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Uncanny X-Men, The (1981 series) #170

Chris Claremont | Paul Smith

Uncanny X-Men, The (1981 series) #170 cover

Story Name:

Dancin' in the Dark


Synopsis

Uncanny X-Men, The (1981 series) #170 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 5 stars

In Reindeer Falls, Alaska, after spending weeks together, Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor dance together on their first date, basked in the glow of the fireplace. Both are having a great time, until Scott suddenly gets solemn, wondering if he should really be doing this. He tells Madelyne about Jean and shows her a picture, the spitting image of herself. This stuns Madelyne, who thinks on it a bit. Though both are unsure about how things will turn out, whether Scott’s feelings are because of who Madelyne is or who she looks like, both would like to see how things go. Meanwhile, underneath New York in the Morlock tunnels, Callisto sets up a wedding procession for herself and the bound and unconscious Angel.

The X-Men decide enough is enough and break free of their restraints. While Colossus and Storm handle the crowd, Nightcrawler teleports to Callisto. Kurt grabs her and rapidly teleports, so as to leave her weak and disoriented. Nightcrawler holds the defeated Callisto up, using her as leverage to make the Morlocks retreat. However, Plague then grabs Storm, making her sick and putting them in the same boat. With the two sides at an impasse, Nightcrawler’s bluff is called and he and Colossus allow themselves to be restrained once more to keep Storm safe. Elsewhere, Caliban continues to look after a very sick Kitty Pryde. Kitty begs for Caliban to help the X-Men, even agreeing to stay there with him when everything is all over. Caliban is unsure what to do, not knowing if he can stand up to Callisto, but sees that Kitty’s condition is getting worse.

Elsewhere, we find Mystique in the middle of a fitful dream. She’s being chased by Jason Wyngarde and Lady Jean Grey, hunted for sport in an exact replica of one of the hallucinations Wyngarde placed Jean under way back when. She awakens with a start, knowing that was no ordinary dream and wondering who could have perpetrated it, with Xavier too noble and Mastermind catatonic. She heads downstairs to find her partner Destiny already making tea for her, when Destiny suddenly has a vision about Rogue in danger! Rogue has already left however, on a bus out of Washington, while the cause of Rogue’s flight, and Mystique’s dream, laughs in triumph, unseen. Back in the Morlock tunnels, Callisto offers Nightcrawler to join them, seeing as his features brand him an outcast, just as it does them. Kurt argues that he’s fought hard to be accepted for who he is, rather than what he looks like, and that he’s not going to give up that battle now, nor desert his friends.

Caliban then arrives with the dying Kitty, begging for her to be spared. Kurt and Peter break free of their bonds again and Kurt determines that Kitty needs medical attention now, before it’s too late. Caliban says that the only way to override Callisto’s decision is to oust her as the leader through trial by combat, to the death! Nightcrawler then formally challenges Callisto, but Storm intercedes, stating that it’s her duty as leader of the X-Men. Storm is freed and given a knife and her duel with Callisto begins. Though Callisto draws first blood, Storm quickly traps her arm with her cape and mercilessly stabs Callisto through the heart! Callisto is attended to by their healer, and Storm, as the new leader of the Morlocks, frees Angel and Kitty and confirms that they’ll have no more trouble from the Morlocks! The next morning, in Alaska, Scott elects to reveal his power to Madelyne when he reacts negatively to her reaching for his glasses. It doesn’t phase her however, and she emphasizes that she still wants Scott in her life, as they tenderly embrace.


Characters
Good (or All)
ANGEL
COLOSSUS
CYCLOPS
KPRYDE
NIGHTCRAWLER
ROGUE
STORM
XMEN
Plus: Caliban, Madelyne Pryor.

Enemies
MYSTIQUE
Plus: Callisto, Destiny (Irene Adler), Morlocks.

> Uncanny X-Men, The (1981 series) comic book info and issue index


 

Review / Commentaries


Uncanny X-Men, The (1981 series) #170 Review by (January 15, 2025)

Review: Lots of big, important events this issue! First and foremost is Storm dueling Callisto for leadership of the Morlocks! Storm wins of course, stabbing Callisto through the heart after an epic fight and showing a steadying hardening of her character. It’s a really interesting character progression for Storm and shows the lengths she will go to save Kitty. While this moment is pretty well-known, what’s often forgotten is that Nightcrawler actually challenges Callisto first, until Storm steps in. It’s interesting wondering how that would have gone, as Callisto even offers Kurt to join the Morlocks earlier in the issue, being the de-facto strange-looking X-Man. He gives a nice speech about fighting to be accepted for who he is rather than what he looks like, being unwilling to give up on that fight, displaying yet more of the qualities that make him my favorite. It should be noted that Nightcrawler does join the Morlocks in the vastly inferior Ultimate X-Men comics. Kitty also agrees to stay with Caliban in a plea to save the X-Men, something that will come back to bite her in the butt later.

Scott and Madelyne also start to get close, with Scott even revealing his power to her (in a particularly stylish way, shooting a hole straight through a coin in midair!) Though both are unsure if Scott’s feelings are because of who she is or who she looks like, both decide they want to give things a shot, which will obviously be monumentally important for the next number years. It’s interesting watching their story unfold, as it definitely gets a bit upended by decisions outside of Claremont’s control, which is a story for another time. We also get more hints that someone is up to something, with Mystique experiencing a dream just like one of the hallucinations Mastermind put Jean under around the Dark Phoenix Saga, and causing Rogue to head out from her home. This will have much more immediate repercussions next issue, when the X-Men gain another classic member! Overall, a truly classic issue, with a number of important developments for both the immediate and distant future of the series!

Comments: Storm becomes leader of the Morlocks. Nightcrawler first demonstrates his trick of rapidly teleporting with an enemy, leaving them weak and disoriented. There is an inconsistency with Mystique’s age, the years provided implying she’s in her 30s here, when it’s later established that she’s well over 100.




Elektra


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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Paul Smith
Bob Wiacek
Paul Becton
Paul Smith (Cover Penciler)
Paul Smith (Cover Inker)
Unknown (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski.



Thor

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