"Angels & Demons" is a comic book arc running through issues #1-6 of X-Force (volume 3). Edit
Creative Team
Writers - Craig Kyle & Chris Yost
Penciller - Clayton Crain
Inker - Clayton Crain
Colorer - Clayton Crain
Letterer - Cory Petit
Covers - Clayton Crain (normal bloody variants second printings), Bryan Hitch (#1 variant)
Synopsis
In the aftermath of Messiah CompleX, Cyclops secretly reforms
X-Force to deal with the Purifiers. Permanantly. As X-Force launch an attack on the Purifiers, one of theirs are captured, and killed? And which major villain returns? Enter: Wolverine, Warpath, X-23 and Wolfsbane. X-Force.
Was the X-Force member killed? Of course not. But the member is kidnapped and taken further away from X-Force, to meet someone who this person hasn't seen in years. As X-Force launch attacks against several Purifier churches around the country, and the Purifiers find an old X-Men associate.
As X-Force search for their kidnapped member, Bastion has one hell of a plan up his sleave as he finds and recruits mutant haters, dead and alive, from all over the world. As X-Force find their member, they need a healer to fix her. They need Elixir!
This story is on-going.
Issue Checklist
X-Force #5
X-Force #6
Associated Issues
Edit
Overview
“ANGELS AND DEMONS”
It began with one simple mission: Kill the Purifier leader Matthew
Risman before he kills any more mutants. But everything went to
hell…and now it gets worse. Wolfsbane’s decent continues. War rages
between Risman and Bastion. The Choir rises. And if that weren’t
enough... it’s X-FORCE VERSUS ARCHANGEL. Part 5 (of 6)
Overview
There are lines that the X-Men have sworn never to cross. But after the shocking events of “Messiah Complex,” Cyclops realizes that some enemies need to be dealt with permanently… and the X-Men can never know about it. Enter WOLVERINE, WARPATH, X-23 and WOLFSBANE…X-FORCE.
Spoilers!
At Angel's Colorado Rocky Mountain retreat, Wolverine is visited by Cyclops and Wolfsbane. Cyclops tells him that seventeen hours ago, the leader of the Purifiers, Reverend Matthew Risman, turned himself in to S.H.I.E.L.D. It turns out the Purifiers had a mole inside and they ended up killing sixteen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. This is the first time they killed humans. The plan was to steal something deadly that could be used against mutants. Cyclops wants Wolverine to re-form X-Force and put a stop to them, permanently. He's tired of sitting back watching mutants die on their doorstep. When Wolverine says he's impressed and asks what Emma thinks about this, Scott replies that she doesn't know about it.
At Camp Verde, Warpath is preparing a burial for Caliban. He regrets that he died trying to save him. He swears a blood oath that the Purifiers will die for this.
Wolverine tells Scott that Warpath may be able to make the decision to be on X-Force but Laura doesn't. His whole reason to bring her to Xavier's was so she could learn to be a person. Scott tells him he already asked her. At that exact moment, X-23 is inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility checking out the scene. She sees the surveillance footage and gets Risman's scent. She radio's Cyclop and asks what her next move is. Wolverine decks Scott saying she's his responsibility and he should have asked him first. He also says that Rahne can't be in this either. Rahne insists that she needs answers.
The Purifiers are tracked to the North Dakota Church of William Stryker. Inside they have the body or Nimrod and Bastion. They join the body of Nimrod with the head of Bastion. When it is activated, it immediately detects mutants. Wolverine, X-23, and Warpath are outside.
It's a slash-fest inside. They soon discover that Risman has Rahne held captive. He tells them to stand down as he holds a gun to her head. Laura says he's bluffing. Before Wolverine can stop her, she makes a move. Seconds later, a gunshot is heard...
Overview
With one of their own already fallen, X-Force is out for blood. More blood. And they’ll stop at nothing to bring an end to the PURIFIERS’ plan to resurrect one of the X-Men’s greatest foes… It’s all-out war, with no quarter asked—and none given.
Spoilers!
The issue begins with S.H.I.E.L.D. investigating the Purifiers headquarters. The whole place has been blown to pieces.
Earrlier, Mathew Rismann didn't shoot Wolfsbane in the head, he just shot her in the knee. Wolfsbane's also been drugged up on heroin. Wolverine is shouting X-23 to stand down, which she does, but as the Purfiers come to tie her up, she pushes a button of a device she's holding, blowing the place to pieces. X-23 pursues Risman and Wolfsbane, and takes down a bunch of Purifiers by shooting them Wolverine helps Warpath out of the rubble, but Risman gets away with Wolfsbane in a helicoptor.
Back at Angel's mansion , Wolverine shouts at X-23 for nearly killing Warpath and Wolfsbane. X-23 tells Wolverine that retrieving Wolfsbane wasn't her mission, killing Risman was. Cyclops backs her up, and Angel arrives. Warpath tells them about how Reverand Craig has been thought to join the Purifiers, and how he wasn't just Wolfsbane's guardian, he was her father.
