Showing posts with label Crossroads of Infinity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crossroads of Infinity. Show all posts

Thursday 6 June 2019

History of the MC2: The X-Men

I was inspired recently to make a timeline of events covering the history of the MC2, spanning the nebulous 15 year stretch of time after the Main Marvel Universe (or Universe-616) split off and became the MC2 (or Universe-982) and before the next-generation of heroes began to debut starting with J2 #1, A-Next #1 and What If #105.

The X-Men of the MC2. Colour artwork by Erundel.


Given that X-Men: Dark Phoenix is hitting cinemas, for the sixth installment of this series I've chosen to examine the history of the oft-forgotten team of mutants, the MC2's X-Men. Following a few references to the original mutant team in the series, we get our first glimpse of the X-Men in J2 #7 via a flashback to 'The Last Days of the Original Juggernaut'. It's here we learn Cain Marko aka the Juggernaut reformed and joined the X-Men, eventually being lost on a mission while at the Crossroads of Infinity though some details would remain unrevealed.






We get hints of the Juggernaut's final mission as early as J2 #1 with mentions of him being lost in a 'weird alien dimension' when Cain's son -Zane- has a recurring nightmare about his father. It's also in this issue we first learn that Cain met, fell in love with and married Sachi Yama a few years prior to his disappearance. Zane also mentions his parents were married 'a few years' before his disappearance and recalls his father taking him to Central Park or the movies when he was 'only a kid' which gives us a vague order of events.






We get hints and mentions throughout the J2 series until #12 reveals that Cain's final mission with the X-Men was to save the Earth from the Overlords Eight. While on their way back from the Crossroads of Infinity, the X-Men ran into an army of creatures called Darklings and Cain was imprisoned and tortured by one of the Overlords Eight, Nemesus. Cain would spend many years trapped in Nemesus' dimension, eventually inadvertantly transferring much of his powers as Juggernaut to his son, Zane.





The X-Men team that Cain Marko joins is led by Wolverine and other teammates included Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair), Synch (Everett Thomas), Siryn (Theresa Cassidy) and 'Hopper' (J2 #7, J2 #12 and Wild Thing #5). Notably, Cyclops mentions he was on a sabbatical at the time the Juggernaut joined the X-Men (J2 #7) and the latter made peace with his stepbrother, Charles Xavier (Wild Thing #5).




In addition to the mystery of original Juggernaut, we have a few other bits and pieces of information which help us assemble a very loose order of events surrounding the X-Men. At some point in the past, Wolverine regained his adamantium which at the time the issue was published, had not occurred in the Main Marvel Universe (J2 #10). Cain Marko's and his former partner in crime, Black Tom Cassidy, had a falling out, possibly as a result of Cain dating Sachi Yama (J2 #7).  Cassidy Keep, the ancestrial home of Black Tom has been seemingly uninhabitated following Tom's disappearance 'years ago' (J2 #9).





Wild Thing aka Rina Logan mentions growing up in a super hero team (Spider-Girl #½), and learning how to manifest her psi-claws from her 'Godmother' (J2 #5), most certainly a reference to the X-Men and Psylocke respectively.





In Wild Thing #3 we learn that Mr Woodhill, the social studies teacher at Upper Saddle River High was involved in a crash ten years prior, spending a year in the hospital as a result. While there Woodhill was transformed into a Sleeper Sentinel, including suppression implants to ensure he remained unaware he was a cyborg. Jubilee explains that the X-Men had years ago attempted to find all the Sleeper Sentinels but some -such as Mr Woodhill- had gone undetected. Using a program devised by Dr McCoy and Forge, the Sleeper Sentinels would have their Sentinel activation nullified, allowing them to continue on believing they were ordinary humans (Wild Thing #3).





As noted in my History of the MC2: The Avengers post, Jubilee was active as a member of the Avengers interim team that formed following several losses during a mission to an alternate world (What If #105, A-Next #1 and #7 and Spider-Girl #32). Based on that information, we know this was around 10-11 years prior to the present-day in the MC2 seen in What If #105





Zane notes that thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of the X-Men, anti-mutant sentiment has been on the down-swing for the past few years and that the X-People currently operate from a mansion in Saddle River, New Jersey (J2 #2). Additionally, Rina seems to imply that both the X-Men and X-People teams currently exist (J2 # 10). The continued existence of the X-Men team is confirmed by Mainframe in Spider-Girl #92, in which we also learn Magneto hasn't been seen in years and is believed by some to be dead. 









