Two weeks ago:
In an Avengers quinjet, Wolverine informs a disbelieving Captain America that they are rebuilding the school in Westchester and he’s gonna run it. Is he sure he isn’t mind-controlled again? Cap asks doubtfully. This is no joke, Logan insists and Cap admits he is surprised. He’d heard he and Summers had a falling out, but didn’t expect this. Logan tells him he isn’t expecting Cap to choose sides. He just needs a favor. He is an Avenger, Cap replies. Of course they will do whatever they can to help. He’s glad to hear him say that…
They land. In the hangar, Rachel Grey is waiting with a tied-up Quentin Quire, whose telepathy is suppressed by a helmet. Cap recognizes him and remarks he is considered a terrorist by three quarters of the governments on the globe. Yep, Wolverine agrees. But something tells him Logan is not here to turn him over to him. Nope, comes the reply. He’s gonna pay for the mess he created. Nobody wants that more than him, but if you lock this boy in a cell somewhere you’re only gonna crate a monster. An Omega-level monster. He’s asking for one last chance to mold him into something more.
His powers are telepathic in nature, right? Cap asks. Is that why he has the overwhelming urge to beat Wolverine in the face with his shield? Let’s hope so, Wolverine replies. In the past, Quire also demonstrated telekinetic abilities. Truth be told, he doesn’t know exactly what all the boy is capable of.
Does he know what he is getting himself into? Cap asks. He’s got Rachel Grey, one of the world’s most powerful telepaths, to keep an eye on him, he replies, but at the end of the day, he will take responsibility for the boy.
Is he even allowed to say ‘no’? Cap asks. He is Captain America, Wolvie shoots back. He’s allowed to do whatever the hell he wants. Cap demands weekly updates on Quire’s progress. And at the first sign of trouble, the Avengers take custody. At the first sign of trouble, Quire will have bigger trouble, Wolverine agrees.
Cap addresses Quentin, warning him he won’t get another chance like this one. He should do his best not to squander it. “Professor Wolverine”, he mutters… he’ll be damned.
So, that’s it, huh? Quentin mockingly asks Wolverine. Next stop, the bug house. The “Wolverine home for wayward boys”. He can’t wait for the scene in the third act when his tough love finally breaks through Quentin’s thorny exterior to reach the frightened lonely little boy underneath. There won’t be a dry eye in the house. Should they skip the drama and hug it out right here? Wolverine tells him to shut his face before he cuts it off. How’s that for tough love? He’s feeling the magic already, Quentin mocks.
The present:
The school’s attacked both by Krakoa and an army of Frankenstein monsters and, sitting in his detention room, Quentin watches all of it while sipping a soft drink. This could only be better if he’d thought of it himself. Does this thing a have a record function? he wonders. He bets Cyclops would pay good money to see this…
Suddenly, the Wendigo that used to be Mrs. Marigold breaks through the wall, battling Broo, who politely asks her not to kill him. Idie Okonkwo produces ice to chase Marigold away. Broo thanks her and she tells him he must learn to defend himself when under attack. She hands him his glasses.
Quentin remarks Broo doesn’t need them to see. He only wears them because he thinks they make him look less scary. He doesn’t think it’s working, he informs him. Broo politely asks him not to look into his mind and Idie orders him to leave Broo alone, whoever he is.
Quentin is taken aback that she doesn’t know him. Kid Gladiator comes in, battling the Sauron and enjoying himself way too much. If all Earth schools have this much punching, he takes back everything he ever said about them wormy people and their grease stain of a planet.
Who’s this charmer? Quentin asks. Kid Gladiator, Idie informs him. An alien prince, Broo adds. How does everyone know this guy and not him? Quentin protests. Who is he again? Kid Gladiator asks. Quentin Quire! he shouts. Never heard of him, Kid Gladiator shrugs, and he would remember hair like that… He’s the guy who staged the infamous riot at Xavier’s! Quentin shouts. He’s the one responsible for the schism that tore the X-Men apart! She’s pretty sure that was her, Idie smiles.
Both the Sauron and the Wendigo are getting their second wind, much to Kid Gladiator’s pleasure. Broo suggests reasoning with them. “Greetings, brother omnivores. Welcome to the Jean Grey school.” Please follow him to the snack machines…
Enough’s enough! Quentin decides and telepathically orders the monsters to fight each other. Broo commends his power of persuasion and suggests he help in the battle to preserve the school.
He has grown bored from this utter lack of hitting, Kid Gladiator announces. Let them go find something else to pummel. Calling him “Denton,” Idie suggests Quentin follow them.
Quentin! he shouts. How the hell do they not know him? he still wonders. His name was trending Twitter not two weeks ago. He got a stern warning from Captain America himself! Good riddance to them all! No more school for Quentin Quire! Time to give the world its long overdue comeuppance! Time to make lapdogs of every Homo sapien who dares stand in his way! Thus begins the new age of Kid Omega! No reaction to the dramatic declaration as he is all alone by now. Seriously, how have they never heard of him? he mutters as reluctantly he follows.
