at least one person who stopped watching the series becaue of it.

Little Green Men

When Quark brings his nephew to Starfleet Academy for his first day of school, the Ferengi family accidentally travel back in time and crash in Roswell, New Mexico. Mistaken for Martians, Quark tries to barter his way into riches, but discovers that ancient humans are far too brutal and primitive.

Our Man Bashir

This is another fun little episode when Dr. Bashir is spending his off-hours in a James Bond-esque holosuite program which is crashed by his frequent dinner companion, the real life spy Garak, who relentlessly mocks the doctor's fantasy life. When a transporter error turns his fictional enemies into his real life friends, he must find away to save the day without killing anyone.

Homefront/Paradise Lost

After an assassination at Starfleet headquarters by the Dominion, Sisko and Odo travel to Earth to oversee Starfleet security, but as security tightens across the planet, Sisko begins to wonder if the cost of protecting paradise might be greater than the risk of preserving it. Once again, this series both challenges and champions the utopian vision of Star Trek.

Trials and Tribble-ations

Considered by voters to be the best episode of the series, in this episode, the crew travels back in time to the original series episode The Trouble With Tribbles. The original villain of this episode returns to play his older self in a plot to assassinate Captain Kirk with a bomb implanted in a tribble. As tribbles multiply across the space station and the original Enterprise, the DS9 crew go retro so they can protect the timeline and save Captain Kirk. To pull off this effect, they cut old footage with new in a style that was referred to at the time as "Forrest Gump-style."

Rapture

On the eve of Bajor's induction into the Federation, an energy explosion leaves Sisko with visions of the future that cause him to embrace his role as emissary to the Bajoran people, but when his visions tell him that Bajor cannot join the Federation or it will be destroyed, he must choose between his duty as a Starfleet officer and as spiritual leader of the Bajoran people.

For The Uniform

Sisko pursues a former officer of his, Michael Eddington, who stole from Starfleet to support the Maquis, human-Bajoran terrorists living on the Cardassian border. As Sisko's quest becomes more and more dedicated, he begins to question the line between hero and villain.

Waltz

Stranded with Dukat on a hostile environment after breaking his leg, Sisko must reason with a man half-mad and willing to say anything to justify his actions. The two actors play off of each other brilliantly highlighting Dukat's retroactive morality versus Sisko's moral absolutism.

Far Beyond The Stars

Probably the best episode of the series, this is also one of the most approachable. It is similar to City on the Edge of Forever both in terms of setting and sophistication. Experiencing something of a relapse of his psychic ability in The Rapture, Sisko begins experiencing a second life as 1950s sci-fi writer, Benny Russell, who upon seeing a picture of a space station, begins to write the adventures of Benjamin Sisko. The rest of the cast play Benny's friends, enemies, and co-workers including a notable performance by Rene Auberjonois as his conservative editor who is unwilling to publish a story about a negro captain because he considers it unbelievable.

In The Pale Moonlight

Possibly my favorite episode, this one is told from a first-person perspective by Sisko as he explains the aftermath of a decision he made to bring the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. Deciding that he is willing to do whatever it takes given the circumstances, he enlists the help of Garak, but as they begin a massive deception, Sisko begins to wonder if he can justify his actions.

His Way

This is the episode which introduces Vic Fontaine to the regular cast. When Vic notices the long hidden feelings Odo has for Kira, he takes Odo as his own pupil in fun and style. James Darren's performance is fantastic and he doesn't hesitate to make jokes at the uptight Starfleet types. To fans who have been watching the series for years, it was a pleasure to see Odo finally relax a bit.

Take Me Out to the Holosuite

Taking a break from the war, this episode features Sisko volunteering his crew to play an ancient Earth game with the all Vulcan crew commanded by Sisko's academy rival, an arrogant, condescending Vulcan captain. The game is baseball and only the Sisko boys know how to play it. While its hardly the best episode, the story asks "What do you do when you are facing an opponent who is stronger, faster, and smarter than you?" It is an interesting take on the "old human emotionalism versus Vulcan stoicism" argument from the original series.

The Siege of AR-558

More than any other single episode, this one epitomizes what makes this show different from its counterparts. The episode begins when the crew of DS9 make a supply delivery to a small outpost of soldiers guarding a communications array. They are tired and frightened, and most of their friends are dead. Sisko volunteers his crew to back them up until they can receive replacements. They soon discover that being on the ground with a phaser is a lot different than being on the bridge of a starship.

Bonus!

This is a fairly maudlin trailer, but it works to give you a broad sense of the series.



Next

The other half of the TNG writers move directly from the Enterprise to the franchise's third spin-off, sending them across the galaxy desperate to reach home.

X-Men Primer - Part 4

When we left off, we had just finished the Phoenix Saga and while it was a good place to end thematically, it wasn't exactly the end of what fans consider to be the golden age of the X-Men. This would come soon, but first, the X-Men hold a funeral for Jean which serves as the comic book equivalent of a flashback episode. At the end, Scott decides to take a break from the X-Men to figure himself out in the wake of the life he lost, both Jean's and his own.

