#syzya of the smoke

[comicwaren]

“Do you see what your war has done, Genesis? Do you see the only way it can end?” -- Storm

Cover art for X-Men Red Vol. 2 #018, “The Mended Land”

Art by Stefano Caselli and Jesus Aburtov

[heckcareoxytwit]

Things get bleak in Arakko when Genesis' Four Horsemen are released. Richard Rider is putting out the fire when he sees Famine unleashing a tsunami to flood the town. Famine gloats over the destruction until Storm arrives to zap the hell out of the Horseman. War uses the fire power to blast at the mutant but she gets her flames snuffed out from Storm's cold whirlwind.

Storm turns and finds Death is before her with his scythe. Death confirms that his siblings are down but not dead as he senses their sparks still flickering. He says Storm cannot fool him, that there is still mercy in her so he challenges her to fight him. Knowing that Death has the sense of honor, Storm reasons with him by telling him that his rules don't apply to the senseless war and destruction happening around them. Meanwhile, Pestilence fires a poison arrow at Storm but Richard flies in and takes the arrow instead, nearly killing him with the poison corrupting his body. Storm reaches for Nova saying she'll fly him out of there but Death pulls her hand away saying the plague spreads by touch and kills by pain and that only he can survive it. Then, Death turns to his sister and declares that she interfered without honor so he kills her with a Deathly Glare by taking off his Anubis mask. Putting his headpiece back on he tells Storm that his sister's interference was a challenge of insult and that she said such things meant nothing. "She was wrong. She has to be."

Syzya teleports in and Storm immediately asks her how the evacuation is going. Syzya replies that some got out and Genesis is taking prisoners (that can hopefully be rescued). The remaining fighters are falling back to the Morrowlands. She then hands Storm the Uranos trigger. She says it has to be Storm. She's the Seat of Loss and Syzya doesn't want to listen to Uranos anymore. Storm holds it and Uranos greets her in her mind. He tells her to release him and within his hour of freedom he will end the war by ending every single life on the planet that is not of her faction. The choice is hers. He tells her to choose as she looks up and watches a swarm of flying daemons fly overhead.

X-Men Red v2 #16, 2023

[tournament-of-x]

The Tournament of X

Contestants Index

[hubby-wubby]

Spoilers for X-Men Red #6

- WHAT THE FUCK EWING

- this issue gave me an orgasm with all the sex allegories and reveals

- I'm in love with Craig Marshall of NASA already. It's good to see a human in the Marvel Comics Universe that's just a regular folk that's not a bigoted racist moron. He's just a regular guy doing his best in an apocalypse. I like that he's trying to protect a bunch of Arakkii children (side note I'm a bit appalled that they kill children in the Abyssal Prisons, everyday I'm happier Magneto bodied Tarn) even though he's just a human. Also I like that it shows the Arakkii are actually quite hospitable in their own way, they accept and trust an outsider to ~~help~~ contribute to the shared work, of defending the Broken Land. There are of course crazy creepy survival of the fittest zealots in Arakko, but most anyone is just a normal l, albeit hardened warrior, people.

- ALL HAIL TABLE DAY! That panel of Storm, Lactuca, and Sobunar floating is just ☠️☠️. I like how Storm asks to lead the fight because she knows this is a challenge to all and she's asking permission to join in the fight. I also like that she acknowledges that Lactuca could easily destroy the machine but that she wants to express herself. Sobunar is such a Omega daddy. Good to see speaking panels for him too. He makes a good point about guilt and responsibility to Storm. Additionally, Lactuca's powers is just awesome. I like how unconventional it's being shown throughout the chapter.

- Fisher King is of the Night Seats. Called it. Well that one was a bit obvious. But I like the little worldbuilding about the Night Seats. We get all of them revealed; we have the Fisher King (who is actually nameless - not Nameless the Shapeshifter- just that he has no name), we have a new face, Syzya of the Smoke who's basically Nightcrawler Tyrande, and the biggest plot twist of it all, we have freaking Sunspot as the third member of Night. I did not see that one coming, but it's a welcome surprise. I honestly didn't care or know much about Sunspot. I thought he was just a rich billionaor playboy who's biting more than he can chew, but damn am I wrong. You know how people's attracted to power? Well let's just say I'm caught in his stellar gravity.

- The reveal that Khora and Zsen are FK's daughters is surprising. Idk how to feel about that but I'm leaning to it being a good thing. Good to see Wrongslide getting some screen time too. Also, I like that no one is surprised about Brand's shady manipulations because everyone knows she's up to something and they're already planning for that (Wiz-kid, Cable, the Brotherhood)

- Magneto is so hot when he's angry and dying. I like how he says Team to Lodus Logos and Lodus and Xilo-as-of-now are like "wtf is that?". Note that Uranos knows that Arakko Prime is alive and sent one of his toys to kill it. I also like the dialogue he had with FK and the Night Seats. So it appears that Sunspot is actually pretty sneaky. He found the existence of Night Seats and convinced them to recruit him. The Night Seats is also comprised of Non Omega mutants which I think is a poetic check and balance to the rest of the GR.

