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Part of the Civil War X-Over

Synopsis & Review by Specter313:
Synopsis: Toure and Ananda from BET are live in Africa profiling the wedding of the century. They start by profiling Storm and T’Challa and their superhero ties as well as the abundant resources that provides Wakanda’s wealth. However with all the superhero ties the power couple has, it is hard to tell if America’s Superhero Registration Act will over shadow their wedding, Toure notes, and the way the heroes who do show behave. Luke Cage and Spider-Man talks to Spider-Man about stuff that happened in Civil War #2, and The Fantastic Four talk about stuff that happens in Civil War #3, while the X-Men wonder what this means for Storm’s obligation as an X-Men.

Meanwhile, the psychic parasite known as the cannibal prepares his traps. He is tempted by all the super heroes he could inhabit, but knows he needs to stick to his plan.

The presence of Isaiah Bradley catches the attention of many people. Wolverine says it best, “What? Who?”

Elsewhere in the palace T'Challa is exercising while Storm nearby reads the paper. He mentions his mother will perform the ceremony since she is the highest-ranking elder besides himself. Storm takes it as an afterthought. T'Challa reiterates the whole Black Panther set of ideals that Storm reminds she is not becoming. He tells her about the ritual of being judged by the Panther God on the celestial plane. Storm wants to know though, that if she does not pass the judgment if he’ll resign with her. Conveniently, Professor Xavier interrupts them. After the initial greeting, T'Challa lets the former teacher and student catch up. She is surprised he can walk, but before questions can be answered, he puts the focus back to her. He talks about her new role, the living symbol between human/mutant relations. The role she was born to play. They hug.

Dr. Strange is chatting with various guests (that I’m not to familiar with) feel a powerful presence which Dr. Strange conjures the Eye of Agamotto. Overshadowing the wedding is the Watcher. Ananda and Toure are confused to what his presence means, as is the Thing.

T'Challa, suited up as the Black Panther arranges a meeting between Captain America and the Iron Man, both who are rather surprised and not happy by this. The Black Panther tells them both to stand down, and is asking his friends to take advantage of the situation to make reconcile their differences over Civil War. They go back and forth over their views and the end result is that both men walk out on T'Challa.

Ananda and Toure commentate on the surplus of celebrities and political figures showing up, including President Bush, Fidel Castro, Nelson Mandela, and Oprah. Storm’s grandparents are seated with the rest of N'Dare's African tribe where both of Storm's grandmothers, who appear to have had a long-standing disagreement, agree to move past the past and celebrate the future.

Kitty and Storm talk right before the wedding and Kitty is amazed by Storm’s dress. Storm tells Kitty to visit, and she will but wants Storm to visit as well. However, given the new political climate, Storm isn’t sure if she and T'Challa will be welcomed in the United States.

T'Challa's uncle tries to ease his king’s mind as to why the Watcher would appear with humor, but it does not seem to help. He tells T'Challa’s that his (deceased) father is excited for the wedding and even wonders how far away children could be. T'Challa stops him and is ready for the ceremony.

The ceremony begins, and just as T'Challa’s mother asks about the whereabouts of Storm, Ororo flies in looking amazing. T'Challa’s mother begins the ceremony that leads to the time of judgment from the Black Panther. They are both transported to the Spirit World where Storm soon realizes her powers are not accessible. They run, but the Panther God tracks them down and a god stares the self-titled goddess down. He roars in her face, and Storm doesn't flinch. The Panther God accepts Ororo. With the Panther God’s blessing, the ceremony is complete. T'Challa and Ororo can begin their life. Storm is married.

At the reception, Prince does a song, to the surprise of She-Hulk. Dr. Strange seems to notice the psychic parasite person, Cannibal. Stange and some guards search the suspect out and keep watch over the bride. The Thing looks over an unconscious man (or dead, not sure) and Dr. Strange figures out that the host has been abandoned. Luke Cage talks to Jessica about staying in Wakanda while Spider-Man happens to get in a brawl with the Man-Ape.

Hours later, the newlyweds are opening gifts and T'Challa opens a message from Dr. Doom congratulating the two and offering a conversation to maybe see how the they could help the other out in the future. Storm and T'Challa decide to push the troubles of others away and embrace each other.

Review: As the cease fire tie-in Civil War, thankfully it did not overshadow the story…completely. I was at first nervous to how Storm’s wedding would turn out being that it was in the middle of all this. Moments directly concerning Civil War had impact, yet were brief enough to make sure that the focus of the issue is Storm’s wedding.

I’m calling it Storm’s wedding because I don’t know much of the Black Panther, and well Storm is just that awesome. Being that all of Storm’s comic book career she has been X-man, I was hoping we would have more scenes with the X-Men. I was not too thrilled by the X-Men annual and wished we could see Storm at least communicate with most of the X-Men who have known her for so long. In the issue, we see Bishop and Beast on the cover, she has a conversation with Professor Xavier and Kitty, and x-cameos only include The Astonishing team, Nightcrawler, Juggernaut, and possibly Psylocke. The meeting with Storm and Xavier is presented as a first since decimation, but they were both shown to be at Banshee’s funeral.

I think the answer would be obvious to Scott that since Storm left the X-Men last summer at the end of the X-Men/ Black Panther crossover that her obligation to the X-Men was not that great.

I am not to sure if there was a deeper meaning to the Watcher being there, and if that is tied in to the parasite that was finding hosts. It was also interesting the way Ananda and Toure commentated the wedding for BET. And Storm’s dress was amazing.

I will not comment much on the Black Panther and the stories behind him, as I am not a collector of his series and not a huge fan. I am not sure if he is the right choice for Storm though. I really wanted him to answer the question if he would resign with Storm if she did not pass the judgment, because more so then Civil War overshadowing the wedding, are the political aspects and the ties he has to the Black Panther cult. The face off with Storm and the Panther God was stunning. Other than claustrophobia I don’t think there is much Storm couldn’t face off with.

I just hope that looking forward she does not go into limbo or become known only as the wife of the Black Panther showing up here or there. I have wanted Storm’s character to be challenged in news ways for a while now, but I am hesitant at these changes.

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