Era #6, Part 11: Fatal Attractions (Part 2)

Grade: C

It is a bit more Upstart silliness. I just never really got behind the idea of a rich, spoiled mutants looking to have some fun by killing other mutants for points in an undefined game led by an omnipath. There are simply too many holes to count, not the least of which is that most of the players aren't actually all that rich or spoiled.

The Upstart story is followed by an overly sentimental story of Illyana's passing to the Legacy Virus. It is two issues of sadness and tears with no real direction or development. Colossus's reaction is saved for Uncanny X-Men #304.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #301 - "Dominion!" Trevor Fitzroy tortures the Black Queen Selene to get the attention of the Gamesmaster and the Upstarts. He wants a new target for game, and the Gamesmaster selects Forge and Mystique. The X-Men are desperate for answers to slow and cure the fatal Legacy Virus that has infected little Illyana. Storm leads the Gold Team to Dallas to ask Forge for help, but they arrive at Eagle Plaza in time to see Fitzroy's explosive assault.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #302 - "Province" Storm attempts to protect civilians from the damage caused by Fitzroy's attack on Eagle Plaza while the rest of the X-Men help Forge and Mystique against Fitzroy. It is Colossus that finally let's loose after all he has been through -- his parent's death, his brother's suicide and his sister's fatal illness.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #303 - "Motions" Kitty Pryde arrives as Professor X and Dr. MacTaggert desperately try last ditch efforts to save Illyana. They are unsuccessful, and Illyana succumbs to the Legacy Virus. Jubilee takes it particularly hard after growing close to the former New Mutant. The Gold Team returns home to hear the sad news. It is a the last straw for Colossus who simply shuts down.

[2-Stars] 24 - "Digging Deeper Between Hope and Sorrow" This slow issue continues to deal with the Illyana's loss. Gambit and Rogue attempt to enjoy a date (that isn't interrupted by any villain) and the rest of the team tries to come to grip with the tragedy.  

X-Factor #92 - "The Man Who Wasn't There" This issue is the first part of the "official" Fatal Attractions crossover. It opens with the Acolytes attacking a hospice in Virginia killing several humans. Val Cooper and government employed X-Factor are called in when one of the Acolytes, Spoor, is captured. Spoor bows to Quicksilver and agrees to lead Magneto's only son to the Acolytes' next target -- Camp Hayden. The mutant bounty hunter Random joins Quicksilver and Dr. Cooper to a the sleepy military installation with a dirty government secret. It warehouses mutant-hunting Sentinels as part of a reinvigorated "Project Wideawake" program. The rest of X-Factor disobey Val's orders not to follow, and they arrive as the Acolytes attack the base. During the fierce fighting, Fabian Cortez tries to convince Quicksilver to join the Acolytes. Val also reveals she was aware of "Project Wideawake" explaining that it was a back-up contingency if X-Factor failed.