Elsewhere, Krakoa has Wolverine in a death grip. There has to be a way to kill this thing! he protests. They are all ears, ‘professor snikt’, one Iceman suggests. Logan asks Rachel to get Hank online. He informs them he is working on an electromagnetic pulse aimed at disrupting its photosynthesis. Work faster! Logan shouts. His lab is filling with lava, is the reply, so he is already on something of a timetable.
Logan orders Rachel to get into Krakoa’s head and shut it down. It’s like trying to pull a redwood out by the roots, she replies, when suddenly she falls and loses concentration.
Elsewhere:
All right there, Gilligan, Quentin addresses Krakoa, it’s had its fun. If he is to be miserable here, then so is everybody else, it included. Time to go back to ground like a good little island. He takes a look into its mind. It is not the original Krakoa, he learns. More like a grandkid. It was grown in an artificial environment by some arrogant little twerp of a boy scientist. A young Dr. Frankenstein? That can’t be right, Quentin mutters. It’s been beaten and abused its entire life. Trained only to hate and rage. He gets it is angry. Is that all it’s got?
Tentacles grab him. Quentin admits it is incredibly strong as well. But extremely lonely, too, right? It’s no fun, being lonely, is it? You do things you regret, when you’re lonely. Act out. Try to hurt people… It is not a bad soul but doesn’t know how to express itself. It is different. A mutant. Nobody understands it. Sometimes it doesn’t even understand itself. If only he knew someone else who was like that? He’s got a rather insane idea, Quentin announces and suggests “kid” Krakoa hear him out…
And suddenly, Krakoa stops its attacks. Rachel announces Krakoa is talking to her now. He says he never wanted to attack them. The Hellfire Club made him do it. He is a mutant just like them. He keeps apologizing. He’s asking if he can be an X-Man now.
The others praise her despite her protests that she didn’t do it. Wolverine orders everyone to meet him atop and tell them it ain’t a pop rally.
Atop a hill, the Hellfire kids wonder why the ground stopped moving and Krakoa stopped responding. Kade orders Krakoa be killed. That’s not going to work, Henry McCoy informs them. The electro-magnetic leash has been severed. “You’ve officially lost. You thoroughly naughty children!” Less politely Wolverine tells them, with all the X-Men and students (and Krakoa) behind him, to stay the hell away from his school.
He’s certain they will do just that, Kade mocks. While he hopes they have fun cleaning up the mess. Are they not going to kill anyone? Wilhelmina sulks.
Krakoa wants to attack their car. Logan tells him to let them go. He has a better idea for dealing with those brats…
Kitty tries to stop the school inspectors from hitting each other. Quentin grins. He can say it for Wolverine: “class dismissed.” Will homework still be due tomorrow? Broo inquires.
Did they just get their butts kicked by a bunch of twelve-year-olds again? Bobby sighs. If he believes that, he best leave now, Logan tells him. He would, but he thinks Krakoa ate his car, Bobby retorts. Nervously, Toad asks he’s not the only one who has to clean this up, is he? Hello? Anybody?
The next morning, Matt Murdock, attorney-at-law (and more or less secretly Daredevil), barges into the corporate headquarters of Kilgore Arms and hands Kade the notice that he is being sued for 879 million dollars to cover the damage to the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.
He is being sued by Wolverine? Kade shouts. This is ridiculous! Murdock assures him everything is in order. He is looking forward to hearing from his legal counsel. And his client asked him to deliver a personal message. He believes it was something like “right back at ya, kid.”
Back at the school, reconstruction work is going on. Bobby tries to talk to Kitty about the kiss and she pretends she is too busy. Outside on a hill, Husk is holding her mutant lit class. She tells her students to turn to page 17: “Ode to Eany and Meany” by Maggott. Husk complains about the glare and, a moment later, Krakoa creates a tree so they have some shade. Politely, Paige thanks it.
Rachel tells Kitty and Logan that Krakoa is thanking them for letting him stay. Is it a him? Kitty wonders. Can a walking island have a gender? Logan figures it’ll come in handy to have school grounds that can fight back if need be, plus he is trying to teach him to turn the ponds into beer.
Rachel is still wondering how she broke through to Krakoa. One moment, his mind was closed and the next it opened right up. Suspiciously, they look at Quentin Quire who is sunbathing next to a sign Send more Sentinels. They doubt it was him, though.
Elsewhere, Beast has the two school inspectors who remember nothing of the day utterly charmed. Kitty figures it didn’t turn out to be such a bad first day after all. Logan agrees, until a bunch of Bamfs run by with his whisky. Swearing, he runs after them.
Meanwhile, Kade Kilgore has hired a familiar face. “The Jean Grey School,” Sabretooth muses. The runt is nothing if not predictable.
Kade wants to see the school in ruins. And every last mutant there will grovel at his feet. No matter what it costs! In money or lives. Sabretooth admits he sure sounds like a Black King of the Hellfire Club, then tells him to simmer down. If he wants to make Logan’s life miserable, he’s come to the right place. Sabretooth’s something of an expert on the subject…
