You can't build a cathedral on the head of a pin. When a species passes a certain point in its decline, it can't be saved. 
Appearing in "Prologue"
Featured Characters:
- X-Men (Main story and flashback)
- Angel (Warren Worthington III) (Only in flashback)
- ⏴ Beast (Dr. Henry McCoy) ⏵ (Main story and flashback)
- Bishop (Lucas Bishop) (Rejoins)
- Cannonball (Sam Guthrie)
- Cyclops (Scott Summers) (Main story and flashback)
- Iceman (Bobby Drake) (Main story and flashback)
- Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner)
- Phoenix/Marvel Girl (Jean Grey-Summers) (Only in flashback)
- Professor X (Charles Xavier)
- White Queen (Emma Frost)
- Wolverine (Logan)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Hellfire Club
- Black King (Sebastian Shaw)
- Hired thugs
- Wild Sentinels (Only in flashback)
- Sabretooth (Victor Creed) (Only in flashback)
Other Characters:
- Matt Landru (Corpse, skeleton or other remains) (First appearance)
- Reverend (First appearance)
- John Landru (First appearance)
- Mrs. Landru (First appearance)
- Itsu Akhiro (Only in flashback)
- Hellions (Mentioned)
- Purifiers (Mentioned)
- The Sapien League (Mentioned)
- Magneto (Erik Magnus Lehnsherr) (Mentioned)
- Sunspot (Roberto Da Costa) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York State
- Cemetery near Westchester County
- Xavier's Institute (Mentioned)
- Cemetery near Westchester County
- New York State
- United States of America
- Africa (Only in flashback)
- Genosha (Only in flashback)
- North America
- Forever Yesterday reality (Mentioned)
Items:
- X-Uniforms
- Ruby-Quartz Sunglasses
- Wolverine's Suit
- Cyclops' Visor (Only in flashback)
- Shaw's Image Inducer
Vehicles:
- Limo
Synopsis for "Prologue"
The X-Men and their students are at the funeral for a mutant boy they once failed to recruit, and recently got caught in their crossfire. Cyclops has a hard time coping with it especially since he can't remember the deceased boy's name and has a talk to his parents. He later also has a pep talk with Wolverine who convinces Scott to never give up the fight. During the funeral, Mercury and some other students show their feelings towards having been to so many funerals in their short lives already, and that they aren't even sophomores yet.
After the funeral, Professor Xavier discovers that the priest at the funeral was none other than Sebastian Shaw using an image inducer, and they also have a conversation. Multiple Man suggests that Beast investigates what's going on with the mutants and offers his and his duplicates aid.
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
- This series serves as a prelude to the Messiah CompleX.
- This one-shot leads into a story published as 17 backups across several X-Men related titles, the first one in X-Men (Vol. 2) #200, through issues of New X-Men (Vol. 2), X-Factor (Vol. 3), Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2) to the conclusion in X-Men (Vol. 2) #204.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
http://marvel.com/catalog/?id=15804