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.