—StormI appreciate Oracle calling this meeting. It's good to know these things early. But there was never a debate to be had over this, Orbis Stellaris. Mutantkind does not need your permission to live -- or to thrive. Understand that...and perhaps our miracles will surprise you less.
Appearing in "Three Short Stories About Death"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Great Ring of Arakko
- Wrongslide (Santo Vaccarro)
- The Five
- Shi'ar Empire
- Oracle (Sybil)
- Majestrix Xandra Neramani (Only in flashback) (Resurrection)
- Super-Guardians (Mentioned)
- Kree/Skrull Alliance
- Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda
- Black Panther (King T'Challa) (As a hologram)
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Marvel Girl (Jean Grey)
- Professor X (Charles Xavier)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- The White Sword (Referenced)
- Tarn the Uncaring (Referenced)
- Genesis (Mentioned)
- Supreme Intelligence/The Plex (Named only)
- Utopian Kree Empire (Named only)
- The Daily Bugle (Mentioned)
- Gentle (Nezhno Abidemi) (Mentioned)
- Galactus (Galan) (Mentioned)
- Deathbird (Cal'syee Neramani) (Mentioned)
- Rockslide (Santo Vaccarro) (Mentioned)
- Forge (Mentioned)
- Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) (Mentioned)
- Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
- Mutants
- Skrull-Kree Hybrids
- Humans
- Shi'ar-Mutant Hybrids (Only in flashback)
- Shi'ar (Mentioned)
- Xandarians (Mentioned)
Locations:
- Prime Marvel Universe
- Sol
- Planet Arakko (Mars)
- Arakko Prime
- Great Ring
- Circle Perilous (Mentioned)
- Diplomatic Zone (Mentioned)
- Arakko Prime
- Earth
- Planet Arakko (Mars)
- Proscenium
- Xandar (Mentioned)
- The Waiting Room (Mentioned)
- Sol
- Otherworld (Mentioned)
Items:
- Magneto's Helmet
- Cerebro
- X-Uniforms
- Panther Habit (As a hologram)
- Kimoyo (Mentioned)
- Excelsior
- Nova Helmet
- Cerebro Drive (First appearance; destruction)
- Nova Force (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "Three Short Stories About Death"
Magneto sits at the Seat of Loss on the Great Ring, and Ora Serrata brings the question of mortality’s importance for the leaders of Arakko. Can Storm, Magneto, or any Krakoan serve meaningfully on the council without risking death? Before the Ring can vote, Magneto reframes the decision, speaking for the absent regent as well as himself. He presents the Cerebro Drive hosting their backups and crushes it, denying immortality and rejecting fear of a life that ends.
Called to an emergency diplomatic meeting at the Proscenium, Storm calls out her ex-husband T’Challa for employing a spy on Arakko as they enter the gathering. The Superguardian Oracle announces the death of Empress Xandra Neramani to the assembled leaders, sharing fears of immensely destructive infighting once the news goes public within the Shi’ar empire. T’Challa suggests that Krakoa may be able to bring her back, but Orbis Stellaris vehemently objects to the idea of an undying ruler. Nova recalls his resurrection of Xandar and its people before they were returned to death in the Annihilation War. Denying that Krakoa or Xandra have true immortality, he says had he the choice, that she would already be resurrected. Storm is glad he agrees, as Xandra has already been resurrected, her father Professor X having received her final cry and immediately working to bring her back. Exiting the meeting, she states that mutants do not require permission to live and thrive. Nova follows her, warning her that he senses something big centering on Arakko, and asks to come visit the planet. Storm accepts him and agrees - trouble is coming.
Sunspot hatches from an egg in Arbor Magna, his personality implanted by Jean Grey. He follows an observing Santo Vacarro outside. After his death on Otherworld, the young X-Man was brought back a different person, dubbed Wrongslide by the children on the island. They skip stones on the water, discussing death and life before Sunspot asks if he has been to Arakko.
Solicit Synopsis
THE MARTIAN WAY OF DEATH!
Recent revelations threaten to profoundly alter the Destiny of X – and Arakko isn't immune from the fallout! With the clock ticking down to interstellar war, STORM faces a Galactic Illuminati… MAGNETO attends a meeting of his own that might decide both their fates…and ROBERTO DA COSTA ponders a recent return from the grave alongside the strangest guest star of all!