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"Age of X" is a
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
storyline published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
as part of its ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' series. The storyline is set in an alternate reality known as Earth-11326. Running from January to April 2011, it is similar in name and tone to the 1995 " Age of Apocalypse" (AoA) storyline.


Plot


Background

After the announcement of the storyline in December 2010, Marvel added
QR code A QR code (an initialism for quick response code) is a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional barcode) invented in 1994 by the Japanese company Denso Wave. A barcode is a machine-readable optical label that can contain information about t ...
s on selected comics. These codes were linked to five different historical logs, each providing background for the "Age of X". * ''Log 1A'': "Anti-mutant protestors beat mutant-rights advocate
Henry McCoy Beast (Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Originally called "The Beast", the character was introduced as a mutant possessing ape-lik ...
to death during the March For Purity in Washington, D.C." * ''Log 2B'': "The mutant abilities of a young mutant named Jean Grey manifested in the form of an explosive, fiery phoenix that immolates everything in its path. The city of
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Cit ...
, is decimated, leaving 600,000 dead." * ''Log 3C'': After the Phoenix demolished Albany, New York, the U.S. government sponsors the mass production of Exonim Sentinels: technologically advanced combat vehicles designed to subdue mutants. In the months that follow, the mutant population drastically declines; this period becomes known as "the Decimation". The log shows a dead
Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 19 ...
, while Quicksilver fights an Exonim. * ''Log4D'': "As anti-mutants hysteria spreads, legislation is passed that requires all mutants to be imprisoned and, in most cases, executed. When a fugitive mutant that Reed Richards has allowed shelter in the Baxter Building (despite wife
Sue Storm The Invisible Woman (Susan "Sue" Storm-Richards) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four and was the first female superhero created by Marvel durin ...
's protests) accidentally injures her son Franklin, Sue reports Richards to the authorities. To demonstrate that no one is above the law, the
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first s ...
is publicly arrested and marched out of the Baxter Building in handcuffs." The log shows that the harbored mutant is Wolfsbane. * ''Log5E'': "In the aftermath of the decimation, only a fraction of the worldwide mutant population remains at large. These fugitive mutants are believed to be the most powerful... and the most dangerous. To track down and eliminate these threats, the United States assembles a group of human superheroes. They are called The Avengers." The log shows team members
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
,
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...
,
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
, Ghost Rider, the Invisible Woman (Sue Storm) and Redback (Jessica Drew).''Age of X: Universe'' #1


