The X-Men teams are now facing Mojo together. Wait, this freak has his own planet? Young Angel asks surprised. His own extradimensional, extratemporal realm, Storm corrects him. But what did Mojo mean when he said New York was going to be his kind of town? young Iceman asks. Jimmy Hudson agrees. Guy’s got his own planet. What’s he gonna want with Manhattan?
“You’ll see, X-crements!” Mojo goads them from the screens. He’s giving the Big Apple a big time make over! He’s making Manhattan Mojo magnificent!
New York, Earth:
Dani Moonstar, Ink and Rockslide find their work cut out for them. More spires have appeared but they have already expanded the evacuation radius. However, they still have to get people trapped in the buildings to safety.
Elsewhere:
They gotta do something! Old Man Logan announces. They gotta get back to Earth and stop the fat #&%$. Kitty agrees but reminds him they are trapped here. But there are lots of X-Men and other heroes back in New York to deal with him. But the bad news is these guys, an army of armed Spineless Ones, led by Spiral.
As the battle begins, Mojo from the screens sarcastically wishes them luck and reminds them this is the real world now. If they die here, they are dead for good. He’d say, it was nice knowing them but he hates to lie.
Elsewhere:
Danger, Polaris and Magneto find themselves in the Mutant Massacre simulation, Danger finds herself damaged by Apocalypse, of all people. Whoever he is, he should have thought before attacking them in a place full of metal! Magneto boasts.
Fool! his foe booms as he catches the metal spear hurled at him. He is Apocalypse! He is genesis! He is En Sabah Nur, the first one. He is death incarnate. Did he think a single piece of metal could fell him? Not a single piece of metal, Magneto replies and sends a whole barrage. Apocalypse? Is he meant to be impressed?
They’ve managed to get a respite, he tells Polaris, dressed as Malice. What is Danger’s condition? His daughter points out that she is neither a medic nor a mechanic. Danger replies she can repair her internal components. And he can repair the outer ones, Magneto adds.
There is danger she groans. He tells her not to refer to herself in the third person. It’s arch. He should know. Actually, Polaris points out, Danger wasn’t talking about herself. Their surroundings have changed and the Imperial Guard is about to arrest them.
Elsewhere, the X-Men are still fighting and Nightcrawler points out this isn’t going to work. They can’t fight their way out of this. Kitty agrees. Mojo will just tire them out then pick them off. She decides to reconnoiter and phases through the ground. She informs Jean she is in charge till she gets back.
In another part of the battle, Longshot tells Iceman to smile – he is on camera. Iceman considers him nuts. The two Storms see Colossus in trouble, though he quickly gets his second wind and dispatches of his foes.
Old Man Logan warns Jimmy of Spiral’s attack. “Thanks, dad,” is his reply. He ain’t his dad, Logan snaps. He knows, Jimmy smirks. Just loving the look he gets when Jimmy calls him that. Flamin’ brat! Logan swears. He asks Rachel for a double telekinetic fastball. She tosses both Logan and Jimmy against their foe.
Kitty shows up again, just in time for the battle to be over. She announces that she found Mojo’s control room.
Watching this from said room, Mojo mutters “oh bugger.”
It’s nearby, Kitty continues, but heavily fortified. Oh, this is gonna be good! Longshot announces to the floating cameras. He hopes all the folks streaming at home are watching this. Storm criticizes his attitude, being excited about his ratings. Clicks actually, he corrects her. Sticky metrics. But that’s not why he’s excited. The truth is he’s always wanted to see Mojo’s command center. And take it apart piece by piece. Get ready to be happy then, Kitty announces. Because they are getting the hell out of here.
They need to get out of here! Magneto announces in the Shi’ar simulation as he battles the Imperial Guard alongside Danger and Polaris. He tires of this senseless fighting. Polaris agrees. Let’s get out before things get any weirder. Cue for Krakoa to attack.
Polaris tells Danger to find them a way out of here. Danger examines their surroundings and announces this simulation is not like that of her Danger Room. As such, it should have physical boundaries.
Magneto gets impatient as he and Lorna have to hold back Krakoa. They don’t need a plan - they need a battering ram! They decide on Krakoa and Danger points them at where to ram it. As they comply, Polaris mutters she can’t believe they are taking orders from the Danger Room.
However, Danger’s advice proves to be sound. They slam Krakoa against an invisible wall and open a hole out of the scenario. They are welcome, Danger remarks. Magneto assumes they are in the home of their tormentor, which means the end is nigh.
The X-Men, in the meantime, find themselves outside a futuristic techno tower, which doesn’t seem to have any doors. They have to make their own door, Kitty announces. Cyclops, the telekinetics and the two Storms attack the building to do just that.
As they enter, one of them points out Mojo’s control room is up there. Bloodstorm wonders what all the screens are for. Simple, sweet thing, research, comes Mojo’s voice from a speaker system. It’s anything that’s ever happened to them, Cyclops announces surprised. Anywhere, anywhen. It’s their future, Iceman believes and Kitty corrects them it’s their past.
Jean is speechless at first, as she looks at the life of her older self, then she snarls, so what? He is doing this to mess with them, showing them unpleasant images thinking they’ll crack. But they are the X-Men. They don’t crack! She telekinetically destroys the screens and the wall behind them. Not the best choice, as behind the wall a bizarre army of Mojo’s soldiers already expect them.
