Following the events of the House of M, Quicksilver is partially responsible for the sudden de-powering of 90% of the Earth's mutant population. Can he now fix things for everyone? Edit
Associated Issues
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Overview
All he wanted was to make the world a perfect place for mutantkind. Pietro Maximoff was Quicksilver, the fastest living creature on Earth until the Scarlet Witch took it all away. Now the son of Magneto is despised, rejected, and alone. Down-and-out in Mutant Town where the few remaining mutants are fighting a desperate battle for survival.
And just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, along comes a Spider-Man....
Pietro Maximoff lays in bed, sleeping in his underwear and dirty ragged shirt. He was the fastest living creature on the planet. He was so fast he was a blur to human eyes. Bullets could not touch him. He could run up the sides of buildings and snatch arrows out of the air. He was built for speed; running zero to sixty in seven seconds. His top speed was almost 220 miles per hour. His body adapted to withstand the accelerated impact of his feet hitting the ground thirty times per second.
As morning comes, Pietro, who hasn’t shaven in days, is bothered by a fly that buzzes right into his face. He curls up the newspaper, with an image of Purity activist William Stryker on its front, and tries to bat away the fly. Instead, he is too slow, and ends up knocking over his cup, spilling its contents. Pietro sits up in bed and looks down at the liquid on the floor, thinking. As the uninjured fly lands on the newspaper, Pietro gets up and, undresses so he can shower. When he is done, Pietro looks at himself in the mirror, and then proceeds to dress and pull out a bottle of liquor from his nightstand. The bottle is empty.
The man walks down to the store, and thinks to himself that his bones could absorb shocks that would shatter those of normal men. His tendons had the resilience of high tensile steel. His body metabolized food so efficiently that there was virtually no waste. He never carried an ounce of excess fat. He processes information at five times the speed of the average college student, as the data leaped from synapse to synapse. Today, it takes him much too long to read the nutrition facts on the back of a jar.
Pietro gets into the express checkout lane, but he is not as fast moving as he once was. Annoyed, a customer behind him tells Pietro to hurry up as he reaches into his pocket to pay. This is the express checkout, reminds the disgruntled customer. Like, for people in a hurry. Duh.
Pietro leaves the store, along with another bottle of liquor, without saying a word to the other man. Outside, he sees his bus speed by and runs after it. Once, he could have run across the surface of the water. However, this time Pietro slips and falls, spilling his groceries all over in the rain, as pedestrians hurry by and do not help him.
He was like the wind or a lightning bolt. He was superb; he was perfection; he was Quicksilver!
Avengers Tower:
Peter Parker stands in his Spider-Man costume, sans mask, and looks despondently out the window at the rain pouring outside. Peter, asks his wife Mary Jane as she walks into the room. Didn’t he hear her calling him? How long has be just been standing there? Peter does not respond, so Mary Jane tells him that they have to talk about this. Something is wrong.
Silently, Peter begins to put his mask on, so Mary Jane tells him not to do it. She can’t talk to him when he has the mask on. Peter puts it on anyway and turns to his wife, telling her that he is ok. He just has to go out. You are not ok, says Mary Jane firmly. I’m ok, reiterates Peter.
Spider-Man swings out of Avengers Tower and through the streets of the city. He doesn’t think Mary Jane would understand what he is feeling right now. For her, the world is as it always was, but for him it will never be the same. For a while he had everything he ever wanted in life. He had the woman he wanted – and it wasn’t her.
Spider-Man stops on a rooftop and looks at a high-rise deck, with a family enjoying time in the rain. Peter then thinks about his time in the House of M world, and his wife Gwen and his son Ritchie.
As the rain stops, Spider-Man gets up and takes off his mask. Tears begin to fall from his eyes as he mourns.
Pietro’s Apartment:
Pietro returns to his apartment drenched. How can they live like this? How can they stand to be human? Pietro takes off his long jacket and sits in bed with a drink and a photo of him, his sister, Hawkeye, Captain America, Iron Man and Thor. He and Wanda came so close to creating an almost perfect world. If it weren’t for a few imperfections that brought it all down, it would have worked. If they could start all over again he knows they’d get it right. However, now he doesn’t even know where Wanda is. She is gone and she has taken away his birthright. ‘No more mutants’ is what she said. She got it wrong again. There are mutants out there. Not too many though; not him.
Pietro takes out his uniform from his closet and puts it on. He pours another drink and looks out to the night sky. What has his perfect sister done to him? She was always the strong one. She told him never to give up hope. Where on Earth does he go from here?
Suddenly, Pietro gets up and stares long and hard at the full moon. He then puts down his shot glass and rummages through his things. It must be here. He knows he kept it. Finally, Pietro finds what he was looking for – a small bronze signaling device of design not reminiscent of any human architecture.
Quicksilver goes out onto the fire escape and activates the device. He then says out loud that, if she has any feelings left for him at all, she will answer. He looks back up at the moon and mutters that she must tell him that there is a place where he can be more than human again.
Suddenly, Pietro’s attention is called to the alley below, where three men are harassing another. One man, Bodie, tells Johnny to stay cool and he isn’t going to get hurt – if Johnny has been straight with Bodie and his crew. There is a whisper going around that Johnny is a mutant. I used to be, replies Johnny, but not anymore. Didn’t Bodie hear? Yeah, replies Bodie. They aren’t morons. They watch television. However, they hear that a few mutants have immunity or something. So they are going to check Johnny out. Their common friend, Sally – Johnny remembers Sally right? – well, she said there was something weird about Johnny. As the men begin to push Johnny around, he tells Bodie that he was drunk. Bodies feels something under Johnny’s shirt and begins to rip it off, but what the three men find underneath is not what they expected.
Johnny looks down at his chest and abdomen, which is covered in tentacles. More than that, a pair of red eyes stare back, as well as a mouth! Please, says Johnny, he cannot help it. The three men back away slowly, wondering what that thing is. Bodie comes close to touch it, but his friends tell him not to. At that moment, the creature on Johnny’s chest reaches out with its tentacles and grabs Bodie! One of the other men tells Johnny to let Bodie go, but Johnny explains that the creature has its own nervous system. It just reacts.
The men take out a blade, and chop off a tentacle, causing the creature to spasm and shriek in pain. Blood pours out of the creature, weakening Johnny, who falls back against a wall in pain. However, Bodie is released. As the men surround for the kill, Quicksilver comes down and tells them to leave Johnny alone.
Unimpressed, Bodie asks the man who he is supposed to be. I’ll give you a second chance to walk away, says Pietro. Neh, says Bodie. He will just punch Quicksilver instead. Pietro calls Bodie pathetic, but Bodie is much faster than Pietro and punches him square across the face! Pietro falls into some trash defeated, and the three men turn back to Johnny. It seems some radical surgery is called for.
Before Bodie can do anything, a web grabs the knife out of his hand. Spider-Man descends and tells the men, as he beats them up, that this is what he loves about the city. Every time he needs to hit someone really hard, some jerk steps up and volunteers. He can feel all the stress flowing right out of him. He has friends who swear by yoga Tibetan chanting, but the crunch of knuckles in a bad guy’s face always does it for him.
As Spider-Man beats up the men, Quicksilver quickly sneaks away.
Spider-Man turns to Johnny, who is in bad shape. Johnny is not sure how he is. He cannot feel the wound, and he thinks he is going to pass out. Spider-Man makes a tourniquet for the injured creature and tells Johnny that he is losing a lot of blood. Does he have a cell phone? Inside pocket, stammers the weak Johnny.
Spider-Man gets the phone and dials for an ambulance. Johnny, who can’t even keep his head up, mutters that they say less than one percent of mutants stayed mutants - one in a hundred; that is him. You convinced me, says Spider-Man when he gets off the phone, life sucks. The good news, though, is that help is on the way, so Johnny should sit tight and think happy thoughts. Spider-Man then looks up at the fire escape to see Quicksilver quietly skulk away, and tells Johnny that he thinks he just spotted another bad guy.
Spider-Man sneaks to the top of the roof before Pietro can get there, and then uses his webs to grab Pietro and pull him up. Before Quicksilver can say anything, Spider-Man holds the man by the collar and tells him that the last time Parker saw hi, Pietro was being crushed to a pulp by his dad. Peter cannot blame Magneto for that. Spider-Man then throws Quicksilver against the doorway from the room to the apartment, and demands to know why Pietro did it. Why did Quicksilver wreck his life?!
Angry, Quicksilver asks Spider-Man if he thinks he wanted this. Look at him! He is living like a fugitive. He has earned the hatred of his father. His sister is gone. He doesn’t even know if Wanda is alive. Pietro swings at Spider-Man, yelling that he has lost everything. Spider-Man sidesteps the blow easily. You see, asks Pietro, he has even lost his speed. Spider-Man cannot imagine what it is like to be so slow.