Storyline

The mutants are almost extinct, tortured by a strike force led by Colonel Graydon Creed. The first signs of the Age of X appeared in '' X-Men: Legacy'' #244; the events were removed from the
Earth-616 In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. History of the term The term was first used in "Rough Justice", a story credited to both Alan Moore and Alan Davis ...
mainstream continuity, with no memories of the alternate lives. The primary event occurs 1,000 days after Magneto moved most of the mutants to Fortress X, their last bastion. Human forces are trying to reach the citadel; although they have always failed to do so, they have inflicted many casualties on the mutants. Legacy/Rogue acts as a "Reaper", storing the thoughts of those killed in battle. After one of her reapings, Legacy sees the capture of Shadowcat (who was returning from a mission in the outside world). Rogue finds the camera which Shadowcat is trying to hide, and discovers that all the pictures in it are blank. Using Madison Jeffries's absorbed powers, Legacy infiltrates the X-Brig (Fortress X's detention facility) to question Shadowcat. There she is seen by the Earth-616 Blindfold, who hints that this reality is "wrong" and asks her to ask
Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
about the "scar tissue". As she speaks with Shadowcat and touches a comatose Xavier, Legacy begins a mental attack on every mutant inside the fortress; seen by
Danger Danger is a lack of safety and may refer to: Places * Danger Cave, an archaeological site in Utah * Danger Island, Great Chagos Bank, Indian Ocean * Danger Island, alternate name of Pukapuka Atoll in the Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean * Danger Is ...
, she becomes a fugitive. Hunted by
Dani Moonstar Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, originally codenamed Psyche and later Mirage, is a fictional Northern Cheyenne superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in the graphic novel ''The New Mutants'' (Sept. 19 ...
's Cadre, she is saved by Gambit. They are attacked by Magneto,''X-Men: Legacy'' #246 who fakes their deaths and explains that he sent Shadowcat out to investigate because he is convinced something is wrong. As Magneto returns to the brig to free Shadowcat and Professor X, X (the voice controlling Fortress X) sends the Cadre after him. Gambit and Legacy (who are in the room at the center of the fortress) discover that their universe has been stolen and is kept in a box. When Professor X is freed, he telepathically shows his pursuers and a reluctant Legion the truth about himself and the reality in which they think they are living. The Age of X was created when Legion's mind reacted to
Doctor Nemesis Doctor Nemesis is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and Ace Magazines. Publication history The first version (James Bradley) was a derivative version of the eponymous Golden Age c ...
's attempt to restore it to sanity.''X-Men: Legacy'' #244 A new persona (with new powers) was born, creating a new reality to protect Legion's personalities. This manifestation of Legion's power assumed the appearance of Moira MacTaggert to confuse Xavier and protect Legion. Moira confronted Legacy and Gambit, revealing that she is also X. Cornered by Xavier, X launches a last offensive on the fortress. Moira removes the walls, allowing the humans to enter the fortress. Legion appears, while Xavier, Magneto and Shadowcat try to stop Moira, who created the universe so Legion could be the hero he always wanted to be. Weeping in his arms, she promises to create as many universes for him as he wants. While Moira is distracted, Legion absorbs her back into his body and erases all the humans fighting the mutants. He goes to the battlefield, apologizes and rewrites the universe (returning everything to the way it was). The entire timeline lasts for seven days in reality''X-Men: Legacy'' #248 and the mutants return to Utopia with the memory of their 616 lives; Xavier and Emma Frost reveal that the telepaths will help anyone who wants to lose their Age of X memories.''X-Men: Legacy'' #247