In X-Men Annual #4, we find out a bit more about the background of Nightcrawler, how he was raised in a circus as a high-wire act before new management tried to make him a sideshow attraction. He was raised an orphan by the circus, but he was closest to a family of gypsies by the name of Szardos. Our story begins as the matriarch and uber-powerful witch of the family, Margali Szardos, sends Kurt to a facsimile of Dante's inferno for killing her son, his adopted brother. Eventually, it is revealed that the death was an accident caused by her son so Margali forgives Kurt. The best part is that Kurt gets a new girlfriend out of the deal, Margali's daughter and Kurt's sorta sister, Amanda. Amanda, like her mother, is a witch and the two have a very cute relationship, the witch and the demon.

Sidenote: The X-Men have an unusual number of orphans with Scott and Ororo having lost their parents at a young age and Kurt never knowing his. Aside from making the characters more independent, I think that this demonstrates that the X-Men are a family for those that have no other family. As the Beast once said, "the X-Men are connected in ways you can't begin to imagine." I think that's always been a large part of the appeal. The key to serial fiction is to create a place the reader wants to live, whether its the X-Mansion, the starship Enterprise, or Cheers.

With Scott gone, Xavier makes Storm the new leader of the X-Men. Their first order of business, coming up with a name for the new kid. Xavier suggests "Ariel," but Kitty hates it and goes with "Sprite" instead. It would be a while before she gained a more permanent codename, but generally speaking, fans think of her as Kitty Pryde. Really with a name like that, why do you even need a codename?

Meanwhile, Wolverine decides to head north to finally settle things with his old pals at Alpha Flight. Nightcrawler tags along as Wolverine stops in at Vindicator/Weapon Alpha/Major Maple Leaf's house to visit his wife and Wolverine's old friend, Heather. It is only then that we finally learn Wolverine's real name: Logan. Apparently the X-Men were such jerks, they never even asked.

Wolverine's relationship with Alpha Flight is actually patched up rather easily with Alpha Flight abandoning their whole kidnapping plan to face the returned threat of Wendigo, the other reason not to be a cannibal (aside from brain damage and ew). As you can imagine, punches are exchanged, but it isn't exactly a legendary battle.

Days of Future Past

The legendary battle comes in the next and final X-Men story featuring the pencil work of John Byrne. Days of Future Past changed everything. For the first time, we saw the future that Xavier was trying to prevent, a war where both sides had lost. The cover says it all. This is a future where all of the X-Men are either dead or imprisoned aside from Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, and a couple newbies named Rachel and Franklin. Fighting a resistance force against the domination of the Sentinels, they make a desperate last minute gamble to use Rachel's telepathic powers to send Kitty's consciousness back in time to her own body. The hope is that she can prevent the assassination of Senator Kelly, an event which led directly to Project Wideawake and the end of freedom on Earth.

To save Senator Kelly, the X-Men have to fight a new Brotherhood of Mutants, this time led by a new character to the X-Men universe, the shapeshifter Mystique. Mystique had previously debuted in Ms. Marvel, also written by Chris Claremont, but she soon became inseparably associated with the X-Men. Cunning, merciless, and sexy, Mystique always provides a random element in any story. Backing her up are Pyro (a pyrokinetic) and Avalance (able to create localized tremors like mini-earthquakes) along with old X-Men foe, the Blob, and Mystique's very close friend, a precognitive blind woman who goes by the name of Destiny.

One thing that becomes clear early in the story is the relation between Mystique and Nightcrawler whose natural features have a striking resemblance. Although it would take another ten years (and a mediocre story) to confirm what fans had long suspected, Mystique is Nightcrawler's mother... but that was not the original intent. Originally, Mystique was going to be Nightcrawler's father, having assumed a male form, with Destiny as his mother. Although Mystique and Destiny were shown to be very close, the social climate of the time was not okay with gays in comics, but recent writers have retroactively stated that their relationship was romantic in nature.

The details on how the story was resolved isn't important, but Days of Future Past set the stakes for the X-Men and writers have been responding to it ever since. Although Senator Kelly's life was saved, the X-Men had to wonder if they saved the future or just delayed it. Kelly would continue to push for anti-mutant legislation making a battle between the X-Men and the government seem inevitable.


John Byrne's final story is something of a minor classic as Kitty Pryde is left alone on Christmas Eve as the X-Men go about their various lives. I suppose being Jewish, Kitty was just planning to go to the movies, but instead she gets attacked by a strange monster that gave the entire X-Men a run for their money not that long ago. Worst of all, because it's magic, she can't just phase through it. The story is basically Alien meets Die Hard starring Kitty Pryde as she phases through the mansion throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the beasty. It's hard to do it justice by description, but it was an issue that gave the X-Men's newest member a chance to really shine.

