After ending last issue face down in the freezing
snow, Beast found the strength to keep moving, carrying Phoenix through the
harsh Antarctica blizzard. He suddenly sees lights in the sky and realizes it’s
a helicopter flying nearby. He tries to get its attention to no avail and tries
to wake Jean up so she can send up a flare. She suddenly bolts upright, crying
Scott’s name and attempts to burrow into the ground with her powers. She feels
she needs to save Scott and the others buried in Magneto’s complex, while the
helicopter pilots naturally end up seeing the large bird-shaped energy coming
from Phoenix. To his dismay, Beast convinces Jean that they were the only ones
who survived, and that Scott and the rest of the X-Men are dead…
The helicopter picks the two up as some time later, in
a warmer locale, Colossus punches through a rock wall, revealing that he and
the rest of the X-Men did indeed survive, as they find themselves, rather
confusedly, in a much warmer climate for still being in Antarctica. Cyclops
realizes where they are and welcomes the X-Men to the Savage Land, a warm and
lush jungle oasis hidden in the depths of Antarctica. Storm and Banshee take to
the air, enjoying the freedom, until Banshee is grabbed by one of the many
giant pterosaurs that inhabit the Savage Land. Wolverine has Colossus throw him
up the creature, letting Wolverine tear into the creature, letting off some
pent-up frustrations while also saving Banshee. The rest head for where
Wolverine and the creature landed, to make sure Wolverine doesn’t go looking
for more trouble, while Nightcrawler jokes that he’s more concerned for
anything that gets in Wolverine’s way. Cyclops scolds Wolverine for his
reckless move, and Wolverine fires back, before Banshee suggests they head for
a village he and Storm spotted, all while the X-Men are being watched and
followed by a mysterious figure!
A week passes, and Beast and Jean finally make it back
to the Xavier Institute, where they’re greeted by Lilandra. Beast and Lilandra
make their acquaintance while Jean heads through the mansion, lost in the
memories and emotions. She finally comes to Charles Xavier and tells him the
bad news, the two of them sharing a silent, somber moment. That same time, in
the Savage Land, the X-Men relax as best they can in the village they found,
each of them with things weighing on their minds. Banshee wishes that he been
taken instead of Jean and Beast, while Storm regrets not being able to save
Jean, her closest friend. Cyclops feels as if he failed as leader, while
wondering how he’ll tell the Professor when they get back home. He shaves in a
river, until his reflection reminds him of Corsair, unlocking a flood of
emotions and memories, realizing Corsair spoke like an American and seeming to
remember him in a distant memory of falling from a plane. The memories fade
when Storm approaches Scott and he admits with worry that he doesn’t feel
anything for Jean’s apparent death, worried about what that could mean.
Meanwhile, Colossus approaches Wolverine with two
native women, asking if he’d like to join them. Wolverine declines, preferring
to be alone, reflecting on Jean’s death in his own way and how heartbroken he
feels. Storm finds herself at a picturesque lake and takes a swim through it,
releasing tons of pent-up stress. While she’s relaxing, she’s suddenly grabbed
from behind by the man who had been following them, as he absorbs some of her
energy. Back with the others, they hear Storm’s scream, as well as see the huge
lightning bolt that erupted, and run to her aid. They arrive to discover that
Storm’s attacker, as well as the man who had been following them, was none
other than Sauron, now back in his monstrous form from the energy absorption.
Sauron promises that the other X-Men are next on his list! To be continued!