Spider-Man pushes Quicksilver up against the wall and laughs sarcastically in his face. He then pulls him to the roof’s edge to show him the ambulance takes Johnny away. What does Pietro think about Johnny? Does Pietro think that would have happened if he and his sister hadn’t screwed with the world? How about the thousands of lives destroyed – all the mutants who aren’t mutants anymore? How do they feel?
Spider-Man then lifts Pietro off the ground by his throat, and in a rage asks the former mutant about himself. He had a perfect little boy in a perfect world that Pietro and Wanda made. The woman he loved, who was dead, was alive again. They had a baby! He has lost his son!
Spider-Man lets Pietro go, and tells him that people say the worst thing that can happen to anyone is to bury your own child. However, Spider-Man feels that there is something worse. His son is dead, and Peter cannot bury him, because he never existed.
Spider-Man sits and holds his head. He cannot even tell his wife. This morning he is sitting there with all these memories swirling around. He is grieving for his dead son, and she is telling him a joke she heard on Letterman. Then she wonders why Peter isn’t laughing!
Pietro, who stands on the ledge, apologizes to Spider-Man. If he could do anything to make things right, he would. However, he cannot. Spider-Man, looking down at the roof, figures that makes Pietro a waste of space, doesn’t it? It does, says Pietro as he stares off into the night sky. Can Spider-Man think of a single reason why he should go on living? No, Pietro, says Spider-Man as he looks away, truthfully he cannot.
Spider-Man looks back – and Pietro is gone! Spider-Man quickly looks over the edge to see Quicksilver plummeting to the ground. Horrified, Spider-Man shoots a web, but it is not fast enough to stop the fall, and Pietro lands hard.
Spider-Man leaps down. He didn’t mean for Pietro to kill himself! As he bends down to check on the still man, there is a surge of energy, as two beings teleport into the alley. “Spider-Man?” asks the woman.
Spider-Man looks up to see Quicksilver’s estranged wife, Crystal of the Inhumans, and the beast known as Lockjaw, standing before him.
“What have you done to my husband?” demands a horrified Crystal.
Issue Summary:
t’s dark out there... but Pietro can hear voices discussing his fate...
A familiar voice to Pietro asks Spider-Man what he did to him. Spider-Man tells Crystal he knows how this looks, but explains that he’s one of the good guys. Pietro starts to wake up, and is surprised to hear Crystal’s voice. Crystal again asks Spider-Man what he did to Pietro. Spidey promises he didn’t do anything, and that they were just talking. Crystal doesn’t believe that. Spidey points out they were standing on the roof, and Pietro just... fell.
Crystal gets even angrier hearing this, finding Spider-Man’s explanation hard to believe. Spider-Man knows how that sounds, but... Crystal doesn’t let the webslinger finish his sentence, thinking he is lying. She powers up and attacks Spider-Man with her elemental powers. Pietro calls out to Crystal, who is relieved he’s alive and thanks her god, Randac. Almost with no breath left, Pietro confirms to his estranged wife Spider-Man didn’t do anything. He also didn’t fall... he jumped. Spidey adds that he tried to save Pietro. His web even slowed him down some but the guy still hit the ground pretty hard. Crystal asks Pietro why he would jump.
Pietro faints again. Crystal takes a look at his neck, thinking his spine is broken. Spider-Man tells Crystal they need to bring Pietro to a hospital, and asks if Lockjaw can take him. Crystal is certain that Earth’s hospitals won’t save Pietro, and asks Lockjaw to stand behind her. Lockjaw does and starts growling at Spider-Man, who is a bit scared by it. Crystal asks her loyal dog to taker her and Quicksilver home, and Lockjaw teleports them all away! Spider-Man tries to ask them to wait, but is too late... the Inhumans and Pietro are already gone. Peter wonders where Crystal’s “home” is.
Attilan...
Crystal, arriving home holding her former lover in her arms, demands to be brought to a healer!
A short while later, the rest of Crystal’s loyal family has brought Quicksilver to the care of the healer Kalikya. Standing behind a window and looking as Kalikya places her hands on Pietro to patch him up, Medusa promises her sister she doesn’t need to worry, as Kalikya is one of the Inhumans’ finest healers. Gorgon thinks Pietro shouldn’t be here. He knows Black Bolt gave Crystal permission to answer Pietro’s distress signal, but didn’t gave permission to bring him back here. Crystal explains to her cousin that Pietro was dying. Should she have left him to die instead?
“Of course not,” Medusa adds. Pietro may remain with the Inhumans until he is fully recovered. Gorgon still doesn’t like it, remembering that trouble follows at Crystal’s husband’s heel like a sick dog. Medusa, a bit angry, asks Gorgon if he’s questioning his monarch’s decision. Gorgon promises he would never do that, but he is curious as to how Maximoff came by his injuries. Crystal confirms that what they heard is true. Many of the human mutants have lost their abilities, and Pietro is one of them. Gorgon hopes that perhaps this will teach Pietro humility. Crystal rather believes that Pietro would find it... difficult... to live as a normal human, and it seems that his injuries were self-inflicted.
Crystal touches the window with her hands and can’t keep her eyes off her husband. She keeps staring at Quicksilver, before she realizes that Black Bolt gives her a questioning look. Medusa mentions they will talk about Pietro’s future when he is well. As Medusa and Black Bolt leave, Crystal and Gorgon stay behind. Crystal knows Gorgon never approved of her marriage with Quicksilver. Gorgon adds that Crystal’s marriage was the first between Inhuman and human, and now, looking at Pietro being healed up by one of their own, they can look at the result. Crystal disagrees. The result of their marriage was Luna.
Days later, when Pietro is as good as healed...
A happy Luna meets up with her father in his room, who is surprised to see her so big. Luna smiles she knows she has grown, as she’s six years old now. She also brought her dad a present. She had her friend, San, make it especially for him, and it’s the only one like it. She hands Pietro a box. He opens it and finds a red stone inside it. He smiles it’s beautiful and Luna smiles hearing that. She goes to sit next to Pietro on his bed, and asks why he never comes to see him. She wonders if it is because her dad is human and that humans don’t get along with Inhumans.
Pietro promises that isn’t the reason. He confirms some humans... many humans, actually, distrust anyone who appears superior to them. “But I’m not”.... Pietro says, but he doesn’t finish his sentence. Luna mentions that some of her friends hate humans too, because they attacked them so the Inhumans had to come live here on the moon. Pietro gives her a sad look, but Luna tells him not to. After all, she doesn’t hate him! Pietro and Luna laugh together, not realizing that a smiling Crystal watches them around the corner.
Again some time later... BR> Wearing his costume again, Quicksilver and Luna walk through the big city of Atillan together, holding each other’s hand. Pietro asks his daughter where he is taking him today. Luna wants her dad to meet Videmus, who is a communicator. They enter a big house and meet Videmus on a balcony, and Luna introduces the two to each other. Videmus welcomes Pietro and sees it as a big honor to be of service to him. Pietro isn’t entirely sure what service Videmus intends to provide. Luna explains that Videmus can make her see what her dad is thinking. All Pietro has to do is think of a picture and she’ll see it, too.
Videmus reminds his honored guest he has no sight of his own. He depends on others for his vision of the world and hopes Pietro will show him something splendid. Videmus stretches his eyes onto the minds of Pietro and Luna. Seeing lots of colors, Videmus mentions to Pietro that his mind is a vortex. He must focus on a single image. Pietro asks Luna what she would like to see. Luna wants to see the ocean, so Pietro thinks of an image of the ocean, with lots of fish in it. Luna is amazed. Luna asks Pietro if it’s true that, when she looks up at the Earth, all the blue is water.
Not far away from the moon, the Earth can be seen in its full glory, but a mysterious, red energy light is orbiting it.
Afterwards...
Quicksilver has been brought to the throne room, and asks Black Bolt for permission to undergo Terrigenesis. Medusa explains to Pietro that isn’t possible. The genetic council has forbidden humans from exposure to the Terrigen mists, and that this ruling stands for all time. To this, Pietro proclaims that he is not human! All he wants is to have his mutant status restored, and he believes the mists would do that.
Medusa calmly tells Pietro he is... he was... a human mutant. She reveals that, long ago, the process of Terrigenesis was opened to all Inhumans without regulation. The resulting mutations were often radical... monstrous. The damage to the Inhuman gene pool was disastrous. It has taken many millennia to restore the balance. Now every Inhuman must undergo rigorous genetic screening before being allowed to transform. That screening automatically blocks persons of human descent.
