X-Men '97

As we await more details out of Paris,

we take a look back on another life cut short,

Professor Charles Xavier.

The mutant leader's assassination last year

by former NSA agent Henry Gyrich

has spurred increased sympathy toward mutants

despite their strange powers.

But is mankind ready to share a future

with those who science claims were born to replace us?

Experts debate this and more after the break.

The buyer's really gonna throw down 10 grand for every mutant we nab?

Says he's using them for target practice.

Please don't hurt me.

I'm Roberto da Costa, heir to the Da Costa fortune.

Name a price. Money's not an issue.

Mutie thinks it's about cash.

Funny.

What's this freak's trick?

No clue.

Kid didn't even try to use his powers.

Collared him just in case.

Hear that, mutie?

So long as that collar stays on, your powers are bye-bye.

I'm not like the ones on TV. I'm one of the good ones.

A good mutant?

Now, that is rich.

Listen, I am begging you.

I didn't ask for this, okay?

I was born this way.

Ain't that the rub?

Hmm.

Grab a Sentinel blaster and spread out!

I am Storm, mistress of the elements.

Surrender the boy or face my fury!

I ain't afraid of you, you witch.

Then you are a fool.

Huh?

Whole announcement shtick didn't go over so well, did it?

Pardon me, Bishop, for striving to resolve matters peacefully.

Real peaceful, Storm.

Keep shooting, punks.

Is it me, or did these dirtbags get upgrades?

Huh?

Boot it up, boys. X-Men are like roaches.

You see one, more are coming.

Good guy or bad guy?

Name's Cyclops. Definitely the good guy.

Hang tight.

Kid, get down.

How'd scum like you get your hands on Sentinel technology?

What? You freak shows think we wouldn't find a way to evolve, too?

Take his visor before he starts up again.

No, don't! I surrender!

Not.

Storm and Bishop could have been hurt.

We needed you out there.

You stopped the bad guys, saved the kid,

got home safe.

These beignets needed me more than you did, mon ami.

The Friends of Humanity had retrofitted Sentinel weaponry.

Do you have any idea what that means, Gambit?

Means you get to howling like a lonely kettle left on a fiery stove.

We've rodeo'd more Sentinels than I care to count.

And Storm and Bishop are made of sterner stuff than you think.

Rogue always come to Gambit's rescue.

Rogue, the Professor entrusted us

with his dream of mutant-human coexistence.

We have to stay vigilant,

no matter how good things seem out there.

The last few months have been rough,

what with the Professor being gone and all,

but, sugar, if you don't simmer down, you're gonna die of a stroke.

Rogue is right, Cyclops.

Scott, while I trust that all my students would gladly die

for my dream of a better future,

where both human and mutant live free of your total disdain for fun,

I would prefer it be avoided.

Stop being a creep, Morph.

Look like Cyclops about to have that stroke.

Maybe this help.

Remy, you could have hurt someone.

He doesn't care, Jean.

All he cares about are his stupid beignets.

I don't know who's worse, him or Wolverine.

Well, can everyone just please behave?

This is a school, after all,

and we need to be role models for our guest.

Jean's right.

That kid's our only lead

to where those extremists got their hands on Sentinel tech.

Huh?

Huh?

Huh?

Salutations and welcome.

- I'm... - Blue, very blue. Wow.

An astute observation, my boy.

Hank McCoy here.

Or if you prefer my friendly nom de guerre, Beast.

- That there at the foot of your bed is... - Name's Jubilee.

And, dude, I get it.

One day, life's fresh.

Then the next day, you're waking up

to a blue monkey singing Mozart as he tinkers with doohickies.

Simian analogies, Jubilee?

Shame on you.

And this doohickey is an elegant piece of art

capable of teleporting someone through time and space.

Bishop's bling. He's a time traveler.

Hank, how fares the boy?

Besides a cavity and layman's existential fear of metaphysics,

Mr. Da Costa here is in perfect health.

I need to go. Where's my jacket?

Tell me I didn't lose it. Super expensive.

Roberto, we can't let you go just yet.

- Oh. Right. How much? - "How much?"

For the save? I was going to pay those troops to free me, so...

You take checks?

We're more interested in the weapons those creeps had.

That giant arm was from a machine called a Sentinel.

Did your attackers say anything about where they acquired it?

Wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold up.

Today's been a day and you're coming at me with giant robot arms?

Your attackers could still be out there, child.

Should we let you leave,

they could find you and kill you.

So now you're kidnapping me?

Kidnapping?

We wanna help mutants, even arrogant yuppies like you.

Look, you're scared, Roberto. I get it.

Just give us the day to figure this out,

make sure you're safe,

and then you can go do whatever a kid like you does.

At least say there's something to do around here

besides listen to Mozart?

Hear me. Humanity's days are over.

We are nature's favored children.

Our new age begins

as we build a bright mutant future.

Video games are for nerds.

Oh, it's no game, buddy.

It's the Danger Room. It's where we train.

That's Magneto, the Professor's ex-bestie.

They had, uh, different takes on mutant-human coexistence.

So what can you do?

Fly, teleport?

Shoot gold balls from your body? That'd be weird.

But, like, he's not even real.

You would turn your back on your own?

Better show me those powers, tough guy.

Seriously, girl, get a life.

Show the lady some respect.

Oh, so scary, Jubilee. Can we stop now?

Computer, end program.

Scary enough for you, bub?

Agencies in the US, England and Madripoor have been catching rumors

of anti-mutant militias with Sentinel weaponry.

But this is the first I've heard of any confirmed reports.

How are these groups getting this tech?

You said the UN destroyed all the Sentinels.

And we did.

Oh, I guess I just imagined the big robot hand that almost took out my team.

Someone's putting this stuff out there.

Dr. Cooper, what about Bolivar Trask?

Trask's been missing ever since his inventions tried

to swap out President Kelly's brain with a Sentinel computer.

He'd need a Master Mold factory to build new Sentinels

and you X-Men destroyed the only one years ago.

Well, when cardio wraps,

maybe you can spare the calories

to go make sure he didn't build another one.

Charles Xavier was a dear friend of mine.

It's why I urged the UN Council to work with the X-Men.

A little trust, Scott.

The Professor loved to say, "Trust happens when actions meet words."

Cyclops out.

Well, this certainly explains your mood.

Yeah, it came yesterday.

You know, if he were here, the team wouldn't be shooting hoops

while slime like the Friends of Humanity

are running around with Sentinel blasters.

You're too hard on yourself, and the team.

Remember when we were young and we'd sneak down to the lake

instead of doing our Danger Room drills?

Oh, yeah. The Professor would shout,

"Your childish hijinks have cost you five demerits, young man."

And you'd say, "But, sir,

"what's the point of being an X-Man if we're not allowed to enjoy our lives?"

Whoa, whoa, I did not sound like that.

Oh, yes, you did.

You still sound like that.

Those days have been on my mind a lot lately, darling.

You and I alone. Our whole future ahead of us.

The team, they'll always be family,

but with the baby coming,

maybe it's time to think of a life beyond the X-Men?

"Beyond"? You mean leave the team? Jean.

It's like you said, Scott.

What have we been fighting for all these years

if not the chance to finally live our lives?

We were the Professor's first students.