All-New X-Men


All-New X-Men was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in November 2012, with the launch of Marvel NOW!. The series centers on the five original X-Men, brought from the past to the present to confront their future counterparts. The series replaces Uncanny X-Men vol. 2 as the flagship book of the X-Men franchise.

Publication history

announced All-New X-Men by the creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen in July 2012. Bendis stated that the idea of having the five original members of the X-Men see what has become of the X-Men came to him during a company retreat for Avengers vs. X-Men, "Avengers Vs. X-Men led to it. It was an idea that had been floating around the X-Office for a while and I'm still unclear where exactly it percolated. I'm a big fan of these kinds of stories, Pleasantville or Peggy Sue Got Married, where a character faces the truth about themselves and what their life can mean versus what it does mean." Bendis said that the five original X-Men not only come into contact with the present day Cyclops's team of X-Men but with Wolverine's team of X-Men as well, "We'll have three factions, and all these characters are interacting. It's almost like a Robert Altman movie. Plus, there will also be some new characters that you haven't met before."
Following the events of the "Battle of the Atom" story arc, the time-displaced X-Men, led by Kitty Pryde, moved to the modern day Cyclops's New Xavier School following a disagreement with the Jean Grey School X-Men members. They would be joined a few issues later by X-23, who had just survived the events of Avengers Arena. The team then took to space in a crossover event, "The Trial of Jean Grey", with Bendis's Guardians of the Galaxy series as part of All-New Marvel NOW!. Following the crossover, the young time-displaced Cyclops was spun off to his own solo series, Cyclops, which had him and his father, Corsair, journey through outer space together. After the series is cancelled upon the end of the Inhumans vs. X-Men storyline, the story of the All-New X-Men is continued in the new series X-Men Blue.

Plot summary

Yesterday's X-Men

Following Cyclops's escape from prison after the war with the Avengers, he, Emma Frost, Magik, and Magneto begin a crusade against mutant persecution, freeing mutants who are being held prisoner after their powers have manifested, violently striking out at the humans responsible at the same time. As the other X-Men bemoan their inability to strike back at Cyclops's actions without triggering a mutant civil war, a frustrated comment by Iceman about how the present Cyclops has created the mutant apocalyptic nightmare that the past Cyclops would not tolerate, and Storm says "I know, Bobby! I know." inspires Beast to take action; he travels back in time to the early days of the Xavier Institute shortly after Professor X has taken a leave of absence and Beast's younger self was about to temporarily leave the X-Men for the first time to recruit their assistance, informing them that Cyclops must come to the future to stop himself from committing mutant genocide.
Although shocked at the news of Cyclops's future, as well as the discovery that he has killed Professor X in the future, the young X-Men decide to help Beast, the younger version recognizing that he would not do something like this unless it was necessary. After arriving in the future at the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning, during which Wolverine instinctively attacks Cyclops before Jean Grey knocks him out, Beast collapses, and the younger version of Beast reveals that his future self is dying; his actions are the result of his desire to accomplish something good in the time he has left to live. Although shaken at the future they have witnessed as they are isolated in one of the rooms, Jean reads Wolverine's mind when he tries to send them back to their own time, noting that, while he is consciously against their presence, he is inwardly grateful to Beast for taking this chance. When they hear news of a mutant riot, young Cyclops reaffirms his dedication to Xavier's dream of peace and the five original X-Men depart in a new Blackbird, determined to confront the future Cyclops.
While talking to Magneto, the present Cyclops realises that their powers are fluctuating after their exposure to the Phoenix Force; he can contain his optical blasts without his visor, but has trouble maintaining them when they are used, and Magneto is having trouble with his own powers. They attempt to rescue Emma Frost from captivity, but she is also having trouble with her powers as her telepathy appears to be weakened even if she can still turn into her diamond form. Magik, however, has gained new abilities from her exposure to the Phoenix Force. Having set up a base in an old Weapon X facility, Cyclops and Magneto depart to rescue a new group of mutants, but are subsequently confronted by the original X-Men, with the young Cyclops challenging his future self to justify his current talk of a "revolution".
Shocked to see his younger self and Jean, Cyclops wonders if they are a psychic illusion. He realizes that they are real and lack context to the position he is in. His thoughts cause Jean's latent telepathy to activate and she hears him admit that he killed Xavier. Unable to control her telepathy and overwhelmed, she reveals that Cyclops killed Xavier and lashes out with her telekinesis; Cyclops's visor is knocked away and, unable to control his optic blasts, he levels the area, before Magik is able to extract him and Magneto. The young X-Men are confused by Magneto's willingness to flee from a fight and surprised that Cyclops attacked them. The team returns to the Jean Grey School to return to their time, disconcerted by what they've seen, but find that the present version of Beast has gone into cardiac arrest.
While the present Cyclops recruits Benjamin Deeds, the temporally-relocated Jean uses her telepathy to help the two Hanks make mental contact with each other. The two emerge from the school, the older Hank reverted to a more human-like appearance. Although Wolverine is in favour of the original team returning to the past and having their memories erased, Jean refuses to depart until they have saved the future. Scott attempts to talk to Jean, but she orders him to stay away from her.

