How Not to End a Series
At least it's all over. No more Factor 3. No more "Professor X is missing!" The finale is not a total waste, and it does have some fine moments here and there, but the majority of it is almost impressively illogical and foolish. The X-Men's separate away team missions are wrapped up quickly and easily, for some reason leaving the Russians happy with the mutants and the Americans angry at them. Thomas again has things happen just so they will happen, free of any sense or logic involved: the good mutants all find their way to Factor 3's latest headquarters, the evil mutants do too, and the Changeling changes sides long enough to reveal the big: the Mutant-Master is an alien. This causes the evil mutants to fight with the good mutants and the Mutant-Master to commit suicide. Somehow, it's nowhere nearly as interesting as all that. The saving good points, though, are enough to save it from Mekano-disaster territory: the Russians grateful for the mutants with the Americans angry was a neat little point, but it's not going to help the plight of the X-Men back home; the evil mutants fighting with the good didn't come off spectacularly, but it was a nice touch; Banshee using his abilities in an intelligent way to destroy the mechanical stuff came off fairly well. The new uniforms are a bit odd, first because it seems all Jean did while at Metro College (apparently she's done with them now?) was sew uniforms for her team she vowed to leave behind, and second because they seem to be celebrating their individuality, when all this time the main thing dragging them down was their lack of unity/teamwork - too much have they been fighting individually, without cohesion, despite the inane "Maneuver Double Helix F-12 Ocher Mark 6, Warren, now! You have 6 seconds!" battle calls plaguing the first dozen or two issues. Acknowledging they are growing up, Xavier is furthering their lack of unity with new unis. A bit strange, but it's a bit of a relief seeing some versions of the uniforms that Chris Claremont will soon be doing spectacular things with, not that the original audience knew that, of course. The next part of the "Origins" saga features a feckless and newly-mutated Scott Summers fleeing from mobs of citizens, hobos, and L.A. policemen who "don't hurt" people by grabbing them, frisking them, intimidating them, and trying to strip them. The ruby quartz glasses were a nice touch, though a bit convenient that Scott gets them only days before his eye beams actually begin (having started just as portentous headaches). Still, I guess they had to start somewhere. Fred Duncan proves he isn't the brightest bulb on the tree by giving Xavier the address of someone who has run away from home ... how could that help, Fred? He isn't there! Ah, well. At least Factor Three is over - too much development for not enough payoff, and a "big reveal" that is thoroughly devoid of any intelligence and meaning. Let's start afresh, Mr. Thomas.
