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NEW X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES - SEASON 3, EPISODE 12 (PART 1 OF 2)

We open months ago, just after Sofia completed her transformation into War. War, having changed into her initial blue armor, sans helmet, follows behind a tired and weakened Apocalypse through the halls of their base.

APOCALYPSE: “Your training remains far from complete. You are now armed with the weapons you have earned, but you must still learn how to use them.”

SOFIA: “I believe I am already skilled with my winds. I have not forgotten anything.”

Apocalypse doesn’t doubt that, only what her imagination was previously capable of. She knew how to slice her enemies and disrupt their eardrums, but how far did she ever take that?

APOCALYPSE: “Have you ever torn the air from a man’s lungs and watched the light leave his eyes? Have you considered that with mastery over all that surrounds you, you could make the wind track the most minute of your opponents’ movements? These are the skills I will teach you.”

Sofia looks at Apocalypse from behind, in awe of him.

SOFIA: “Thank you, Lord Apocalypse.” He turns his head to glare at her. “Oh. I am sorry. I am still accepting that this is real…Father.”

APOCALYPSE, turning his head straight: “You are not the first child I have had since my first. Not by blood or by other means.”

SOFIA: “I’m not? Then where are they?”

APOCALYPSE: “Dead. Either killed or aged to dust. My genes do not guaruntee immortality. You are now the first since the original Horsemen to possess it.”

The two stop at the grand entrance to Apocalypse’s bed chambers.

SOFIA, smiling at him, now at his side: “Meaning I have plenty of time to get it right…my lord.”

APOCALYPSE, glaring back at her: “Meaning I would prefer you not going out of your way to annoy me for all eternity.”

SOFIA, playfully: “You made me permanently seventeen. Blame yourself.”

Apocalypse shuts his eyes and seethes as he has his servants open the doors and enters. Before Sofia follows…

SOFIA, still processing: “All eternity.”

Inside the bedroom, Sofia’s eyes dart around at the ornate furnishings, before Apocalypse holds something out to her.

APOCALYPSE, holding out a lightning bolt shaped sword: “The swords crafted by Isca the Unbeaten are unrivaled by any on this plain. I possess them all. I gift this one to you.”

Sofia, hands shaking, takes it and admires it. She notices that it’s different from the ones he uses; it’s much smaller. Apocalypse informs her that this sword was wielded by his wife. Her body was small, but her power was unmatched.

SOFIA: “You are sure she would want me to have it?”

APOCALYPSE: “She will decide that for herself when she meets you.”

Now then, War shouldn’t be thinking that her training will become any easier or less painful just because of his own ailments or her elevated status. Now that she is immortal, he can push her harder than ever. He will make her wish she could die. And she will thank him.

APOCALYPSE: “Are you ready?”

Sofia’s face lights up as she sheathes her new weapon.

SOFIA: “Always, Father.”

Elsewhere, a news broadcast is watched, as millions of people protest around the world against the rising threat of Mutants, not just motivated about everything else that’s happened in recent months, but two new pieces of breaking news. First, the thousands of mysterious deaths from Apocalypse’s plague having finally been tracked to have a connection to the X-gene, and second, Graydon Creed has been found dead.

Graydon’s two largest benefactors, Carlton Kilgore and Lenore Kensington, hold a press conference, surrounded by Friends of Humanity members, and with their respective son and daughter as their side. Since the news first broke forty minutes ago, the Friends of Humanity has gained thousands of new members. They will continue their work, now in honor of Graydon, and avenge his deaths at the hands of the Mutants by finding a new candidate to get America back on track.

The news reminds its viewers of where the source for this accusation is coming from, playing a clip from earlier in the morning of Lenore’s daughter, Wilhelmina, holding a kitten, crying in front of the cameras about how nice Mr. Creed was to her, and that she knows it must have been the Mutant Emma Frost who killed him; she was just meeting with him! She and her friend Kade saw her, but no one else remembers!

The TV this is being watched on is destroyed by an optic blast.

In the headmasters’ office, Cyclops and Magneto are equally pissed.

CYClOPS: “How does this keep getting worse?” He turns to Erik, his anger boiling and his fists shaking. “The news coming about Apocalypse’s plague couldn’t just have come out now by coincidence? The media must have been waiting for something like this just to drive it in.”

ERIK, scooting Scott back with his magnetism to get him out of his face: “Optics are your concern. You will figure something out. I want to know why Emma lied to us.”

Scott’s confused about what he’s talking about, but Erik tells him to not be stupid; Emma told them yesterday that neither she nor M were able to complete the assasination attempt. Scott says he isn’t stupid, he just can’t think of a single reason she would have had to lie.

ERIK: “As if that woman needs to reason.”

SCOTT, even more pissed, eyes glowing behind his sunglasses: “What was that?!”

Before the two can start fighting, Scott’s mind is telepathically soothed as Emma enters.

EMMA: “I don’t know what your problem is, Erik, but keep my name out of your mouth, hm?” She holds Scott’s hand as Erik glares at her. “If you would like to point fingers, consider aiming them toward the little twerps who miraculously avoided having their minds wiped.”

ERIK: “You are saying ten year-old children poisoned Graydon Creed?”

EMMA, narrowing her eyes: “Show of hands. Who here hasn’t had a child of that age, or younger, attempt to kill them?” Magneto can’t raise his hand. Scott smirks. “Precisely.”

Erik questions why they would do this even if they are responsible but, letting go of Scott, Emma thinks they need to table this discussion; they have to worry about their own children.

EMMA: “Our X-Men in Training are gone. All of them.”

Scott asks what she means, with Emma explaining that none of them, or Laura, are here, and from the scan she and Danielle ran, none of them ever came home last night either.

ERIK “They’re rambunctious children with high-stress lives. I’m sure they just–”

EMMA: “I’m not sensing any of them in New York, either.”

Cyclops, clenching one of his fists, exiss the office as he presses on his com.

CYCLOPS: “Danger, prep my jet.”

Emma and Magneto follow after him, wondering what he’s planning.

CYCLOPS: “I’m not losing any more people. I’m done playing games and asking questions. We’re going to have a chat with the one person who has all the answers.”

We cut to the Egyptian dessert, as four figures in the distance trudge through it. Just before we see them, it becomes clear who they are as they start talking.

PITOR: “I already told you, I do not wish to speak about it.”

KURT: “Oh come on, Pete, if anyone can understand the strange emotions of your sister dating your ex, it’s me!”

LOGAN, leading the group and sniffing the air: “You mean because you used to kiss your sister?”

KURT: “That is not what was happening!”

ORORO, clearly happy to be back with HER team: “It isn’t contrary to what transpired either.”

KURT, frustrated even Ororo is teasing: “Storm!”

PITOR: “As soon as our mission is complete, I will express my feelings as I see fit.”

ORORO: “Does that mean a painting? I hope you will be in the mood to share, little brother.”

Pitor smiles. He’ll make sure she gets to see it.

KURT: “Okay, but seriously guys, I wasn’t kissing my–”

LOGAN, cutting him off: “Shut it, Elf. I’ve got something.”

