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The X-Men #105

Jun 1977
Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum

The X-Men #105 cover

Story Name:

Phoenix Unleashed!


Synopsis

The X-Men #105 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

After realizing that Erik the Red was after Professor Xavier last issue, the X-Men rushed home to find the villain at the Institute. The X-Men waste no time in attacking him, unaware that they are being watched by another. Erik the Red is then saved by said other, Firelord, who attacks the X-Men, his blasts taking out Wolverine, Colossus and Cyclops in an instant. Nightcrawler then tries distracting the villain, but is taken out as well, along with Banshee and Storm. With the X-Men easily defeated, Erik the Red thanks Firelord, feigning innocence and thinks back to how this situation came to be. In flashback we see Erik the Red preparing for the arriving X-Men, when Firelord passes by his command base. He then enacts a plan to gain Firelord’s trust by pretending to have been defeated by the brainwashed Havok and Polaris, and then having them attack Firelord when he comes to investigate. Firelord takes out Havok and Polaris easily and Erik the Red manipulates Firelord by pretending to be a simple explorer opposing the X-Men, knowing that he’ll be believed once the X-Men attack him on sight.

We then cut to the Shi’ar cruiser that arrived near earth last issue. Sent to kill the arriving Princess Lilandra by her brother, the Emperor D’Ken, the ship scans a history of earth’s encounters with extra-terrestrial life. Once they discover that earth has managed to drive back Galactus on four separate occasions, they make a quick exit to plan anew, thinking they may have underestimated earth, before sending one last salvo at Lilandra’s ship. Lilandra manages to beam out of her ship just in time, as we cut to the apartment of Jean Grey and Misty Knight, where they are entertaining Jean’s parents, along with Charles Xavier. Lilandra arrives via her teleportation beam, shocking Xavier, before collapsing. They tend to Lilandra, with Xavier feeling a connection despite never having met, when the wall to the apartment explodes, signaling Firelord’s arrival!

Jean changes to Phoenix and blasts Firelord out of the building, as they continue a furious battle outside, with Jean demonstrating an extreme increase in power. While Phoenix fights Firelord, Erik the Red makes a play for the now defenseless Xavier, blasting everyone in the apartment and taking Xavier and Lilandra prisoner. The X-Men arrive once more in a hovercraft to find Erik the Red setting up a dimensional stargate on the roof of the apartment building. Erik shoots down the X-Men’s hovercraft, causing yet another vehicle they’re in to explode! Meanwhile, the battle with Phoenix and Firelord continues, with Phoenix blasting Firelord miles away, before receiving a mental call from Professor X. Phoenix races back to the rest of them while worrying about what this newfound power could be doing to her, feeling almost like a drug.

Back with the X-Men, Storm and Banshee catch the others while Nightcrawler makes his way up to the roof the old-fashioned way. Nightcrawler is just too late to stop Erik the Red from taking Lilandra through the gate to who knows where. Phoenix arrives again and while her parents want answers, time is short. Phoenix musters up an incredible amount of power to repower the gate so that the X-Men may follow Erik the Red and rescue Lilandra. Cyclops is shocked at Jean’s display of power but focuses on the task at hand, as Xavier stresses that it’s imperative that the X-Men stop Erik’s plans and save Lilandra. They head through the gate, leaving Xavier, Misty Knight, and Jean’s parents behind, just as Firelord returns, royally ticked off, while Xavier reveals that the fate of the universe rests on the X-Men’s shoulders! To be continued!


 

Review / Commentaries


The X-Men #105 Review by (June 19, 2024)

Review: The title lets us in on what we’re in store for this issue, mostly serving to demonstrate just how powerful Jean has become as the Phoenix, being the first big demonstration of her new abilities. She does this by fighting Firelord, former herald of Galactus, to a standstill, just after he had easily mopped the floor with the rest of the X-Men, handily implying that Phoenix is now more powerful than the rest of the X-Men combined. Speaking of, the X-Men sure have been getting their lumps lately, as just within the last few issues they’ve been easily thrown around by Juggernaut, Magneto, and now Firelord. It just isn’t their week. As a result, the rest of the X-Men don’t get much to do, besides having their third vehicle explode since this run started (and second in two issues, even lampshaded by Nightcrawler). Speaking of Nightcrawler, the cutest touch in the issue comes when he just misses Erik the Red escaping through the portal, with the sound effect showing “fmab”, his famous “bamf” sound effect backwards. We also get the first inklings that Phoenix’s new power could be negatively affecting her, comparative to a drug, signaling some famous issues down the line. The next few issue promise some high stakes, as the fate of the entire universe rests on the X-Men’s shoulders!

Comments: Guest appearance by Firelord. First time Lilandra is named and finally fully seen. The Shi’ar outfits and ship setup are very clearly inspired by Star Trek. Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum have cameos during Phoenix and Firelord’s fight. Erik the Red’s real name is revealed to be Davan Shakari.



> The X-Men comic book info and issue index

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Dave Cockrum
Bob Layton
Andy Yanchus
Dave Cockrum (Cover Penciler)
Dave Cockrum (Cover Inker)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski.



Characters

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Banshee
Banshee

(Sean Cassidy)
Colossus
Colossus

(Piotr Rasputin)
Cyclops
Cyclops

(Scott Summers)
Havok
Havok

(Alex Summers)
Lilandra
Lilandra

(Lilandra Neramani)
Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler

(Kurt Wagner)
Phoenix
Phoenix

(Jean Grey)
Polaris
Polaris

(Lorna Dane)
Professor X
Professor X

(Charles Xavier)
Storm
Storm

(Ororo Munroe)
Wolverine
Wolverine

(James Howlett)
Plus: Erik the Red.

Thor

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