An X-Men: Legion Quest Retrospective. Reliving Uncanny X-men #320 – #321, X-men #40 – #41, X-Factor #109 and Cable #20.
Legion Quest is a multi part storyline that is the prelude to the X-Men’s Age Of Apocalypse Epic. Starting in December 1994 through February 1995, It stares David Haller AKA Legion, the estranged son of Professor X in a time travel journey to set things right…
It Begins Here…
X-Factor # 109 begins with Legion waking from a months long coma to discover the X-factor team along with an aggressive and emotional Mystique in his room. Mystique lashes out at Legion, believing that he has killed her friend Destiny, a mutant with the ability to see possible futures. X-Factor tries to restrain her, knowing Legion is unwell, she escapes and the chase is on.
Meanwhile Gabrielle Haller, Legion’s mother consoles him and she is happy that he refers to her as “Mother”. They have a bit of a strained relationship, going back for some time now. Destiny comes to Legion in a vision an he apologies for killing her and vows to make things right. It is here that he gets the idea that would kick off the chain of events leading to the Age Of Apocalypse timeline.
Most of the rest of the issue is X-Factor chasing down Mystique. She confront several members of the team and a bit of a back in forth with Forge, whom she had a relationship with.
Legion catches up with all of them with a message from Destiny that he delivers to Mystique.
“Times not shared, hearts not loved, and destinies not written.”
Legion then teleports X-Factor somewhere else and leaves Mystique alone and confused. He flies off saying “Gonna fix everything… “ … Gonna make it better.”
A Wrathful One
The X-Men Storm, Jean Grey, Psylocke, Iceman and Bishop arrive in Israel at the request of Gabrielle Haller to track down her son Legion in Uncanny X-men # 320. In this the first official part to the Legion Quest crossover, the X-Men discover Legion has used his awesome powers to manifest a Dome of pure energy.
I have said it a million times, but I just love this era of Marvel and specifically the X-men. The look of the books, the paper they used, all the great ads, and most importantly the stories that they told. This story just has the feel of a Summer big blockbuster movie.
The team lead by Storm fund Legion and face insurmountable odds, as it seems Legion is just playing with them in this fight. It seems that Jean is the only one that can get the upper hand on Legion, but ever so slightly.
As the X-Men enter the energy Dome, Legion destroys the Black Bird Jet, leaving the X-Men speechless.
Legion creates a wormhole through time, taking himself, Storm, Bishop, Iceman, and Psylocke with him on this journey, but leaving Jean behind. Jean reaches out with her mind to communicate with the other X-Men, but it is too late. With her last amount of energy, she reaches Professor X as she collapses.
The issue closes out light years away in the Shi’ar empire. Jahf, the guardian of the M’kraan crystal has come to warn Lilandra of the impending doom of all that is…
Killing Time
X-men # 40 part two of the Legion Quest crossover starts in the past with a young Charles Xavier and Magnus doing work in a hospital. Both characters not having revealed to each other their special gifts that make them mutants just yet. Legion, seemingly having amnesia is a patient at the hospital going by the alias John Doe. He asks Magnus if there is any clue to finding out who he actually is.
Meanwhile back in the present day, the X-men search for Storm’s team that seemly disappeared through a wormhole in Israel. Here is some beautiful 1995 Andy Kubert art, I just love his style and these uniforms.
Professor X uses his psychic rapport with Jean to track her down in the middle of the desert. Once they find Jean she is in shock from the battle with Legion. Once she comes to, she screams the name Legion. She explains that Legion took the other X-Men somewhere, but she doesn’t know where.
Back in the past, the lost X-Men are revealed to be together, but suffer from amnesia too. They are just discovering their powers and that they all have an “X” on their uniforms. They try to put the pieces together for it to make sense.
Back at the hospital, Magnus has an encounter with Legion that shows Magnus images and nightmares of his past. Magnus is outraged and lashes out at Legion, leaving Legion wondering about his own life. Magnus runs to get Prof X and they both witness Legions meltdown.