Cut to Wolfsbane in a chair, her eyes kept wide open. Reverend Craig comes in and tells her that she's a sin set on earth, and he drugs her again. On the other side of a wall, Risman watches, and Bastion comes to arrives and tells Risman that he's doing everything wrong. He gives him a big lecture about how there is no way to stop the mutant race, but there is actually one chance... Far away a Purifier Submarine relays a message, getting Magus's attention, as he tries to absorb the ship.
Overview
As X-Force searches for their missing teammate, Wolfsbane strikes—and she’s not taking any prisoners! But the Purifiers have more than an ace up their sleeve— they’ve got the deck stacked. And when Wolverine, X-23, and Warpath learn the truth behind Risman’s nefarious plan…no one is safe. And no one is guaranteed to get out alive. Part 3 (of 6)
Spoilers!
The Purifiers are gathering villains from all over the globe, all of them anti-mutants. Some—like Cameron Hodge and Graydon Creed—are dead, while others among the living are gathered—like Donald Pierce and Leper Queen.
Risman tells Eli Bard and Reverend Craig about how William Stryker saved his life and why he's committed to his dream of annihilating the X-Men and the mutants. He is willing to keep on with his plans despite Bastion's orders to abort them and focus on his own plans.
X-Force finds Rahne in Montana, drugged and barely alive.
Although she is alive, Risman lies to Bastion and says that she was killed.
Bastion suspects Eli Bard is lying, since he can't find any information about him or his background. Risman stands up for him and convinces Bastion to spare his life, on the condition that Risman himself will investigate Bard and kill him if he turns out to be an enemy. He promises to Bard that he will help him to get out of this situation.
-Bastion takes Risman to a room where he keeps the people he gathered. Also in there is an offspring of Magus of the Technarchy. Bastion takes control over the Technarchy and reprograms it. He merges it with the people and dead bodies in the room.
X-Force arrives at Angel's safe house in Colorado. Rahne is having a seizure. When Warren insists on helping help, Wolverine sends him to get Elixir.
In the Purifiers' HQ, Bastion explains to Risman that there is no terrestrial solution to deal with the X-Men, therefore he forged one by using an extraterrestrial being.
In front of a horde of Purifiers Bastion presents his "new" pawns: those who will bring an end to Mutantkind. Among the ones gathered are Stephen Lang, William Stryker and Bolivar Trask.
Overview
The Purifiers have gathered the most deadly pieces of the X-Men’s past— but their plans are far from over...While Bastion continues to shape the future, Mathew Risman sets in motion an attack that will forever change two of our heroes. If the team can’t stop them from achieving their ultimate goal, mutantkind has little hope of survival.
Spoilers!
Elixir manages to heal Rahne and clean the heroin from her body, but she's still unconscious. Warpath goes to look for Wolverine and tell him the good news. Outside, Logan talks with X-23. Her comment about Rahne's carelessness angers her mentor and he attacks her, only to be stopped by Warpath.
Back in Warren's house, Rahne wakes up. The sight of Angel triggers something in her and she transforms into her feral state. She wounds Elixir and jumps on what seems like her main target—Warren. X-23, now alone, senses that something is wrong and she's the only one close to the house. She runs inside and watches Wolfsbane holding the blood-soaked wings of Angel and him bleeding to death on the floor. She recalls Wolverine saying that Rahne can't be hurt and let the animal brutally slash her. Rahne gets back to her human form and contacts the Reverend Risman: She has Angel's wings.
Chicago, the Purifiers HQ: Risman sends Eli to meet Rahne and take her with the wings to "the facility base." Meanwhile, Bastion and his "new" colleagues prepare for the return of Reverend Stryker to leading the Purifiers. After Risman is dismissed, Stryker and Bastion seem suspicious of him.
In S.H.I.E.L.D. office in St. Louis, Agent Morales receives the word on the abduction of Leper Queen and Donald Pierce by Purifiers. These and recent event brings her to the conclusion they're working on something big.
Wolverine and Warpath find the wounded Angel, Elixir and X-23. Elixir heals himself and Warren, but can't do the same to the latter's wings: Their cells are of some foreign material and he can't affect them.
In the Purifiers' facility lab Risman, Eli and Rev. Craig watch a scientist named Adam Harkin using Angel's wing cells—remainder from his days as Apocalypse's Horseman of Death—to create a metal wing. He then attends to his first subject, a Purifier named Gabriel who volunteered for this procedure. Harkin injects Gabriel with the Apocalypse Strand.
While Gabriel slowly grows metal wings, Warren Worthington suffers from pain. His friends watch him in horror and can't do a thing to help him or ease his pain. The success of the procedure moves forward to other subject, as Warren's pain grows stronger. As the Purifiers' army of winged men continues to grow, Warren's suffering results in him becoming the evil Archangel.
| Storyarc Name: | Angels & Demons |
| 1st Appearance: | X-Force #1 |
| Appears in: | 2 issues |
| Publisher: |