Pitor doesn’t know what he’s talking about; there’s nothing here. Ororo pulls out a device, and adds that, according to the coordinates Kitty gave her, Apocalypse’s base wasn’t far from here before its destruction.

Logan growls as he continues to sniff. He sniffs high, he sniffs low, and eventually…

LOGAN, cringing: “Slim, you idiot.” Kurt questions what Scott did. “That man thinks of everything. But he didn’t think to look underground!”

A pink light flashes and sand is blasted in their faces. The season X-Men prepare for battle, with Logan popping out his claws, Nightcrawler drawing a rapier, Ororo pulling out her knives, and Colossus transforming into his metal form.

“Welcome X-Men!”

Exodus reveals himself, floating above them as he keeps the sandstorm raging.

EXODUS: “Your timing couldn’t be more perfect. Have you come to oppose destiny or to submit?” He holds out the hand he used to steal Ororo’s powers. “Storm?”

BEAT

STORM: “I do not know if anything can be done for me.” She twirls her knives. “But you are not leaving this place with that hand. To me, my X-Men!”

Colossus and Wolverine start the fight with a Fastball Special (Classic Edition), with Pitor tossing Logan at Exodus. Exodus casually flings him away, but the X-Men quickly follow up, with Nightcrawler teleporting Colossus above Exodus’ head to smash him. Bennett reacts quickly enough to fling them away as well, but Colossus grabs his arm and throws him into the ground.

Storm and Logan rush him while he’s down, but Exodus launches a massive energy blast at them. Nightcrawler teleports them both out of the blast’s range, while Pitor lands, crashing his knees into Bennett’s chest. Exodus screams, as Colossus pumbles him, drawing blood, until Exodus blasts him away in a rage.

Even as Exodus picks himself up though, the X-Men don’t give him a moment to breathe, as Storm distracts him by throwing one of her knives and slicing his face, giving Logan the chance to move in and slash his chest. Nightcrawler returns with a badly injured but stil standing Colossus, above Exodus, ready to smash him again, but Exodus has had enough of this. The Omega-level telekinetic blasts all of them away with a gargantuan wave of TK energy in all directions.

Logan and Colossus pick themselves back up, while Ororo and Kurt are conscious, but too injured to stand.

EXODUS, enraged: “You actually thought you weaklings could come here and overcome ME?”

LOGAN, trying to get under his skin: “We were actually thinking about your boss, not you.”

COLOSSUS: “Now that we stand here though, I do like our odds.”

Exodus derides them for the fools they are. His power is unrivaled! And them? Two of them cannot even fight on their own. And the metal men are hardly a threat themselves.

Logan and Pitor are tense as they stare him down, knowing he’s right. But…

STORM, forcing herself to stand: “You presume too much, Exodus.” Bennett sneers at her. “Iceman defeated you, did he not? And you have served not one, but three masters. Your power does not seem unmatched to me.”

EXODUS: “Silence!”

STORM, smirking with her single knife at the ready: “You had to cheat to defeat me at my best. Forgive me for favoring my chances while at my worst.”

Ororo’s words get to Bennett, just like she hoped, but not in the way she expected. This depowered, arrogant woman with a blade standing up to him makes him think back to when he was first training Sofia, and become livid that he allowed her to remain such a nuisance.

Exodus screams as he unleashes another blast encompassing the entire area.

In Clan Akabba’s base, Lady Akabba walks past the cells holding Laura, Julian, Noriko, Cessily, and Roxy, not just with her usual grace, but an extra pep in her step. Death and Dust follow behind her, with Sooraya’s eyes guilty as they pass by her friends, and Akihiro assuring Sofia that they won’t wake up until she’s ready for them.

SOFIA, with absolute confidence in her voice: “Good. I don’t want them waking up in these conditions. It will send the wrong idea.” Sofia notices the look in Soo’s eyes. “Do not worry, Dust. Once they understand their place is among the strong, this will be their world as much as yours.” She giggles. “Well, a little more Hellion’s.”

Akihiro narrows his eyes.

AKIHIRO: “My lady, may we speak in private?”

Lady Akabba is quietly amused as she thinks she knows what this is about and asks Sooraya to leave them, informing her the servants will get her anything she needs.

SOORAYA: “I…thank you.”

Soo gives a small bow, before flying off as a cloud of sand. Sofia watches her depart with a smile on her face, before turning back to Akihiro to smirk at him.

SOFIA, mockingly: “Something to say?”

AKIHIRO, displeased: “I would of course never question you…but you still intend to make that boy your king?”

SOFIA: “Why wouldn’t I? I love him.”

AKIHIRO: “He may be fit, but he is hardly worthy of you. You deserve nothing less than an Omega.”

SOFIA: “If memory serves me right, the only Omega men on Earth presently are either incorporeal energy beings, gay, someone I intend to kill, or more than one of the above. That is not what I am looking for.”

AKIHIRO: “And you have just forgotten the way he betrayed you?”

SOFIA: “Love is pain, and pain is love. Besides, you all misled me. He never once slept with Surge while we were together.” Akihiro tries to speak, but she talks over him. “And just as I knew they would, they broke up on their own. So there are no problems.” She tilts her head. “Unless you wish to tell me that you are jealous.”

AKIHIRO, aghast at the prospect: “Jealous? I’ve told you before that if I wanted you, I would have you.”

SOFIA: “And you have never said why you don’t.”

Sofia shoots Akihiro a taunting grin as she strokes his muscular arm, Aki not appearing too happy about it.

EXODUS, approaching: “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.” He tosses down the unconscious bodies of Storm, Wolverine, and Colossus. “But we have a problem.”

As Lady Akabba and Death compose themselves, they have Famine explain that the X-Men were finally able to find them. He dealt with the intruders with ease, of course, but they have a little issue.

SOFIA, realizing who’s missing based on her inside knowledge: “Where is Nightcrawler?”

We cut to the Danger Room, where Escapade and Foxx are sparring. In the command room above, Kitty, while watching over her student, is also on her computer, desperately trying to track down the X-Men in training.

KITTY: “Come on. Where are you guys?”

Behind Kitty, Illyana leans against the wall, brooding, thinking about Pestillence’s offer to free her from her suffering. She shakes her head.

MAGIK: “KItty, may I ask you something?”

KITTY: “A little busy babe, but shoot.”

Illyana weakly smiles at the term of affection from her girlfriend. Before she can say anything though, Nightcrawler BAMFs in, laying heavily injured and exhausted on the floor.

KITTY: “Kurt!”

Kitty drops to the floor to check on him, and asks if he’s okay, quickly following up by asking where the others all are. Kurt tries to answer, but before he can, he passes out. Kitty and Yana share a look of concern.

We cut to a familiar large Missisippi home, where elderly Irene Adler is spreading rhubarb jam on a piece of toast. She moves calmly and precisely, before pausing. She sighs.

DESTINY: “I wish you’d knock.”

Irene’s door is blasted in by an optic beam, before Cyclops, Emma, and Magneto barge into her house.

EMMA: “Mystique isn’t here.”

ERIK: “Good. I don’t think I have the patience for that right now.”

IRENE, off-screen: “Excuse me?”