Not long after, Kitty faces her second greatest threat: her own fashion sense. Although it didn't last, I just had to show it.

Meanwhile, Scott is spending his sabbatical in the Bahamas with his new... er, friend Alicia Forrester when a sudden storm leaves them stranded on an island which Magneto has claimed as his new home. Recognizing Cyclops and removing him of his powers, Magneto welcomes them as his guest even as he sends a threat to the United Nations: essentially, give him the planet or he will destroy it. Despite the Bondian plot, this is the first storyline that really humanizes Magneto. We see that his harsh ideology is actually based on compassion, not hatred. He has a genuine desire to change the world for the better, it is only his methods which are questionable.

Apparently, the Soviet Union doesn't take well to Magneto's threats, sending a submarine to lay his island to waste with a missile attack. Naturally, it fails and in response, Magneto sinks the submarine Leningrad with all hands aboard then destroys an entire Russian city by magnetically drawing lava from the Earth below. The X-Men intervene and give a valiant fight, but only when his rage nearly kills Kitty does Magneto recognize his mistakes.

Over in The Avengers, a new character is introduced when the Brotherhood of Mutants goes up against the Avengers and Mystique's old enemy, Ms. Marvel. Mystique's secret weapon is a mutant with the ability to absorb the powers and memories of others through touch. She is known only as Rogue. However, when she absorbs the powers of Ms. Marvel, something goes wrong and both Ms. Marvel's psyche and powers are permanently Rogue's.

The X-Men meet Rogue soon after. Watching Senator Kelly push for mutant control on the news, the X-Men decide that it is too dangerous to have any connection to the federal government and so they decide to break in to the Pentagon to implant an alien computer virus to erase all trace of the X-Men from federal data banks. Apparently having no sense of the word "court martial," Major Carol Danvers (the former Ms. Marvel) agrees to help them get on to the base. Coincidentally, Rogue is also on the base running her own mission for the Brotherhood of Mutants. A fight ensues and Rogue makes some powerful enemies in Storm and Wolverine. All in all, though, their mission is accomplished and the X-Men officially become outlaws.

Returning from his sabbatical following the fight with Magneto, Cyclops joins Storm in a Danger Room session beginning an unintentional rivalry between the new leader of the X-Men and the old. Their games are interrupted when the school grounds are struck by an alien spacecraft commanded by Corsair who brings news of a coup d'etat in the Shi'ar Empire being led by Lilandra's half-sister, Deathbird (with a name like that, what do you expect?), who is being supported by an alien race known as the Brood (but more often referred to simply as "Sleazoids" in the early issues).

Discovering the unconscious body of Corsair, Scott discovers a locket and a pair of dog tags that show Corsair as Scott's father. Scott's immediate reaction is anger that his father never returned to him and Alex after the death of his mother, though Corsair claims that he didn't believe that Scott and his brother survived. In time, he comes to admit that he had no intention to go back to Earth, thinking that there was nothing there for him, but when he found out Scott was alive, he was overwhelmed by guilt.

Unfortunately, this isn't a very good time for a heart-to-heart because the three are running from an attack by the Brood. They were basically a rip-off of the creature from the Alien films. They lay their eggs in their victim's stomach, eventually transforming them into Brood themselves while retaining whatever powers they may have possessed. My favorite part about them was that they were parasites who had enslaved a giant space whale and was using it as an invasion ship.


One thing I always really enjoyed about the X-Men is their adventurer's spirit. Their approach to the wonders of traveling through space, time, dimension, or what have you could seem mundane until they took a moment to appreciate the sheer absurdity of the situation, as Kitty realized on her first trip into space. Moments like these really enable the reader to imagine what it must be like to be an X-Man.

Speaking of sheer absurdity, one of the highlights of this era was a guest appearance by Dracula who had his own Marvel Comic at the time. The plot begins when Ororo is admitted to the hospital after an apparent mugging which leaves her bleeding from two deep puncture wounds in her neck. In a scene we've seen repeated in every Dracula movie, Ororo tosses and turns feverishly in bed until she is dreamily guided toward her new master, Count Dracula.

While some people have trouble with the kind of loose genre storytelling that goes from superhero to science fiction to horror, I've always liked the idea that anything can happen in comic books. It gives us the opportunity to see characters in an entirely new context like the noble, life-affirming Storm as a bloodsucking undead creature, still possessing her control over the elements or the hard-nosed Wolverine playing vampire hunter.

Additionally, I really like their position on the vulnerability of vampires to crosses. In the Marvel mythos, it is not the cross itself, but the belief of the wielder which causes a vampire harm. So when Logan or Kitty raise a cross, Dracula laughs, but when Kurt raises a cross or when Kitty raises the Star of David, he recoils.