Characters


Heroes

The mutant resistance was formed by Magneto to protect the surviving mutants from Graydon Creed and his mutant-hunters: * ''
Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
'' – Labeled a traitor by his sister,
Husk Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes the protective ...
, when he convinced her there was not enough time to avenge the murder of their family.''Age of X: Alpha'' Husk forced him to create X-Force before joining Magneto. * ''
Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
'' – Known as "Basilisk," he was forced by prison warden Arcade to kill his brother and dozens of mutants. Unable to control his powers (because his eyelids were removed), he wears a mask to hide his optic blasts. After escaping from prison, Basilisk killed Arcade and joined Magneto. He is married to
Joanna Cargill Joanna Cargill, also known as Frenzy, is a fictional character, a mutant superhuman appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been a member of supervillain groups, including the Alliance of Evil and the Acolytes, as w ...
.''X-Men: Legacy'' #245 With
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a musc ...
, Basilisk investigated the events in Fortress X as redemption for his past as an executioner. * '' Dazzler'' – Attacked by Exonim soldiers during a concert, she retreated to the Manhattan sewers with Angel Salvadore and Gabriel Cohuelo. Tracked down and teleported to Fortress X by Doctor Strange, Dazzler becomes one of Magneto's soldiers.''Age of X: Universe'' #2 * ''Force Warriors'' – Five psionically powered mutants who protect the walls of Fortess X by channeling their powers to create force walls. The Force Warriors do not fight, but form a defensive force. The force walls they psionically create after each battle slow the human forces; the humans waste time breaking down the walls, destroying the element of surprise. ** '' Hellion'' – Similar to the one in X-Men: Second Coming, this Hellion is disabled; however, he is missing his arms instead of hands, and uses telekinesis to levitate gauntlets which serve as hands. ** '' Revenant'' – At first, nothing is known about her where she appears amnesic. Revenant claims that she became lost on her way home and does not look like herself.''New Mutants'' #23 When reality was restored, she is revealed as Rachel Summers. ** '' Legion'' – Here, he shows no sign of instability or multiple powers. He only displays telekinesis (a power belonging to his sub-persona, Jack Wayne). To protect his step-mother Moira, he is determined to prevent the destruction of Fortress X by Legacy and Magneto. ** '' Psylocke'' – Here, Betsy never switched bodies with Kwannon. She possesses telekinetic abilities and she is romantically involved with Iceman. ** ''Carmella Unuscione'' – Code-named "Stand-Off" here. * ''
Frenzy ''Frenzy'' is a 1972 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career. The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer was based on the 1966 novel ''Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Squa ...
'' – Frenzy was captured after a number of attacks and incarcerated on Ryker's Island. Before arriving at Fortress X, Joanna and Tempo were members of the Mutant Liberation Front. Here, she is married to Cyclops. Unlike nearly all of the others, Frenzy chooses to retain her memories of the Age of X and they galvanize her into become a better person by joining the X-Men. * '' Gambit'' – Same mentality as his
Earth-616 In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. History of the term The term was first used in "Rough Justice", a story credited to both Alan Moore and Alan Davis ...
counterpart, using a long rifle instead of the usual
bo staff Bo or BO may refer to Arts and entertainment Film, television, and theatre *Box office, where tickets to an event are sold, and by extension, the amount of business a production receives *'' BA:BO'', 2008 South Korean film * ''Bo'' (film), a ...
. * ''Husk'' – With her brother
Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
, she tried to save her family (who had been arrested) only to find them murdered and their bodies in the back of a garbage truck. Although she tried to kill the guards, Cannonball convinced her that there was not enough time for vengeance. They helped the freed mutants escape before the Exonims arrived, but Husk swore she would not return to flesh and blood until her brother repented for his crime against their family's honor. Before joining Magneto, she forced her brother to form X-Force and killed Copycat. * '' Iceman'' – Romantically involved with Psylocke. * '' Madison Jeffries'' – Spends most of his time in the Fortress X
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. ...
, unsuccessfully trying to measure starlight. His theories relate to the box containing the universe later found by Gambit and Legacy. * '' Magneto'' – Leader of the mutant resistance. When they were on the verge of extinction, Magneto flew 22 Manhattan skyscrapers (and the mutants trapped in them) to safety. He later used those buildings (with the
Chrysler Building The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. At , it is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel fra ...
, the
Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from " Empire State", the nickname of the ...
and
Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...
) to build Fortress X as a haven for mutants who help him. As Fortress X's creator and mutant leader, Magneto created a strict code to keep everyone safe. However, he later ignored his rules to investigate the oddities in Fortress X, the outside world and X. * '' Moonstar's Cadre'' – The Fortress X hunters. When Legacy escapes from the brig and Magneto suspected of betrayal, they are the designated team for the missions. ** ''
Cypher Cypher is an alternative spelling for cipher. Cypher may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * Cypher (French Group), a Goa trance music group * Cypher (band), an Australian instrumental band * ''Cypher'' (film), a 2002 film * ''Cypher'' ...
'' – Captured and imprisoned in a prison on the Pacific coast, Cypher escaped and joined Magneto. As Warlock, he is shown to be