Pietro wants to know what that means for his daughter. Medusa says Luna is excluded from the mists, as it would be unsafe for her ever to be exposed to them. Pietro angrily states he doesn’t accept that! Medusa apologizes, but this isn’t open to discussion. Quicksilver disappointed leaves the room, leaving Black Bolt wondering.
Later that night...
Pietro visits Videmus at his home, and overlook the city from it. Videmus knows for sure that must be a wonderful view, though Pietro replies Videmus can’t really see it. Videmus rejoins that he can, if Pietro allows him. He attaches his eyes on Pietro’s mind again, and asks him to turn a little to his right. Videmus is impressed to see the Earth rising. Videmus asks Pietro to what he owes this visit.
Quicksilver explains Luna told him Videmus is revered as an educator. That he retains images and information from his mind links. Videmus can imagine it’s rather like the computers the humans are so found of. He asks Pietro if he seeks knowledge. Pietro wishes to learn of the Mists of Terrigen. Videmus tells Pietro to clear his thoughts. He has to make his mind a palimpsest upon which he may inscribe his histories.
Videmus reveals it is now almost 25,000 years ago since the Inhuman geneticist Randac isolated the catalyst for human evolution. It is an incredibly rare mineral, which exists in crystal form. Randac named the crystals “Terrigen.” At the correct temperature, when exposed to water, the crystals react to produce a vapor, known as the Mists of Terrigen. These mists are pumped into the flux chambers during the process of Terrigenesis. The crystals themselves are kept in a sealed cavern below the surface of Attilan, where they are constantly exposed to the heat and saline water. It is from this source that the Mists are collected.
This cavern is guarded by the Maledicta siblings, a tradition which has continued in their family for millennia. Their duties are largely ceremonial. No Inhuman would ever dare to enter the chamber without authority of the council. Videmus doesn’t envy the guards, believing their minds must scream with boredom. He further explains that at the entrance to the cavern is an airtight chamber, which serves as a barrier to prevent the escape of vapors from the lower levels. Only those who are appointed by the council to maintain the crystals may enter. And they must wear protective suits to avoid exposure to the Mists. To enter without protection would be to risk irreversible genetic trauma. No more than a dozen honored members of the Inhuman race enter the cavern each century. It is the holiest, most sacred place imaginable... the living heart and soul of the Inhuman culture. To desecrate those hallowed grounds would be unthinkable.
Not long after hearing the story...
Pietro walks toward the room where the Mists are stored. He spots one of the guarding Maledicta siblings, and quickly knocks him out. He drags them to a safe spot so they won’t be seen by anyone. Pietro presses a button, and a door opens, allowing him to enter the chamber. He bathes into a pool where the Mists are stored... and is exposed to them! Pietro feels his hands shaking. He looks at them, and can’t control it anymore! Suddenly, his entire body seems to fall apart!
Eventually, Pietro manages to control himself. His body is restored back to normal, and Pietro feels he failed. He doesn’t feel any different now, and did everything for nothing. He leaves the room, noticing the other Maledicta sibling. Pietro realizes that, when the other guard is discovered, the Inhumans will have no doubt who attacked him. At best, Pietro thinks, he will be expelled from Attilan and sent back to Earth. But that means he will never see Luna again, and wonders what Crystal will think of this.
Pietro goes back to his room, where he is shocked to discover he isn’t alone. He looks at an older version of himself, holding the glowing red stone Luna gave him earlier! This version, remaining calm and sitting in a chair, says “hello” to Pietro...
Overview:
Just how far will Pietro go to restore the powers of former mutants? As Inhumans battle the last surviving Genoshans the consequences prove to be horrific. Don’t miss this one. The repercussions from this finale will echo into CIVIL WAR in the months to come...
Issue Summary:
The island of Genosha… Lazer explains to Luna that her father isn’t injured. He was shot with a tranquilizer pellet to make him sleep. He promises the pellet barely penetrated Quicksilver’s skin. But, Lazer also promises Luna that, if she uses her powers on one of his soldiers again, his men will open fire and their weapons will fire bullets. Luna can’t believe the soldiers would shoot children. Lazer states he wouldn’t have Luna shot; but the same thing doesn’t count for Pietro! Luna’s eyes start to glow again. Lockjaw appears behind the soldiers and angrily growls and attacks them! Luna asks Lockjaw to teleport them out of there. Quicksilver gets up, and asks Luna to wait. They can’t leave the crystals behind. However, Lockjaw does as told and teleports himself, Luna and Pietro away; without the crystals. Lazer picks up the container holding the crystals, concluding it looks like they’ve got what they came for. None of the soldiers nor Lazer realize that, not far away, a quiet Magneto stands on a hill and has seen everything that happened. Nearby... Unus continues to smile at his victory, but then something weird happens to him. A pink glow starts to surround Angelo’s body, and he can’t breathe anymore. His force field starts covering up his entire body, and he can’t get out! Hub tends to him and asks Hack if he can mind-link with Unus, but the boy can’t. Unus’ force field is keeping him out. Hack thinks this has happened before. Unus has lost control of his powers, and it’s blocking everything: sound, air, even light waves. Hack begs for everyone to stop fighting and tells them that Unus is dying! Karnak places his hands on Unus’ force field, offering his help. Hub smiles it’s okay now, noticing that Unus’ force field is already shutting off again. Hack thinks he knows why: it’s because Unus is dead. Shola is freaked out by this. He never really liked Unus, but wouldn’t have wished him to die like this. With Black Bolt standing behind her, Medusa apologizes for what happened, but thinks the former mutants now know why the Terrigen Mists never should be used on humans. They’ve got to have them back. Magneto meets up with them, and explains to the Inhumans that the crystals are gone. Medusa asks Magneto where he has taken them. Magneto states he has no use for the crystals, as he has seen what the Terrigen Mists do to his people. He would return them to the Inhumans if he could. He explains that there are soldiers here, and that they took the crystals with them. Gorgon wants to know what kind of soldiers were there. Magneto informs it were Americans, who looked like some kind of special forces. When Crystal asks Magneto if he has seen Luna, he explains to Crystal that Lockjaw took her along with Pietro. Crystal asks if her daughter is all right, which Eric confirms. Medusa states that if the Mists are no longer on Genosha, their quarrel with Magneto is over. Gorgon, however, wants to know where the soldiers are now. Suddenly, Lazer and his troops stand right behind the Inhumans and the others! Lazer thinks they are dealing with an invasion force, however Magneto reminds Lazer that this isn’t U.S. territory, and thinks he could ask Lazer the same question. Lazer corrects he was talking about an invasion of Earth. Medusa explains they are on a diplomatic mission, and are simply there to retrieve stolen cultural artifacts. One of the soldiers finds the body of the dead Unus, and informs Lazer about this. Lazer jokes the Inhumans have a strange idea of diplomacy. Medusa explains Unus died as a result of his illicit use of the Terrigen crystals. Lazer believes the crystals sound dangerous. Medusa confirms the Mists are just that, but only in the wrong hands. That’s why they demand the crystal’s immediate return. Lazer refuses to give the crystals back, proclaiming they are now in the custody of the Office of National Emergency. He can’t release the Mists without presidential authority. In that case, Medusa suggests Lazer gets just that, and quick. First, Lazer wants his men to escort the former mutants away from Genosha, noticing they need medical attention. Shola refuses to go. Lazer doesn’t want to be argued with. He promises they’ll take them all to the same hospital that is treating their friend Callisto. Wicked believes they should go, telling Shola there’s noting on Genosha for them anymore. Purge also agrees, looking at how his power is out of control. He feels bad. Medusa agrees for Lazer to take the kids, as they have no further dispute with them. But she wants to know Lazer’s answer: will he return the crystals to them? Lazer mentions he’ll contact the president’s office, and the Inhumans will have their answer shortly. Soon afterward... One of the soldiers informs Lazer they’ve got confirmation from U.S.S. Kilgore, that an F-16 has just taken off with the container on board. Lazer thinks they better go give the high-and-mighty Inhumans their answer. The president refuses to give them the crystals back! Lazer explains that the president considers the crystals a threat to national security, and they will remain in United States custody. He asks the Inhumans if they’ll agree to return to Attilan now. Medusa sees Black Bolt thinking about it, and tells the soldiers they’ll have their answer shortly. Black Bolt goes to stand on a hill to think things over. Lazer becomes impatient and wants to know what Black Bolt is waiting for, however the soldiers remind Lazer he knows they wouldn’t stand a chance in a firefight with the Inhumans. Lazer tells the soldiers Black Bolt is a head of state on foreign soil. He knows he isn’t going to commit an act of aggression against representatives of the U.S.A. Another soldier sees the Inhumans leaving