Irene crunches down on and chews her toast, before swallowing and dabbing her face with a napkin.

IRENE: “That’s my wife you’re talking about.”

EMMA: “And do you always have the patience for her?”

Irene cracks half a smirk.

IRENE: “I believe you’re the one with something to say here, Mr Summers. We can talk about it while Ms. Frost writes me a check for my door.”

Cyclops stomps up to Irene. Destiny isn’t afraid as he attempts to appear imposing, taking another bite of her toast.

SCOTT: “Where are the Horsemen? Where are they keeping our students?”

DESTINY, swallowing: “What makes you think I’ve had any visions about that? And why didn’t you come to me about them two months ago?”

SCOTT: “Your first question confirms you know what I’m talking about.”

IRENE: “And your dodging my second makes me suspect an answer.”

SCOTT: “Don’t care. You know about Lady Akabba.”

IRENE: “I do. She attempted to recruit Raven and I. Horrible young lady. Absolutely no manners.”

SCOTT: “We know. Where is she?”

IRENE: “The home that is her present, but not her future.”

ERIK: “We do not intend on allowing her to live. If you see her future, then we have already lost.”

IRENE: “Do not be such a downer, Magneto. My visions are not always accurate.”

SCOTT: “But you do see where she is.” Cyclops’ visor glows, the sound of his beams loud enough for Irene to hear. “And you’re going to tell us right now.”

Irene’s face becomes expressionless, before she sticks the last piece of her toast in her mouth. She smirks at Cyclops’ frustration as she chews.

EMMA: “I take it back, Irene. You and Mystique are perfect for one another.”

Destiny swallows.

IRENE: “I know. Just as I know that the only reason you’re breaking down my door now and weren’t knocking on it months ago is because you’re afraid.”

SCOTT: “Don’t push me.”

IRENE: “You’re not going to murder me in cold blood. That isn’t you. It’s who you’re scared you’re turning into.”

SCOTT: “Emma, get the info from her head.”

EMMA: “I’ve been trying, Darling. She’s had more than a few decades to learn to protect her mind.”

IRENE: “Well? Will you order Magneto to bring my house down on me, next?”

ERIK, pissed: “I do not take orders.”

IRENE: “Of course not. Supervillains like you and Ms. Frost are like me; you only give orders.” Scott’s blood boils and Irene enjoys watching it happen. “I know. You didn’t want to get into bed with another one. But here you are.”

A small amount of energy bubbles out of Scott’s visor, but before he can shoot…

EMMA: “She gave me the coordinates. We’ve been played. They’re underneath their original base.”

Erik is pissed enough by this revelation that multiple glass objects around the house explode. Irene remains unphased.

IRENE: “I suppose I should go clean that up. Good luck saving the world…X-Men.”

As Scott continues to pant and sweat and seethe, Emma calms his mind again, putting an arm around him and leading him out of the house, Magneto floating behind.

EMMA, telepathically: “What she was saying. It’s true then.”

SCOTT, telepathically: “Yes. I’m sorry.”

EMMA: “I don’t particularly care if I’m seen as a hero or villain. You’re getting a little old for that as well. Do you love me?”

SCOTT, without hesitation: “Yes.”

EMMA: “Then we have no problems. At least not between us.”

As they hold each other on their way to the Blackbird, the camera pans over to Magneto. Magneto calls Cannonball over his com. He needs him to bring all the teachers together, immediately.

In Clan Akabba’s base, Exodus and Malice float down a hall together. Malice groans, as she dusts her hands off, with burnt pieces of skin falling off.

EXODUS: “You’ve held this form for nearly a year, and only on the eve of our victory are you beggining to burn?”

MALICE: “I wasn’t fighting for most of that time. I was fine, but the princess and the wannabe prince were more challenging than I anticipated.”

EXODUS: “Well keep it together. You will have your new body soon enough. It would just be tragic if the X-Men arrived and we fell because of you, wouldn’t it?”

Exodus floats away from her with a smirk.

MALICE, annoyed and dusting off more burnt skin: “I’m not the one who keeps losing to them.”

Both Horsemen arrive in a chamber, away from the other prison cells, where Wanda and Pietro are shackled to the wall, with power dampening collars on them. Malice calls upon the power of Pestillence and opens the red eyes on her palms, and rips the poison out of Wanda, absorbing it back into herself.

Wanda wakes up, gasping after her extended slumber.

EXODUS: “Hello, Witch.”

Wanda’s eyes fill with rage as she takes note of her surroundings, including Pietro, and attempts to blast her way out. But nothing happens.

EXODUS: “There is no sorceress more powerful than you, Wanda Maximoff.”

MALICE: “But even you are subject to the incantation placed on this chamber to block magic.”

Wanda struggles, but soon accepts she’s trapped.

WANDA: “I was asleep. For a long time.”

MALICE: “Two months exactly, love.”

WANDA, glaring at the face of her sister: “What do you want?”

EXODUS: “It is just as the two of you discussed. Your chaos magic will break down the fabrics of reality, and resew them to form a beautiful quilt of Mutant dominated perfection.” BEAT. “Although…our specific ideas do differ from our diminutive queen’s.”

Exodus grips Wanda’s chin tightly.

EXODUS: “In the world you forge, I will rule alone as king, my rightful place as the strongest of all. And my world will have no use for humans…or for filth.”

Wanda shakes her head and Bennett lets go.

WANDA: “I’ll die first.”

MALICE: “No. You won’t.”

Exodus and Malice’s eyes both glow, and Wanda screams.

In Laura’s cell, she continues to lay unconscious. Until she suddenly jolts awake.

AKIHIRO, standing over her: “I was really hoping it wouldn’t come to this. But I guess you’ll always be your father’s daughter.”

When Laura doesn’t respond, only glaring back, Akihiro tells her they always knew what she was doing. Lady Akabba tells him everything. But still, it was fun training her while it lasted.

Laura looks away.

AKIHIRO: “I can see it, you know. You being the ultimate weapon. If you’d just let go of the idea that it’s all you’re meant to be, I’m not even sure I could stop you. You’ll never be normal. But you’ll also never be what they wanted you to be.”

Laura seethes. She then sniffs, picking something up. Laura looks back at Death.

LAURA: “And I wasn’t lying.”

Akihiro questions what she’s referring to. Laura sardonically explains that her understanding where he’s coming from wasn’t an act. If Logan really did what Akihiro said, she gets his rage.

LAURA: “But Logan’s here. I smell him.”

AKIHIRO, mockingly: “And you think I just need to hear his side of things to hug him and call him Daddy?”

LAURA: “I think I need to hear. Then I can choose which of you I kill when I’m free.”

AKIHIRO: “And what makes you think you’re ever getting free?”

LAURA: “Because…” she trails off, choked up. “Sofia may have lied about sharing my feelings. But she still loves me.” Laura forces a smirk. “And you woke me up for a reason.”

Akihiro thinks, circling his tongue around his mouth.

AKIHIRO: “I’ll think about it. For now…” With his pheremones, Akihiro puts Laura back to sleep. “There’s another brat I need to chat with.”

