Story: Tony Bedard & Jim Calafiore
Pencils: Mark McKenna

Synopsis & Review by Sean Mills. Thanks!:
Synopsis: The Age of Apocalypse was a horrible place. Apocalypse and his son Holocaust totally ruled everything and set about killing all of the humans. Also all of the mutant children were given to Mr. Sinister and forced through a lot of hardships and horrors in The Pens. But now, years later and after Apocalypse has been destroyed, the Pens are preserved like the Nazi death camps as a tribute to those who died and also a stern warning of the depths to which humanity can seek. In fact, there’s a tour being lead through.

That is until a portal opens and the Exiles emerge with the Timebroker waiting for them. Blink and Sabretooth, now back in the very place they met, are scared and the Timebroker enjoys reminding Blink of the horror. Blink tells him he knows nothing of what she went through, as Sabretooth grabs his shirt and lifts him up. However, the Timebroker reminds them that he knows everything that happened. And also, since they would not carry out their last mission, he’s taken them here to be punished as per the rules.

Sabretooth, however, thinks this is great. The fact that his world, his home, still exists is great news! Blink isn’t as excited though. Sabretooth asks the Timebroker where the X-Men are while Mimic asks where Beak is. Namora ponders aloud about how Sasquatch disappeared, and now Beak. She asks what the Timebroker did with them and he tells them that those two became useless and so they were removed from duty. But he has a surprise because the Exiles’ newest teammate is the villainous Holocaust! The big orange monster appears, very confused of course.

Morph sees him as a flaming headed guy with a bad attitude…perhaps another Ghost Rider rip off? Blink is scared though. Holocaust asks why Morph doesn’t recognize him and notes that since the other X-Men do, perhaps he’s finally home. Sabretooth shouts out orders only to have Mimic remind him that Blink is in charge. Blink nervously just says to do everything Sabretooth tells them and Creed tells her that’s a good idea.

The Timebroker interrupts and explains the situation to Holocaust, who of course doesn’t take it lightly. He boasts his superiority and then blasts the Timebroker with his large blaster-hand. He’s about to attack Blink and Sabretooth when the Timebroker reappears, not so easily killed. So since no one seems willing to listen, he resorts to the old standby of having the Tallus forcibly show everyone what’s going to happen.

When Apocalypse took over the world it proved to be rather dangerous for the multiverse. He’d hoped that the defeat of the evil one would solve the problem, that the bombs raining down on the mutant empire would fix things. But the bombs were averted allowing the world to survive, as well as Mr. Sinister. Soon the X-Men will go and fight him, only to unleash a powerful effect which will spread like a cancer and destroy universe after universe. So to stop this, the Exiles must kill the X-Men. This is their punishment; Blink and Sabretooth have to kill their old family. Though Holocaust will probably enjoy it.

The Timebroker leaves and Holocaust contemplates this new issue. He believes the Timebroker and Sabretooth tells him about the Tallus. Holocaust, who spent time in the 616 Marvel Universe, is convinced of the problem and says that they’d better hurry up and do their jobs. Everyone looks shocked, but then Holocaust was just kidding and blasts everyone. Holocaust decides that Sinister will not inherit the earth after Apocalypse, that it is rightfully his throne. So before Sabretooth can stop him, Holocaust takes off because time is of the essence. Mimic says they should go after him, but Blink and Sabretooth stop him as they know it’ll take all of them to stop the guy.

As Holocaust is flying towards his destination, he mutters to himself about where destiny has taken him. Suddenly he senses something, faint but unmistakable. He changes his mind and flies off in a new direction having found something much bigger than Sinister.

Meanwhile, at some Air Force Research Base, a fancy looking military man is on the phone explaining how they recently found two energy profiles matching The Item at the Pens. Then suddenly the sensors say that one of the new profiles left only to start heading in their direction. He looks on at a giant pink crystal and wonders with the person on the phone how anyone could possibly know what they have hidden. He’s rather worried about what’s coming and would rather destroy the crystal rather than let someone from Apocalypse’s forces get their hands on it.

