Synopsis & Review by Specter313:
Synopsis: In the French Quarter in New Orleans, a man known as Quiet Bill is trying to get in touch with one of the Guilds through an urgent phone call. When he finally gets word that someone will get back to him, he retreats into a hotel and catches a ride on a half full elevator. Just when the doors are about to close, a strange looking man with white hair who looks familiar manages to get on. When the doors open again, Riptide is the only one to get off, leaving the elevator full of bloody bodies, reporting that the target is down with no complications.

In Caldecott County, Mississippi, the doors to an old home are blown in and alarms go off, which Rogue also quickly disposes of, and tells the rest of her team things are clear. Turns out this is the childhood home Rogue shared with Mystique and Destiny, and Raven says she could have just deactivated it all, but Rogue snaps that she is the leader and the others will do as they’re told, including Mystique. This makes everyone uncomfortable, especially when Rogue doesn’t realize they left Cable back on Providence, and they all split off to do their own things. Upstairs, Bobby contacts Cyclops and Emma and explains Rogue’s insanity and out of control powers, saying he’s really scared for her. Scott says he’ll be right there with some of the others, leaving Colossus and Kitty to mind the school. Bobby then turns to comfort a noticeably shaken Mystique. She says how it’s nothing new for Rogue to be hating her and how everything seems to be falling apart, and before you know it, Bobby has returned to his human form and laying her down on a nearby bed.

Back on Providence, Cable awakens an older version of the Professor computer than is all he has left. He asks it to update its files and analyze since the island has been evacuated, but the computer won’t comply, since it is still reading a population of two on the island, as we see someone watching Cable.

At the house, Regan has managed to dig up some vodka and asks if Karima is in. Karima states that she can’t get drunk since becoming a sentinel, and says she’s busy trying to repair damage done to her systems by the Hecatomb. Regan leaves her alone as an urgent incoming message shows up on her computer, but Karima notices something wrong and tries to disconnect herself but she is zapped by a major shock. Her demeanor changes as a familiar skull necklace appears around her neck, and she says that she should learn never to open attachments.

Back in New Orleans, a strange couple enters the home of the Witness. He knows what’s coming and doesn’t even reach for his gun as Vertigo knocks him down with her powers, saying that this shouldn’t come as a surprise then, as Scalphunter places the gun to the old man’s head, saying it’s like they never left.

Cable now knows about the other person on the island, pulls his gun, and demands whoever it is show himself. The shadowy figure says that’s a cold way to greet a comrade, and throws a charged up doll at Nathan, and the explosion sends him flying. Gambit has returned and wants Cable to pick a card.

Rogue finds her old room at the house and has some flashbacks. Sam comes up asking if she wants to share her thoughts, but she begins babbling how there’s so many voices again, even referring to herself in the third person now. He tells her she’s not alone and they’ll fix things, and that Scott and the others are downstairs when she’s ready.

Cable wants to know how Gambit got rid of his new look, but Remy is vague, saying it was with the help of friends, and that he didn’t come to fight. He just wants to ask Cable’s little computer something about the same, about one minute before dawn. Something about this quote jars Cable, and Gambit uses this distraction to launch some cards at him. Cable easy blocks them, but Remy reminds him it is a card trick, as Sunfire blasts Cable from behind, knocking him right in front of the charged cards that explode right in his face. Cable, severely injured, retreats as Gambit tells Sunfire to let him go for now.

Emma is finally starting to work on a sleeping Rogue, but when she enters her mind, she finds a complete mess; none of the alien minds have integrated and Rogue’s mind can’t fully surface. Beast can’t seem to find anything to cure the strain 88 virus either. They may have to have Logan touch her, but only as a last resort since even he might not survive her powers now. Emma can’t do anything at this time, since she’ll need to build up some of the tools she’ll need to use, so Scott calls for a break as the shifty pair of Karima and Regan join them.

Cable manages to get to a hidden lab, and immediately orders a search on the “one minute before dawn” phrase, but just as quickly, Sunfire blasts through the doors. He thanks Cable, since they wouldn’t have found the lab so quickly. Nathan asks what they realize they’ll destroy, but Shiro says his death is necessary the knowledge will be put to good use, so Cable tells his computer one word: Requiem. Alarms start blaring as Gambit and Sunfire make a run for it, as a huge explosion destroys the lab.

In the kitchen, the others are discussing Rogue’s condition when Mystique runs in saying some alarms have been tripped outside. They seem to be cloaked somehow and Emma also notes a lack of all psychic activity which means a psi shield. Scott orders everyone to move, and as they leave, Karima stays behind to check on Emma, who realizes too late the some of the shield seems to be coming from Karima herself. She quickly blasts Emma down, and tells her to check out the new look, as Malice has moved with the times and is digital now.

Logan and Beast get a strange feeling that the intruders aren’t outside, they’re actually in the house! Bobby suddenly can’t fully ice up, and Sam wonders why they can’t see the intruders, when Regan is all “Oops, my bad”, and drops her illusion to show all the Marauders are right there. Cyclops gives the order to fire, but Karima attacks them as well. All hell breaks out as Iceman gets shot through his partially iced torso. Upstairs, Rogue is awoken by the shot, and blazes downstairs into the battle. The fight continues as Scalphunter takes aim at Rogue, but is knocked down by Mystique, saying he doesn’t shoot her daughter: That’s her job, and shoots Rogue herself! As Rogue drops to the floor, Mystique tells the Marauders the orders still stand, kill them all!

Review: A very good issue, especially for such an important milestone in this book’s history. Ever since the Marauders appearance in the Mutant Massacre, I don’t think that this particular team of villains have really been given a chance to show just how vicious and dangerous they can really be. They’ve almost become a bit of a joke with how many times they’ve been killed and cloned, but Carey has proven himself capable of taking characters that have been out of the spotlight for awhile and helping them to shine better than ever. And lets look at who they’ve taken out this issue: Quiet Bill, the Witness, and Cable. Looking all their powers and histories, the only thing they seem to have in common is either the ability to look at possible futures and/or being a time traveler, so whatever they’re doing, they seem to be getting rid of anyone who would know about it and could possibly stop them, which would also explain why they’d want to take out the X-Men.

Now let’s discuss the X-Men. Really, was it that much of a surprise that Lady Mastermind and Mystique betrayed them? It was really only a matter of time, really. Though it was interesting that Karima turned on them as well, even if she was possessed through Malice instead of through free will. And whatever the eventual pay off is going to be with Rogue better be worth it, since this insanity thing has gotten old pretty quick. And I’m sorry, but I still don’t get this whole relationship with Bobby and Mystique. They move from barely sharing words with each other, to kissing, to having sex within a rather small amount of time that has passed between all these arcs that is just not a believable relationship in my book. Gambit and Sunfire have finally returned as well, and thank god they made the look decisions that they did. Gambit looked terrible at the end of the Apocalypse arc, and Sunfire never looked more badass than with his AoA look.

Now for the art. I’ve said Bachalo and Ramos are bad enough on their own, but to have them both doing an issue at the same time is mind-blowingly bad. It’s unnecessarily jarring to suddenly jump from one to the other and rather annoying that some characters even change looks from page to page. I’ve also said that the art is the main thing holding this book back, and I still stand by that, especially since I know several people who refuse to buy the book on the art alone. Heck, I even refused to get either of their covers for this issue when that gorgeous Finch cover was available. Get someone on this book who can do these stories and characters justice immediately!