techno-organic A techno-organic virus (T-O virus) is a fictional virus appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In the comics, the T-O virus transforms organic material into techno-organic material, which resembles both machinery and living ...
. ** ''
Dust Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in ...
'' – First appeared hiding with mutants before being rescued by Magneto, she later joins the Moonstar Cadre. This version of Dust is harsher, crueler and more lenient in her Muslim beliefs. ** ''
Karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...
'' – Her leg is mechanical, consistent with the "Second Coming" arc. ** ''
Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natura ...
'' – Came from Brazil via Mexico to join Magneto in Nevada. ** '' Danielle Moonstar'' – Leader and the tracker of the team. Nothing is known about her mutant powers here. ** ''
Sunspot Sunspots are phenomena on the Sun's photosphere that appear as temporary spots that are darker than the surrounding areas. They are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic flux that inhibit convection. S ...
'' – Known as Eclipse in this reality. * '' Mystique'' – Raven and Irene Alder raised their adopted daughter, Anna-Marie, until they tested X-gene positive and were arrested. Anna-Marie was not tested or arrested. Mystique escaped (or was freed), and it is unknown what happened to her partner Irene. Mystique later met Magneto, and worked with him for some time. She was present when Magneto used skyscrapers to create Fortress X. Later, in one of Tempo's memories, it is learned that she was captured and held captive by the Sapiens League. She escaped and returned to Fortress X, where she was killed by Captain America while protecting a group of mutant children. * ''
Namor Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc ...
'' – Left the oceans to live in Fortress X and follow
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...
, his love interest here. * ''
Pixie A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas ar ...
'' – Known as "Nightmare" after the
Bleecker Street Bleecker Street is an east–west street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is most famous today as a Greenwich Village nightclub district. The street connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but which ...
Massacre, trading her butterfly wings for bat wings. She went to Fortress X, joining Magneto. * ''
Rogue A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior. Rogue or rogues may also refer to: Companies * Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon * Rogue Arts, a film production company * Rogue Entertainment, a software co ...
'' – Known here as "Legacy," Magneto chooses her to keep the memory of the mutants by absorbing their dying memories (hence her nickname, "Reaper"). * ''
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...
'' – In a relationship with Namor. She was mentioned as the leader of the Storm Cadre.''New Mutants'' #24 * ''
Tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
'' – Died defending Fortress X against a human attack. Before coming there, Heather and Frenzy were members of the Mutant Liberation Front. * ''
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a musc ...
'' – Seen in flashback as weakened after Kavita Rao injects him with several doses of a serum designed to cure the mutant gene, counting on his healing factor to destroy the cure. He is unable to fight, since his remaining mutant powers are focused on keeping him alive despite his adamantium disease. Wolverine tends bar at the Rat Run in Fortress X. He is aware of the odd events in the fortress. After helping Legacy escape from Moonstar's Cadre, he decides to investigate. Other X-Men characters appear in the storyline in marginal roles and as inhabitants of Fortress X, including
Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...
,
Anole Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles () and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfami ...
,
Avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and ea ...
,
Beak The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for fo ...
,
Bling! The Xavier Institute is a fictional school in the X-Men universe. This list documents the fictional staff, students and alumni of the institute. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters * Later renamed as Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. Fo ...
,
Chamber Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations *Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics *Debate chamber, the space or room that houses deliber ...
,
Colossus Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to: Statues * Any exceptionally large statue ** List of tallest statues ** :Colossal statues * ''Colossus of Barletta'', a bronze statue of an unidentified Roman emperor * ''Col ...
, Dr. Cecilia Reyes, Domino,
Forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...
,
Gentle Gentle may refer to: * Gentleness People * Johnny Gentle, stage name of John Askew (born 1936), British pop singer who once toured with the Silver Beetles (later the Beatles) as his backing group * Peter Gentle (born 1965), Australian rugby league ...
,
Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes/ref> I ...
, Jubilee,
Lady Mastermind Lady Mastermind is a fictional character and supervillain, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca, the character first appeared as Regan Wyngarde in '' X-Treme X ...
, Loa, Martinique Jason, Northstar,
Rockslide A rockslide is a type of landslide caused by rock failure in which part of the bedding plane of failure passes through compacted rock and material collapses ''en masse'' and not in individual blocks. Note that a rockslide is similar to an avalanc ...
, Scalphunter, Surge,
Toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scient ...
,
Trance Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
,
Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
and
Warpath Warpath may refer to: * Great Indian Warpath, a network of trails in eastern North America used by Native Americans Games * ''Warpath'' (video game), a 2006 FPS video game by Digital Extremes for the PC and Xbox *'' Warpath: Jurassic Park'', a 19 ...
(here known as Berserker).