In a low-end, New York City bar, we catch up with Roberto, who’s cheered on as he wins a round of darts with a bullseye. He sticks out like a sore thumb in this environment, wearing a three-piece suit.

ROBERTO, blowing kisses: “Thank you! Thank you! You’re all too kind!”

His disgruntled opponent pulls out his wallet and gets the money together to pay him for their bet, but Beto assures him that isn’t necessary.

ROBERTO: “Next round is on me!”

The whole bar cheers even louder.

PATRON #1: “Doesn’t he seem to be a little too yuppy to be hanging out here?”

PATRON #2: “He kinda reminds me of those rich guys from the movies who like to kidnap and kill people.”

PATRON #3: “Both of you, shut up. He’s paying, and I’m not complaining.”

Roberto sits down in a booth, where, on his phone, he has a million missed calls and texts from Monet. Most of Monet’s texts are monosyllabic and vaguely threatening, and one of them is just a picture of her glaring at him with a raised eyebrow.

Beto rubs his forehead, as he thinks back to the ultimatum he received last episode. He buries his face in his hands.

BETO: “What would you do, Papa?”

As the door to the bar is opened, someone wearing black and red high-heels steps in. One guy hollars, only to get slapped by his friend; where does he think he is?

PATRON #3: “Hey Bobby, she a friend of yours?”

Beto picks his head up. He should have known he couldn’t hide from Monet.

Sunspot gets up, only as he does so, everyone else in the bar disappears.

BETO: “What the…?”

“I thought we could use some privacy.”

Beto’s eyes widen in horror as the woman who’s entered the bar reveals herself. Along with her black and red heels, which perfectly complement her long, flowing red hair, she wears a bright green business suit with gold shoulder-pads, a gold belt, and various gold and emerald jewelry.

JEAN, smiling sweetly: “Hello, Roberto. It’s nice to see you again.”

In the school’s medical bay, Kitty and Illyana stand by as Danger treats Kurt, with assistance from Melody Guthrie.

DANGER: “She wants to be a nurse, and began aiding me after the riot. Isn’t that sweet?”

YANA, still brooding: “Like a pony.”

Kitty is a little more supportive and gives Aero a smile and a pat on the shoulder, as Melody leaves to get something.

KITTY, sitting down next to Yana: “You still wanna talk?”

MAGIK: “Not really. Feel like I should say something though.”

KITTY, holding her hand: “What’s up?”

Yana takes a deep breath.

YANA: “How would you feel if I went away again?”

Kitty’s immediately worried by the question, and demands that she be direct with her. Magik sighs and explains that she’s just not sure what she’s really doing here. Yes, she’s with her friends, and fighting to protect Mutants but…

YANA: “The only times I’m not sad are when I’m with you.” She summons the anti-soulsword. “I’m not a demon. But I’m barely a Mutant either. My body doesn’t feel right, food doesn’t taste right. I thought I could handle being…this…but I can’t.”

Kitty’s so sorry. But she’s also really glad Yana is at least able to come out with this on her own. She used to have to practically force it out of her when she was a teenager.

KITTY: “Right now…right now, just know that, whatever you are, I love you. Because no matter what, you’re still Magik.” Yana weakly smiles. “I’m sorry we haven’t been able to do more for you. We haven’t had a chance to breathe lately. But we’re about to beat the Horsemen, and when we do, we can take the deepest breath of our lives, and save Wanda. And if it’s what you want…”

YANA: “She has the power to fix me.”

Kitty hugs Yana, promising they’ll get through this. Then maybe Yana can finally take her out on a real date.

YANA, getting red: “Me…taking you out?”

KITTY: “I know what you want.”

Yana’s face flickers between peace and distress.

“Hi Ms. Pryde!”

Kitty and Yana untangle as Foxx enters the medical bay. She heard Nightcrawler was here, and she wanted to make sure he’s okay.

FOXX: “He was one of my favorite teachers. Blue solidarity and all.”

KITTY: “That’s sweet, Foxx, but you can’t be here right now. I’ll ask Kurt to come see you later, okay?”

FOXX: “Hmm. Okay. So he hasn’t even woken up yet?”

KITTY: “Afraid not. Don’t worry, he will soon.”

FOXX, smiling: “Cool.”

As Foxx leaves, Magik asks Kitty if she’s talked to that girl about kissing Bling! yet , with Kitty replying that right now, she’s just worried about where Bling! is.

The camera follows Foxx into the hallway as she pulls out her phone and sends a text.

FOXX, texting: “Nightcrawler is unconscious. He hasn’t said anything.”

“BABY DICTATOR”: “Make sure he doesn’t.”

Foxx grins maliciously.

We cut to the past, where Apocalypse is training a newly recruited Akihiro in his arena. As the two duel, Apocalypse complements the Muramasa blade; next to his own, it is one of the finest he has seen.

Apocalypse guts Akihiro, and kicks him to the ground.

APOCALYPSE: “But its side effects are unfortunate.”

Akihiro pants as he heals, saying that the sword doesn’t change anything.

AKIHIRO: “It is as you said. Death is all I am. It is all I need to be.”

APOCALYPSE: “Correct. But being Death is something to relish. Not something to have infringed upon you.”

AKIHIRO, standing: “Listen, my lord, me and Muramasa are on the same damn page. The world is worthless, and everyone in it deserves to die.”

Apocalypse grumbles. He grabs Akihiro’s head and makes him scream, as his skin is completely covered in scars, and his eyes are gouged out.

APOCALYPSE: “You birth family. The Hand. Romulus. They have all hurt you. They have all fed your hatred. And hatred can be a powerful tool, but it is not the strongest one there is.” Apocalypse makes Akihiro scream again, reversing his last procedure. “I do not hate humanity. No more than they hate the flies they swat at. True stregnth…”

AKIHIRO, interrupting, still in pain: “Please do not say it comes from love.”

APOCALYPSE, smiling: “I could say something else. But I would be lying. Hate only drives you to kill your enemies. Love drives you to do whatever comes after.” Apocalypse tightens his grip on Akihiro, before letting go. “You have never known love.”

Akihiro doesn’t respond. Apocalypse slightly crushes his skull, prompting him to spit out that that is correct. He values his lord’s words, but he is not capable of love. Nor is he capable of being loved.

Akihiro braces himself for more pain, but Apocalypse lets him go.

APOCALYPSE: “I am not here to be your parent. You are here to serve. But I see your worth. If you persevere and prove yourself, I will grant you all that I have to offer. You will have the respect you earn. Once you know respect, from within and from others, love will come.” Apocalypse turns his back and walks away. “And when you do find one you love, show all their enemies the power of Death.”

As Apocalypse exits, Akihiro collapses, panting.

In the present, we remain in the arena, as Akihiro screams, kicking Julian into a wall. Julian wakes up, still wearing a power dampening collar, with everything aching. Seeing Death, he processes what’s going on, and stands.

JULIAN, panting: “Where…is she?”

AKIRHIO, Muramasa in hand: “You mean Lady Akabba? Visiting Lord Apocalypse. She’s about to wake him up and take over the world. Big day.”

Hellion tries to power up, but groans as he notices his collar.

AKIHIRO: “Sorry. Death fears no one, but I still wasn’t taking any chances.”