With all that covered, we can piece together a very rough outline of events for Marvel's Merry Mutants, the X-Men during the approximately 15-year span prior to present-day events in the MC2 starting with What If #105:

  • Cain Marko falls in love with Sachi Yama and reforms
  • Cain has a falling out with Black Tom Cassidy, possibly over Sachi
  • At some point Black Tom Cassidy disappears
  • Wolverine regains his adamantium under unrevealed circumstances
  • Cain joins the X-Men led by Wolverine. Cyclops is on a sabbatical around this time.
  • Sachi and Cain are married and their son, Zane Marko is born.
  • A few years later, Cain is lost on a mission with the X-Men and is imprisoned and tortured by Nemesus of the Overlords Eight
  • Jubilee joins the Avengers following the loss of many of their members. 
  • Several people are transformed into Sleep Sentinels including Mr Woodhill
  • Dr Hank McCoy and Forge devise a method of neutralizing the Sentinel programming, allowing the Sleepers to lead normal lives unaware they are cyborgs. However Woodhill and others remain undetected.
  • Following several sacrifices by the X-Men, anti-mutant sentiment is reduced. 
  • At some point, Magneto disappears and is thought dead by some.
  • Working from a mansion in Saddle River, New Jersey, the X-People team is formed and named by Jubilee
  • The X-Men team continues to operate and oversee the newer team in some capacity.

While much of the dating of events remains extremely unclear, and certain events (such as Zane's birth or characters disappearances) could easily be placed elsewhere, I believe this is a pretty good summation of the available information. As there are still several plot threads left unresolved and more than a few X-Men teammates' whereabouts unaccounted for, I'd sincerely love the X-Men of the MC2 to get some more page time one day. Perhaps in an X-People mini series?




Until I develop mutant powers, don a yellow a blue skin-tight outfit and fight for equality in world that fears and hates me, I remain

frogoat



Saturday 7 September 2013

MC2 Across the Multiverse

With the various problems with the Marvel Space-Time Continuum at the moment, including Spider-Man 2099 showing up in the good ol' Marvel 616 universe, I started thinking about MC2 characters crossing over into other planes of reality...and so, because I can't sleep without making you all suffer, I present what I believe is a complete list of all the occasions MC2 characters have 'jumped the tracks':

  • Spider-Girl is briefly banished to a strange dimension with Franklin Richards aka Psi-Lord by the dimension hopper/time-travel known as Spyral. I don't have a name for this place. (Spider-Girl #3)
 




  • Cain Marko aka the Juggernaut is stranded along the Crossroads of Infinity while on a mission with the X-Men. (J2 #7) This appears to be the same place originally seen in Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #51, but I believe it's different from the Crossroads the Hulk is sent to in Incredible Hulk #300.

  • Spider-Girl #10-11 depicts May going on a time-traveling journey to the past, specifically during the events of Amazing Spider-Man #25,thanks again due to Spyral. It's not clear if this caused any changes to the timeline, though the Human Torch seems to vaguely recognize Spider-Girl in Spider-Girl #3, so who knows?


  • The Avengers travel to Earth-9907 in search of answers regarding the original Avengers team (A-Next #10-11). Thunderstrike stays behind to be with a version of his father, and Crimson Curse is apparently killed. It's first mentioned in A-Next #7 and from there we learn more about the original teams mission, which ended in tragedy.

  • J2 -with the aid of Sorcerer Supreme Doc Magus- travels via the Crossroads of Infinity to a pocket dimension on a different plane of reality to rescue his father. They are later aided by the original Defenders, Doctor Strange, Namor and the Hulk. (J2 #12)

  • At some point, American Dream, Freebooter, Kristoff Vernard and the Coal Tiger are pulled from time by the Destiny Force into the Destiny War as it unfolds at the Citadel At The End Of Time. The Destiny Force first appeared in Avengers (vol 1) #97, the Citadel At The End Of Time first appeared in Thor #245. (Avengers Forever #11-12)

  • Spider-Girl and American Dream make a journey to Earth-9907 to enlist the aid of Thunderstrike, his father, and the aged Captain America of the MC2 (still fighting on this world) against Seth. (Spider-Girl #57-58)


  • Thanks to the machinations of Loki, he and Hulk end up exiled to Limbo for eternity. (Last Hero Standing #5) This seems to be the temporal Limbo linked to Immortus, first seen in Avengers (vol 1) #2. 

  • The minds of both Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom are sent to the Crossroads of Infinity and lost across the entirety of time and space thanks to Doom's 'Infinity Device.' (Fantastic Five (vol 2) #5)

  • Mayhem travels back in time from a dystopian future via an old Time Platform (nicknamed 'The Mulligan') to change MC2 history. (Spider-Girl: The End one-shot) Doom's Time Platform was first seen in Fantastic Four (vol 1) #5.

  • American Dream is snatched out of time by the Elder of the Universe known as Tath Ki (aka the Contemplator)  to help prevent a corruption of the Marvel 616 present by Superia.  (Captain America Corps #1-5


 I've not list the various trips to the Negative Zone; I'm saving that for another day. The MC2 Universe brushes shoulders with many aspects of the Marvel Multiverse, and it's only a matter of time before we see another crossover. If you'd like to suggest any additions or corrections, please let me know.

Until Spider-Girl punches a hole in the Space-Time Continuum, I remain

frogoat