X-Brig mutants

Dangerous mutants are locked in Fortress X's X-Brig. Most have telepathic powers and wear helmets to inhibit them. X used the brig to imprison Professor X, who knew his true nature and convinced the other mutants that telepathic powers cannot exist; if they did, they would be very dangerous. On Magneto's orders,
Danger Danger is a lack of safety and may refer to: Places * Danger Cave, an archaeological site in Utah * Danger Island, Great Chagos Bank, Indian Ocean * Danger Island, alternate name of Pukapuka Atoll in the Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean * Danger Is ...
is the only
warden A warden is a custodian, defender, or guardian. Warden is often used in the sense of a watchman or guardian, as in a prison warden. It can also refer to a chief or head official, as in the Warden of the Mint. ''Warden'' is etymologically identic ...
of the brig and runs it with several drone copies of herself. Among the inmates are: * '' Blindfold'' – The
Earth-616 In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. History of the term The term was first used in "Rough Justice", a story credited to both Alan Moore and Alan Davis ...
Blindfold who knows that this reality should not exist.''New Mutants'' #22 * ''
Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
'' – Seen during Magneto's first visit to the X-Brig. She is seen wearing a helmet to inhibit her powers. * '' Magik'' – Also seen during Magneto's first visit to the X-Brig. She wears a helmet to inhibit her powers. * ''
Martha Johansson N'astirh N'Garai N'Kantu, the Living Mummy Naga Nahrees Namor the Sub-Mariner Namora Namorita Native Nebula Network Sarah Vale Sarah Vale''New X-Men: Academy X Yearbook Special'' #1 (June 2005) is a fictional character, a tech ...
'' – Also seen during Magneto's first visit to the X-Brig. She wears a helmet to inhibit her powers. * ''
Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
'' – Initially shown in a comatose state. After being freed by Shadowcat and Magneto, Professor X retains knowledge of the 616 reality (probably because X could not create false memories in telepaths. * '' Shadowcat'' – Sneaked outside Fortress X and took 247 blank pictures of the outside world. After being interrogated by
Legacy In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...
, she was left in the brig and later freed by Magneto. * ''
Stepford Cuckoos The Stepford Cuckoos are a set of fictional mutants, psychically linked quintuplets (Celeste Cuckoo, Esme Cuckoo, Irma "Mindee" Cuckoo, Phoebe Cuckoo, and Sophie Cuckoo) appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The alphabeti ...
'' – They were seen during Magneto's first visit to the X-Brig. They wear helmets to inhibit their powers.


