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X-Factor: Layla Miller (one-shot) analysis...

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:56 pm
by Kevin W.
X-Factor: Layla Miller
Written by Peter David
Pencils by Valentine De Landro
Inks and Finishes by Andrew Hennessy


This whole one-shot is set in the desolate future where we last left Layla Miller, (during the "Messiah Complex" crossover). Thus, it'll have no bearing on the present day Calendar, but it will have a listing in Layla Miller's chronology.

Appearances: Layla Miller.

The rest of the cast are people of a possible future which will probably be erased in a couple years as Marvel editorial moves on to it's next "mutant apocalyptic future", but they include a future Cyclops, Ruby, (the daughter of Scott and Emma), a mutant rabble-rouser named Linqon, and a kid named "Dwayne" who takes a fancy to Layla.

Synopsis: Layla Miller escapes from the concentration camp where she is being held when pieces of an old satellite fall out of orbit and destroy the concentration camp, (providing Layla with an exit. She knew it was going to happen).

She then proceeds to start sowing the seeds of taking down the corrupt government of this nightmarish future. She rescues a delinquent mutant named Linqon from the police. To a group of mutant sympathizers, she spreads rumors that the government is going to start testing everyone for the mutant gene, who in turn spread the word to the mainstream media. The government wasn't really planning for such a public crack down just yet, but the media frenzy forces them to take up the idea, creating a state of unrest across the nation. With her new friend Dwayne, (a non-mutant who becomes interested in Layla after he sees her rescue Linqon), she travels to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where she finds an elderly Cyclops being cared for by his daughter Ruby, (who has a mixture of Scott and Emma's powers).

Future Scott notes that he's been waiting for Layla to appear for 20 years. He and Ruby take a photo of Layla, saying that Layla will give this photo to him when she gets back to the present day, (which reveals that Layla will soon be traveling back in time, perhaps in reverse of Cable, who's apparently traveling continuously forward in time).

Layla convinces Ruby to lead a rebellion. The government makes a public service announcement declaring that they are going to start rounding up everybody to test for the mutant gene, and the public finally has had enough. Ruby, (along with Linqon and Dwayne) launch an assault on the Sentinels who stand guard in New York City, and the public backs them. Layla watches the battle unfold, satisfied for now.

The End.

References: The opening narrative caption reads, "Mutant Containment Center, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Winter, Eighty Years from Now." So yeah, we're 80 years in the future.

Also, Ruby notes that if she were to turn off her "Ruby skin" powers, she fears she would revert to being "70 years old" in appearance. I kinda doubt that we're going to see Scott and Emma concieve Ruby in the present day Marvel comics any time soon...

(new entries = *)

MILLER, LAYLA
XF3 27
*XF: LAYLA MILLER

Re: X-Factor: Layla Miller (one-shot) analysis...

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:50 am
by Paul Bourcier
Thanks for the analysis, Kevin. :)