UXP # 43: "Cleaning out the X-House # 5: Muir Island Saga"

The New Mutants # 99-100, Uncanny X-Men # 278-279, X-Factor # 69, Uncanny X-Men # 280, X-Factor # 70, Excalibur # 41

This wraps up the "Cleaning out the X-House" segment of the Uncanny X-Periment. As the last threads are (for the most part) wrapped-up, we close an era that I personally believe began with the end of the "Dark Phoenix Saga."

Let's look at the big picture . . .

In many ways, "The Dark Phoenix Saga" served as the resolution of the plotlines and stories that started with "Giant-Sized X-Men" # 1. In a similair way, this entire phase of the X-Men has gone back and touched on ideas and characters established post-"Dark Phoenix," bringing the many subplots and story archs to their end, allowing for a new wave of creativity to sweep over the books.

Now, for the books at hand . . .

"The New Mutants" # 99-100 brings the book to a close, and spends most of the time setting up for "X-Force." Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of time in the issues spent on developing this. Cable, driven by the idea that Mutantkind is at war, shakes up the New Mutants. In the end, only Cannonball and Boom-Boom are left. The team pulls itself together at the end with new additions Domino, Shatterstar, Feral, and Warpath. Sadly, the characterization and story is razor thin.

"The Uncanny X-Men" and "X-Factor" issues deal with the long-running Shadow King/Muir Island subplot that's been around since the 250s. It's nice to get some resolution to the subplot, despite the lackluster story. More changes here. Xavier can't walk again; Legion is in a coma; Shadow King dead; the X-Men, X-Factor, and a bunch of non-affiliated Mutants seek a new purpose. All great set-up for what's to come. There's a great moment when Professor X and the original X-Men decide that a change is necessary.

"Excalibur," I really just threw in because I've been ignoring the poor title. The team basically reacts to the X-Men being alive.

With everything now resolved, we officially leave one era of the X-Men and are about to begin a new.

~W~