Villains

* '' Arcade'': Arcade was the prison governor of the mutant prison and responsible for making Basilisk kill his brother Havok. Basilisk later escaped and killed Arcade. * ''General
Frank Castle The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher mad ...
'' – Multi-decorated chief of the Avengers, who orders the killing of the occupants of Fortress X. His true intentions are genocide using the Avengers to assassinate Magneto so a nuclear strike can be carried out. When this fails, he informs the Avengers of his intentions to kill them, and sends Hulk to carry out an assault. He survives the explosion, but is blocked from further attack by the newly formed Force Wall. * '' Avengers'' – The Avengers were tasked into hunting mutants. The team was formed 1,000 days before the story, when General Frank Castle summoned the soon-to-be Avengers (some already mutant hunters) to quell a riot at Camp Gorge (an exclusion zone inside the
Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...
). The team's first mission was to kill the mutants Magneto saved after his escape from Manhattan. During their assault on Fortress X they discover a group of mutant children, and abandon their mission. It is revealed to them that their purpose is to carry out a suicide mission, and the team sacrifice their lives to protect the mutant refugees from the Hulk. ** ''
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
'' – Leader of the Avengers, Captain America struggles to control his team. During the mission, he kills a
mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
who was protecting a group of mutant children. Realizing his mistake, he calls off the mission and leads the Avengers to defend Fortress X. He is killed battling the Hulk, but his words and actions inspire the mutant forces to band together. Legacy absorbs his memories to honor his sacrifice. ** '' Ghost Rider'' – Apparently killed by Chamber on his first mission. ** ''
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
'' – Dr. Bruce Banner was involved in mutant experiments for the government. During a sterilization experiment, a prisoner panicked causing the device to explode and transforming Banner into the Hulk. Immediately after his transformation, he killed his colleagues and his
fiancée An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...
which caused him to harbor a hatred of mutants. His role in the Avengers is a contingency plan, should they fail in their mission. The Hulk is killed by Redback using Iron Man's right glove while trying to deliver a chemical bomb to Fortress X. ** '' Invisible Woman'' – After her son Franklin Richards was nearly attacked by Wolfsbane, she exposed her to the mutant hunters and the rest of the Fantastic Four were arrested for harboring a mutant. She later joined the Avengers. She is determined to stop her fellow Avengers from killing mutants, apparently out of remorse for what she did to the rest of the Fantastic Four. She is killed by the Hulk while trying to protect Fortress X from a military assault. ** ''
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...
'' – Tony Stark was infected with a virus after a confrontation with Madison Jefferies and permanently fused to his suit. Slowly being digested by the suit, he is a corpse animated by machinery and jokingly calls himself a "steel corpse". When the team calls off the mission, an emergency override takes over his armor and tries to kill the mutant children in the room. At his request, Captain America kills him with a shot to the back of the head and his right glove is used by Redback to kill the Hulk. ** '' Spider-Woman'' – Here, Spider-Woman is known as Redback. A silent, coldblooded killer, she follows orders and was responsible for killing Mr. Sinister. She finally speaks after the discovery of the mutant children in Fortress X, saying that their mission is "wrong". After Sue is killed by the Hulk Redback uses Iron Man's severed glove to detonate the explosive, killing herself and Banner. * ''Dr. Richard Palance (Pandemic)'' – Richard Palance is shown working with Dr. Kavita Rao on a mutant cure, before Rao kills him in a confrontation with Wolverine. * ''Exonim'' – A robotic strike-force team which hunts mutants under Graydon Creed's orders, this storyline's version of the Sentinels. * '' Graydon Creed'' – The unseen Creed is a colonel who led the mutant hunters in an attempt to exterminate them. * ''X'' – The only female villain in the AoX, she is the voice controlling Fortress X and creator of the army the mutants must fight daily. Born as a new, unknown personality, she is a reaction to Doctor Nemesis's work on Legion's mind; Nemesis was trying to restore Legion's sanity by isolating him and purging all his personalities. X killed all the imprisoned personalities, using them (and all the minds in Utopia) to create a new environment where Legion would be happy and known as a hero. Xavier suspected that Legion's mind was trying to rebel, and tried to fight X in Legion's mind. X assumed the appearance of Moira MacTaggert to confuse him, and imprisoned everyone inside Fortress X. X became the guardian voice of Fortress X, using her appearance as Moira to control Legion and revealing that she kept the old universe safe for sentimental reasons. X tries to destroy the original universe, but is stopped when Legion sees what she has done for him. He reabsorbs her into his mind, using her powers to restore reality to normal. Whether X remains a threat is unknown.