Julian gets further pissed, knowing now that this is Laura’s creepy brother. Akihiro can’t deny either part of that description.

Hellion clenches his metal fists. He knows he’s a powerless prisoner and he’s up against a Horseman. But that isn’t an excuse not to try.

Julian rushes Akihiro, who licks his lips. Death swings at Hellion’s head, but Julian barely slides underneath Muramasa, only losing a few hairs. The X-Man then jumps out of the way as Akihiro brings his sword down on him.

AKIHIRO, not seriously chasing and swinging at Julian: “You must be curious why I have you here.”

JULIAN, barely dodging despite Akihiro’s lack of care: “Nope! Just thinking about knocking your head off!”

Hellion gets kicked upside the head, launching him up into the air before he crashes back down.

AKIHIRO: “Same powers and more as your friend. It would just grow back.”

As Julian struggles to stand, Death explains to him that he wanted to have a chat. To reach an understanding before everything changes.

AKIHIRO: “For reasons I can’t fathom, Lady Akabba still loves your boyish face. And she intends to–”

JULIAN, cutting him off: “Sofia.” BEAT. “Her name is Sofia.”

AKIHIRO, grinning: “Not anymore it isn’t.” Julian attacks him, but Akihiro casually dances around his punches. “ She is Lady Akabba. War. The daughter of Apocalypse.”

Death slices an “X” across Julian’s chest,before backhanding him away. He can’t get back up this time.

AKIHIRO: “And despite what she thinks, she no longer has a use for you. You are beneath her. So if you want what’s best for her, when she offers you the opportunity to rule at her side, you will decline. And you will bear the honor of dying at her hand.”

Julian grunts, scratching his hands against the ground.

JULIAN: “What…did you do to her?”

AKIHIRO: “I only gave a push in the direction.” He presses the tip of Muramasa against Julian’s forehead, drawing blood. “Do we have an understanding?”

Julian is pissed, but forces himself to grin up at Death.

JULIAN: “I don’t know a ton about what’s going on right now…but she’s not gonna fuck you, man.”

Death is incensed. We pan away as he does something else to make Hellion scream.

Elsewhere in the base, Hellion’s screams transition into Wanda’s, as Exodus and Malice continue to psychically torture her.

EXODUS: “I don’t know what Pestillence is seeing in there. Frankly, I do not care enough to look. All that matters is the power you do not deserve.”

WANDA, still able to speak on the physical plane despite her mind being invaded by Malice: “What…are you talking about?”

EXODUS: “We Mutants were chosen by the lord. In that way, we are all special. But your connection to the chaos force was born of sheer luck. When you build my new world, it will no longer exist.”

WANDA, struggling to hold in her screams, but standing strong: “It does not matter what you do to me. I will not grant you want you seek.”

EXODUS: “What you want is irrelevant. I am the strongest. And the strong always get what they want.”

Bennett turns up the psychic torture, making Scarlet Witch scream again.

We flash back to the past.

One year ago, a nude Bennett steps out of a steamy, ornate shower. He clears the fog from his mirror with his telekinesis and begins brushing his hair and drying himself off with his telekinesis as well.

As Exodus does this, he can’t help but admire his own attractiveness. He feels and strokes his own muscles. And then imagines someone else doing the same. Turning his head, a young knight in black stands behind him, smiling innocently as he massages Exodus.

Bennett at first appears at peace. He then cringes and shouts, destroying his bathroom with a telekinetic wave.

EXODUS: “No! No. I have purged myself of this sin. I cannot fall to it now.”

“You have been fighting this battle for centuries, and still have not achieved victory.”

Exodus sneers as Apocalypse appears in his cracked mirror.

APOCALYPSE: “Are you not ready to yield?”

Exodus spins around and fires a massive energy blast at Apocalypse, destroying part of his own home. Apocalypse merely reaches his hand out to disintigeate Exodus’ attacks, as he fires a speared tentacle out of his stomach to skewer Bennett, and pull him in close to him.

EXODUS, gasping for life: “I…will kill you.”

APOCALYPSE: “Another mission you have had for centuries, and another you will never achieve.”

Apocalypse shoves Exodus off his tentacle and onto the floor.

APOCALYPSE: “You will never defeat me. Just as you will never cease to hunger for the taste of the first you killed in my name.”

Exodus shouts again, launching an energy blast aout of his bleeding mouth, but Apocalypse puts a quick stop to that as he gets on top of Bennett, mounting him, and forcefully covers his mouth with his hand.

APOCALYPSE: “I require new Horsemen. And you, my once trusted Crusader, are whom I believe to be the fittest of Mutantkind’s present crop. The rest of the world’s Mutants are weak and soft in their own ways. But you are of another world. Another time. And you were built by me.”

Apocalypse’s eyes glow back as he attacks Bennett’s mind.

APOCALYPSE: “But before I upgrade you, my creation.” Exodus struggles, but can’t do anything to get Apocalypse off of him. “I will purge you of your weaknesses.”

Bennett is completely afraid.

Back at the bar, Roberto isn’t sure what to do in the presence of Jean. Jean, however, has no fear or anxiety, and hugs Beto.

JEAN: “I’ve missed you.”

BETO, even more confused: “I guess you’re not here to blow me up then.”

JEAN, pulling back: “We didn’t get to spend much time together on the X-Men, but it was never difficult to see the gentleness in your heart.”

Jean smiles warmly, allowing Beto to breathe and smile back.

BETO: “I’m guessing the Phoenix Force isn’t just here for a social call though.”

Jean holds her arm out to be able.

JEAN: “Please. Sit.”

Beto turns his head and sees that a whole buffet of food has appeared where there was nothing moments ago.

BETO: “You really can do anything now, huh?”

JEAN: “It’s just simple molecule manipulation.” Jean sits. “And don’t worry, the other patrons are all still alive.”

BETO: “Nice to know.”

Jean asks how Beto is first. Beto cheekily responds that she probably already knows.

JEAN: “Yes. But I’m trying to not forget all of my manners.”

Sunspot gives the cliffnotes of her current position. He has no faith in Cyclops, Emma, and Magneto, something he’s sure Jean and himself are in agreement on, and is still trying to support them, while also making his own, better plans, but they’ve made clear they don’t want him if he isn’t committed.

JEAN: “Isn’t the answer simple? Aren’t you more confident in yourself than them?”

SUNSPOT: “I’m more confident in my ability to protect us. I’m not confident I’ll like who doing so makes me.”

JEAN: “Not surprising. There are many shades of Erik and Emma in your plans.” Jean consumes a steak by tapping it with her finger and absorbing it into herself. “I’m so disappointed in Magneto. I didn’t think he’d be overrun so easily by the others.” Jean snaps her fingers. “That’s not how I’m supposed to eat here.”

As Jean picks up a fork to eat a salad, Beto acknowledges their ideas aren’t all bad. The problem is the people themselves. Of course, they’re far from the worst people.

BETO: “Could you imagine what my father would have done with the power of an Omega-level Mutant?”

JEAN: “We can ask him if you’d like.”

BETO, unsure if she’s serious: “Umm…no thank you.”