in another ship. Lazer is surprised they’re actually leaving. “Oh my God”, Lazer realizes. “Black Bolt’s answer!” He immediately orders his troops to scramble the choppers and to evacuate immediately. Black Bolt, looking at the helicopters, quietly whispers the word “war.” On that moment, the helicopters explode, immediately killing the soldiers within! The nearby environment is also devastate by the blast. Lazer, himself, however, has survived the explosions, and walks away. Black Bolt looks down dejectedly, not too happy about this. Nearby, Magneto crawls out of some ruins. It starts to rain. Magneto stares disappointed in front of him. California... Luna stays behind on the beach, and Pietro searches his rooms for the crystals. He looks outside, and sees Luna and Lockjaw sitting next to each other. Pietro realizes what he must do. He goes outside, and lies to Luna that the crystals will be ready in a little while. She just needs to be patient. Luna agrees. Pietro whispers to Lockjaw that he has to take Luna back to her mother. Lockjaw understands. He goes to stand behind Luna and, as her eyes glow, he grabs her. Lockjaw starts teleporting away, and Luna starts to panic. She doesn’t want to leave her dad behind. But, before Lockjaw teleports them away, Luna’s final words to Pietro are that she loves him. Left behind all alone, Pietro stares sad at the ocean. New York, the Baxter Building... Crystal asks about Luna, who sits behind her in a chair, staring outside the window. Reed explains that Luna is half-Inhuman, and was repeatedly exposed to the Mists. He thinks the Inhumans’ own healers will be better equipped to help her, and tells Crystal they should return Luna to Attilan at once. Crystal walks over to her daughter, and tells her they need to go now. Luna feels sad and thinks her dad send her away. She and her mom hug, with Crystal correcting Luna that Pietro actually sent her back. The Fantastic Four all watch the Inhumans leave in their ship. Reed wishes Medusa well, and can only hope this mess can be cleared up. It’s hard to believe that their two nations could go to war over so little. Medusa corrects that for the Inhumans, the situation isn’t so little. Wars have been wage for far less. She promises that if the crystals are returned to them, the war can be ended. Reed is afraid they will all have difficult choices to make in the months ahead. In that case, Medusa can only pray that Reed will follow his heart and that the next time they meet, it won’t be as enemies. The Inhumans take off and return home. Epilogue... Some time later, Quicksilver, wearing a coat over his costume, walks through a city. He looks around himself and is surprised at how peaceful the world seems to be. It’s hard to believe that so much chaos is on its way. But the future he has seen cannot be changed. He accepts that. Pietro Maximoff realizes he is still the son of Magneto, and will have his place in the world. He walks over to a man sitting on a bench, who acts like he’s trying to chop off his hands. Pietro thinks the man used to be a mutant. The man tries to pretend that he isn’t. He dives into the pocket of his pants, saying he’s got a card in there somewhere. He asks Pietro if he’s from the shelter, and wonders if he got lost. Pietro touches the man’s face with his hands, which start to glow. The man becomes scared and asks Pietro what he’s doing. Quicksilver explains he’s giving the man back what he has lost. He’s showing him the way. The man’s skin starts turning grey, and black patches get formed around his eyes. One of his hands turns into a scythe, and a mutant’s powers have been restored! Quicksilver continues his route, and states that, if he cannot change the future... he shall embrace it.
Luna shouts at General Lazer and his soldiers, who shot her father in the back. This confirms what she always heard from her cousin, Gorgon: that humans aren’t real warriors. One of the soldiers reads that it looks like Luna has powers and asks if he should take her out as well. Luna, with glowing eyes, hears that the soldier is afraid of her and stares at him. The soldier looks Luna in her eyes, and freaks out. He states he isn’t afraid of her at all, and on his knees begs for forgiveness and doesn’t want to be hurt.
Medusa tells the combatants that this battle is futile, explaining the Inhumans simply want what is theirs. Unus mocks that, in that case, the Inhumans should have asked nicely because they are on Genosha now, which is his land. He attacks Karnak, who tries to hit him, but misses. Unus grins that his full name is “Unus the Untouchable.” Karnak continues to try to hit him, but Unus simply doesn’t get hurt. Karnak thinks this is impossible, saying that no barrier is without a flaw, and that no shield is unbreakable.
While soldiers help the big Freakshow into a helicopter, the others take goodbye from Magneto. Shola asks Magneto if he’ll leave with them. Magneto refuses to leave the only home he has. Wicked states that Genosha is their home as well, and promises they’ll soon be back. They all step into helicopters as well, which take off.
Quicksilver, Luna and Lockjaw arrive back at Pietro’s beach house. Pietro tells Luna it’s all right, as they are safe now, but Luna wants to go back for the crystals. Luna angrily punches Lockjaw in his face for leaving the crystals behind. Pietro tries to calm her down, but Luna wants to go back as she feels sick. Pietro tells Luna to listen to him: there are crystals here, as he kept enough for the two of them. Luna asks her dad to hurry back.
Reed tells Medusa this is the last time he’ll intercept official messages for her. Now that Black Bolt has made a declaration of war against America, he can’t do this anymore. Medusa understands, and asks Reed what he has learned. Reed explains it looks like the Genoshan’s powers have faded. Callisto and the others are no longer mutants. It seems the effects of the Terrigen Mists on them were temporary.
Quicksilver doesn’t know how long he has been in his room. It could have been days, weeks... or months. He has continuously been inhaling the sacred Mists of Terrigen. He has had no other sustenance, only the Mists. Their power is his own now. Pietro has made a decision. He shall travel into the future, further than he has ever gone before. All the way. He has to see. He has to konw what he has done. Pietro travels into the future, and can see nothing but a big fire around him, which also has a weird glow.
Overview:
Quicksilver is shocked to find an alternate, older version of himself waiting for him in his room, and demands to know what this is all about. The other Pietro smiles he knows it’s disorienting to come face-to-face with yourself. He adds that Pietro’s first thought must be he passed out in the cavern and that all this is a dream. “No,” the real Pietro says, “this feels...”. “Too real,” the other Pietro adds. He jokes that maybe he’s an Inhuman, one who has the ability to mimic his form. But he knows exactly what Pietro is thinking, so that makes him also a mind reader. He claims the truth is simpler. He knows what Pietro is thinking because he remembers it!
Pietro asks his older self what he is saying. The older Pietro explains they didn’t fail. The process of Terrigenesis restored their speed, but in a different form: “Time travel,” the older Pietro devilishly grins. The real Pietro asks if that means his other self has traveled there from the future. He hasn’t. The other Pietro explains they can only travel forward in time. At this moment, every atom in Pietro’s body is vibrating so quickly that he has been shifted out of synch with the space-time continuum. That means the real Pietro has travaled here from the other version’s past. Fourteen days to be exact. Pietro doesn’t buy that, because his other version looks so different.
The other Pietro admits he doesn’t look at his best, but mentions time travel can have a debilitating effect. He’s confident Pietro will find that out soon enough. The other version wants Pietro to listen carefully to what he is about to say. He reveals Pietro’s time here at the other universe is limited. He has moved through time, but is still anchored to his present. For a short while Pietro can remain here in his future, as if running on the spot, but when he tires, he will be pulled back to the past, to the precise moment he left. That will happen in a few minutes. He continues to say that Pietro will return to the night they entered the cavern. The guard they attacked has been found, and their presence in the cavern is detected. At this moment, the alarm is being sounded.
Pietro fears that means he will be discovered. “No,” the older Pietro smiles. Quicksilver will return to the exact moment he left, but to this location. And when Pietro goes back, he will find himself here, in their room. Pietro will respond to the alarm, join the crowd rushing towards the cavern. He will make himself noticed to establish an alibi. Pietro asks what happens then. He wonders what the use of this ability has, and what effect it has on... both of them. The other Pietro mentions that a single exposure to the Mists was not enough. They have to find a way to access the cavern again.
Quicksilver says this isn’t easy and needs to be sure this is all real. The other Pietro understands. Pietro touches his other self’s chest. The other Pietro smiles that the sensation of déjà vu is quite extraordinary. Pietro feels as if he has stepped outside of himself. He wants to know if they are two people or one. Pietro stares at his hands and feels strange. The other Pietro explains that’s because Pietro is about to leave. But before Pietro leaves, he has to take something with him. It’s important. Pietro is handed over the glowing red stone, the sculpture Luna gave him earlier. Pietro takes the stone, and asks his other self if there’s something he needs to know, why he doesn’t just tell him. Pietro vanishes and, after his younger self is gone, the other Pietro grins it’s because he didn’t.
