Synopsis & Review by Specter313:
Synopsis: Xavier is sitting at an outdoor café with Moira, telling her about his experiences with his discoveries of other mutants, and she mentions her findings as well, but she doesn’t want to go into detail, because she does not believe that he’ll be able to resist his temptations as their “shepherd”. He starts to protest when he sees someone across the way, someone he says should not be there. We see that man is Bishop, who takes aim and shoots Charles in the head, and he begins to fall past images of friends and foes alike…

We see that his body is actually in some kind of facility surrounded by several Acolytes. Exodus is lamenting how most of Xavier’s brain has turned to mush, yet he is still resisting his powers. Cargill wants to just let him die, but that’s not an option for Exodus. Amelia Voght says the resistance is a natural defense he put up from his time at war, and tries to stop Exodus when he decides the only way to help Xavier is to completely his mind to rebuild it.

In another part of the facility, Cargill still wants to let Xavier die, and Amelia says that’s not her decision and Karima says she wouldn’t let her do it anyway. Karima says even though she doesn’t know who these people are; she couldn’t let Xavier die and wants to know what’s happened due to her memory loss. Malice has indeed been purged from her system and Amelia gives her a rundown of what all happened in Messiah Complex and who they all are. Exodus arrives and says he’s finished with his work, but there’s little left of the man Xavier was.

We enter into Xavier’s mind to a memory of when he first formed the X-Men and started training them. While they’re in the Danger Room, he meets with Moira, who is flabbergasted with what he is trying to do with them, like he’s trying to build a private army. She finds the files on the kids and asks about a specific annotation on Scott’s, and when she learns it could mean he was contacted by a mutant prior to meeting Xavier, she accuses him of being jealous someone got there first and storms off. He tries to stop her, but the memory goes blank.

Amelia is shocked that Charles could be brain dead, but Exodus didn’t actually say that. He just took Charles’ memories out to fix his brain, but now he won’t take them back. Maybe death would be kinder, but Exodus thinks he just needs the right stimulus.

Charles now seems to be focusing on memories of Scott, and then comes in on one where he says he is leaving the school with Scott in charge. Scott doesn’t think he’s ready yet, but Xavier says that he is, through the steering he gave him. Scott wonders if it was more than just Xavier’s teaching that did this and wants his word that he’s never used his powers on him, but the memory goes white.

Exodus is explaining Charles’ situation to a figure standing over his prone body, asking for help even though he hates what this person has become. The figure answers sarcastically, which Exodus doesn’t care for, and says he’ll for the person to help if he needs to. Honestly, he’d advise against it, says Magneto.

Review: So, first of all, everyone is obviously wondering about the big change of direction with this book that came with the title adjective being added. Honestly, I don’t mind it at all for the time being. Yes, it takes away another chance at a full team book showcasing some people’s favorite mutants, but it seems like a very interesting direction to take that hasn’t really been followed before, at least not to my knowledge. So, my curiosity is indeed peaked and I’ll look forward to see what comes out of this.

For the story so far, it’s interesting, but nothing to totally hook me in just yet. Every character in comics has holes to fill in with their pasts, or even things that can be expounded on later. That being said, Xavier is probably one of the last characters I would probably expect this from. While he’s always been there with the X-Men, I don’t think there are a lot of people who will buy a book just for him. Maybe Carey will be able to turn this around with fans, since he’s been doing a great job of character studies before. And no, I’m not surprised that it was Magneto that Exodus turned to at the end there.

Art wise, I am very excited for this title, and probably the biggest reason I like the book still so far. Ever since I first read the Endangered Species one-shot, I’ve wanted Eaton on an X-book long term, and now it’s happened, and I cannot be more excited. I love his figures and his expressions, and teamed with great colorists, he can produce some beautiful panels. Teaming him with other superstar artists of today can only help to elevate him up, and can hopefully keep him on this title for a long time.