X-Men: Legacy (2008 series) #266

The Phoenix Force is coming back to Earth and everyone believes it's coming to make Hope Summers the next Phoenix. Cyclops' group of X-Men welcome it as the rebirth of mutantkind but the Avengers believe it will destroy the planet as it has been doing to others on the way here. Wolverine and Beast have sided with the Avengers but headmaster Logan's trying to keep the rest of the people at the Westchester Jean Grey School out of the conflict. The 2 sides clashed on Utopia Island in Avengers Vs X-Men #2. Cyclops' side lost but escaped in the early part of AvX#3. Wolverine popped back to the school in Wolverine & X-Men #10 before leaving again to help in the hunt for Hope beginning in the later part of AvX#3. But some at the school want to join Cyclops. This issue continues at the school from there.

The school's teachers are gathered in their lounge. Rachel Grey reminds them that they told Logan they'd all stay here to keep the students safe but she thinks they individually have to make the choice. Headmistress Kitty Pryde, with her pet dragon Lockheed on her shoulders, summarises the situation and ends by saying she's worried about Hope, but Rachel points out that *she* was able to handle it. Iceman says that he and Rachel have decided to join Cyclops. Kitty says she needs to know the others' choices now, but she asks them all to present a united front when they tell the students they're confined to campus. Husk is undecided and asks her brother Cannonball what he's going to do. He says he's staying at least until he's sure the kids are OK. Gambit agrees. Frenzy says that following a messiah didn't work out before so she's staying. New guy (since last issue) Mimic says he doesn't know enough about the situation. Chamber thinks he'll do more good here but he turns to Rogue who has history fighting Avengers. All the while she's been getting flashbacks about fighting them in Av Annual #10 where Carol Danvers turned up amnesiac and powerless. She now gets an fb from Marvel Super Heroes v2 #11 where she stole Ms Marvel's memory and powers, and she remembers how that caused a load of problems. So now she decides to stay here and keep away from the Av. But Iceman and Marvel Girl leave immediately.

Later Rogue is teaching a (probably WWII) history lesson to a class including Anole, Broo, Glob Herman, Hellion, Kid Gladiator, Match, Oya and Rockslide when Broo asks her why she's not fighting the Avengers when she's got a good history in that respect. She gives in and tells them that she was younger then and didn't worry about consequences, and she doesn't want to repeat old mistakes. But Roadkill directs her to look out the window because her past is catching up with her - Avengers Falcon (with Redwing), Moon Knight and She-Hulk are paying a visit. She tells the kids to stay put and rushes out ...

... to where Kitty Pryde (with Lockheed), Cannonball, Frenzy and Gambit are confronting the visitors. Jennifer Walters complains that some of the Westchester teachers (ie Iceman and Marvel Girl) have joined Cyclops. Pryde says it was by individual choice, just as others (Beast and Wolverine) have joined the Avengers, and the rest just want to be left alone to get on with school work. Sam Wilson says they're here to make sure nobody else leaves, which riles Frenzy and Gambit. Pryde asks what Wolverine and Beast have to say about this but Wilson and MK tell her that Logan is out of contact and Hank McCoy is off in space.

Rogue steps in to stop a fight erupting because the students are watching. And Anole, Kid Gladiator, Oya and Rockslide have come outside. Rogue suggests a compromise and Pryde suggests the Avengers watch from 100 yards away. Falcon agrees to that and they walk away, but Moon Knight's not happy. Neither is Frenzy who thinks they're teaching the kids to just accept human discrimination. Rogue says they're learning that problems can be solved without fighting.

Later the 3 Avengers are drinking coffee and playing poker in their parked quinjet. She-Hulk is itching to be doing something more useful, and MK thinks Hope might come *here* and anyway things might turn sour - they may yet need their 'secret weapon'. Then they spot Frenzy approaching them. They go out to meet her and she scratches the 100-yard line in the dirt. She says the Avengers are watching the X-school but *she*'s watching *them*. Falcon can't object.

Inside Gambit asks Mimic if he can copy the Avengers' powers. Calvin Rankin says last time he copied a Hulk he got radiation poisoning but he's willing to try. Remy LeBeau says it's not worth the risk. They can handle those 3 - it's not like they've got Iron Man or Thor. Rogue overhears and says she thought Remy didn't want to fight, but he says his natural pessimism expects they'll have to. He says he knows Anna Marie has come a long way from what she used to be and wants to keep it that way, but he's not got so much to lose. Meanwhile Glob, Hellion and Match are watching the confrontation outside through a window.

Jen and Sam have walked away but Marc Spector has stayed to argue with Joanna Cargill. They both know about the skeletons in each others closets, and she wonders if his teammates know the things he did as a mercenary before he put on the superhero suit - he was mad even before the Moon God got to him. He loses it and lunges at her, and she points out he's crossed the line. Now Falcon and She-Hulk turn round to see the fight's begun in earnest, much to the delight of the students.

Rogue runs out to see Moon Knight down and Frenzy slugging it out with She-Hulk. She and Falcon pull the combatants apart, Rogue absorbing some of Frenzy's power. The 3 students have followed her and Glob tells Match to "light  me up". With his waxy body on fire Robert Herman dives on She-Hulk who with 1 clap of her hands snuffs his flame out and bowls him and the other 2 over.

Julian Keller lies unconscious and bleeding. Jen is immediately contrite because she reacted on instinct to an attack by a 'monster'. Moon Knight thinks she was justified but Falcon apologises for the mistake. But Rogue leaves off tending to Hellion and grabs MK and Shulkie, absorbing greenskin's power. Falcon sends his bird to the quinjet to activate the emergency protocol. It lands on a button on a box labelled STARK which explodes. Rogue has She-Hulk defeated but de-powered Frenzy is having trouble with MK. Then a voice says they were only supposed to call him for an emergency, and we see that Iron Man is here.