While the most recent run of ‘Legacy’ has come to a close, if you go in numerical order we’re up to the 300th issue of the series and Marvel has put something special together as a finale to close the door on the Legacy series. The story itself introduces us to one of the greatest X-Men of all time named ForgetMeNot. He has a very amazing power and has been around for quite some time even if no one seems to remember him. It is a great end cap for the last 6 years of the ‘Legacy’ series and gives us a new take on some of the bigger battles we’ve seen them in over the years.
We open the issue with someone trying to break into the Jean Grey School and is trapped in a security field. He is offered help from a friendly young mutant named ForgetMeNot. Who is this mutant you might ask? Well his mutant power is to have everyone forget who he is moments after seeing him. Including us readers so it would seem! We quickly find out that the young trespasser is a scarred woman who needs help calming down to get away from the force field holding her in place and he manages to do so by telling stories of how he has helped the X-Men over the years.
We get a new take on the Age of X, Dark Reign, bringing in Mimic and Weapon Omega into the mix, and so much more. He truly is the solo man on the team who often has to provide Deus Ex Machina solutions to the variety of villains that the X-Men have come across over the years.
ForgetMeNot is a mutant who can never have a legacy past his own mind as no one will remember him. It is his very power that causes that to happen and that has finally evolved into the idea that he has to be doing the best thing not for what the world will remember him but that the world will remember the positive outcomes, even if his name isn’t attached.
In the end, ForgetMeNow manages to help the young trapped woman see what she really wants and is able to leave an impression on her, even if she doesn’t remember that he is the one that helped her.
It is a character piece (what has Spurrier touched that isn’t?) that also gives us a throwback to one of the many reasons that Professor X really was a great man when not steeped an an ego near the end. While this didn’t prove to be an end cap to the Legion storyline, it did feel as if it was still part of it, dealing with the same themes and ideals. While the writing worked phenomenally as a combination piece, the art felt as if it suffered from it. While not perfect it was still such an enjoyable read that it was worth picking up.
Is this a must buy issue? That is a tough one. It is a stand alone piece. It is an endcap. It is a fond farewell. I would say it is what the Legacy of the series was in a nutshell. If you have been enjoying the various stories here over the years I would say this is one to pick up.
X-MEN LEGACY #300
Writer: Mike Carey, Christos Gage, Simon Spurrier
Artist: Tan Eng Huat, Steve Kurth, Rafa Sandoval