Shortly afterwards...
Pietro emerges back into his room, and can hear the alarm going off. He looks at Luna’s stone he stored on a bookshelf, and remembers what Luna said to him when she first gave the stone to him, that “it’s the only one like it.” Pietro places the stone he received from his older self next to the one he got from Luna, and can’t help but wonder what would happen if he didn’t join the crowd and remained in his room.
But, Pietro does go outside and stops a man walking among a panicking crowd, asking what’s happening. The Inhuman explains the alarm from the sacred cavern is going off, which is strange, because it never sounded before! All of the Inhumans sense an imbalance in the ambience of the crystals.
After thoroughly searching through the Terrigen caves, the Maledicta twins bow ashamed before their king. They beg for forgiveness but, they say, if the sanctity of the Mists has been violated, that means the desecrator has evaded them. Medusa asks Crystal where her husband is. Crystal can see Pietro standing in the crowd, which means it couldn’t have been him. Medusa can see Pietro as well, and hopes her sister is right about that. Among the crowd, Videmus is using his powers to tap onto each Inhuman’s mind to discover the culprit.
Later, at Quicksilver’s room...
Crystal asks her husband if it was him who entered the room. Pietro doesn’t see how Crystal can even ask that question. Crystal gently places her fingers on Pietro’s lips, not certain if he has changed too much or too little. Pietro removes her hand, and asks Crystal if there is a chance for them. Crystal admits she thought so, but now isn’t sure. She mentions that Medusa has asked her to inform him that in the future, Pietro will be accompanied at all times when he leaves this apartment.
As Crystal leaves, Pietro mocks to himself he won’t be turned into a prisoner. He touches his head, wondering how time travel works. He did it before by instinct, and now is determined to learn to control it. He recalls his other version said something about his every atom of his whole body vibrating. He wonders if he could visualize time rushing past, by making hours pass like seconds. Pietro moves really fast forward in time, and again meets up with his other self, who was already waiting for him!
Pietro asks his other self what day it is now. The other version smiles it’s eight days in Pietro’s future. The two Pietros realize they can take objects with them through time, but they can only be inorganic, nothing that lives. They can take Luna’s crystal, but not when they are being watched. The other Quicksilver believes they must leave Attilan and return to Earth. The real Pietro isn’t sure about that. The other Pietro informs his younger self that six days from now, he will come meet him again and he will be ready that day. Then, Pietro will know what to do. They will get the crystals. The other Pietro knows about this because he has already seen it happening. They will take the crystals back to Earth and then they can start to undo this mess. They’ll restore all the mutants who lost their powers, and give them back what Wanda took from them.
The real Pietro wonders about Luna. He’s not going to repeat their father’s mistake. He will not leave Luna again. The older version tells Pietro he’s going to talk to his daughter. He’s going to ask Luna to return to Earth with him. Pietro wants to know what she will say. The older version simply replies Pietro will find out soon enough. Pietro wants to take the red crystal back, but before he can, the older version reminds Pietro not to worry about Jolen, as he has dealt with him. The real Pietro doesn’t even know who Jolen is.
Seven days earlier, the home of Crystal Maximoff...
One of the Maledicta twins drops Quicksilver off at Crystal’s home, but reminds him he will be waiting for him here. A female guard opens the doors, and tells Pietro her highness is in the gardens, and suggests to announce his arrival. Pietro tells the guard there’s no need for that, as he will find her. He finds Crystal in her beautiful garden, talking to another man. Pietro hides behind a tree to spy on them.
Crystal compliments her gardener, Jolen, that he has worked wonders with this garden. It looks like an entirely new species. Jolen admits it is just that, and takes a red flower from a tree, which he named after Crystal. He places the flower in Crystalia Amaquelin’s hair, saying that she earns the most beautiful plant in Attilan, as she is its most beautiful woman.
Pietro angrily runs towards the two, demanding that Jolen takes his hands off his wife! Both Jolen and Crystal are shocked to see Pietro. Quicksilver smacks Jolen in his face and Crystal begs him to stop this. Jolen falls on the ground, bleeding. Pietro grabs him by the throat, but Jolen tells Pietro he just made a mistake. He betrayed his bestial nature, declaring that means like a wayward beast, Pietro must be crushed. Jolen uses his powers to control the plans and has vines trap Pietro, crushing his bones. Jolen informs Pietro that he mustn’t waste energy struggling to escape, because that won’t work. Pietro isn’t sure about that.
Crystal asks Jolen to release her husband and he does so, and apologizes for this. Crystal says it’s okay, as the fault wasn’t his. Pietro promises Jolen he will see him later. That’s just fine by Jolen, who will be ready at any time. Crystal tells Pietro he probably now sees why they can never be together... because of his ridiculous, childish jealousy! Pietro thinks he has good reason to be jealous, as Crystal has betrayed him before. He will not be humiliated by her affairs. Crystal becomes angry, thinking she feels something for that “boy,” Jolen. Pietro calmly takes the flower out of Crystal’s hair and crushes it, trying to make a point. Crystal angrily reminds Pietro he doesn’t own her. He never has, and never will. She goes back inside her home, and leaves Pietro alone.
Two days later...
Quicksilver sees Luna playing with Lockjaw in her room, and tells her it made him very happy seeing her again. Luna feels good about it too, but sees her dad is looking sad again. Pietro sits on his knees, and tells Luna he may have to return to Earth soon. Luna thought her dad was here to stay. Pietro doesn’t want to leave Luna, but there are reasons. Things he claims Luna is too young to understand. Luna doesn’t want Pietro to go.
Pietro asks Luna what she would say if he asked her to come with him. Luna doesn’t think her mom would ever allow it, to which. Pietro doesn’t think they need to tell Crystal. Luna doesn’t think there’s any way they could leave without her mother knowing about it. Pietro wonders if Lockjaw does what Luna tells him to do. Luna smiles he does, because she’s the only one who plays with the dog. The others just use him to go places. She hugs Lockjaw, glad that he will do anything she says. Pietro asks Luna if she’s absolutely certain about that. Luna is, and realizes what her dad is thinking off. Pietro gently touches Luna’s head, telling her she doesn’t need to decide yet. They can talk again later. But, he does remind Luna, she mustn’t talk about this to anyone. She asks Luna if she understands what he is saying. Luna just quietly stares at her dad.
Nine days later...
Pietro has shifted into time again, and thinks he’s getting better at this. The older version thinks Pietro is getting good enough, and informs him they’ll do it tonight. He doesn’t want to wait any longer. He has everything they need: tools and a container for the crystals. He mentions that Videmus has been very generous, and their ever-present shadow, Goran, never sees a thing. The older version does feel sorry for Goran. He asks the real Pietro to listen carefully. He wants Pietro to go back to his present and rest. When he’s strong enough, he has to jump forward as far as he can beyond the time when they’ve left Attilan for Earth. He’ll do the same and meet Pietro at the cavern.
Quicksilver worries about the guards, as they can’t be seen. The other version promises he’ll take care of it. It’s less complicated if his younger version doesn’t know about it. He just wants Pietro to be ready, and bring a golden knife with him. Pietro gets a bit scared, not understanding what the knife will be used for. The older version confidently promises Pietro he doesn’t have to worry, as it will be all right.
Twelve days later...
Pietro, holding the golden knife in his hands, enters the caverns and meets his older version around a corner. Pietro doesn’t think this makes any sense, believing he doesn’t need to be here. The older version tells Pietro he can trust him, and that it has to be like this. He wants Pietro to wait here. He enters the caves.
Goran spots the real Quicksilver and holds his sword ready for action. He knew something wasn’t right! Pietro asks Goran to stay back, as he doesn’t want to do this. Goran refuses, but before he can say anything else, Pietro stabs his knife through Goran’s chest!
Meanwhile, the older Pietro dives into the pool where the Terrigen Mists are stored in, and secrets some of it inside his container. The older versions steps a few minutes back in time, right before Goran discovered the real Pietro. The older version sees Pietro stabbing Goran, and mourning his death. On that moment, the real Pietro sees his older self and realizes his other self knew about this. He wants to know why he wasn’t told about this. The older version doesn’t think it would have made any difference. This is the way it always happens.
Eleven days earlier...
Quicksilver, carrying the container over his shoulder, tells Goran he’s taking a gift to his daughter. He doesn’t think that really needs his attention. Goran apologizes for it, but he’s just doing his duty. Pietro thinks Goran’s duty will be the death of him. Pietro opens a door and asks his daughter if she’s ready to leave. Luna is surprised today is the day they are going to Earth. Pietro explains to Luna they don’t want to worry her mother. He has Luna write a letter saying that she’s happy to go with him and that he promises to send Luna back whenever she wants.