Back on Magneto's mysterious Caribbean island covered with ancient ruins, the X-Men engage in a little playful roughhousing as they babysit Peter's little sister Illyana who is visiting her brother from Russia. As Illyana wanders about, she finds herself drawn by a mysterious voice into an ancient temple before suddenly vanishing on a disk of light. When the X-Men investigate, they find themselves transported to a giant Gothic labyrinth where time and space are non-linear. This world (such as it is) is ruled by the demon sorcerer Belasco along with his servants the monstrous S'ym and... Nightcrawler. Due to the time/space distortion, the X-Men each encounter a horrible future version of themselves. Nightcrawler's soul has been twisted, making him an obedient servant to the demon lord, Kitty has been transformed into her namesake, Colossus' carcass hangs on the wall with his steel chest caved in, and Wolverine's bare adamantium bones are lying on the floor. Only Ororo managed to come out of it relatively unscathed, now an elderly woman who lost her powers only to embrace the magical potential of her noble blood. The story ends with a tug of war between Belasco and the X-Men with Illyana Rasputin as the rope and an interdimensional portal as the mud. The X-Men win, but discover, to their shock, that Illyana is now a thirteen year-old after having spent seven years in Limbo studying magic with the older Ororo.

Not long after, a mini-series entitled Magik was published, giving the older Illyana powers and a codename. Her mutant powers seems to be a control of teleportational disks enabling her to reach any point through Limbo. In addition, Illyana is a talented magician with a mystic Soulsword and a demonic alter-ego called Darkchylde. Perhaps a combination of her fantasy elements and Dark Phoenix-esque dark side, Illyana was and still is very popular with fans.

New Teen Titans and the Uncanny X-Men

Although superheroes often meet and collaborate, it is fairly rare that characters from other companies crossover, but in 1982, the most popular Marvel superhero team joined with the most popular DC superhero team in New Teen Titans and the Uncanny X-Men. Teen Titans was essentially a team of DC sidekicks lead by Robin, the Boy Wonder. This comic featured perhaps the most terrifying villain team-up imaginable when Darkseid tries to revive the Dark Phoenix by extracting her echo from places where the Phoenix force manifested like her home or the mesa. The psychic backlash pulls both the X-Men and the Teen Titans to investigate.


As rare as it is to see an inter-company crossover, it is far more rare when it's this good. Fortunately, Marv Wolfman delivers a great script playing on the strengths of both teams and giving them equal time to shine. Unfortunately, this wasn't the last time that the Dark Phoenix saga was brought up and future writers would beat this like a dead horse.

In a rare flashback issue, Xavier reveals the history of how he met Magneto in Israel while Xavier was working with Holocaust survivors. Apparently never having heard of transference, he both heals and falls in love with a young woman named Gabrille Haller. Xavier and Magnus (later renamed Erik Magnus Lensherr) soon realize that they are both mutants and come to their diametrically opposed theories of integration versus conquest for the mutant race. The story ends with Magnus killing the Nazi refuge Baron von Strucker, but both Von Strucker's children and Haller's would return.

Having sampled mutant power in their previous encounter, the Brood return to possess the X-Men. Long story short, the X-Men are infected and presumed dead, but this story is most notable for the introduction of Lockheed, Kitty Pryde's pet baby dragon-alien. Although an odd addition, the two went together fairly well and it only made sense for the X-Men to have a pet that was about as much a freak as the rest of them.

The New Mutants

After the "death" of the X-Men, Xavier decided that it was time to reopen his School for Gifted Youngsters, but not as a training ground for the X-Men so much as place for mutants to be safe and learn to use their powers safely. Naturally, nothing ever goes as planned and Xavier's new mutants quickly became a team of their own, despite their mentors vocal objections. With Stevie Hunter as their instructor, this team consisted of the son of a Kentucky coal miner by the name of Sam Guthrie, called Cannonball for his ability to fly through the air like an invulnerable missile; a Cheyenne warrior named Danielle Moonstar, dubbed Mirage for her ability to manifest the hopes and fears of others as a mental illusion; the repressed Scottish Catholic girl Rahne "Wolfsbane" Sinclair, possessing the ability to morph into a wolf or half-wolf creature; the brash and rich Roberto DeCosta, possessing a strength that seems to have nothing to do with his codename: Sunspot; and finally, Xi'an Coy Manh, the Vietnamese girl called Karma, able to possess the minds of others.

Like Uncanny X-Men, this series was written by Chris Claremont and it is well-worth reading. It was the first true X-Men spin-off, but far from the last. It had all of the strong characterization and compelling storylines of the X-Men, but with a younger mindset. Unfortunately, the costumes were extremely bland, as were most of their powers, so The New Mutants never quite made the same impact that the X-Men did.

When the X-Men return from space, they don't exactly hit it off with their young counterparts. In classic comic form, the story begins with a gratuitous fight scene when the X-Men burst into the mansion causing plenty of their trademark property damage. The new class is pitted against the old and while they perform admirably, it really isn't a contest. Only then is it revealed that the X-Men attacked knowing that Xavier had been infected by the Brood. Using Shi'ar technology to clone his body and Xavier's own mental abilities to transfer his consciousness, they are able to "cure" Xavier of the Brood infestation. To everyone's surprise, this restores partial mobility in Xavier's legs and he spends the next several issues learning how to walk again.

