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Quote1 So... in effect, you swapped 5,000 human lives for one mutant one. That's regrettable. But when there's less than 200 mutants on the planet, I can live with that. Quote2
Magneto

Appearing in "Tabula Rasa (Part 1)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Tabula Rasa's bat-like creatures
  • Tabula Rasa's butterfly-like creatures
  • Tabula Rasa's worm-like creature
  • Immortal Man (First appearance)

Other Characters:

Races and Species:

Locations:

Items:

Events:

Synopsis for "Tabula Rasa (Part 1)"

The Extinction Team has a meeting in which Psylocke informs the team that yesterday, there was a nuclear explosion that wiped out a town of 5,000 in Montana. Immediately afterwards, a temporal anomaly materialized, creating a ten-mile sphere that isolated the interior from the rest of the world. The sphere dissappeared, revealing a new habitat. It is believed that for the day that passed outside, 130 million years passed inside the sphere. Local law enforcement entered the area, hoping to find survivors. However, their signals dropped half an hour ago. When Cyclops asks if the place has a name and if she knows who is responsible, Psylocke replies that she doesn't know who is behind the place, but her sources call the place "Tabula Rasa," as in a blank slate.

As the briefing ends, Cyclops tells the Extinction Team to prepare to go to Tabula Rasa. He also tells Psylocke she will have to take Emma's place, since she is still recovering in the sickbay after the battle with Mr. Sinister. Psylocke accepts, and Cyclops tells Danger to open a communication channel with Captain America. Cyclops tells Cap about Tabula Rasa and his intention to investigate, and Cap accepts, saying that while the X-Men investigates Tabula Rasa, he can focus on finding out who is responsible. Also, Cap tells Cyclops that he is aware that the press is trying to cause conflict between the Avengers and the X-Men, but as far as he is concerned, the X-Men are still good guys. Cyclops appreciates it and prepares for the mission.

As Magik teleports the Extinction Team to Montana, they find the local police force fighting giant insects. As the Extinction Team fights the creatures, Danger analyzes them, sending the data to the X-Lab. Kavita Rao and Dr. Nemesis conclude that the insects are attacking because of the sun is driving them insane, so Storm summons thunderclouds to hide the sun, causing the creatures to fly away.

The Extinction Team decides to enter Tabula Rasa and Cyclops tells Danger to hover above Tabula Rasa so that she can continuously provide data for the science team. Cyclops organizes the team in pairs: he will go with Storm, Colossus will go with Magik, Magneto will go with Psylocke and Namor will go with Hope.

Magik teleports herself and Colossus into Tabula Rasa, and the two are marveled at the place's natural beauty.

Cyclops and Storm investigate some crystals that can generate sound. Storm says that Beast would have liked to be there with them. Cyclops, remembering the schism with Wolverine's faction, says that he does not like the current state of the X-Men, but he feels it to be necessary. Storm replies that it doesn't have to be that way, and one day, the X-Men will be reunited.

Suddenly, Cyclops falls into a hole in the ground and lands in a puddle of mud three miles away from Storm's location. A strange figure knocks Cyclops out and carries him away.

Namor and Hope swim across the Tabula Rasa river and find a large sea creature.

Magneto and Psylocke explore the jungles, and Magneto notes that the plants's clorophyll analogue are gathering the exotic parts of the cosmic-energy spectrum, annoying Psylocke. Magneto threatens to reveal X-Force's continued existance to Cyclops unless Psylocke tells her what knows about Tabula Rasa. She replies that Warren was possessed by Apocalypse, who wanted to jump-start evolution. She could have ended it by killing Warren, but she let him live, leading to Tabula Rasa's creation. Magneto remarks that she let 5,000 humans die for the life of a single mutants, and says that since there are less than 200 mutants left on Earth, he can live with that. Psylocke feels angry, but Magneto replies that since she is in an assassination squad, she no longer has the right to judge him.

They come across a group of natives in front of large wall painted with a images of Fantomex and Archangel. The natives believe Magneto and Psylocke to be gods. Magneto reads the wall while Psylocke uses her telepathy to read the natives's minds and understand the writings. According to the wall, an old god lived in the sky. The god disappeared when the sun began racing across the sky, which signaled the arrival of new gods (Fantomex and Archangel) who began a war and caused the end of the world. Psylocke realizes the old god in the prophecy is the Immortal Man, who appears in front of them. Magneto then remarks that if he is any judge of character, there will be a war between gods old and new.

To be continued...

Solicit Synopsis

• NEW ARC! Spinning out of events of UNCANNY X-FORCE.

• The X-Men investigate a new Marvel Universe area called TABULA RASA!

See Also

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