Uncanny X-Men No. 13, ‘This is Forever’ review: Cyclops has a plan

Cyclops has a plan for the X-Men to leave the world a better place despite mutants being hated.

Previously, in Uncanny X-Men No. 12, Cyclops and Wolverine led the charge to go save fellow mutants from an O*N*E* prison. While they were there, Wolverine and Cyclops discovered that they were experimenting on mutants. One experiment had them powering Sentinels and the other had Havok powering the whole building. Thankfully, they escaped, but they lost Guido Carosella (Strong Guy) in the process. After the teleported out of the building (thanks, Magik) the O*N*E* said that they were leaving this building and they were aware that the X-Men were back.

Writer: Matt Rosenberg

Artist: Salvador Larroca

Cover artists: Salvador Larroca & Rachelle Rosenberg

Image Source: Comixology Digital Comics

The X-Men are in, as Havok put it, embarrassingly living in the back of a bar. Since it would be impossible for them to get a place to rent with mutants being persona non grata (and Havok being a fugitive), they’re lucky to have anywhere to stay. The big question is what now? The X-Men aren’t wanted, the Anti Mutant Vaccine has made it so there will be no future mutants for there to be X-men later, and they’re probably being hunted by the O*N*E*. Thankfully, Cyclops has a plan.

Cyclops put together a list of villains that need to be taken care of. Wolverine thinks it’s a hit list. Considering Cyclops once created an X-Force team to kill mutant enemies before they could become threats, it’s not shocking that Logan would think that. Cyclops tells everyone that this isn’t the case. The list was of the X-Men’s biggest problems. Among that list of names were Magneto, Cassandra Nova, Dark, Beast, and 27 other names of the worst of the worst X-Men antagonists. The plan was to leave the Earth a better place before they die.

Image Source: Comixology Digital Comics

Their first stop leads them to a lab. When they get there, they’re assaulted by a group of robots. When someone asks what they are, Wolverine says, “Practice.” When one of them screams in pain after a blast from Havok, the X-Men realize it looks like Jamie Madrox (Multiple Man). just as that happens, Madrox shows up and says he was following a lead that led him there. Dark Beast has been experimenting on his duplicates. Before this one duplicate could die, Cyclops asked Madrox to reabsorb him. Absorbing a duplicate before it dies gives Madrox a feeling he hates experiencing. Madrox does it because they need to know where Dark Beast is.

Image Source: Comixology Digital Comics

The X-Men catch up to Dark Beast (complaining about a sandwich) and destroy the truck he’s in. They easily destroy his robotic minions to discover that there have been some changes to Dark Beast’s body. After he died, Mr. Sinister kept his head and gave him a robot body. Dark Beast is taken down by Magik who uses her powers to teleport her Soul Sword behind him and stab Beast in the back. Madrox grabs the sword to kill Dark Beast. Cyclops tells Madrox they have to be better than him. Madrox says, “I wasn’t going to torture him…I was gonna kill him.” The story ends with the X-Men finding out that Hope and Banshee are helping the Mutant Liberation Front.

Image Source: Comixology Digital Comics

Another homerun for Matthew Rosenberg. The X-Men may still be outlaws, but they remain heroes. This issue added levity to parts where things seemed bleak and made sense of why some of the mutants ran after they escaped the O*N*E*. Also, Logan grabbing classic uniforms was a nice touch of nostalgia.

Image Source: Comixology Digital Comics

X-Marks the Spot

• Why are Hope and Banshee working with the Mutant Liberation Front? Will Hope be their new enemy.
• Who else has been experimenting on Madrox’s duplicates? This is becoming a trend.
• Will the world ever warm up to the X-Men or will they be running forever?
• What will Cyclops do with Dark Beast? He can’t keep him in the basement forever?
• How long until they go after their departed friends? It’s only a matter of time before they try and rescue them?
• Will the Avengers step in and try and stop the X-Men? T’Challa may not be on board, but Steve Rogers might be.

Stay tuned for more reviews of Uncanny X-Men.