But then he’s told that the new arrival has broken through the defenses and is incoming. Holocaust busts through and is pleased to see the M’Kraan Crystal! The scientists are in awe that the thing has a name as Holocaust angrily accuses them of stealing his inheritance. Then he laughs at how these stupid humans found it in Apocalypse’s palace but don’t know what it is or what to do with it. The general approaches and demands that Holocaust tell him what it is and what it does before the blows the whole place up with the safety H-Bomb implanted beneath the facility.

So Holocaust tells him that the M’Kraan Crystal is a Nexus of Realities, where different universes intersect and Magneto wanted to use it to change the past and undo the Age of Apocalypse. During the final battle, X-Man stabbed Holocaust with a shard of the crystal and sent them both to the 616 universe. The General, who’s looking a little gray, is scared because if Holocaust learned to use it he could conquer thousands of other galaxies and alter history to win every battle. Apocalypse had wanted to do that, but died before he could.

Then Holocaust tells the general that he’s been feeding on his life-energy since he entered the room and the old man falls dead. Holocaust is about to kill one of the scientists but the guy quickly tells him that he has information that the big orange guy could use. He tells him about the second contact with the same energy profile and Holocaust is intrigued but he does know what else is putting out that signal but he’s curious why he didn’t sense it when it was right under his nose: the Tallus!

AT the Bureau of Mutant Affairs, the Exiles are trying to get in to see Magneto. Sabretooth is arguing with the receptionist about a big national emergency that he’s there to help prevent. But they can’t tell Magneto about it because he’s off investigating it for himself. Sabretooth yells at her to tell Magneto that Blink and Sabretooth are back, surely their old friend will be glad to hear that. Mimic grabs Sabretooth’s shoulder and tells him to calm down, that he’s scaring the wrong people.

He whips on Mimic and tells him that if he touches him again then he’ll lose his arm. Also, Mimic can’t call him Victor; Sabretooth’ll do. It’s bad enough they’re friends with Blink, but don’t expect him to pal around with them. Morph complains that it’d have been easier if the Timebroker’s simply told them where Magneto is. Namora just wonders why they follow him at all. The last mission to ‘Kill Mimic’ surely wasn’t a real mission. Something has changed and the Timebroker just wants to watch them squirm.

Morph says they can’t risk just doing nothing, but then they’re interrupted by a big boom outside. People come running inside, scared because Holocaust is back. The Exiles run outside and Blink tries to give an order, but Sabretooth interrupts with his own order and she follows. They get ready to attack but Holocaust holds up his hand and tells them that he has discovered the means to break free of the Timebroker’s control and gain access to the multiverse. They just have to work together to unite the Tallus with the M’Kraan Crystal.

Review: Nice set-up issue. I never read the Age of Apocalypse so I don’t really know much of anything about this world. I’ve read some off of the internet so I’m not totally lost, but I’m just not deep in fanboy glee at revisiting this world. It seems pretty normal to me considering what it had apparently been like. But then it has been at least a year since they booted Apoc from power. Things just got better.

The first thing to say is a glad rejoicing at the art. McKenna’s back and the book looks fantastic! He draws a wonderful Holocaust and he definitely gets Sabretooth right so I’m definitely excited about this book now for the art. The storyline is also pretty fun in that we learn something cool about the Tallus; that perhaps the gem-like part of it is from the M’Kraan Crystal. Anyway, it’s a unique way to really get to the bottom of the Timebroker problem so I’m definitely looking forward to the big confrontation issues.

I always enjoy villains turning into good guys. So to have Holocaust be smart enough to be able to work with his enemies for the greater good is a delight. I think I’d enjoy Holocaust sticking around with the Exiles for awhile as he is evil but he’s not Hyperion evil. Beak disappearing is a little strange, but we all kinda know that he’s not out of the picture. So I look forward to his return.

Basically Exiles is still a great book as far as I’m concerned and everything is about to hit the fan so I’m even more excited. Though I did realize something about my favorite character: Mimic. When they made a new Mimic for this series they seriously toned down the power of the 616 Mimic in that now he’s reduced to only have five powers at once and only half their strength. Granted this was to make sure he wasn’t a dues ex machine…but the fact that he only gets five powers at once means he doesn’t mimic anyone’s powers. He simply uses a variety of the same powers. He hasn’t actually used his powers since the third story arc back when the series was in single digits.

So I just think that’s a little depressing considering how much potential the Mimic has.