Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Last issue the remaining free Champions (Ironheart, Ms Marvel, Nova and Spider-Man) were cornered by CRADLE troops who wanted to arrest them for breaking Kamala's Law forbidding teenage super-vigilantism. But X-Men Cyclops and Dust, both former Champions, came to their rescue extending the protection of the X-nation Krakoa.
Now Carolina Washington tells her troops to stand down to avoid a diplomatic incident. And X-person Pixie arrives by magical teleportation to take the heroes away ...
... but not to the island of Krakoa. Instead they all end up in Ironheart's much-depleted lab where they can have some much-needed showers (after many days on the run) and grab some food and other supplies. Scott Summers has the unenviable task of letting the Champs know that CRADLE's success in tracking them is because their comrade Viv Vision has been informing on them, following them via satellite images. But the teleportation should throw her off the trail for a while.
Then he has to also inform them that he can't actually take them to Krakoa. He lied to CRADLE about the X-nation's backing, and non-mutants are still forbidden on the island. But he has another plan.
In Washington DC Senator Patrick is receiving an update on the teen heroes situation. Virtually all are either in CRADLE's education program or being mentored (we see an image of Falcon and Falcon). Others have just gone inactive. But there are a few who are on the run or continuing their activity. In the general population the under-40's are split over the Law and there are continuing protests. Carolina Washington and CRADLE Agent Jake Oh suggest a crackdown, but they also have to tell him about Krakoa sheltering the Champions. The Senator is incensed because he sees taking the Champs in for 're-education' is key to winning hearts and minds.
We now see what Cyclops' Krakoan protection actually is. Pixie has taken the whole group to the X-nation's 'pirate' ship Marauder, captained by Kate Pryde (currently the Red Queen of the Hellfire Trading Company) with Bishop (the Red Bishop), Iceman, Pyro and Storm. Then Pixie takes Cyke and Dust back to Krakoa.
After a good night's sleep 3 of the Champs tuck in to breakfast. But Sam Alexander goes to find Kamala Khan who it turns out spent all night obsessively seeing what the Internet is saying about them. He persuades her to stop and concentrate on doing what she believes in.
On deck they find the Marauder answering a distress call from a scientific vessel under attack by Attuma. The Champions go to aid the crew while the Marauders deal with the bad guy. Iceman and Storm restrain him but then listen to his side. The X-Men then remonstrate with the head scientist over the noise pollution (especially seismic surveys) and other disturbances to undersea life that their investigation is causing. He promises to do better. Attuma swims away and another ship arrives to pick up the scientists.
The Champions are unsure whose side was in the right there. The Marauders say that it's often like that but they try to intervene fairly and live with the consequences. Ms Marvel is inspired and declares that the team should return home and stand up for what's right. But after breakfast.
But we go to Kansas where synthezoid Viv Vision is masquerading as a human girl Vivian, and being temporarily cared for by Cora, an old woman whose power and telephone lines she fixed last issue. Viv explains her conflicted situation with the Champs (without mentioning them by name) - her friends are breaking the law and putting themselves in danger. Cora shows her an old picture of herself and some friends being punished for breaking racial segregation rules. And then she reveals that she figured out who Viv and the Champions are, and advises her to rejoin them. And it seems like Viv is going to do just that.