Luna has Lockjaw teleport them all to Earth, but still believes her mother is going to be mad at them.
A few moments later...
Luna, Pietro and Lockjaw land in a dark alley on Earth. She isn’t impressed and wonders why Earth smells so bad. Pietro wants Luna to send Lockjaw back to Attilan, but has to tell him not to bring anyone else there. Luna does what her father asks, and tells Lockjaw it’s a game, like when they play hide-and-seek. She’s hiding now and her mom mustn’t find them. Lockjow gives Luna an uncertain look, but teleports away. Pietro thinks they need to move quickly, confident Crystal will follow them, with or without Lockjaw.
A few moments later, they arrive at Pietro’s apartment, which has nothing in it but a bed and a chair. Luna wonders if they are going to stay here. Pietro knows this isn’t what Luna expected, but promises it isn’t like this everywhere. He promises they’ll go someplace better soon. Luna wants to go to the ocean. Pietro promises they will go there soon. But first, there is something he wants Luna to do. He shows her the container, which holds the Terrigen crystals. It’s the birthright the Inhumans tried to keep from her.
Luna remembers that the council said it was too dangerous for her to be exposed. Pietro’s eyes glow a bit, teaching his daughter that people lie. Luna is scared and doesn’t want to do this. Pietro opens the container and the Mists come out of it. He promises Luna she can trust him, as he would never do anything to harm her.
Overview:
Attilan, the moon…
Lockjaw is back home, but Crystal has already discovered the unwanted departure of her daughter. In a furious rage, she traps Lockjaw in her elemental powers and demands to know where Lockjaw took both Pietro and Luna. Lockjaw becomes scared and tries to run away, but Crystal won’t let him. Karnak tries to calm her down, but she can’t; not after her daughter has just been kidnapped! Medusa reminds her sister that according to Luna’s note, she left of her own free will.
Crystal doesn’t buy that: Luna is six years old! Of course she wanted to go. She knows Luna must have built up a fantasy of Earth as a wonderful, magical place, and that Pietro probably encouraged that. Medusa tells Crystal that Pietro is Luna’s father, and perhaps she should spend time with him. Crystal asks Medusa if she has seen Pietro lately. She knows something is seriously wrong with him. She thinks that maybe if Black Bolt and Medusa had children of their own, they might have some idea of what she’s feeling right now!
Black Bolt and Medusa quietly glare at Crystal. Finally, Medusa promises her sister they will contact Reed Richards and request the Fantastic Four to locate Pietro. But for now, they must ask Crystal not to pusue them. Crystal asks Medusa if that’s really herdecision. Black Bolt gives his sister-in-law a serious look, making it clear he made the decision. Medusa allows Crystal to appeal to the council if she wishes. She knows this is hard, but she’s certain Pietro loves Luna. Crystal admits that. In that case, Medusa is certain Luna is safe with him. With full confidence, Crystal mentions that being loved by Pietro... has it consequences.
Earth...
Quicksilver has the Mists return back into his container, and asks Luna how she feels. Rubbing in her eyes, Luna feels a bit... light. Her head’s going around, and her eyes feel strange. She opens them and looks at her father, however Luna is shocked when she can see Pietro in a complete blue color. Further, when he calls out her name, lots of colors appear. Luna explains she can now feel what her dad is feeling... and finds it beautiful.
Suddenly, Luna becomes frightened when she sees a black spot in Pietro’s body. Pietro can’t see it and asks Luna what it is. Luna sees something dark in her dad, which is spreading all over him. She asks Pietro if he can feel it, and if it hurts. Luna doesn’t like this, and doesn’t want to see the dark stuff anymore! She turns away from Pietro, who tries to cheer her up. He touches her shoulders, promising she doesn’t have to worry. He thinks what Luna is seeing is only scary because it’s new. He’s certain she will learn to control her powers.
Later...
Pietro and Luna have moved to a house at the ocean. Luna stands outside on the beach, wearing dark sunglasses. She stares in front of her. Pietro, holding a newspaper in his hand, walks outside his new home and meets up with his daughter. Luna asks her dad if he has been time jumping again, and if that is next week’s newspaper he’s holding. Luna wonders why her dad doesn’t just pick the jackpot instead of the little prizes. That way, they would have all the money they need.
Pietro starts reading, explaining he doesn’t want to draw attention to them. Especially not now. He reads an article about the Inhumans, which says that they have already traveled to New York and demand the return of stolen artifacts. Pietro explains to his daughter that in six days, the Inhumans will be coming for them.
Time passes. It’s night...
Luna walks back inside her home. She stops for a while, and looks behind her. She calls out the name “Lockjaw,” but sees nothing but a few big footsteps behind her, and her own as well. Deciding not to give it much thought, Luna meets up with her dad, who is sitting on his bed. She asks Pietro why he’s afraid of Black Bolt. She wonders if he did something bad when he took the Mists.
Pietro stops inhaling the Mists, and explains to Luna he had every right to take them. He knows the Mists are a natural resource, and feels Black Bolt is wrong to keep them only for the Inhumans. He’s confident the mutants who lost their powers need the Mists of Terrigen. And he’s going to give those mutants their powers back. As Luna inhales the Mists as well, Pietro informs her they will be going to Genosha.
Later, at the ruins of the island Genosha...
Callisto sits on her knees in the ruins of a house. She picks up a bone and puts it right through her hand! Though she starts to bleed, she doesn’t scream out in any pain. Suddenly, she hears a helicopter landing nearby and goes to check it out. Callisto is startled to see Quicksilver and Luna stepping out of the aircraft, and wants to know what they are doing there. Callisto explains to Luna that her grandfather has told many things about her. Luna says hello to Callisto and, as she takes off her sunglasses, asks Callisto if she can look at her.
Calissto doesn’t see why not, as everyone else does. Luna’s eyes start to glow, and when she stares at Callisto, she can see the woman’s body glowing as well. She puts her glasses back on, and thanks Callisto. Luna then informs her dad that Callisto hurts herself. Callisto admits that, and thinks it’s nice Luna got herself a super-power. She asks Pietro how his daughter is still a mutant when the rest of them aren’t. Callisto quietly stares at her hand, and sees a hole in it. She closes her fist, and calmly confirms she does hurt herself.
Almost babbling, Callisto explains to Luna she used to be special too. All of her senses were heightened. She could see in the dark, hear a leaf fall. If someone sliced a lemon half a block away, Callisto could taste it in the air. Her skin was so sensitive, and making love was... Callisto stops talking right there, not wanting to discuss that in front of the kid. She further says that, now, she feels like being wrapped in lead. She’s actually shortsighted. Callisto asks Pietro if he can believe that she thinks she’s going to need glasses. She admits she hurts herself because everything is numb... dead. She just needs to feel something.
When Luna suddenly tells Callisto that her father can give her powers back, Callisto wants to know more. A short while later, Pietro has informed Callisto about the Terrigen Mists, and suggests she inhales them. Callisto asks if Pietro’s certain this is going to work. Luna thinks that perhaps Pietro could time-jump and find out. Pietro replies he could do that, but it wouldn’t change anything. He feels Callisto must find out for herself, as she has nothing to lose. Callisto won’t pretend to understand what Pietro is talking about, but she gets the “nothing to lose” bit. She starts inhaling the Mists, and Pietro reminds her to take deep breaths. Regular deep breaths. Luna also tells Callisto not to worry about the dizzy feeling, as that always happens. Callisto stops inhaling, asking Luna if that’s so.
Not far away, Magneto stands on a balcony and holds binoculars. The device spots visitors on the island, and Magnus can’t help but wonder who would want to come here now.
Pietro asks Callisto how she’s feeling. Callisto triumphantly stands up, and feels better now: she can smell the rain coming. Her powers are back! She can’t thank Pietro enough. Pietro explains he wants to do this for everyone he... He quickly changes his phrase, saying that he wants to do this for everyone who lost their powers. If only he had more. When Callisto asks what the stuff is she inhaled, Luna explains it’s the Mists of Terrigen and that her father took them from the Inhumans. Callisto doesn’t like that idea, because she knows they shouldn’t mess with the Inhumans. Luna thinks it’s alright, believing the Inhumans don’t even know the Mists are gone.
Meanwhile on Attilan, at the chamber of Terrigan...
Goran explains to Videmus, who uses his powers on the minds of the guards to find the culprit, that it’s the Maledicta family’s duty to guard the chamber. Their family has tended this post day and night for twenty-seven generations now. Videmus mentions he’s well aware of the history of the Maledicta clan, claiming he knows more about it than Goran himself. But, Videmus also says, he is a member of the council and is ordering all of the guards to accompany him to the royal palace at once. Black Bolt has need of them.