Other characters

* ''
Angel Salvadore Angel Salvadore is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Grant Morrison and Ethan Van Sciver, the character first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #118 (November 2001). She belongs to the subspec ...
'' – Retreated to the sewers of Manhattan as a fugitive with Dazzler and Gabriel Cohuelo. After being tracked down by Doctor Strange, she is teleported to Fortress X with her two companions. * ''
Aurora An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
'' – Mentioned by Northstar as having been killed by soldiers. * '' Beast'' – Hank McCoy was beaten to death by anti-mutant protesters during the March Of Purity. * '' Callisto'' – Prisoner on Alcatraz who is freed by Basilisk when he escapes. She later goes to Fortress X. * ''Camp Gorge's Mutants'' – The following characters were seen in Camp Gorge during a prison riot: ** '' Blob'' – Shown fighting the Hulk. ** '' Maggott'' – Killed by Iron Man. ** '' Mammomax'' – Briefly seen during prison riot. ** '' Marrow'' – Participated in prison riots. She would have been strangled by Ghost Rider if not for the arrival of Chamber, who killed him. ** '' Omega Red'' – Briefly seen during prison riot when the Hulk throws the Blob into him and Rusty Collins. ** ''
Riptide A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal flo ...
'' – Briefly seen during prison riot. ** '' Rusty Collins'' – Briefly seen during prison riot when the Hulk throws the Blob into him and Omega Red. * ''
Copycat Copycat refers to a person who copies some aspect of some thing or somebody else. Copycat may also refer to: Intellectual property rights * Copyright infringement, use of another’s ideas or words without permission * Patent infringement, a v ...
'' – Infiltrated Cannonball's X-Force. She was unmasked and killed by Husk. * ''
Debrii Debrii is the alias of Deborah Fields, a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Zeb Wells and artist Skottie Young, she debuted in ''New Warriors'' vol. 3 #4. Little is known about her a ...
'' – During a memory experience by Tempo, Debrii was among the mutants captured by the Sapien League and paraded around as a dangerous mutant. * ''
Destiny Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...
'' – Died in custody. * ''
Doctor Nemesis Doctor Nemesis is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and Ace Magazines. Publication history The first version (James Bradley) was a derivative version of the eponymous Golden Age c ...
'' He was seen frozen and distorted in a room unknown to Magneto at the center of Fortress X. Gambit sees that he is looking at brain scans (probably Legion's). * ''
Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
'' – A Mutant-hunter for hire. He is actually a double agent (working with Magneto) who teleports mutants to Fortress X. * ''
Elixir ELIXIR (the European life-sciences Infrastructure for biological Information) is an initiative that will allow life science laboratories across Europe to share and store their research data as part of an organised network. Its goal is to bring t ...
'' – During Tempo's memory experience, Elixir was among the mutants captured by the Sapien League and paraded around as a dangerous mutant. * ''
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first s ...
'' – Mister Fantastic,
Human Torch The Human Torch (Jonathan "Johnny" Storm) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. He is writer Stan Lee's and artist Jack Kirby's reinvention of a si ...
and Thing were arrested by the mutant hunters when they were informed by Invisible Woman that they harbored Wolfsbane. * ''
Feral A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...
'' – Mentioned briefly by Rogue and Tempo as dead. * ''Guthrie Family'' – Killed by a trigger-happy guard, but no one was prosecuted since two mutants had been born into the family. * '' Gabriel Cohuelo'' – Retreated to the sewers of Manhattan as a fugitive with Dazzler and Angel Salvadore. After being tracked down by Doctor Strange, he is teleported to Fortress X with his two companions. Begins using the codename "''Velocidad''" when he arrives at Fortress X. * '' Havok'' – Killed by his brother Basilisk (who was forced to do that by Arcade). * '' Jean Grey'' – Grey's Phoenix Force ability manifested, causing destruction and death in Albany. Although she was presumed dead when air forces bombed the area, a phoenix emerged from the rubble. * ''
Kavita Rao Dr. Kavita "Vita" Rao is a fictional character, a geneticist appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is part of the X-Men Series. Shohreh Aghdashloo portrayed the role in '' X-Men: The Last Stand.'' Publication history ...
'' – Living in Fortress X, she became a traitor to humanity when she sided with the mutants. * ''
Mary Jane Watson Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is a Character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and made her first appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man' ...
'' – Spider-Man's wife here, she is a fugitive who is pregnant with a baby girl. Spider-Man sends her to Paris (to avoid arrest for being pregnant with a potentially superhuman infant) while her fetus was small enough to escape detection. * ''
Masque The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A masq ...
'' – * '' Mister Sinister'' – A flashback shows that Mister Sinister was killed by Redback. * '' Moira MacTaggert'' – One of the few humans allowed to live in Fortress X because of her sympathy with the mutant cause. Legion's stepmother found Moira a place in the Fortress. Revealed to be X, the voice controlling Fortress X and creator of this reality. * ''
Multiple Man James Arthur Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Len Wein, he first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Giant-Size Fantastic F ...
'' – Mentioned briefly by Rogue as dead. * '' Nightcrawler'' – Mentioned briefly by Rogue as dead. * '' Neophyte'' – Provided information on Legacy and Magento. * ''
Onyxx Onyxx (Sidney Green) is a fictional mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''X-Men'', vol. 2 #171 and was created by Peter Milligan and Salvador Larroca. Fictional character biography Onyxx passes from v ...
'' – Recruited to Magneto's cause by Nightmare. * ''
Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude th ...
'' – Suspected to be Magneto's daughter, a prisoner of Alcatraz who died while trying to escape. * '' Pyro'' – Killed by Redback during a raid on Fortress X. * '' Quicksilver'' – Although he was shown still alive fighting the Exonim that killed his sister, it is implied that he was among those killed by Exonim during the Decimation. * '' Sabretooth'' – During Tempo's memory experience, Sabretooth was captured by the Sapiens League and paraded around as a dangerous mutant. Later, he was made a tracker for the Avengers in exchange for his freedom. Known by the Avengers as Weapon-S, his jaw was replaced with two metal tusks. his vocabulary suggests that the injury to his jaw left him with brain damage. Holds a grudge against Wolverine, where he uses his scent to track down Fortress X. Killed by Hulk when the Avengers find Fortress X. * ''
Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 19 ...
'' – She was among those killed by Exonim during the Decimation. * ''
Siryn Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Debuting under the codename Siryn, she later retired the name and went by Banshee, in hon ...
'' – Subject of Banner's experiment who caused the accident turning Banner into the Hulk. She was killed with the other prisoners in the ensuing explosion. * ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...
'' – Here, Spider-Man is married to Mary Jane and is hunted by the Human Coalition after their discovery of
Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in '' Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos' ...
's Secret Warriors. Due to their powers, the coalition assumed they were mutants and the government extended its reach to "Post-Muties" (people whose offspring would be considered mutants). Captured by the coalition while buying time for Mary Jane to escape with their unborn daughter. * '' Vulcan'' – Vulcan is in an induced coma at the Barton-Howell research facility. * '' Wind Dancer'' – Recruited to Magneto's cause by Nightmare. * '' Wolfsbane'' – Harbored by the Fantastic Four until she almost harmed Franklin Richards, leading Invisible Woman to report her to the mutant hunters.


