Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) Vol 1 4

Alternate Covers: Newsstand Edition Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) Vol 1 #4 Published March, 1984 Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter Cover Artist Bret Blevins Tom Palmer "Darkchild" Writer Chris Claremont Penciler Sal Buscema Inker Tom Palmer Colourist Ken Feduniewicz Letterer Tom Orzechowski Editor Louise Jones Previous Issue Next Issue Magik (Illyana and Storm Limited Series) #3 —

Appearing in "Darkchild"

Featured Characters:

• Magik (Illyana Rasputin)

Supporting Characters:

• Storm (Earth-8280) (Death) (killed by Illyana Rasputin)

Antagonists:

• Belasco
• S'ym

Other Characters:

• Nikolai Rasputin
• Alexandra Rasputina
• X-Men (Earth-8280) (simulacrums)
  • Storm (Earth-8280) (simulacrum)
  • Wolverine (Earth-8280) (simulacrum)
  • Colossus (Earth-8280) (simulacrum)
  • Nightcrawler (Earth-8280) (simulacrum)
  • Cat (Kitty Pryde) (simulacrum)
• Ka-Zar
• Shanna
• Dherk
• Queen Leanne
• X-Men
  • Colossus
  • Wolverine
  • Sprite (Kitty Pryde)
  • Storm (Only in flashback)
  • Nightcrawler (Only in flashback)
• New Mutants
  • Cannonball
  • Wolfsbane
  • Sunspot
  • Karma
  • Psyche

Locations:

• Limbo (Demonic)
  • Belasco's Citadel
• Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

Items:

• Bloodstones
• Soulsword

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "Darkchild"

Belasco orders Illyana to conjure the third bloodstone and use its power to sacrifice Ororo's soul to his elder gods. With her dark half yearning for it and fighting back her own grief, Illyana instead makes the decision to stab Ororo, finishing her and allowing her soul to be free. In her death throes, Storm's mutant powers return one last time and wreak havoc in the skies above Belasco's citadel.

She uses a stepping disk to escape and bury Ororo in her garden, just as it begins to wither in its mistress' absence. Belasco proceeds to torment Illyana with illusions of her friends and family until she finally conjures the third bloodstone for him. To punish her, he seals her teleporting power and leaves her to fend for herself in the desolate wilderness. Ororo's first oak tree remains as the only living thing in the ruined garden and Illyana uses it to mystically draw sustenance in the years that follow. She makes several more attempts to create an acorn like Ororo did but it bursts with corruption every time, until finally the oak gives way and collapses. Finally, Illyana realizes that she can't create life the way Ororo did as her path and motivations are too different. She draws on the last of the oak's energy and mixes it with her own to create a weapon that represents her true self, the Soulsword. With that, Belasco's seal is broken and she is able to teleport again.

Illyana attacks Belasco with the Soulsword, easily defeats S'ym, and begins to steal Belasco's demonic attributes as she becomes her Darkchild persona. When she has the chance to finish her former master, she holds back, allowing him to escape. He leaves her with the bloodstone medallion, three of the five stones complete. With nothing left holding her but the knowledge she will still have to face Belasco and his masters some time in the future, Illyana follows the path Cat showed her and returns to Earth, moments after she left, but seven years older.

On the day that would be her eighth birthday, Illyana reflects on all this and resolves to do the best with the fate she's been given.

Notes

• Colossus refers to Illyana as Illyana Nikolovna.

See Also

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Links and References

• plot summary at uncannyxmen.net

Footnotes