A dangerous new mutant group attacks.
An enemy within Magneto’s team.
The revelation of the Hellfire Club mystery?
And a double, triple, quadruple-cross?
Writer Cullen Bunn starts delivering the big payoffs to story threads since his Uncanny X-Men run began.
Marvel already revealed his image of King Magneto. How did he get on his throne?
What does this week’s big reveals mean for the future of the X-books and even across the Marvel Universe?
Before we break it down here’s a SPOILER ALERT!
If you have not ready Uncanny X-Men #11 stop reading now
Seriously.
OK.
Here it comes:
Magneto and Psylocke were a dream team leading this pro-active squad with Monet, Sabretooth and Archangel. The uneasy alliance is quickly shredding in the aftermath of the Apocalypse Wars arc. Betsy discovered Magneto had secretly been employing Mystique and her ex, Fantomex, on missions he kept secret from her. (Tensions between the two are also tearing up in the Civil War II: X-Men series by also by Bunn.) Erik’s bigger secret is the big mystery X-fans have been speculating on since the book launched.
The new Hellfire Club.
In earlier issues Mystique and Fantomex were seen with soldiers in the classic Hellfire Club style uniform and hinted at reporting to the masters of the new club.
Sebastian Shaw (in his classic garb) turned up in The Mighty Thor as part of a new cabal of ultra rich villains.
We even speculated the new Hellfire Club could signal the return of Emma Frost (former White Queen) who has been missing in action since the start of the All-New, All-Different Marvel Now.
Now the shroud is being yanked away.
Monet absorbed her brother’s essence to save a new tribe of Morlocks. Emplate is constantly tempting Monet. The evil life essence absorbing mutant says he can help his sister “distract” her team and keep them from learning what’s she become “by giving them something more interesting…juicier.”
Later Monet tells Betsy she can help her uncover what Magneto’s hiding.
In the final pages Betsy (in an evening gown) and Sabretooth (with a makeover) enters a party at the Hellfire Club, New York Branch.
As the duo enter a secret room Monet is with four others all dressed in the classic Inner Circle style.
One is a red headed woman in a cocktail dress that reveals a strange brace on her leg.
One man definitely looks like Sebastian Shaw.
The white haired man appears to be Magneto.
The final man is dark-haired with a “sinister” mustache and goatee that makes us immediately think of the Mister Sinister as he was portrayed in Kieron Gillen Uncanny X-Men run.
Is this the new Inner Circle (sometimes called Lords Cardinal) of the Hellfire Club? This is a club within a club made up almost exclusively of evil mutants. The first one (including Shaw, Frost and a seduced Jean Grey) appeared in the classic Dark Phoenix Saga.
Has Magneto been the leader of this group all along?
Is Monet a deep cover Hellfire infiltrator, Magneto’s spy in the Club or did she join under Emplate’s influence?
And before we forget…who are the new mutants that invaded the research facility at the beginning?
Seven mutants break into the facility to see new weapons made of old Sentinels. Are they part of Magneto’s master plan or a new faction in Bunn’s long game.
The latest Civil War II: X-Men chapter made us suspect Emma Frost may be returning. The former Hellfire Club Queen turned X-Men co-leader has been among the MIA mutants in the aftermath of Secret Wars.
The Hellfire Club mystery will be moving fast and furious because the X-books will take a break in October & November for the Death of X event then it’s Inhumans vs X-Men.
By Editor