Avengers VS X-Men # 6 (Round Six)

By Mark Rodriguez

The Phoenix is arriving an the X-Men wish to use it in their favor, while the Avengers wish to destroy it since it is too powerful and dangerous. Iron Man built a giant Iron Man Mech and shot it with a huge energy blast. However, rather than killing the cosmic entity, it split into five and took possession of Cyclops, Emma, Magik, Namor and Colossus. The Phoenix Five now head to Earth. What will the Avengers do now? Let’s check it out!!

First off let me say this comic also came with 2 variant covers featuring Thor fighting Storm with a different saying on the bottom. If you picked the one that says ‘I’m with the Avengers!’, Thor is in color and Storm (and the rest of the cover) is in black and white. If you pick ‘I’m with the X-Men’, Storm is in color and Thor is in black and white. Awesome idea, however… THOR NEVER FIGHTS STORM IN THE BOOK. Hell, we see a lot of Thor… but Storm isn’t even in this. 

Anyways, Round 6 starts off ten days after this event, as Magneto welcomes his good friend Xavier to Utopia. It’s always good to see these two meet up, especially now that they’re both on the same side. The Professor is able to walk at this time (who knows how long that will last) and is taken by Magneto to see Phoenix Cyclops.

Xavier is concerned that the people of the world are worried about the kind of power they now possess. Cyclops tells him that they are making a better world now. As they speak, Magik, Colossus, Namor and Emma are at different parts of the world making sure there is enough food, water and natural power for everyone.

Xavier is concerned about the fallout, and Cyclops says people will always oppose change. The Professor warns that this is cheating and has cost them nothing. Scott tells him they have paid too high a price for too long to be where they are now. He tells him that this new world is Xavier’s dream, and that he has finally given it to him.

Two days later, Iron Fist briefs Captain America on their latest mission. Looking for a rogue Hydra nest, Iron Fist, Spider-Woman and Luke Cage ran into the Electric Legion. Just then, Phoenix Colossus showed up and saved them, by talking the enemy out of fighting. He talked them into helping out and becoming free mutant energy for a large part of Eastern Europe. Even though everything worked out fine, the Cap is still worried.

Cap returns to the Avengers as they continue to discuss some way to shut the Phoenix Five down. Beast, however, wants no part of it. It seems the X-Men are doing good to the world and is surprised that the ‘world’s greatest heroes’ are trying to stop or even kill them. He leaves the team.

At Utopia, Hope looks onward, confused as to what to do. Cyclops comes in and reminds her that Utopia is not a prison and she can leave whenever she wants. Hope still feels the Phoenix call out to her, but Scott says she turned down the power of the Phoenix and it is now theirs. He asks what could a child have done with such power, would she have done all what they have done? Hope says she can feel the Phoenix wanting to do much more, to burn brighter. Cyclops says they can accomplish so much more. All over the world, the Phoenix Five start taking down the world’s nuclear and military weapons.

Is it just me, or is Hope looking kinda de-aged here compared to the previous issues?

Elsewhere in a temple in K’un Lun, a man named Lei Kung wants to see an old man about the Book of Fallen. It tells the story of an ancient battle against the Phoenix. The man tells Lei Kung that he needs Iron Fist.

Three days later in the White House, Captain America, Iron Man and T’Challa (Black Panther in his normal clothes) discuss with the President how the Phoenix Five has declared No More War, and will not allow people to create any more weapons and cease all conflict whatsoever. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Witch has a vision of the Phoenix wiping out the original Avengers (for those that forget, they were Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Ant Man and the Wasp. 

The Avengers take the only course of action they can try, capture Hope to learn all they can about the Phoenix Force. Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Spider-Woman, Iron Man and Iron Fist will head out using new gear created by Iron Man. The Black Panther is out of this mission since he is the head of state of Wakanda and can’t get his country involved. That said, the Avengers head out to Utopia.

However, despite all their planning… Emma Frost sensed them the moment they busted in. I mean, c’mon guys… sneaking into a place with a known telepath, despite all planning is just… dumb…. Anyways, the Avengers fly into a room with mutant teenagers just chillin and playing videogames and toss gas grenades at them. Thor punches a kid that asks what is happening and grabs Hope.

Captain America calls for a full withdrawal, but Wolverine tells them that Cyclops is already at the scene. Cyclops blasts some of the Avengers down and Spider-Woman tells them they only want the girl. Emma fires her own fire blast and Iron Fist gets in the way to protect the others. Cyclops still blasts them down.

Cyclops uses his powers to make Iron Man’s suit fall apart. Thor attacks him but Cyclops is actually able to stop his mighty hammer with his fingertips. Just then Emma feels chaos as the Scarlet Witch suddenly appears in front of Hope. She warns Scott to have mercy for the sake of man and mutantkind, for she has seen where this all leads. She wants to leave with the Avengers, and Hope wants to come along too. Cyclops forbids it, but Hope reminds him that he said Utopia is not a prison. She is not leaving with the Avengers, she is leaving with the Wanda.

Cyclops won’t allow it and reaches out for Wanda’s arm… and is burned. He’s surprised he actually felt that, as the Scarlet Witch vanishes with the Avengers and Hope. Cylops is now pissed and is sick of feeling ‘persecuted’ by humans, and that even at their most powerful, they still continue to send their heroes to ruin their future. He angrily picks up the remains of Captain America’s mask and declares ‘No More Avengers’. Yes folks, the shit has hit the fan.

My Opinions

Now the story shifts gears a bit. Every time the heroes collide, there has to be something that sounds 'right' about both sides, to give you a reason to root for both sides, or choose a side for a good reason. At first, the X-Men seemed like the bad guys. Yes, for whatever reason they think Phoenix Hope would save the world for mutants, but we've seen previous Phoenix comics to see how horrible things pan out. In this case the Avengers are in the right.

But now, the Phoenix Five are doing good for the world and The Avengers want to take them down regardless, so the X-Men are in the right and The Avengers are the bad guys. Beast just had to step away. And also... what the hell with Thor just socking out a random kid when they busted in to grab Hope?

Scarlet Witch finally steps in and we'll see what role she will play in all this. The art is better in this issue and the random background or pan out shots aren't as bad as in some issues. I do love the new Phoenix X-Men designs. They all look bad ass in their own way and they slightly match their personalities and previous outfits with a cool Phoenix emblem across the chest.

Through all this, it seems Cyclops is the true villain, where even the X-Men are concerned about him. He is insane and his madness only amplifies now that he has the godly powers to back it up. And it's gonna get worse ladies and gentlemen. It's going to get worse.