Always one to spoil a happy moment, Xavier chooses then to tell Kitty that she's leaving the X-Men and joining the New Mutants. She doesn't take this news very well, but after discovering her new pet dragon, Xavier is convinced that she can handle herself with his help, but this image managed to burn its way into the brains of the readers.

Meanwhile, Scott is in Alaska visiting the grandparents that Corsair just told him he had when he meets a very familiar looking woman and her name is Madelyne Pryor.


God Loves, Man Kills

As the X-Men were spinning-off their own sister book, Marvel was engaged in the regular production of graphic novels. Designed as long, self-contained stories, they often featured more adult themes and a sophisticated art style, often featuring bold watercolors over pencil and ink. Continuing the darker, more political themes which defined this era, it opens with the brutal lynching of a pair of mutant children. Interestingly, its Magneto who discovers the bodies and frees them from their cruel position.

The architect of this hate crime is the evangelical Reverend William Stryker who we first see debating noted mutant expert Charles Xavier on the nightly news. In X2, Stryker was recast as a rogue military leader and it really made me feel like mainstream films still placate the Christian right. Whatever you might say about comics, film and television are swayed far more by demographics.

At its heart, the X-Men are about being different, a minority persecuted by the majority, and the reason that I love this era in general (and this book in particular) is because it really pulled the mutant metaphor out of its superhero disguise and brought it through politics and media. In Stryker's speeches, you hear the voice of Jerry Falwell, Rush Limbaugh, or Ann Coulter... people who have absolutely no tolerance for diversity.

But the best thing about this story is that you can identify with everyone. You can understand the fear that normal humans would have of creatures who can literally kill them with a glance or a thought. People who are hiding amongst them and can get through conventional security undetected. Certainly in our post-9/11 environment, we understand that.

Add to that, mutants are the next stage in evolution. Christians don't even believe in evolution! They think God gave the world to them. Sarah Palin's minister would be calling them children of Satan. I believe in evolution and even I can imagine how frightening it would be to realize that you are going extinct. I can imagine the jealousy of watching people lucky enough to be born with powers and destined to inherit the Earth. It's terrifying, but I can also understand what it feels like to be on the outside and victimized for being different. I can understand Magneto's desire to create real change rather than negotiating with the bigots and war mongers of the world. I can understand the rage that must not remain silent if there is any hope of change.

Reverand Stryker, we come to learn, was an pastor in the military driven mad by his experiences in war who, when his son is born a mutant, was convinced that it is the work of the devil. After murdering his wife and infant son, he dedicates himself to spreading the word of the evil nature of mutants. The more he justifies his actions, the more he embraces his beliefs until he is leading a mob.

The story really speeds up when Xavier, Scott, and Ororo are ambushed by Stryker's military trained zealots and Stryker conducts a series of brainwashing experiments to break Xavier's will. Hypnotizing Xavier, Stryker seeks to use his incredible mental powers as a weapon to identify and destroy all mutants in the world. In order to rescue him, the X-Men team-up with Magneto and confront Stryker at his largest rally yet, but in the end, neither the X-Men or Magneto save the day. The experience ends with Xavier doubtful of his own dream, but his students more dedicated than ever. If you only read one X-Men comic in your life, make it this one.

The Morlocks

Next came one of my favorite X-Men concepts: the Morlocks, a society of grossly deformed mutants hiding beneath the city in vast caverns connected through the sewers. In my opinion, Futurama ripped them off... not that it was the most original idea. Clearly, the characters themselves were named after the creatures in H.G. Wells' The Time Machine.

Take a close look at the excellent artwork by penciller Paul Smith who was the first regular artist to replace Byrne. Debuting in the middle of the Brood storyline was the new X-Men artist, Smith delivers a sense of grace and humanity to all of his characters. His pacing is subtle, but powerful, a great compliment to Claremont himself. Although he has a lot of competition, he's definitely one of my favorite X-Men artists.

Led by the one-eyed and apparently powerless mutant Callisto, the Morlocks consist of the mutant tracker Caliban; Masque, possessing the ability to permanently shape the form of others like clay; Sunder, the hulking goliath; and Healer, an elderly man who... well, guess. Apparently, the Morlocks are somewhat love lorn because Callisto kidnaps Angel, slaps a leather collar on him, crucifies him, and that's how a Morlock marriage works. The X-Men go to rescue him, but are overwhelmed by sheer number and brutality.

In accordance with Morlock law, Storm challenges Callisto to a duel for leadership of the Morlocks and freedom of her friends. The only rule is no powers, just blades, but Storm proves far more capable than Callisto realizes, and after puncturing Callisto's heart, Storm is made leader of the Morlocks. With Callisto revived by Healer, Ororo chooses to leave Callisto in command and thus begins a somewhat shaky alliance between the X-Men and their deformed cousins.