- side note, I find it interesting that Apocalypse is actually the more "lenient" one between him and Genesis. He sees the value of creating mutant circuits whereas Genesis puts emphasis on individual strength. We also get to see her character flaw in that she's extremely prideful and disdainful of subtlety. She dissolved the Night Seats and had Ora Serrata blink them out of existence because she doesn't like that they are not Omega mutants yet they have power over her and the Great Ring's actions. One could say that this attitude pattern of hers contributed to Arakko's downfall.

- Storm and Magneto team up and all the sex imagery is the cream of the crop in this issue. Them forming a mutant circuit and Storm empowering Magneto is so freaking cool. (I'm not the only one who saw the ejaculation imagery when Magneto destroyed the silicone gorilla with white molten iron right????). Also "is this after care Ororo?" Aksjdbskdjjdksksbdk I ship them now.

- the last panel shot of the Brotherhood is just 😍😍😍. Even though none of them are more than 2 years old in comic terms, the line up is already feeling way better than the current X-Men line up (not that that one is bad per se). I guess the cool inhuman looking design is also a factor in the awesomeness.

- this issue is so good. It's a shame that all the build up of fighting Uranos is kinda thrown away/damaged by the 3 panel fight scene of Storm and Magneto just KOing Uranos (surprise surprise, it's Stark who saves the day 🙄) in Judgement Day #4. The only saving grace in that issue is the panel of Magneto dying in Storm's arms. I cried at that.

[pickleslice]

syzya of the smoke would you like to hang out sometime

[comicwaren]

From X-Men Red Vol. 2 #018, “The Mended Land”

Art by Yildiray Çinar and Federico Blee

Written by Al Ewing

[comicwaren]

From X-Men Red Vol. 2 #016, “The Fall of Prometheus”

Art by Yildiray Çinar and Federico Blee

Written by Al Ewing

[heckcareoxytwit]

As Storm managed to destroy Genesis' Annihilation Staff, the discord spell on the Arakki mutants is broken. However, the Arakko Civil War left its bittersweet note when even though the war is over, it left some casualties. Fisher King had sacrificed himself by allowing his body to merge with Xilo before the latter merges with Ora Serrata. The relatives of the Fisher King - Weaponless Zsen, Khora of the Burning Heart and Syzya of the Smoke were left mourning for him. Elsewhere, Jon Ironfire was glad that his mentor, White Sword was not only alive, but also free from the brainwashing. Somewhere at the coast, the two walking Island monsters hug each other after a fight.

X-Men Red v2 #18, 2023

[comicwaren]

From X-Men Red Vol. 2 #015, “Nothing and Nobody”

Art by Yildiray Çinar and Federico Blee

Written by Al Ewing

[heckcareoxytwit]

A preview of X-Men Red #16

X-MEN RED #16

CONDITION RED! The Four Horsemen ride across the land. Daemon armies sweep through the skies. The Spire Vile is open. As Genesis launches her endgame, Storm and the Brotherhood fight for their lives across the Red Planet…and somewhere, the last Okkara Seed blooms. The Revelation is here. Plus: You’re not going to want to miss out on an all-new bonus story celebrating Latin/Latinx heroes and creators!

Written by: Al Ewing Art by: Yıldıray Çınar Cover by: Stefano Caselli, Jesus Aburtov Page Count: 36 Pages Release Date: October 11, 2023

[tournament-of-x]

The Hole

Contestants Index

[tournament-of-x]

The Hole

Contestants Index

[comicwaren]

From X-Men Red Vol. 2 #007, “The Winning Side”

Art by Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee and Fer Sifuentes-Sujo

Written by Al Ewing

[comicwaren]

From X-Men Red Vol. 2 #006, “The Hour of Magneto”

Art by Stefano Caselli and Federico Blee

Written by Al Ewing

[tournament-of-x]

The Tournament of X

Fun Fact!

There are nineteen (19) contestants in the Tournament of X who have fewer than ten (10) non-minor appearances in comics on Earth-616! These include:

Nameless, the Shape-Shifter Queen (2 appearances)

Idyll the Future Seer (2 appearances)

Wagnerine (4 appearances)

Burke (4 appearances)

Spike (4 appearances)

Syzya of the Smoke (4 appearances)

Rasputin IV (5 appearances)

Redroot the Forest (5 appearances)

Sevyr Blackmore (6 appearances)

Morgan Red (6 appearances)

Rhapsody (7 appearances)

Theia (7 appearances)

Tarn the Uncaring (7 appearances)

Cam Long (8 appearances)

Snot (8 appearances)

Weaponless Zsen (8 appearances)

Amass (9 appearances)

Nicodemus (9 appearances)

Ora Serrata (9 appearances)

Contestants Index

[comicwaren]

“Ah. I was wondering when you’d get to me.” -- Legion

Cover art for Legion of X #006, “Holding the Line”

Art by Ben Harvey