While it can't be considered a revelation when it was already revealed, a new teaser emerged for Second Coming. This one highlights the already confirmed fact that some major character will die in the course of Second Coming. Now Marvel has given some specifics.
An X-man Dies in X-Force #26
For one, we have an issue. X-Force, a book where blood and murder is as common as the rising sun, will be where the death takes place. That's not much of a surprise. What is a bit surprising is that they offered a list of characters. They include Colossus, Magik, Iceman, Angel, Emma Frost, Nightcrawler, and Cable. One of them is going to bite the dust and considering what has already been revealed, it's not as great a mystery as they make it out to be.
For one, Colossus and Magik are two characters who have already been killed. Would they dare doing it again? Not if they want to come off as unoriginal. Iceman? Doubtful, given he's been so marginalized it would have no impact. Angel? Same story to a lesser extent. He's had his role in X-Force as Archangel, but he's been pretty detached from the team for years. These would all have too little an impact for it to warrant such a tease. So who could it be?
Cable is an obvious candidate. He's been raising Hope in the future and battled hardship after hardship to protect her. Him making the ultimate sacrifice would be so fitting. It may be the thing that sends Hope on a collision course with her destiny. That being said, it makes way too much sense. Besides, Cable is already referenced in the future solicitation for Uncanny X-men 525. You would think the folk at Marvel would know details like that before throwing him onto a teaser.
Uncanny X-men #525
THE STORY:
“SECOND COMING”, CHAPTER TEN Things have never been worse for the X-Men. They’re stuck in an impregnable dome of Bastion’s creation. As if that's not bad enough, inside this dome is a portal to the Days of Future Past timeline through which thousands of Nimrod Sentinels are pouring. Cyclops has sent Cable, Cypher and X-Force on a suicide mission into the future to destroy the portal, but do they stand a chance?
Emma Frost? Now this could potentially be a bombshell. Emma dying would have a HUGE impact on the X-men, especially Scott. It might actually be fitting if the Phoenix is coming into the picture along with Jean Grey. It would take the emotional impact of Second Coming to a whole new level. Riots would break out. Message Boards would be on fire. Fanboys everywhere will be tripping out as if they took a bad hit of LSD. Problem is, it ain't happening.
The Marvel writing staff and editors have a huge boner for Emma Frost. Matt Fraction has declared his love for the White Queen more than once and would probably jump off the Empire State Building if he found out his favorite X-woman was being killed. Quesada loves her too and has gone on record as saying she's just too cool. There's also the little problem of the Heralds mini-series coming out in June. This is a mini that has Emma Frost in a starring role. Now it may be out of continuity, but that hasn't been affirmed yet. All indications are that it happens after Second Coming and Seine, which basically means Emma will be alive and well.
That leaves only Nightcrawler. Yes, here is a character who simply couldn't be a better candidate. He was in the first issue, he played a major role in confronting Scott about X-Force, and he's dealing with other mutants like Pixie and Magik who have the same powers he has. It would seem the teleporters club is getting crowded and who can they kill off? Will it be two adorably cute girls in a comic geared towards young males? Or will it be the demonic morality zealot who does more than any other character to hold true to the core principles of the X-men? Tough call, but Nightcrawler doesn't have boobs so he's out.
The odds are so good that Nightcrawler will die that you could probably mortgage your house and bet on it. This is a guy with too much competition who hasn't had a big moment in quite a while. Could there be a bigger moment than the ultimate sacrifice? If he wants to prove Cyclops that there is a price to pay for using tactics like X-Force, this is it. His sacrifice will send a huge message, one that will reverberate throughout the team. It works so well it might as well be fashioned from diamonds and made into jewelry.
That being said, it may make too much sense. Everybody is expecting Nightcrawler to die. That may be the only reason Marvel doesn't do it. The odds are still stacked against him, but there's always a chance it could go the other way. Someone completely unexpected could lose their battle with the grim reaper. Even if they do that doesn't mean they'll STAY dead. Who in comics ever truly dies these days? It's pretty much a joke, not that anyone can blame them. Good characters are hard to keep down. Whoever bites the dust, they can take comfort in the knowledge that the gates of Hell are a revolving door in the Marvel Universe.
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