JEAN, shrugging: “This is tasty. I should grow my own food more often.”

Jean tells Beto that she never knew his father, she’s only heard stories. But from what she’s seen, Beto could never be like him.

BETO: “Big words from you.”

JEAN: “They aren’t all I have for you. I was drawn here by the machinations of an old friend of yours. John Sublime.”

Beto curses in Spanish, before Jean tells him it’s fine; he’s finally dead, and she stopped what he was planning.

JEAN: “However, I wasn’t entirely successful in what I sought to do.”

BETO: “I didn’t think you could make mistakes anymore.”

JEAN: “I can’t. But I also can’t always stop others from making them.”

At the table next to theirs, Beto sees Celeste, Phoebe, and Mindee, eating in silence, with cold eyes and shaking hands.

BETO: “The Cuckoos? What happened? Why are there only–?”

He bangs the table, not even needing to finish his question to know the answer.

JEAN: “I tried to save Esme. I did. But there was nothing I could do.”

As Beto beats himself up, knowing that, whatever happened, the Cuckoos wouldn’t have even been involved if they hadn’t let the riot happen, Jean tells him not to despair.

JEAN: “I’d like to ask you for a few favors.”

In Clan Akabba’s lair, Dust knocks on the door of Sofia’s bedroom. Classical music is heard from the bedroom.

SOFIA: “Enter.”

The guards at her door open the entrance for Sooraya, who steps forward to find Sofia, seated on her bed, waving her finger along to the music.

SOORAYA: “You wished to see me, So…Lady Akabba?”

SOFIA, getting up, in a good mood: “You are a part of my inner circle, Dust. War is fine.”

War has both good news and bad news for Sooraya.

SOFIA: “Thanks to the Celestial implant I gave her, your mother just woke up, and is on the verge of a miraculous, full recovery.”

Sooraya presses her hands to her heart and says a swift prayer.

SOORAYA: “Thank you so much. May I go see her?”

Sofia’s face falls. This is where the bad news comes in.

SOFIA: “Some X-Men found us. We apprehended most of them, but Nightcrawler got away. There is a chance Cyclops and his team will come next, and before our plan is put into place.” Sooraya gets nervous, and Sofia picks up on this, floating over to her. “I will not make you fight them if you do not feel you are ready. Making you fight when you are not fit for battle would be foolish. If you would like, you may leave right now and go see your mother. I would like you at my side when I create our paradise, but it is your choice. And it is one you must make now.”

Sooraya hangs her out, taking a moment to think. Until…

SOORAYA: “May I ask a question?”

SOFIA: “Anything.”

SOORAYA, shooting Sofia a hard stare: “Did Apocalypse offer you choices like this?”

The question catches Lady Akabba off guard, but she keeps herself together.

SOFIA: “Yes. He did. Father never forced me to do anything. He only encouraged what was in my best interest.”

SOORAYA, demure, yet skeptical: “I see. And you don’t regret any of them?”

Sofia fails to maintain her composure this time, as she cringes.

We flash back to this bedroom, several months ago, where Apocalypse meditates, hovering above his bed.

While Apocalypse is trying to experience a moment of peace, it becomes clear he isn’t going to get it, as War floats behind him on her side, in a loose fitting yellow and white dress.

Apocalypse tries to ignore her as she casually flits around the room, but his frustration grows as he grumbles.

APOCALYPSE: “May I help you?”

SOFIA: “I am bored. I wish to train.”

APOCALYPSE: “I am meditating. Challenge Famine.”

SOFIA: “I don’t want to train with Famine.”

Apocalypse lets out a deep sigh, making Sofia giggle.

APOCALYPSE: “Do you know why I am meditating?”

SOFIA: “I once made a video about how it is good for your skin. But I doubt that is what this is.”

Apocalypse explains that he is attempting to heal his internal injuries, and regain some of his lost strength.

APOCALYPSE: “In my current condition, I estimate myself to possess strength similar to that of my original Horsemen. Tolerable, but not ideal.”

SOFIA, face filling with guilt: “Oh. I see.” Sofia sits down on the bed. “I won’t bother you then.”

Apocalypse returns to his meditation. But although the room is silent, Sofia’s thoughts aren’t.

APOCALYPSE: “What?”

SOFIA, exploding out of her seat: “You know what! It’s my fault you’re like this! You’re this injured and weakened because I wasn’t strong enough on my own.” Sofia shakes with guilt. “If you had never met me, no one, not the X-Men, not humanity, would have stood any chance of stopping you from achieving our dream.”

Apocalypse takes a few moments to respond.

APOCALYPSE: “Yes.”

SOFIA: “Yes?! And?!”

APOCALYPSE: “And I enjoy your company more than any I have had for the past century, so I do not regret my choice. I have faced 4,000 years of set-backs. This is just another.”

SOFIA, with a pained smile: “You really aren’t upset?”

APOCALYPSE: “I am. But I am not going to blame you for matters outside your control. I am your father, not the worm who gave you your first life.” He pauses to admire Sofia as her smile warms up. “Do you doubt that we are strong enough to destroy all who stand against us?”

SOFIA, shaking her head: “No. I do not.”

APOCALYPSE: “Then there are no problems.”

Apocalypse attempts once more to meditate, only to be hit with a burst of fire from behind, knocking him back.

He glares at Sofia as she smirks at him.

SOFIA: “I know that we are strong enough to defeat anyone. But I believe your full current strength should be tested. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Apocalypse momentarily looks pissed, before laughing and smiling at her.

APOCALYPSE: “You are so strange.”

The camera pans out, moving out of the bedroom. War laughs and screams as the sounds of their fight are heard.

In the present, Sofia has an answer for Sooraya.

SOFIA: “No. I have no regrets.”

Cyclops, Emma, and Magneto arrive back in the school, dramatically entering the foyer. Kitty lets Emma know telepathically that everyone’s together in the Mission Room.

As the three headmasters make their way there, Pixie and Blindfold take notice of them.

MEGAN, blowing up obnoxiously large bubbles with her bubblegum: “What are they in such a hurry for?”

RUTH: “I believe the time has come for this semester’s battle between the X-Men and those who seek to damn us all.”

MEGAN: “Uh, what do you mean, “this semester’s, Blindy”?”

RUTH: “Please don’t talk to me.”

Scott, Emma, and Erik arrive in the Mission Room, where they find Kitty, Magik, Dani, Warpath, Cannonball, Karma, and Wolfsbane all waiting.

SCOTT: “Alright, X-Men. Listen up. We know where the Horsemen are. And it’s time we–”

Sam interrupts Scott, apologizing, but wondering where Sunspot is.

EMMA: “We gave Roberto a choice regarding his future on this team. From the fact he is currently blocking out my telepathy, it appears he’s made his decision. Understood?”

None of the New Mutants look happy about whatever went on, but now’s not the time to dwell.

“Let’s get to the battle plan.”

Scott turns, and is surprised to see one more face: Iceman.

ICEMAN, shaking Cyclops’ hand: “Heard we were finally doing this.”

SCOTT, barely smiling: “Glad you’re here. Sit down.”