Here to Stay

Jean is overwhelmed by her telepathy, but Kitty and Storm are able to calm her using a technique she will learn in the future. They also suggest that Jean should serve as team leader of the originals during their time in the present, as Cyclops's actions make the students reluctant to trust him. Meanwhile, Angel encounters his future self. The Warren of the present is casually cheery about his past self's presence, while the younger Warren is confused at his future self's metallic wings. The younger Warren attempts to return to the past, but Jean erases his memories. At the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, the adult Cyclops appears with Magik, Emma Frost and Magneto proclaiming "To me, my X-Men".

Out of Their Depth

Cyclops arrives to recruit more X-Men. While Wolverine and Cyclops argue about the original X-Men's returning to their time, the Stepford Cuckoos converse with Emma concerning Jean Grey's current lack of control over her telepathy. Meanwhile, Lady Mastermind, Mystique, and Sabretooth rob banks under the illusion of the time-displaced X-Men and Wolverine's attacking them. Back at the Jean Grey School, the Stepford Cuckoos join Cyclops and, with much surprise and shock, the time-displaced Angel also joins him. Before being teleported away, the Stepford Cuckoos soundly defeat Jean Grey in a psychic battle for attempting to control Angel's mind. While flying in the Blackbird trying to find Mystique, the young X-Men, along with Shadowcat and Wolverine, are intercepted by the Uncanny Avengers.
The Uncanny Avengers believe that the time-displaced X-Men are responsible for the attacks on the banks. Havok and the time-displaced Cyclops are shocked to see each other, as Cyclops thought that his brother was dead. Jean Grey, using her telepathy to see that the Scarlet Witch decimated the mutant population, loses her temper and telekinetically attacks her and the Avengers. She is stopped by the Scarlet Witch, and the situation is explained to her, although she is furious and distraught. Wolverine then reveals to the time-displaced X-Men that they are going to confront Mystique.
The X-Men search for Mystique, and eventually locate her hideout, where she welcomes Madame Hydra and the new Silver Samurai, revealing to them her plan of buying Madripoor. Both groups watch Havok's recent speech about the "M-word", and Kitty Pryde disagrees with the speech. Although Wolverine and Kitty Pryde order the time-displaced X-Men not to follow them, they go after them and, as a battle ensues, Lady Mastermind apparently causes Jean Grey to manifest the Phoenix Force, much to the shock of others. The X-Men and Brotherhood are frozen in distress as Lady Mastermind angrily persuades Jean to kill them all. While Jean proceeds to blame Mystique for causing this, Wolverine prepares to kill Jean in order to stop her from using a power that she cannot control. As Wolverine slashes Jean, it is revealed this is a psychic vision of the Phoenix that Jean somehow manifested into the minds of the Brotherhood, and that inadvertently entered the minds of Wolverine, Kitty, and the other X-Men. Mastermind creates one final illusion that she and Sabertooth use to escape, but Mystique is caught and sent to "The Cage", an extra-max prison. The team now has some time to relax, so Bobby and Scott go to a carnival and try to pick up some teenage girls. Jean Grey practices her telekinetic skills with older Beast and destroy Wolverine's motorcycle. While putting it back together she reads Beast's mind and discovers that Beast had a long-time crush that he never pursued in respect for Scott Summers. Jean then confront time-displaced Beast and the two share their feeling and a romantic kiss.