Meanwhile, Scott's relationship with Madelyne quickly snowballs as he reveals both her resemblance to his dead fiancee and his mutant powers. To her credit, Madelyne isn't phased, though maybe she should be. Also meanwhile, Mystique and Destiny return home to discover Rogue has disappeared.

The next issue begins as Rogue resurfaces at the X-Mansion to a very cold reception. It is quickly revealed that Rogue is in the middle of a mental breakdown after her encounter with Ms. Marvel. The X-Men are hardly sympathetic, especially Storm who, as leader of the X-Men, refuses to assist her. In the end, though, Xavier puts his foot down... so to speak. He makes it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he will help any mutant in need and if the others want to leave, so be it. Although the X-Men would give sanctuary to their enemies so often that it became an in-joke, this issue was really one of the first to illustrate the value of redemption.


Wolverine

If you want to pin-point where Wolverine went from cool to badass, this would be it. 1982 brought fans the Wolverine mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. According to their own accounts, Claremont was driving from the San Diego Comic Con to San Francisco for their next convention when Claremont asked Miller if he was interested in doing the art for the book. Unfortunately, Miller felt that Wolverine was just another jerk in a team of good guys, only present to cause internal conflict. Claremont then convinced him to talk about what he would like Wolverine to be like and in the course of their car drive, they collaboratively outlined this comic.

Miller had already made his breakthrough on Daredevil doing work which reinvented that character, so he brought the same gritty, samurai sensibilities to this series. The story features Logan purposing to his lady love Mariko in Japan only to be rejected by her father, Shingen Yashida, a samurai master and leader of the Yakuza. What follows is a brutal battle of love and honor. Logan teams up with the wild ronin Yukio who tries to steal him from the more demure Mariko, but in the end, Shingen is dead and Logan is happily engaged.

The story continues when the X-Men travel to Japan for Logan's wedding. Everyone is in for a shock when Scott introduces Madelyne, Madelyne meets Lockheed, and Rogue is revealed as the newest X-Man. Like Storm, Logan is still harboring a pretty big grudge against Rogue, but after fighting alongside her, he soon recognizes that they are cut from the same cloth.


Together Wolverine and Rogue go up against Mariko's cousin, the mutant Silver Samurai, and Viper who are trying to take over the rich criminal enterprises of the Yashida Clan. In the chaos, Ororo goes on the run with Yukio and takes a liking to her free-spirited lifestyle. Realizing that she is too often proper and controlled, Storm gets a haircut and a wardrobe change.

Most fans seem to hate this look. Even original artist, Paul Smith, refers to it as a joke that went too far, but personally, I loved it. I think Ororo looks fantastic in this distinctly eighties punk style and I would love to bring it back, one way or another.

By the end of the story, Logan develops respect and compassion for Rogue when she jumps in front of a laser for him. Logan returns the favor by lending her his healing factor. Unfortunately, a happy ending is not to be found because Mariko abruptly cancels the wedding, declaring simply "You are not worthy."

Ouch.

The next issue begins with Scott and Madelyne on the Starjammer enjoying the "earthrise." Despite what happened with Logan, Scott is feeling lucky and so asked Madelyne to marry him. She returns with a very enthusiastic "yes."

Meanwhile, Logan bursts angrily upon the Yashida manor, demanding to know why Mariko placed their family's Honor Sword in his hands, yet he is not worthy of her hand. She refuses any answer other than the one she gave, naming Silver Samurai as the head of the Yashida Clan. Logan returns the sword and leaves.

Back in Alaska, Scott is haunted by the same idea as the fans, that Madelyne was somehow the reincarnation of Jean, but when he asks her, she isn't very receptive to the idea. One thing I love about Claremont's work is the strength of the female characters. Madelyne doesn't respond to the question by getting depressed and trying to ignore it. She punches him in the jaw... and who can blame her? Although, the fact that she manifests as the Phoenix seconds later may somewhat justify Scott's inquiry.

The X-Men return to battle the Phoenix, but in time, they discover that Mariko, Madelyne, and the X-Men have all been victims by the illusions of Mastermind, having recovered from his experience with the Phoenix and eager for revenge on her companions. In the ended, Scott and Madelyne's relationship is much stronger and the perennial X-Man gets hitched in issue #175.

Meanwhile, in The New Mutants, the class takes a trip to South America where they find a long hidden colony of Rome ruled by the dark energy vampire mutant known as Selene. Here they meet their next member, Magma, who along with Magik really adds some personality to a sometimes dull collection of mutants. Returning to the states, the New Mutants meet their own dark counterparts in Emma Frost's Hellions including Empath, a manipulative SOB who can influence the emotions of others. For the most part, they were fairly uninspired creations. Jetstream and Catspaw, for instance, were basically the same as Cannonball and Wolfsbane, but the team really came to define Emma Frost as a counterpart to Xavier, teaching mutant children how to be crafty, duplicitous, and self-opportunistic.