The headmasters fill in everyone on what they know. The Horsemen’s base is located directly underneath their previous one. They know what to expect from Lady Akabba, Exodus, Malice, and Akihiro by now. The wins the Horsemen have scored against them were thanks to their surprises, but there shouldn’t be any more of those. Still, don’t forget that there are still no doubt other villains they’ve faced in the past working for them.

SCOTT: “They have our kids. Every one of our X-Men in Training has been taken.” Dani is clearly pissed. “They have Logan, Storm, and Colossus.” Kitty is enraged. “And they have Scarlet Witch. I don’t know what they’ve been waiting for, but if we don’t act now, they will use her to rewrite everything.” Erik shuts his eyes.

SCOTT: “Dani, these are your students, and I know you’ve been wanting this. Welcome to the X-Men.”

Dani nods affirmatively. Magik pats her on the back.

SCOTT: “Kitty, Magik, you’re obviously with us. The rest of you are staying here.”

This comment causes an uproar among the others, who all want to fight, but Magneto orders them all to settle down and behave like adults.

ERIK: “Even if some of you barely are ones.”

Rahne growls at him.

Bobby demands to know what Scott’s doing.

BOBBY: “I come back out here, I’m the biggest gun you’ve got, and Warren and Brian need me to get justice for them, and you’re benching me?!”

Scott tells him that it’s because he’s their biggest gun that he can’t come with them. Look they already have, now look who he’s taking.

SCOTT: “If you come with us and we fail, there’s no one left who’s capable of stopping them.” He puts a hand on Iceman’s shoulder. “If we go down, it’s up to you. Got it?”

Bobby doesn’t like it, but he gets it and agrees.

EMMA: “Our hypothetical back-up squad will also require a leader.” She turns her head. “James. Ideally we won’t give you the chance to, but don’t let us down.”

Warpath is more than a little surprised they picked him over Bobby or Sam.

MAGNETO: “Don’t be. You’ve earned it.”

WARPATH, proudly nodding: “You’ve got it.”

CYCLOPS: “Okay then. To me, my X-Men!”

Kitty, Magik, and Dani gather around the three headmasters, with Magik teleporting the six of them away in a stepping disc.

Underground, Akihiro stalks through the cells, cleaning Julian’s blood off his hands.

“Death!”

Akihiro raises an eyebrow at the sound of who’s calling his name. He turns to find Dust walking him from behind.

AKIHIRO, dismissively: “Something I can help you with?”

He doesn’t even pay attention to her, turning his attention to cleaning himself off.

SOORAYA, put off: “I am friends with your “lady”. Should you not be more respectful?”

Aki laughs and looks up at her.

AKIHIRO: “You’re bold. Stupid, but bold. How can I help you, Dust?”

Sooraya is momentarily distracted by the blood on Akihiro’s hands before she answers.

SOORAYA: “I am about to leave to visit my mother in the hospital. Before I left, I wanted to thank you.”

AKIHIRO: “For what?”

SOORAYA: “You found Leper Queen. If you hadn’t been able to do that so quickly, Laura and I would be dead right now. So…thank you for saving our lives.”

The concept of being thanked for actually preventing death is one that’s clearly foreign to Akihiro from the look on his face, but she shakes it off.

AKIHIRO: “It was Lady Akabba’s will, so it was done.”

DUST: “You mean you do not care if Laura dies? I doubt that.”

AKIHIRO: “It’s not up to me. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s someone I need to go see who’s definitely going to die.”

Aki turns around to go see Logan, but…

DUST: “I want to speak to Storm before I go.”

AKIHIRO, still walking away: “Unless War gave you permission, that’s not happening.”

DUST: “Did she give you permission to torture her king?”

That stops Akihiro in his tracks.

AKIHIRO: “How did you…”

He trails off as all the sand particles on the floor hover into the air.

SOORAYA: “We are in the desert, Death. There is nothing here I cannot see, and nothing I cannot hear.”

Akihiro resumes walking after a moment.

AKIHIRO: “You get two minutes. But I promise, if this is a trick, it won’t matter to me who your friends are.”

Dust finnesses some of the sand particles delicately into Akihiro’s hair.

DUST: “That won’t be a problem. Thank you.”

In the bar, as Jean eats a Phoenix-themed sunday, she tells Sunspot what she needs from him. First, he needs to take the Cuckoos home. These girls have suffered so much and, much as she hates to admit, Scott and Emma are who they need right.

BETO, taking a guess: “And you don’t want to have to explain the situation to them yourself because…that would mean talking to them.”

Jean pops a cherry in her mouth and sucks on it.

JEAN: “The other favor is a little more involved, and I’ll understand if you aren’t up to it?”

BETO AND JEAN (who knows exactly what Beto will say): “Roberto Da Costa is up for anything.”

Beto glares at her. Jean looks back warmly, telling him there’s no point with the bravado around her. He can relax.

BETO: “Not something I’ve been good at since hitting puberty, I’m afraid.”

JEAN, leaning in and resting her hand on Beto’s arm: “I need you…to keep doing what you’re doing.” Beto raises an eyebrow. “For me.”

Beto doesn’t understand. Jean explains that she completely shares his fears over Cyclops and Emma screwing everything up for both Mutantkind and humanity and, at this stage, she has just as little confidence in Magneto.

JEAN: “Maybe even less.”

Jean knows he’s been building his own operation, with the help of some of his old friends, and some old enemies. All for the purpose of protecting Mutants, should the X-Men fail.

JEAN: “Skimming your mind, it’s a solid plan. But wouldn’t it be so much better if, instead of just a contingency plan for after the fact, you had a way to actually stop them?”

ROBERTO: “I’m listening.”

Jean finishes her sunday by abrosbing it into herself, as he levitates herself, and levitates Beto onto his feet.

Energy swirls around Jean, shaking the ground and making the lights flicker, as she groans in mild pain. She pants as she completes her task, releasing a tall, flaming crystal from her pointer finger, with it sitting on her finger delicately on its tip.

PHOENIX: “This is a Phoenix Shard. It is a piece of my essence. Cute, isn’t it?”

ROBERTO: “You’re giving me a piece of you?”

PHOENIX: “No. I’m going to implant it in your heart.”

Jean explains that once this is inside him, he will no longer be among the weakest X-Men. He won’t be among the strongest either, but he will be able to hold his own. It will bring out his full potential.

JEAN: “And, just once, when the time comes that the X-Men must be stopped in their tracks from making a grave error, it will give you the ability to fufill any singular miracle necessary to stop them. It will then burn out after that use, and all the power will slip away, And, if you use it for selfish or malicious reasons, thinking you can go behind my back, it will also incinerate your heart.”

Beto looks into the Phoenix Shard, captivated by how free the flames dance within their confined space. He takes a moment to think.

BETO, standing tall and popping his collar: “It would have been nice working more with you, Jean Grey.”

JEAN, grinning: “Is that a yes?”

BETO, nodding: “Yes It is.”

JEAN; “Good. And don’t worry. We will work together again.”

Jean raises her finger, the crystal not moving or falling as she does so. She slowly sticks it inside Roberto’s chest, making him scream, and lighting up the bar.

