Appearing in "The Things They Left Behind"
Featured Characters:
- X-Men
- Polaris (Lorna Dane)
- Havok (Alex Summers) (Main story and flashback)
- Warpath (James Proudstar)
- Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner)
- Professor X (Charles Xavier) (Main story and flashback)
- Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey)
- Darwin (Armando Muñoz) (Main story and flashback) (Rejoins Team)
Supporting Characters:
- Cyclops (Scott Summers) (Only in flashback)
- Iceman (Bobby Drake) (Mentioned)
- Corsair (Chris Summers) (Mentioned)
- Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) (Mentioned)
- Eric the Red (Davan Shakari) (Mentioned)
- Emperor D'Ken Neramani (Mentioned)
- Majestrix Lilandra Neramani (Mentioned)
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Mentioned)
- Dr. Moira MacTaggert (Mentioned)
- Shi'ar Death Commandos (Mentioned)
Antagonists:
- Vulcan (Gabriel Summers) (Mentioned)
- Imperial Shockers (First appearance)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Milky Way
- Sol
- Earth
- United States of America
- North America
- New York
- Upstate New York
- Access tunnels
- Hidden Shi'ar Base
- Westchester County (Only in flashback)
- North Salem (Only in flashback)
- Salem Center (Only in flashback)
- Graymalkin Lane (Only in flashback)
- Xavier Institute For Higher Learning (Only in flashback)
- Graymalkin Lane (Only in flashback)
- Salem Center (Only in flashback)
- North Salem (Only in flashback)
- Upstate New York
- New York
- North America
- Earth Orbit
- Moon (Mentioned)
- United States of America
- Earth
- Sol
- Shi'ar Galaxy
Items:
- X-Uniforms
- Warpath's Knives
- Cyclops' Visor (Only in flashback)
- Shi'ar Stargate
Vehicles:
- X-Men Stratojet
- Shi'ar Star Cruiser (first generation)
Synopsis for "The Things They Left Behind"
A few of the newly recruited X-Men are clearing the access tunnels of a lifeless volcano in upstate New York. Whilst in the jet above them, Marvel Girl acts as Xavier's "telepathic hands" by absorbing flight training from his mind. Earlier that morning, Cyclops had argued with Xavier over Darwin being recruited on the mission to Shi'ar space. Darwin's former teammate, Vulcan, inconsolably hates the Professor because of his reckless attitude and abandonment of their "secret team" (See X-Men - Deadly Genesis). In any case, the team (including Darwin) travel to a hidden Shi'ar base once occupied by Erik the Red. As they enter the structure, a group of Imperial Shockers, programmed to exterminate all intruders, awaken. The Shockers fire a collapsing energy field at Polaris, but with much pain and difficulty, Havok is able to absorb the energy from her body. Marvel Girl then enters one of her opponents' minds, only to discover that they were once experimented upon as Shi'ar prisoners and subconsciously want to die. Warpath decides to assist them by proceeding to slay two more Shockers. The last one creeps up behind Xavier, but before Xavier is attacked Darwin pounces on the creature, sending them both crashing through a glass window. The impact of the fall kills the Shocker, but Darwin adapts to land safely beside him. The team then board a Shi'ar star cruiser and travel through a previously undisclosed Stargate just beyond the moon. However, once starbound, they find that Vulcan has destroyed the remaining jumpgates and that they are now stranded in space.
Notes
- This issue is Chapter Two of the Twelve issue story arc entitled "The Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire"
- Professor Charles Xavier lost his telepathy after the House of M incident
- The secret Shi'ar base was where Vulcan was brought up as a slave. This was until he reached adolescence and rebelled against his masters.
- Darwin was last seen recuperating in the X-Men: Deadly Genesis series (after he was exorcised from Vulcan's body.)
Trivia
- Rachel's family were slaughtered by the Shi'ar due to her and her mother's affinity with the Phoenix Force
- This issue also features schematics of the Shi'ar Star Cruiser written from the perspective of a S.W.O.R.D. operative
- During his argument with the Professor, Cyclops compares Iceman and Darwin as being the youngest members of their respective teams when they first joined the X-Men.