Secret Wars

In 1984, Marvel pioneered the the twelve-issue company crossover with Secret Wars. Conceived as a marketing tie-in with their new line of Mattel toys, the book had an incredibly simple premise. What if a jheri-curled omnipotent being, fascinated by the concepts of good and evil, grabbed a handful of Earth's greatest heroes and along with their most deadly villains to battle each other on an alien planet.

The great thing about this mini-series is the characterization by Jim Shooter who manages to take a simple good versus evil concept and immediately break it down into complex factions. First, Magneto is not placed with the villains, but instead with the heroes, apparently implying that his selflessness separates him from common villains. Many of the heroes, however, turn against Magneto who ends up forming a separate faction with the X-Men. Galactus finds the whole situation pointless and basically just stands around to watch while Dr. Doom conspires to obtain an even greater prize.

Sidenote: This is the storyline that first introduces Spider-Man's black costume which would later be known as Venom.

One sub-plot that had lasting implications is Colossus's romance with the alien healer Zsaji. While a committed and unnaturally chaste relationship had developed between Kitty and Peter, Peter had found himself drawn to this other woman who was incredibly flirtatious with him. Before much could happen, however, Zsaji sacrificed herself to save the heroes leaving Peter torn by his conflicting need to honor both the dead and living. After returning to Earth, Peter tells Kitty the entire story. Unable to reconcile his feelings, he breaks up with her.

This is a brilliant bit of characterization, in my opinion, showing a man of great passion and honor trying to do the right thing and ultimately making things worse. The other X-Men try to tell him how stupid he is being, but sometimes a person's sense of right and wrong can cause more damage than good. It's clear that Peter still has feelings for Kitty, but the guilt he feels over loving Zsaji makes him doubt that he can be faithful and honorable to Kitty. Naturally, she doesn't see any of this, but just sees this as the latest person to abandon her.

Meanwhile, back in The New Mutants, the title takes a major turn to the dark and abstract with the introduction of artist Bill Sienkiewicz who infuses the book with a mad style rich with intensity. He begins his work with the Demon Bear Saga, a story about Dani Moonstar confronting the bear spirit that killed her parents. The story also introduces their newest member, the alien-robot shapeshifter called Warlock.

Here is a character beloved by fans who only really made sense with Sienkiewicz as the artist. Warlock possessed the ability to change shape along with the ability to turn living matter into mechanical circuitry and feeding off of its lifeforce. Despite his advanced technology, Warlock had a cartoonish grasp of the simplest of human ideas, like life and death. Although Warlock himself was peaceful, this was a mutation amongst his people, including his father, Magus, a powerful warlord.

Speaking of life and death, things got a whole lot stranger when Rachel, the girl from the dystopic Days of Future Past, was found wandering the streets of modern day New York chased by Selene. In time, the X-Men come to discover that Rachel is the child of Scott and Jean from what would appear to now be an alternate future. It was she who sent Kitty Pryde's consciousness to the past using the powers inherited from her mother, but crossing time through the astral plane, connected her with the Phoenix which pulled her back and eventually made her the successor to its power.

Elsewhere, the government war on mutants rages on when mutant affairs liaison, Valerie Cooper, contracts the mutant inventor, Forge, to build a weapon to neutralize mutant powers specifically to put Rogue on trial for her crimes with the Brotherhood of Mutants. A strike team led by anti-mutant agent Henry Gyrich is put together and they manage to get the drop on Rogue just as she is finally having a heart-to-heart with Storm. In the attack, Ororo pushes Rogue out of the way and is struck with the neutralizer thereby losing her powers.

This continued to be the status quo for a number of years with the X-Men being led by the punk African woman with no powers. She broke all sorts of barriers amongst the superhero set. But the loss of her powers left her in a deep depression that can only be understood if you realize that Ororo exists in symbiosis with the weather. Losing that connection, for her, is like losing both our eyes and hands.

Seeing the damage his work had done, Forge becomes Ororo's caretaker, falling in love with her at first sight and unable to admit what he had done. Ororo slowly makes her way out of her depression by falling in love with Forge. When she finds out what he did to her, however, it is not something that she can forgive.


Kitty Pryde & Wolverine

Following the Wolverine mini-series, Logan and Kitty team-up when Kitty goes to Japan following her father, a traveling business man, only to discover him in business with the Yakuza. However, when she gets there, she is captured by the Yakuza's master samurai and Wolverine's old sensai, the demonic Ogun. Upon receiving a panicked and abruptly interrupted call from Kitty, Logan travels to Japan to clean up Kitty's mess. Meanwhile, Ogun gives Kitty a hypnotic crash course in ninjitsu, brainwashing her into a warrior. Although she eventually recovers her self-control, the experience changes her and leaves her with new martial arts abilities. Inspired by her new skills and Wolverine's example, Kitty manages to find the one codename which would stick with her: Shadowcat.

