Some of the most defining moments in the history of X-men and comics in general are built around loss. These characters, like real people, are profoundly affected when they experience a significant personal loss. Throughout the X-men Supreme fanfiction series, the X-men have endured their share of losses. Wolverine has lost multiple women that he cares deeply for. Cyclops has lost his parents and is alienated from his brother. Professor Xavier lost the use of his legs to his battle with cancer. Rogue lost her ability to touch. These losses have had a major impact on these characters and I’ve made a concerted effort to capture that impact throughout this fanfiction series. Now Emma Frost is the latest character in X-men Supreme to suffer such a loss.
In both the comics and in X-men Supreme, Emma Frost is one of those characters who come from affluent means. She has money, power, and undeniable beauty that has drawn the eye of devious men like Sebastian Shaw and good men like Cyclops. However, she has dealt with her share of profound losses over the course of her life. These losses are a big part of what gives her a sense of humility. That humility is what led her to run away from the Inner Circle in X-men Supreme and join the X-men. However, her past ambitions and greed caught up to her and the Prison Break arc, Sebastian Shaw made her pay.
The price in this instance came in the form of her clone daughters, the Stepford Cuckoos. These girls represent the only offspring Emma Frost can have in X-men Supreme. Sebastian Shaw made sure that she could not bear any children other than the ones he allowed. She managed to save three, but she needed Cyclops and Phoenix’s help to save two more. Now, due to the devious plan of Sebastian Shaw’s son, she is on the brink of losing them. Such a loss will have profound implications for Emma Frost in this fanfiction series. These implications will be a big part of the final act of the Prison Break arc. There will be heavy hearts and heavier losses, but it will be a memorable moment for the annuls of X-men Supreme. I’ve prepared an preview of the final issue of this arc that should offer a hint as to just how big these losses will be.
The battle against Shaw’s forces had come to a surprisingly lackluster end. For a moment, his forces seemed endless. They had the inexperienced students from the Academy of Tomorrow cornered. Hellion, Cannonball, Surge, and Sunspot were fighting hard in a confined area, trying to protect the Stepford Cuckoos while Emma and the X-men attempted to free Sophie and Esme. As the battle unfolded, they started to wear down. Shaw’s security forces threatened to overwhelm them. Just when it looked like they were going to fail, an alarm sounded and the attack stopped.
“Whoa…what in the Sam Hill just happened?” wondered Cannonball as he watched the guards retreat.
“Would it be wishful thinking to say that we scared them off?” said Hellion.
“Don’t be too full of yourself, Julian. There’s no way it’s that simple,” said Sunspot.
The three young mutants watched the guards trip over each other as they evacuated the parking garage. The sound of these alarms signaled something dire. It couldn’t be as simple as a fire drill or a warning. These guys were in full retreat.
“No way this is another drill. Everybody move out!” said one of the guards.
“I knew this was going to happen. As soon as the X-men showed up, I just knew it!” said another as he shoved aside his associates and sprinted towards the entrance.
“Hurry up before Shaw docks our hazard pay!” yelled another guard.
It seemed pretty urgent. The students of Emma’s Academy were starting to wonder if maybe they should be running as well.
“I’m guessing that alarm isn’t the lunch bell,” said Hellion, “You think maybe we should follow them?”
“Miss Frost specifically told us to stay here and defend the Cuckoos,” said Cannonball strongly.
“Well what if that alarm means the every building on this block is about to blow up or something?”
“Compared to what Miss Frost may do to us if we screw up, I’ll take that chance.”
Tension ran high throughout the team. There was no telling what sort of trickery Shaw would pull. There was no guarantee that Emma Frost and the X-men could deal with it either. This being their first taste of combat, the young mutants stood paralyzed, uncertain of what to do now.
Then to their surprise, the alarm abruptly stopped. The parking lot went quiet again. At first Hellion, Cannonball, and Sunspot looked at each other in confusion. Then Surge, who had been keeping an eye on the Cuckoos, noticed something disturbing.
“Uh…guys?” she said, getting the attention of the three bickering boys, “I think you should come take a look at this.”
“What is it, Surge? Are the girls alright?” asked Cannonball with renewed concern.
“I don’t know. After what we saw from them earlier, I honestly don’t have a clue,” said Surge.
Cannonball, Hellion, and Sunspot rushed over. They arrived as Surge was removing the psychic amplifying helmets. They quickly noticed that Phoebe, Mindee, and Celeste weren’t moving. They still looked alive, but something was very wrong. Tears were streaming from their eyes. It was as though a part of them had just died.
“Damn…guess whatever was hurting them earlier was just too much for them,” said Sunspot.
“It happened as soon as the alarms went off. One minute they’re in the middle of a psychic marathon and the next they just collapsed. I tried to add some juice to their helmets, but it didn’t work,” said Surge.
“What do you think it means? You don’t think Miss Frost and the X-men are…”
“If that was the case, we would be in a lot more trouble by now,” said Cannonball confidently, “I ain’t ain’t psychic, but I’ve got a sinking feeling that something really bad just happened on their end.”
As I’ve said before, the Prison Break arc is slated to be Emma Frost’s most defining story in X-men Supreme. I hope to tell it in a way that Emma Frost fans of every kind will enjoy. There are so many great characters in X-men. I want to give as many of them the defining stories they deserve as I can. So for all you Emma Frost fans out there, I hope this arc has a special place in your heart. I especially encourage feedback from these fans, as well as every other X-men fan for this and every issue of this fanfiction series. Please post your comments directly in the issue or contact me directly. I’m always happy to chat about characters, X-men in general, or comics in general. Until next time, take care and best wishes. Excelsior!
Jack
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