In ‘All-New X-Men’ #20, it was all about Cyclops crushing on X-23. Oh yeah, and the fact that The Purifiers had captured her, Kitty Pryde, and the original X-Men to boot. You had to wonder, if these mutanats were captured by The Purifiers, of all people, clearly they still needed a bit more training.

Of course, how does Stryker’s son have powers you ask? Is he really a mutant? Well not quite. An amazing introduction for classic X-Men fans gives us a flashback that shows Stryker’s father as having worked with A.I.M. to give him the powers that he has. It’s not mutation, folks, it’s science!

While Stryker immediately wants to kill the mutants, one of his men bring up the point that these X-Men, if they are really from the past, could warp reality if killed. Not sure how to proceed, they call Dr. Monica Rappaccini from A.I.M. to some answers. She seems to get there rather quickly (or the mutants are out for a lot longer than what I could tell from the page.) She shows up and her response? They are total idiots for thinking about killing them and should let them go and disappear! (After she grabs some genetic material, of course.) She does point out that Kitty isn’t from the past so they could kill her before they leave if so inclined. That’s A.I.M. for you! Always looking for the best outcome of a bad situation.

Right as her genetic material is about to be taken, Kitty shifts out of her bonds. Who didn’t think keeping her under would be a good idea? From there it feels like she saves the day almost single-handedly (the X-Men do step in and help a little but it’s really Kitty here aside from an excellent moment by Jean using her powers on Stryker.) I can understand much of Stryker’s crew being taken down so quickly but I felt that A.I.M. should have put up more of a fight.

As they are getting out, Cyclops finds that X-23 has not only been imprisoned, but has been forced to watch what she was made to do in the recent ‘Avengers Arena’ story line and is close to breaking down again. He givesher a very reassuring hug which Jean views from outside of the room.

Go go mutant romantic drama!

When all of the above are now, in theory, in custody, Kitty makes a call to S.H.I.E.L.D. as they’re walking out the door so they could come and take out the trash. Assuming Dazzler’s unit doesn’t come and do the cleaning, I’m sure we’ll see Stryker and the good Doctor being broken out of prison at some point in the near future. That, or we might see the Doctor released due to the ongoing events in ‘Secret Avengers’ if M.O.D.O.K.’s plan goes through and he retakes control of the organization and it remains a nation state.

With Bendis reintroducing everyone from the X-Men’s past (The Brotherhood, The Purifiers) I am curious to see what exactly is going to happen while they are in space with the Guardians of the Galaxy crossover. I’ve been doing my best to avoid spoilers but could it be time for them to meet the Shi’ar Empire?

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ALL-NEW X-MEN #21
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Brandon Peterson