Back in New York, Selene auditions for membership in the Hellfire Club's dreaded Inner Circle as the Sentinel from the future that may never happen, Nimrod, shows up to find Rachel. The X-Men face the Hellions along with their new recruits, Firestar (who would guest star with Iceman in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends cartoon) and the new Thunderbird, John Proudstar's little brother, James, who like his brother, had a huge chip on his shoulder. Eventually, these two would see the light, leave the Hellions, and become superheroes in their own right.

In New Mutants, Sam "Cannonball" Guthrie, simple country boy, manages to catch the eye of a wild punk superstar thereby starting one of the stranger relationships I've ever seen, but also one of the sweetest. Lila Cheney is not only a rockstar, but a mutant with the ability to teleport across the galaxy where she made her home in a Dyson sphere, which is essentially a shell so big that it is circling and powered by a star.

Only in comic books.

Essentially, the biggest difference between this and Star Trek was that in Star Trek, every episode would end with things returning to normal. In X-Men, the weirdness continues, overlaps, and spirals into even greater weirdness.

Traveling to Muir Island, Xavier and the New Mutants meet Charles's son by Gabrielle Haller, David, a mutant who inherited the mental powers of his father and the questionable sanity of his mother. David has multiple personalities and a separate mental ability corresponding to each personality including the swaggering Jack Wayne, the temperamental Cyndi, and the terrorist Jemail Karami. In order to heal his son, Xavier and the New Mutants must go inside his tortured and dangerous mind. It's an interesting twist where Xavier, in many ways the father of mutants, is unable to take care of his own son whose powers have turned him into both a victim and a monster.

Life-Death II

Following the loss of her powers and the betrayal of Forge, Ororo travels back to her home in Africa to find her purpose in life. It is a somber and sophisticated look at the complex relationship between life and death, and how embracing one without balance may benefit the other. Like the original Life-Death, this story features some of the best work of artist Barry Windsor-Smith who did some beautiful work on Conan the Barbarian.

Also representing beautiful new artwork featuring Ororo was X-Men Annual #9 featuring the debut of Art Adams on an X-Men book. This story features the X-Men and New Mutants traveling to Asgard, the home of Thor and the Norse gods, where Storm becomes the barer of Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, giving her mystical means to control the weather. Although this change was very temporary, it's worth mentioning for the costume design alone. Less temporary, however, was Dani Moonstar's induction into the Valkyries. From this point on, Dani possessed an acute awareness of death, not to mention her own Pegasus.

Art Adams has always been one of my favorite artists, capturing the form of John Byrne with the expressiveness of Paul Smith. He was a forerunner of a more slick, action packed style that would come to be epitomized in the work of Jim Lee (but that'll be covered in the next entry).

The Trial of Magneto

Leading up to their big 200th issue, Scott impregnates Madelyne, and after defeating Nimrod, Rachel joins the X-Men, officially claiming the name and powers of her late mother. Although still unaware of her lineage, the X-Men come to discover that Rachel was brainwashed into becoming a mutant hunting "hound" in her own time and her body was fitted with their signature spiked suit.

Meanwhile, mutant affairs liaison Val Cooper offers Mystique and her Brotherhood of Mutants a choice between life in prison or becoming government sponsored superheroes. Renamed "Freedom Force," their first mission is to apprehend the original founder of the Brotherhood: Magneto. By this time, Magneto had made his way to Xavier's mansion, seeking guidance from his old friend and causing more uneasiness within the X-Men. Unfortunately, Xavier isn't much help since he is growing increasingly ill and afraid that he won't live much longer. When Freedom Force comes for Magneto, the X-Men defend him, and while they are victorious, Magneto decides that it is time to answer for his crimes in a public forum and surrenders.

Holding an international war crimes tribunal in Paris, Magneto is tried for the murder of the crew of the Leningrad. Meanwhile, a series of mutant terrorist attacks are being caused in the X-Men's name demanding the release of Magneto. When the X-Men investigate, they discover that it is just a decoy to get them away from the trial where Magneto is attacked by the Von Stucker twins seeking revenge for murdering their father. Together, Magneto and Xavier manage to stop them, but the strain takes its toll on Xavier's weak body. On his deathbed, Xavier asks Magneto to finish what he started with the X-Men and the New Mutants. Magneto protests that he isn't worthy, but reluctantly agrees. Fortunately, Lilandra arrives with the Starjammers thereby saving Xavier's life, but making him dependent on the alien technology to stay that way.

With Magneto having agreed to become headmaster of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters and taking the alias of Michael Xavier, Charles would return to his outer space adventures with Lilandra, the Starjammers, and Carol Danver (now with new powers and going by the name of Binary).

Next
The eighties rock on with more politics, outlaw superheroism, genocide, apartheid, the return of the original X-Men, the mind-bending absurdity of Excalibur, and my all-time favorite superhero, Longshot.

LINKS

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8 (coming soon)