X-Men: First Class Finals #3

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metaldragon
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X-Men: First Class Finals #3

Post by metaldragon »

X-Men: First Class Finals #3 (June, 2009)
1st story: "Higher Learning"

Characters
Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl, Professor X

Other Characters
"Magneto's ghost", Juggernaut (these appear to be mental projections. This would include their appearances in the previous issue.)

Flashback: The second half of the story is a telepathic replay of the events leading up to the last page of the story.

Synopsys: The X-Men fight a giant Magneto shaped pile of scrap metal. Iceman manages to freeze it in a giant lump of ice. Another pile of scrap suddenly forms in a giant Magneto shape and attacks. Marvel Girl attempts to stop it but only makes it pause a moment. Long enough for Beast to hot wire a crane with an electromagnet to trap all the metal and dump it into a pit. Professor X arrives home and telepathicly contacts them to ask about the damage to the Danger Room and why they are in that quarry. They arrive back at the mansion and go over what just happened. When Xavier mentions the Danger Room session, and their "official graduation" the flashback section begins.

"Present moment" versions of everyone but Jean watch and comment as they notice Jean begins to become agitated at this moment. The flashback version of Professor X goes on to explain his plans to recruit and train more mutants to become X-Men. Suddenly they hear a rumbling and the telepathic "present" versions of the X-Men decide to "get out of the way" of what is about to happen. Juggernaut suddenly smashes through the wall and when Cyclops blasts him he fades away. Iceman puts out a fire while Hank and Scott notice Jean has been knocked unconscious. Angels flies off to get the portable Med-Unit. Flashback section ends.

In the present, the rest of the X-Men look down on Jean lying unconscious in the infirmary. Professor X informs them that that was not the Juggernaut. Angel notices Cyclops is holding something back. Cyclops suspects that those weren't Magneto or Juggernaut but actually Jean using her telepathy. To be continued.

Notes: Cyclops says, "We don't know exactly what became of Magneto" and Bobby thinks Magneto's a ghost, while Hank speculates he might have become a "purely electromagnetic being" or possibly "antimatter" "...if he imprinted his electromagnetic force on timespace itself...". This is very odd because this story must take place after they fought Magneto again in the Savage Land in X:HY and they knew that Magneto was defeated by the Fantastic Four in FF 104 (as shown in X:HY 22). The X-Men must have been aware that he was alive there (that he had survived his supposed death in UX 63) even if the X:HY issues are ignored, and that he ended up in a magnetic trap created by Mr. Fantastic to be handed over to the authorities. (This story may also take place after AA2 9-10 where Magneto battles the Inhumans, I believe? How does that story end? Does he fake his death again?) It's possible that Jean's telepathic interference here has made them forget those events (but it was writer Jeff Parker who probably forgot about them).
The appearances of Juggernaut and the Magneto-shaped moving scrap metal in the previous issue may also be Jean's telepathic projections. We will find out for sure next issue.


X-Men: First Class Finals #3 (June, 2009)
2nd story: "X-Date Part 3"

Characters
Scott, Jean, Professor X (he appears as a floating head "footnote" to correct something Scott says.)

Other Characters
Man-Thing, Howard the Duck, Beverly Switzler

Cameos
Cyclops, Storm, Banshee, Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Phoenix (as the X-Men)
Black Widow, Iceman, Angel, Ghost Rider, Hercules (as the Champions)
Beast, Ms. Marvel, Thor, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Falcon (as the Avengers)
Millie (the blond reporter from Metro News, again interviewing the Avengers.)

Synopsys: Scott hits the breaks in time to just bump into Man-Thing instead of splattering him. Jean notices "he left some people behind..." (who appear to be Howard the Duck and Beverly) in Scott & Jean's present (time zone). Scott notices Man-Thing about to leave through a Nexus portal and Jean wants to have a look. There are references to X:FC2 8 and Professor X's head appears to correct Scott in a little "footnote" box. Jean hi-fives Man-Thing to prove to Scott she's not afraid of him and he won't burn her and asks Man-Thing if he could give them a peak at the future. He takes them to the Nexus and shows them Scott leading the post-UX 101 team. Scott recognizes Banshee, Jean thinks Phoenix is her and notices another girl on the team but doesn't recognize her as Ororo (they met in X:HY). Scott asks "Who's that short guy?" (probably Wolverine)

They wonder what happened to the other X-Men so Man-Thing distracts them with another portal before they see the one they were just looking at showing Phoenix become Dark Phoenix and attack the X-Men. The new Portal shows Iceman & Angel as the Champions sometime between Champions 8 & 11 (Angel in Neal Adams style white, red & yellow costume/no Darkstar). When Scott and Jean notice Hank isn't with them he shows them another portal with the Avengers around Avengers# 181-182 when Captain America announces the team roster includes "Falcon, Ms. Marvel, and the Beast". Jean also happily notes that Wanda is still with them.

Man-Thing then opens a portal back a spot on a hillside above where they left Warren's car and Jean gives Man-Thing a good-bye/thank you kiss. He leaves the portal open to give them a "last look back" at themselves, Angel, Beast and Iceman as they were in UX 1. Jean calls it the perfect date. The end.

Notes: This probably takes place either before issue 1 of this mini or after issue 4. We will find out... next analysis!
Not sure when Howard the Duck and Beverly might be from in their run. Any Howard the Duck experts out there?
Last edited by metaldragon on Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Jason Doty
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Re: X-Men: First Class Finals #3

Post by Jason Doty »

I Don't think Jean met Ororo in X-Men: The Hidden Years, I think her and Scott where unconcious, but its been awhile, so I'm not completely sure.
metaldragon
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Re: X-Men: First Class Finals #3

Post by metaldragon »

Jason Doty wrote:I Don't think Jean met Ororo in X-Men: The Hidden Years, I think her and Scott where unconcious, but its been awhile, so I'm not completely sure.
Jean met and talked with Ororo in both X:HY 6 & 7. It was only Scott who was unconscious and didn't get to meet her.
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