The secret is out. Revelations of all kinds have struck the Marvel Universe through Secret Wars and similar reservations have struck the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. In the comics, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch are no longer the children of Magneto. Angela is the long lost sister of Thor. In X-men Supreme, Mystique is not just Raven Darkhomle, the infamous shape-shifting enemy of the X-men. She’s Rose, the former lover of Wolverine and another victim in the ever-growing body count that is Weapon X. It’s a tenuous time for both worlds and the world of X-men Supreme is about to reap the consequences. It’s not on the same level as Secret Wars, but it will leave the world in this fanfiction series forever changed.
It all starts and ends with Sinister. After losing his beloved Selene during the events of Civilization No Longer Lost, he is shaken. His ambitions have always been grim, but never like this. Losing Selene has led him to abandon whatever reservations he had left. He’s not just willing to torment the X-men. He’s ready to torment the entire world. He already has the means, having stolen the ruins of the World created by Fantomex. He also has the will, which he demonstrated in the painful revelation he forced on Mystique. Now that intent is about to become destructive in a way the X-men have never faced before.
The world in which the X-men fight for peace and understanding is always changing. This fanfiction series is no exception. Often in the comics, those changes are driven by events involving the Avengers or other superhero teams. But here in X-men Supreme, the changes are driven entirely by the X-men and the allies/enemies around them. That has always been a defining trait for this fanfiction series. I want to keep the focus on the X-men’s struggles. There is still room for classic X-men themes like the Shi’ar and the Phoenix Force, but at its core X-men Supreme is about the mutant struggle.
That struggle is going to gain a major complication with the final arc of X-men Supreme Volume 5: Dark Truths. This final arc will once again re-shape the world of X-men Supreme. Like the events of Overlord and Uprising in previous volumes of X-men Supreme, this event will have a significant impact on the X-men and the battles they fight. If this fanfiction series continues, they will face some significant new challenges. And it all starts here with this arc. It might not be on the same level as Secret Wars. But in the world of X-men Supreme, its impact will be felt by all. As always, I’ve prepared an extended preview that will show the beginning of that impact.
“This is by far the worst locale Sinister has ever chosen to do an experiment,” groaned Arclight as she blew into her hands to warm them up.
“Worse than mission where we learned the horrors of Indian public bathrooms?” said Blockbuster, using his strength to set the last of the six smaller components into place.
“I don’t know about that,” said Riptide, “I would say this is a close second.”
“I say this is worse,” said Arclight strongly, “I get that Sinister can’t tell us the details of these experiments. There are too many psychics in this world who can rip it from our minds. At the very least, he owes us a vague explanation.”
“Even if he did, I bet you would still be bitching about it,” said Harpoon, who was hooking up a series of heavy cables.
“We’re on an active volcano, Harpoon. Don’t test me.”
There was plenty of tension. The winds picked up and blowing snow blanketed the area. Arclight toughed through the cold and helped Harpoon connect the rest of the cables while Riptide and Blockbuster installed the heavier components. The machines were already humming with activity. The high tech components were lighting up, showing little aversion to the cold. It was still a rough environment for a frustrating mission.
“You think you have the right to most pissed? I’m surprised you haven’t mentioned Sabretooth not tagging along for this,” Harpoon pointed out.
“There’s only so much I care to complain about,” said Arclight as she entered some commands on the keypad of a machine, “Besides, I’d rather Sabretooth not tag along for anything.”
“I second that,” said Riptide, “I still don’t get why Sinister brought him aboard. It’s not like he’s a big help. He’s mentally unstable sociopath with the attention span of a flea.”
“I’m sure Sinister has his reasons. He always does,” said Arclight.
“Doesn’t mean they’re good reasons…or sane reasons for that matter,” Harpoon argued.
“I never said they were. There’s a lot about this plan that rubs me the wrong way. I’ll be glad when it’s over so we can get what Sinister promised us. He says this will be our last mission. He may be a deranged son-of-a-bitch, but he’s a man of his word.”
“He better be,” said Blockbuster upon finishing the last round of heavy lifting.
The Marauders were almost done. The six smaller components were set up and ready for activation. Setting up Sinister’s machines was never terribly difficult. That was the benefits of having alien technology and he really pulled out all the stops with this one. They needed all the tech they could get if they were to pull this off.
Vulcan sensed their unease as he and the Goblin Queen worked on configuring the central console. He couldn’t blame them. Sinister was using some unorthodox tactics with this mission. Even as Sinister’s godson, he had his doubts. But they didn’t stop him from finishing this mission.
The Goblin Queen used her telekinesis to assemble the smaller pieces into the main component. She even had some of her goblin minions make several tweaks around the device. Vulcan focused primarily on the central panel where he launched a series of pre-programmed operations.
