Alt 928, Part 6: One Nation Under Doom

Grade: B

This is one of those crossover events in name only. Dr. Doom becomes president of the United States in a storyline that pits him against the mega-corporations. The X-Men 2099 title is largely left alone. The tie-in comes from Doom's desire to put an end to the red-market (traders of pain and other decadent perversions). His Minister of Humanity, Morphine Somers, resurrects Junkpile to deal the Theatre of Pain which is exactly where the X-Men are headed anyway. What a coincidence!

The real impact of this story (other than finally dealing with the Theatre of Pain) is Halo City. One of Doom's final acts as president is to reveal that he had secretly created a haven for mutants. The X-Men accept positions as the city's protectorates.

Samantha liked the fact that the X-Men finally get back together. It is much better to follow a single strong story than a series of unconnected stories that made the title feel more like an anthology than a team book.

[3-Stars] 22 - "Gauntlet of Pain!" Xi'an Chi Xan is about to confirm his place in the Theatre of Pain, but he decides that it is too much of a cult. He chooses to walk out, but Brimstone Love has other plans. The leader of the dark cabal tests Xi'an taking his new recruit through a tough mental journey forcing Xi'an to face his own tortured past.

[3-Stars] 23 - "Junkpile: Agent of Shield" President Doom and Morphine Somers bring back Junkpile and make him an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with full autonomy to enforce Doom's law. His first assignment is to shut down the Theatre of Pain. Tim, Shakti and La Lunática infiltrate the Theatre of Pain to save (or at least deal with) Xi'an Chi Xan. They enter the Floodgate Bio Resource Processing Center where two other mutants, Quiver and Sham, attempt their own escape.

[3-Stars] 24 - "Twitch and Writhe" A gamma bomb is detonated (Hulk 2099) with the resulting earthquake and aftershocks felt at the Theatre of Pain's Floodgate Bio Resources Processing Center. Quiver and Sham effect their escape in the chaos while Tim and La Lunática face off against the Theatre's deadly Norn Sisters. Meanstreak and Krystalin convince Bloodhawk to join them in an attempt to reach and help the X-Men save Xi'an Chi Xan. They may be too late as Shakti watches in horror as Xi'an prepares to unleash the Mindfire Machine (powered by a comatose Master Zhao) against thousands of people in his grand bid to join the Theatre of Pain.

[3-Stars] 25 - "Final Curtain" The X-Men are reunited as they take on Theatre of Pain to save their former leader, Xi'an Chi Xan.