In the present Lilandra warns the X-Men that everything that is in existence is in danger. Professor X asks how she could possibly know this just as the Watchers of the universe are revealed to him.
Legion’s Rage
Part 3 of the Legion Quest crossover in Uncanny X-Men # 321 starts in the past with a good old fashion bar room brawl. With Charles and Eric standing up for a wounded vet. This event shows the growing camaraderie between the two characters. At one point Charles says “Any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for.” It’s a nice moment for the two and shows the audience that they really are friends.
Back in the present Cable joins the X-Men and they devise a plan to have Professor X trigger Cable’s latent mutant ability to time travel. This is in hopes of traveling back to where Legion and the lost X-Men are and bring them back to the present.
Back in the past Charles and Eric have a heart to heart about Charles’ love Gabrielle. Legion posing as Charles startles Gabrielle, as he speaks of how great Charles would be without anyone standing in his way.
We cut to a scene that is nearby Gabrielle and Legion’s discussion, of the lost X-Men working on a dock. Cable comes through time in an alarming manner. It looks like his time traveling abilities worked, in a psychic blast he shocks the four lost X-Men to remember who they are and then fades away back to the present.
Erik and Charles rush to a fallen Gabrielle, only to discover an outraged Legion. The whole crossover has been building to this moment, the final confrontation between these three characters.
The Great Unknown
Cable # 20 is a sort of side story of how Cable got to the past to reach the lost X-Men and also progress the story of what happens when he gets back to the present. Reading this issue spoils the ending of the final part of the Legion Quest crossover, but both this issue and X-Men # 41 have important details leading to The Age of Apocalypse.
This issue starts off with Cable back from reaching the lost X-men. He tells the rest of the team that he found them 20 years ago in Israel, and that he made contact with Bishop. Tensions are running high as many X-men fell helpless of the impending doom.
This issue sees a lot of great character moments, between Cable and Domino, Gambit and Rogue, Archangel and Beast and the whole family aspect of Cyclops, Jean, and Professor X. They all contemplate if they made the most of their time here, and if they make a difference in the world.
Cable and Domino finally have a heart to heart revealing to each other their true feelings and the scene ends in a big passionate kiss. This was something brewing for a long time and I think fans really were rooting for these two.
All the X-men gather together in one last moment before the crystal of the M’kraan encapsulates their world.
Dreams End
This is it! X-Men # 40, the final part to the Legion Quest storyline that will kickstart the Age Of Apocalypse! In this issue, we start off with Legion’s assault on Magneto, 20 years ago in Israel. The lost X-Men trapped in the past look on trying to understand the ramifications of Legion’s actions.
Professor X makes his way back to the battlefield, after he gets a psychic call from Psylocke. He recognizes Storm, saying she was a little girl only a few weeks ago that tried to steal his wallet.
It’s a fun little scene, as Charles really tries to figure things out.
There are some great character moments back in the present between Charles and Lilandra, Rogue and Gambit, And Cyclops and Jean.
A one page teaser of Apocalypse who awakened 20 years earlier in this new timeline. Putting this universe on the path to The Age Of Apocalypse!
In the past the battle between Legion and Magneto rages on. Legion goes to deliver the killing blow on Magneto, but it’s Professor X that takes the strike instead. This sends their world into chaos.
Finally, back to the present the X-men helplessly watch on as the Crystal takes over their world. The End?
I know, this was a long one! It took me forever to finish it too! But now we got through this prelude to the Age Of Apocalypse, now the real fun will begin! I hope to get the next installment of AOA up soon and keep going into the rest of the summer.
Legion Quest was written by Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, Fabian Nicieza, John Francis Moore, Todd Dezago and Jeph Loeb. Art by Roger Cruz, Ron Garney , Andy Kubert, Jan Duursema and Ian Churchill. Inks by Tim Townsend, Matt Ryan, Al Milgrom, Bud Larsosa and others.
The X-Men were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