Fortress X

Fortress X is a mutant haven which is the main setting for this storyline. Magneto used the skyscrapers in which the mutants were cornered, the
Chrysler Building The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. At , it is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel fra ...
, the
Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from " Empire State", the nickname of the ...
and
Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...
to create it by controlling the buildings' frameworks, removing them and reconstructing them as one large building. Grand Central Terminal is the fortress' security hub. Fortress X is in a battle-scarred wasteland. Fortress X interweaves stairways and streets in residential and communal areas. Private dormitories are used by each mutant or couple. Mutant inhabitants may drink and play cards at the Rat Run bar operated by Wolverine. There is also an
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. ...
where Madison Jeffries works. Magneto has a large observation room containing a pillar with monitors mounted on it. The X-Brig is a high-security vault many stories above ground that imprisons dangerous mutants.


Issues

* ''Age of X: Alpha'' * '' X-Men: Legacy'' #245–249 * ''
New Mutants The New Mutants are a group of fictional mutant superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally in association with the X-Men. Originally depicted as the teenaged junior class at the Xavier Institute, subs ...
'' #22–24 * ''Age of X: Universe'' #1–2


Reception

''Age of X: Alpha'' received a rating of 7.5 out of 10 from IGN, and a rating of 3.5 out of 5 from
Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
. The reviews described it as a good setup, providing a framework for the rest of the series. ''X-Men: Legacy'' #245 received a rating of 3.5 out of 5 from Comic Book Resources.


References


External links


UK Comics review

Comic Book Resources review
{{Marvel Multiverse