Goran agrees to come, if the order comes from their king. The Maledicta siblings both follow Videmus and ask him what the crisis is, as the city seems peaceful. Videmus doesn’t want to hear any questions, promising Goran will learn soon enough. Goran thinks something’s wrong, and runs back inside the chamber. Videmus doesn’t want Goran to disobey him, but he ignores that and heads back inside. Goran’s brother apologizes for his sibling, but Videmus says it’s okay. What will be, will be.
Some time later at the palace of the Royal family...
The Maledicta sibling and the other guards bow before the Royal family and ask what duty their liege requires of them. Medusa doesn’t understand that, and asks why the guards are there. Videmus tells Medusa that the guards are here to arrest him for high treason. Black Bolt calmly looks at Medusa, who in turn is rather shocked by the revelation.
Shortly, back at the chamber of Terrigen...
The guards find Goran dead. Goran’s brother apologizes for not listening to him. More guards come running scared, having discovered that the caverns have been violated, and that some animal has taken tools to steal some of the crystals. Medusa asks what about the Mists themselves. The guard explains it will take many years for the crystal formations to repair themselves. He thinks unless the crystals are recovered, there will be no Terrigenesis. Gorgon angrily demands to talk to Videmus.
Back at the palace, Gorgon wants to know why, of all people, Videmus betrayed them. Medusa wants to know as well. She knows Videmus is a historian, who has no greater respect for the Inhuman traditions. She wants to know what reason he could have to do this. Gorgon wants to know the name who conspired with Videmus. Kalikya and another Inhuman enter the room, carrying a beaten up Jolen over their shoulder. He states to the Royal family Pietro was responsible for this!
Genosha...
Quicksilver asks Callisto how many mutants who have lost their powers remained on this island. Callisto isn’t sure, but thinks maybe a dozen have. He asks Callisto to find them and bring them to him, and to tell the mutants he can save them. Callisto does as told and is overjoyed. She has never felt so alive!
As she takes off, it starts to rain. But the pain feels like acid on Callisto’s skin, and she can’t bear the agony! Magneto meets up with her and asks what’s wrong. Callisto shouts that every raindrop feels like a needle in her flesh! It’s too much! The light is blinding her. She can’t stand the stench of Magneto’s sweat in the air. She can hear insects, billions of them, crawling under the ground. She can feel her nails growing! Magneto goes to sit on his knees, and asks Callisto how this happened. Callisto reveals that Magneto’s own son did this to her.
Magneto is anything but happy to hear Pietro’s name...
Overview:
The Inhumans are betrayed by one of their own. If their culture is to survive, Black Bolt must find Quicksilver. On Earth the word is out – Quicksilver is promising to restore lost powers to former mutants, and Magneto is not happy.
Issue Summary:
Genosha. Pietro remembers… Pietro remembers how everything fell apart, and Magneto hang there in mid-air in front of him, furiously shouting at him what Pietro has done in his name. On that moment, Wanda said the magic words: “no more mutants.” Magneto ended up losing his powers, just like Pietro and Wanda themselves, and their dad finally knew despair. Today, of the sixteen million who once lived on Genosha, all that remain are a few demoralized former mutants. Quicksilver has gathered these mutants around him, and explains to Wicked, Hub, Unus, Hack, Purge, Freakshow and Shola that he and Luna are offering them their powers back. All they have to do is say “yes.” It’s as simple as that. Wicked knows nothing is ever as simple as that. Hub wants to know why they are chosen, as there are millions of de-powered mutants all over the world. Unus asks Pietro where Magneto is, and if he knows what Pietro is doing. Hack thinks the discussion is stupid, and doesn’t see why they shouldn’t just trust Quicksilver. Freakshow reminds his friends that either way, they are running out of canned food. Shola recalls that Pietro told them those Mists restored his powers and asks for a demonstration. Pietro agrees to give them that. He explains that before he... changing his phrase, Pietro states that, before M-Day, he was fast. Shola smiles that they all know that. But after that certain day, Pietro states, he was no faster than anyone else. Until he was exposed to the Terrigen Mists. To himself, Pietro concludes that actually, his powers are a trick of sorts. He time-jumps an hour into the future, walks a few yards and returns to the present. He demonstrates this power to the former mutants, and makes it seem like he has quickly ran behind them. Purge is impressed at the speed. Wicked agrees to do it and inhales the Mists. Pietro explains the process will only take a few minutes. Hack asks Wicked if anything is happening. Wicked touches her head, and is thrilled when she sees her spirits are floating all around her again! Freakshow inhales the Mists next and transforms into a huge dragon. Purge gets his enhanced strength back, but Shola isn’t sure if he wants to do this. His explains his power has drawbacks. Every time he slept, he relived the death of one of the millions who died there. He thinks that, if he gets his power back, the nightmares probably return as well. Wicked tells Shola it’s his choice to make. Personally, she would think having power to knock over tall buildings is worth a little pain. Purge tries to encourage Shola to inhale the stuff. He doesn’t know what’s in those Mists, but he never felt so pumped up before! A happy Wicked shouts this is so cool, as she has missed her spirit guys. Purge jokes to Shola that he hears Wicked admitting she digs rotting dead people. While Unus inhales the Mists next, Purge thinks this is a question of attitude. He thinks Shola just has to tell himself dead people are good and that they are his friends. Pietro asks Luna if she sees it now. This is just the beginning. Soon as all the former mutants of the world will flock to him, he will restore them all. Luna takes off her sunglasses and her eyes glow. She thinks something is wrong. Wicked suddenly hears some spirits calling her a “wicked girl.” The scared girl turns around, and sees the spirits of... her parents?! Her dad wants to know why his daughter left them to die. Her mom states she always knew Wicked was a nasty, selfish little tramp. Wicked shouts she didn’t summon her parents and wants them to go back where they came from. Her dad doesn’t want his girl to tell them what to do. Wicked draws her parent’s spirits back inside her. Hack asks her if she’s okay. Wicked mentions this wasn’t supposed to happen, as she doesn’t want her parents back. Pietro tries to calm Wicked down by saying she doesn’t have to worry about the few anomalies in her restored powers. Suddenly, a voice demands that Pietro tells the mutants the truth. It’s Magneto! Magneto, holding an unconscious Callisto in his arms, wants Pietro to admit that the Mists of Terrigen aren’t a cure, but instead a curse! He informs everyone that his son Pietro has poisoned them all! Meanwhile, on Attilan, homeland of the Inhumans... Gorgon wants to know if Pietro came for the crystals, he wonders why Pietro attacked Jolen. Crystal thinks it’s because Pietro is petty and jealous and spiteful. Gorgon doesn’t understand, but Medusa doesn’t think that’s important now. Their main concern is that Pietro can apparently teleport here from Earth at will. Videmus denies that. Pietro doesn’t teleport: he simply travels through time. He reveals Pietro was exposed to the Mists several weeks ago. They restored Pietro’s speed in a new form. He stole the crystals while he was still in Attilan, by traveling through time. Pietro took them when he left with Luna. Gorgon becomes angry hearing that Pietro has had the crystals on Earth all this time, and that Videmus knew about it but didn’t say anything. Medusa tells Videmus that his king wishes to communicate with them. Videmus attaches his eyes on Black Bolt’s head, so they can telepathically communicate with another. Black Bolt wants to know why Videmus did this, because he thought that of all his subjects, he thought he knew Videmus best. In that case, Videmus says, Black Bolt knows he had the welfare of their people at heart. Black Bolt asks how that can be, as he doesn’t see what they are without Terrigenesis. He reminds Videmus he has endangered the very thing that makes them Inhuman! Videmus denies that. He tells his lord that it requires more than a chemical process to make an Inhuman. Their race was forged in the heat of conflict, and that is what made them so strong. Videmus feels that here on Earth’s moon, Black Bolt has created a sanctuary. He has made everyone safe. And what, he asks, do they do in their complacency? They eat, drink and make merry! The young Inhumans know no challenge beyond the rivalry of the sports arena. Their battle skills degenerate. Videmus fears that, soon, their culture will be as barren as this dead rock on which they are squatting. He thinks he has given their people a reason to live. Now, they will experience the exhilaration of an uncertain place. Terrigenesis is not their right; it is a privilege, which should be earned through struggle and hardship. Black Bolt asks Videmus if he thinks war is the glorious end he seeks. Videmus states he knows his lieges heart. He knows it irks him to be surrounded by pomp and opulence, that a life of ease doesn’t become him. Videmus feels he has given Black Bolt what his heart desires. Black Bolt angrily shouts at Videmus he doesn’t know him. How can he think that he would thank Videmus for this?! He demands