Cyclops, Emma, Magneto, Kitty, Magik, and Dani appear in the desert via stepping disc. They’re ready for battle, with Scott already having a blast ready to fire, Emma in her diamond form, and Magik and Dani with their weapons drawn.

CYCLOPS: “Stay alert, X-Men. Emma, can Kitty phase us here, or do we need to move?”

Before Emma can answer, a furious wind blows sand all around the X-Men, and into their faces. As everyone coughs, Kitty grabs onto them to phase them through the sandstorm. Emma and Magneto don’t wait any longer to use telekinesis and magnetism to clear the storm.

When the sandstorm is cleared, the X-Men turn their attention to the highly-visible figure responsible for it. Dressed in her full armor, Lady Akabba stands before them.

WAR: “X-Men. I am glad you are here. Claiming victory while you still stand would have felt wrong.”

Dani doesn’t hesitate to fire a spirit arrow at War’s head, but Lady Akabba casually draws her sword and deflects it in the same motion. Dani’s eyes are wet and intense.

LADY AKABBA: “I see we are getting straight to the point then.”

DANI: “You murdered two of our students. You aren’t walking away from this.”

BEAT

LADY AKABBA: “I wasn’t expecting to see you today, Ms. Moonstar. As I am the only reason Selene didn’t snap you like a twig, I believe gratitude is in order.”

DANI: “What the Hell are you talking about?”

Before War can answer, Cyclops fires a mid-level blast at Lady Akabba, which she flies into the air to avoid.

SCOTT: “We know you aren’t how you present yourself. We know you’re just the latest kid Apocalypse brainwashed, just with a god complex. You can’t fight all of us. Call out your Horsemen, or surrender.”

BEAT

Lady Akabba laughs. She laughs more and more, as her voice fluctuates between her natural one and her modulated one.

LADY AKABBA: “Oh, Mr. Summers. How is it you can have plans and contingencies for everything…” War reaches behind her head and undoes the clasps of her helmet. She takes it off and shakes her glossy brown hair, revealing herself as Sofia. “And yet you couldn’t see what was right in front of you?”

Scott, Emma, Kitty, and Magik are all shocked. Dani pulls her hands to her mouth, tears escaping her eyes, horrified.

Magik is the first to get over her shock, charging up mystical energy in her hand as she roars.

SOFIA, smirking: “Emma, take them out.”

The psychic command implanted in Emma’s mind back at the beach activates, forcing her to comply. She psy-blasts the other X-Men without restraint, before collapsing. Illyana and Dani are knocked out by the blasts, but Magneto is protected by his helmet, and while Cyclops and Kitty are forced to their knees, their red triangles are strong enough to keep them awake.

Cyclops fires a much larger blast than before at Sofia, which she meets in mid-aid with a wave of flames.

SCOTT: “Magneto, take her down!”

Erik nods. And then knocks out Kitty with a magnetic blast.

SCOTT: “What?!”

Magneto then knocks out Cyclops as well.

Sofia giggles as Magneto hangs his head in shame, removes his helmet, and kneels.

LADY AKABBA: “Well done, Magneto.” She lands right in front of him. “You have no idea how good it feels to have you at my feet.”

ERIK, cringing: “The X-Men are defeated. My life is forfeit. And in exchange…”

SOFIA: “Your children may have a bumpy ride getting there, but they will all survive into my new world.”

As Erik struggles with what he’s done, Lady Akabba backhands him to knock him out.

We flash back to months ago to a rarely seen mansion, where Walter Barrett is annoyed, as he’s forced to get dressed in the middle of the night, and return to the office to take care of something.

WALTER: “Derek, get the card ready! We need to be there fast. These damn, incompotent…”

Walter trails off as he’s startled, entering the foyer of his home, to find Sofia, dressed in normal clothes, but with her new sword on her waist, and her blue skin visible.

SOFIA: “Hello, Walter.”

WALTER: “Sofia?! What is the meaning of this?! You nearly gave me a damn heart attack!”

SOFIA, grinning and floating up to him: “I am sorry.”

WALTER: “If you’re here to take me up on my offer, you’re far too late. Especially if that new pigment of yours is permanent.”

SOFIA, shaking her head: “I am not here for your home or money.” Sofia blows him away, forcing him against the wall. He tries to scream, but she prevents the sound of his voice from traveing anywhere. “I already have more than you could ever offer.”

Walter, terrified and whimpering, asks what she’s doing. She can’t just come in here and murder him.

SOFIA: “I studied English more recently than you. Murder is also known as homocide because it is the killing of someone by another of their kind. That is not what is happening here.” Walter screams as she slashes his face with the air. “This is the beginning of an extermination. And I cannot think of anywhere better to start.”

Walter pleads and begs for his life, clearly amusing Sofia, and each time he tries to call for help, Sofia crushes the soundwaves in mid-air.

SOFIA: “Think of what you could have had if you weren’t such a worthless worm. My mother. Me. And all of this to enjoy with us in a long, happy life. Instead, you will die here, surrounded by your riches, alone and unloved by anyone.” She grips his throat and chokes him. “I am not your daughter. But if there is anything you have ever wanted to tell me, say it now.”

As Walter’s face weakens, it seems like he may actually have some heartfelt final words. Instead…

WALTER: “Yes. I should never have fucked that damn who–!”

Sofia squeezes her hand, and pops Walter’s head off.

Sofia is shaken by the act, freezing up for a moment, and looking at the blood all over her. This took more out of her than expected.

“Sofia?”

In a daze, and with her instincts kicking in, Sofia spins around, swinging her sword. Only to realize in horror that she just sliced through Derek ‘s chest.

SOFIA, as Derek falls over: “No.”

DEREK, on the floor and bleeding out, reaching out a hand: “Sofia…please help me.”

Sofia institucally moves to take his hand, but stops herself as she catches her reflection in her sword. She steels herself as she pulls her hand back and stands tall.

SOFIA: “I almost forgot myself. How weak of me. To almost value the life of a man so worthless he devotes it to a man he hates.” She points her palm down at him. “Thank you for taking care of Sofia. But that service is no longer needed.”

We cut away as Sofia releases her flames.

In the present, Surge finally wakes up, seated at the dining room table in Clan Akabba’s face.

NORI: “What the Hell was that…nightmare?”

Cessily and Roxy wake up as well, neither remembering how they got here.

And Julian and Laura are each woken up a second time, as they all find themselves sitting around the same table, and with the same hostess.

Lady Akabba, in an evening gown, sits at the head of a table, a lavish meal spread across the table, and Dust stood behind her lady.

LADY AKABBA: “I know you all must be very confused, my friends. But fear not. I will show you all the way.”

As Surge, Mercury, and Bling! are all in shock, Laura is pissed, and Julian is heartbroken. Elsewhere in the base, Akihiro is waking up Logan, Exodus and Malice are torturing Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, Storm, Colossus, Dani, Kitty, and Magik are locked up, guarded by Greycrow and Riptide, and Cyclops, Emma, and Magneto are chained to the walls of Lady Akabba’s throneroom.

With victory at hand, Sofia ttriumphantly takes a sip of wine.

TO BE CONTINUED…