“The Warlock material you obtained from Genosha is working flawlessly, my love,” said Vulcan, “The core should be ready in less than ten minutes.”
“Marvelous,” she said flatly, “Sorry if I don’t sound as excited as I should.”
“You’re not going to start complaining about the cold as well, are you? That special coat with built in heaters should keep that beautiful body of yours plenty comfortable.”
“It isn’t the cold that bothers me…not entirely anyways,” said the Goblin Queen.
“I hope it’s not our dear Uncle. He wants this mission done so that’s what we’re doing.”
“It’s not the mission, Gabriel. It’s our dear uncle’s state of mind that concerns me,” she said, her tone becoming more serious, “I get that he’s distraught over Selene. I am too. What I don’t get is why he’s resorting to something like this. It feels too…final.”
“It’s not,” Vulcan pointed out, “You know our uncle as well as I do. Nothing is ever truly final. Everything is a process with him.”
“Which is why I’m so worried,” the Goblin Queen reasoned, “He’s treating this like an endgame. He never said it overtly, but I can feel it. You heard the order he gave shortly after we took off in the jet. He’s not even trying to hide his activities anymore.”
“It’s all for a purpose,” said Vulcan confidently.
“I’m sure it is. That doesn’t mean his purpose is rational.”
The Goblin Queen turned her attention to the central core. She recalled her goblin minions. Their work was nearly complete. This machine was ready. As she traced her hand along the advanced electronics, her worries escalated. This was beyond anything Sinister had ever attempted before. As always, he kept some of the details from them. Usually, that never bothered her. This time felt different.
“What do you think this latest gizmo does, Gabriel?” the Goblin Queen pondered, “Is this so-called Legacy program really going to affect the whole world?”
“I only know what you know. Project Legacy is about gathering data…a lot of data.”
“That’s what Sinister said. I’m wondering what it means.”
“Does it matter? He says once launched the genetic information from every human and mutant on the planet will be integrated into his network at the lab. Once he has that, he’ll have everything he needs to do what he needs to do.”
“It’s not what he’ll do with the data that concerns me. It’s the time-frame he’s working under,” replied the Goblin Queen, “He’s practically immortal. He can afford to be patient. So why is he doing this all at once? What is he willing to unleash to get everything he wants all at once?”
They were not unreasonable questions. Vulcan fell silent as he contemplated the possible answers. Their uncle had really changed since they lost Selene. He wasn’t just cold and calculating anymore. He was unstable. For a man of Sinister’s aptitude, that was very dangerous. They were already taking a huge risk with this mission and all the unusual quirks it entailed.
Before Vulcan and the Goblin Queen could discuss this any further, a powerful roar echoed from the clouds. It wasn’t the wind this time, nor was it the machines they were using. Through the blowing snow and high winds, the X-jet descended over the area. The rest of the Marauders saw it as well and rushed over.
“X-men!” grunted Blockbuster, “They’re late.”
“It would be an amazing first. Usually they show up at the worst possible time,” said Riptide.
“Does this mean what I think it means, Vulcan?” asked Arclight.
“It does,” said the oldest Summers brother as he gazed up at the jet, “It seems the X-men detected my little beacon.”
“I guess that file Sinister leaked to White Cell worked quite nicely,” said the Goblin Queen.
“These family issues were bound to come up sooner or later. It might as well be now,” said Vulcan.
The powerful mutant stepped ahead of the Marauders to confront the approaching X-jet. His eyes glowed brightly as the hatch opened and the X-men came out in full force. As expected, Cyclops led the charge. He rode a telekinetic bubble with Phoenix, Iceman, Beast, Storm, Gambit, Psylocke, Colossus, Shadowcat, and Thunderbird following behind. The X-men weren’t too thrilled to be confronting the Marauders and the Marauders weren’t too thrilled about facing the X-men either. However, Cyclops appeared more motivated than the others.
“GABRIEL!” shouted Cyclops, “It’s time we had a little brotherly chat.”
As I’ve stated before, it is entirely possible that this could be the final volume of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. I’m still going to write this final arc with the intention of leaving it open for future volumes. However, feedback on X-men Supreme has still been sluggish. While there are those who have supported this fanfiction series from its inception, the amount of that support has stagnated. I work long and hard to make sure X-men Supreme is sufficiently awesome and I can only know that I’m doing something right of people take the time to provide feedback. Please do so by contacting me directly or posting comments in each issue. I’m always happy to chat, especially after the recent revelations surrounding Mystique. I hope to make a decision by the end of this arc, but the readers of X-men Supreme will have a major influence. Until next time, take care and best wishes. Excelsior!
Jack
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