that Videmus speaks, as he will pronounce his judgment on him. Videmus knows that Black Bolt would have him condemned for his crimes. He promises to live out his natural life in solitary confinement. And, Videmus shall never again join his mind to that of another living soul, nor see again through another’s eyes. He accepts Black Bolt’s decree. Videmus takes his eyes back, and now can see nothing but black, cold space. Gorgon thinks Black Bolt is too merciful, and knows Videmus deserves death. Medusa tells Gorgon he is wrong about that. There is no mercy in Black Bolt’s judgment. As the guards take Videmus away, Crystal asks her cousins, if it isn’t too much trouble, if they will perhaps now help her find her daughter. Genosha... Magneto angrily slaps Pietro in his face, demanding that he stays away from her. Pietro doesn’t take that slap as a surprise. After all, the last time they met, his dad tried to kill him. Only this time, Pietro grins, his dad isn’t Lord Magneto. He is just a man. While Pietro is so much more. Pietro stands still, and reminds himself he has done this before with Jolen. He simply time-jumps thirty seconds into the future. Then he does it again, each time stopping at the same point in time, until two other versions of him appear to help out. All the Quicksilvers attack Magneto at once, who doesn’t understand what his son is doing. The Pietros all hit Magneto in his face, shouting at him that they owe their father this a hundred times over! Luna begs her dad to stop hurting her grandpa. Shola agrees with the little girl. He doesn’t know what Pietro’s problem is, but he says Magneto has had enough. Pietro shouts that all he ever wanted to do was please his dad, but he barely acknowledge his existence! But he thinks that, now, Magneto has noticed him! Luna touches Magneto’s head. She can feel that he isn’t a bad person. He is just very sad. She glides her fingers through Magneto’s hair and sees lots of beautiful colors in him. Luna thinks she can help her grandpa out by taking away the sadness. Magneto wakes up and pushes Luna away from her, wanting her out of his head! Luna says she was only trying to help. Magneto doesn’t want his ability to feel taken away from him! He knows Luna was shutting down parts of his mind. He doesn’t want her to do that to anyone. Luna wonders if that means she can’t use her powers. All of the Pietros tell Luna not to listen to Magneto. He explains she only has had her powers for a short while and is certain she will learn to use them without harming anyone. Magneto is shocked to discover Luna’s powers came from the Mists, and that Pietro used them on his own daughter. He can’t believe what kind of a monster his son has become. Quicksilver becomes furious, and doesn’t want Magneto, of all people, to tell him how to raise his child. He demands that Magneto gets out of here and crawls back into whatever rat hole he has been hiding in. He swears that if he ever sees Magneto again, he’ll kill him. Luna starts to cry and begs her dad to please not fight. Magneto agrees to leave, but only for the child’s sake. He just wants Pietro to promise he’ll take care of Callisto. He has to bring her to the mainland, as she needs to be in a hospital. A day later, at the Baxter Building in New York, home to the Fantastic Four... Medusa thinks Luna must be on Genosha as well. Ben recalls that they may have kind of butted heads with Quicksilver a few times in the past, but he’s confident he would never hurt Luna. Johnny tells Crystal he agrees with that. Crystal thanks Johnny for that, and hopes that he is right. Johnny smiles at her. Reed mentions he should warn the Inhumans their intel comes from communications between the Seychelles and the White House. He wouldn’t normally eavesdrop on the government, but this case is different. Medusa tells Reed Black Bolt understands and appreciates the FF’s friendship. All the Inhumans do. Reed admits that the point is that they aren’t the only ones knowing what’s going on in Genosha. At the same time, at the Office of National Emergency, at the Pentagon in Washington DC... Back to Genosha, where... Not far away from them, Lockjaw stands alone, and howls. Karnak continues to explain that the other person seems to be jumping randomly every few seconds, and just joined the group in the buildings they can see in front of them. Inside one of the buildings, Hub teleports back to her teammates. She falls on the ground, and Wicked asks her if she’s alright and where she has been. When Hack asks if Hub succeeded in bringing Callisto to a hospital, Hub confirms and guesses Callisto is in good hands. But it’s taken her close to twenty-four hours to get back there. Her internal radar is definitely on the blink. She reveals that, in her last attempt to teleport back there, she ended up in the middle of the ocean, about thirty yards down. She knows if she had sunk any deeper, she would have blanked out. Wicked calls that totally dangerous. Hub tries to dry her hair, and agrees with what Wicked just said. Hack guesses Hub’s radar will come back eventually. When Hub then asks how things are going, Wicked is ashamed to say things aren’t so good. Freakshow isn’t talking, and Hack thinks the poor guy is stuck in his monstrous form now. Shola has been acting weird as well. He woke up screaming last night, and Hack thinks Shola’s nightmares are back. Nearby, an exhausted Shola desperately tries to stay awake, in order avoid the nightmares. Pietro isn’t with them right now, and sometimes just disappears. He literally... disappears. And when the guy comes back, he just walks in like nothing happened. Purge is creeped out by Quicksilver. They all look at Luna, who keeps inhaling the Mists. Hack mentions that he heard Pietro talking about giving them all a second hit. He figures it will fix the glitches with their powers. Suddenly, a large shadow appears above the youngsters. It’s an attacking Black Bolt! The Inhumans follow after their king and surround them. Crystal demands to know where her daughter, Luna, is. An angry Gorgon is eager to fight Pietro. Wicked asks her friends what they are going to do about this. Shola appears, and is certain the Inhumans will take back the Mists. Freakshow hears that and doesn’t like it, fearing that means he’ll stay trapped in his current ugly form. The kids open fire on the Inhumans, and the battle quickly rages on. Pietro grabs Luna and tells her they need to leave. The two run away, and don’t notice they are being watched by Lazer and his troops. Lazer orders one of his agents to take Quicksilver out, and Pietro gets shot! He falls on the ground, dropping the container holding the Mists. Luna panics, but Lazer meets up with her and tells her it’s okay: they are Americans. Luna can’t believe they just hurt her father. She takes off her sunglasses and, with glowing eyes, stares at Lazer, promising he’s going to be sorry he just did that.
He explains the island state was once home to millions of mutants. This is where his father’s dream of power became reality, until Cassandra Nova, the evil twin sister to Professor Xavier, unleashed the Sentinels, and the dream was trampled beneath their iron feet. Pietro and Wanda gave Magneto his dream back. For a while, Genosha was the glittering jewel in the crown of their dad’s mutant empire. It was Pietro’s gift to him, and he threw it back in son’s face.
A heavily beaten up Jolen reveals to the Royal family that it was Pietro who murdered Goran and stole the Terrigen Mists. Medusa wonders how that’s possible, as Pietro went back to Earth ten days ago. How could he return there without their knowledge? Jolen says that Pietro has his powers again, but not just the speed. He can reproduce himself. He explains that, while Quicksilver was fighting him, there were three Pietro present! The three Pietro attacked without warning and beat Jolen up. Then, they vanished.
Luna happily runs towards her grandfather, and Pietro can’t stop her. Magneto is glad to see Luna again after all this time. When she wonders aloud what’s wrong with Callisto, Magneto explains to his granddaughter that Callisto told him that Pietro restored her mutant powers, but that it was different. Her senses became too acute. She couldn’t stand the pain, so she shut it out. Now, Callisto has gone into a deep coma. Pietro wants to take a closer look at Callisto, as she was fine when she left him.
Reed explains to his team and the Inhumans that sometime yesterday, the former mutant Callisto was taken to the Victoria Hospital on Mahé Island in the Seychelles. She was teleported into the middle of downtown traffic by the Genoshan mutant Hub. Hub later told him that Callisto lost her powers on M-Day, but regained them in an extreme form after being exposed by what Hub described as “a DNA-altering drug.” Reed’s guess is that the Inhumans will find Pietro and the stolen crystals on Genosha.
General Lazer finds it hard to believe they are dealing with a DNA-altering drug. One of his co-workers confirms it’s actually that. But the guy has learned that the president is concerned. He explains they have been moving towards a position where the mutant situation was becoming controllable. The president fears that, if mutants are recovering their powers, it would be considered as a setback. The man adds that the situation in Genosha introduces an unknown factor, and the president would like that factor to be contained. Lazer totally agrees. He orders to scramble the ground troops; meaning squads Delta and Gamma. And, Lazer wants his jet prepared for takeoff. He will be leading this mission personally.
Karnak reads on the scanner he received from Reed that the device is picking up two major groups and a number of solitary life forms. It discovers two individuals who appear to be teleporting, and one of them is too big to be human.
