Summary by Eben Rackland:
The Acolytes find out that Fabian Cortez is responsible for Magneto’s supposed death aboard Asteroid “M.” They furiously attack him, but Exodus intervenes and gathers the Acolytes, leaving behind Cortez. After the death of Illyana Rasputin, Professor Xavier is in deep despair, and swears that he will not fail the rest of the X-men. Meanwhile, on Avalon, Magneto prepares for battle. At the mansion, Storm and Shadowcat find an emotionless Colossus burning his collection of personal paintings. Shadowcat tries to talk to Colossus about the loss of his sister, Illyana, but he is unresponsive. She takes his paintings, and runs off in tears. At about the same time, Bishop and Banshee converse about the bleak future that Bishop traveled from. These events all culminate in the memorial service for Illyana Rasputin. After the service, Professor Xavier gives his regrets to Colossus, who is cold hearted in return. Colossus asserts that Xavier’s dream was a failure to him, and to his sister. The Professor begins to reply but is interrupted by the arrival of the master of magnetism, Magneto. Magnus says that he has come to offer the mutants salvation, but the Acolytes arrive, led by Exodus, and the X-Men get ready for a fight. Magneto uses his powers to tear apart Xavier’s wheelchair and then grips the iron in the blood of the X-Men, rendering them immobile and their powers useless. Magnus insists he has no fight with the X-Men, and that he only wants to help them, and all mutants. Magneto then kills the Acolyte Senyaka, for his oppressive slaughtering of innocent humans. (X-Factor #92) Magneto didn’t order the massacre, so it was not acceptable in his eyes. The discussion turns back to the salvation of mutant kind, at which point Magnus uses his powers to bring Avalon down from space. Exodus brings the Acolytes aboard Avalon, as Magneto and Xavier begin to argue. Unknown to Magneto, this whole time Bishop has been absorbing the energy that Magnus used to keep the X-Men motionless. Having to release the pent up energy, Bishop directs it in a tremendous blast that knocks Magneto through the air and into the roof of the nearby church. This frees the immobilized X-men who quickly realize that close combat with Magnus will be unsuccessful. Cyclops decides to power Bishop up with his optic blasts, and a number of other mutants do the same with their own powers. Upon his return from the now decimated church, Magneto states that for every mutant killed by Stryfe’s legacy virus, he will take 10,000 human lives in retribution. This comment convinces Rogue to try and talk some sense into Magnus. When that fails, she kisses him, in order to absorb his powers and render him useless. Little does she know that his fall from Asteroid “M” took Magneto through the electromagnetic field and into the Antarctic, making him stronger than he’s ever been. Magnus proceeds to rip apart a metal fence and tie down all of X-Factor, as well as a few X-Men. The remaining others attack Magneto at full force. As Magneto takes more and more abuse, his control over Avalon is slowly lost, and the space station begins to crumble. Jean Grey uses her telekinesis to try and hold it together, while Bishop once again attacks Magneto. From behind Bishop comes Colossus, who strikes Bishop down. Thinking there is nothing left for him with the X-Men, Colossus opts to join Magneto, and ascends to Avalon. This infuriates Charles Xavier, and induces him into telepathically taking over Magneto’s powers. Xavier does so, and magnetically hurls Avalon, and its leader, deep into space. He then falls back toward earth, only to be plucked from the sky by Archangel.