Spoilers: In Estrella, South America, La Diabla—assisted by “Colossus” and the Brute That Walks—successfully defeats the entire X-Force roster. A mysterious figure, revealed to be La Diabla’s superior, communicates with her, hinting that she’s following someone else’s orders. Using her alchemy, La Diabla transforms the Brute back into Dr. Avery.
As Forge, Betsy, and Rachel lie unconscious, “Colossus” suggests killing Rachel first—only for John Wraith, a.k.a. Kestrel, to teleport in and whisk Rachel to safety. Suddenly, Sage reemerges, flanked by a squad of X-Sentinels resembling Havok, Cyclops, Angel, and Beast. While “Angel” rescues Betsy, the other Sentinels engage the villains—though “Havok,” “Cyclops,” and “Beast” are quickly disabled.
The surviving X-Force members regroup near Sage’s VTOL, but the X-Sentinel “Angel” is abruptly destroyed by the Brute That Walks. La Diabla, Brute, and “Colossus” immediately resume combat against the X-Force.
Meanwhile, the mysterious villain contacts La Diabla once more, stating he has plans for Forge and ordering her to open a portal. The mastermind is revealed: Moses Magnum, the architect behind the fracture network. Forge analyzes the Analog and understands Magnum’s goal—and to everyone’s shock, he defects, choosing to join Magnum.
Before leaving, Forge removes his anti-telepathy headband, allowing Rachel and Betsy to read his mind and uncover the truth.
Magnum, La Diabla, Brute, “Colossus,” and now Forge travel to Subterranea, an ancient kingdom beneath the Earth once home to the Deviants—specifically, the city of Dys. There, Moses Magnum outlines his twisted philosophy: both humans and mutants have failed—humans in eradicating mutants, and mutants in protecting themselves. His plan is to tear a breach in the continuum and unleash otherworldly monsters, forcing humanity and mutantkind to unite as one race. For that, he needs Forge to finish building the Resonator, a device powered by Magnum’s own energy that would keep the portal open permanently.
X-Force arrives in Dys aboard the Blackbird. Tank removes his mask and finally reveals his true identity: the real Piotr Rasputin, Colossus.
The imposter “Colossus” exposes herself as Zanda, former ruler of the African nation of Narobia. She shapeshifts into a giant lizard and battles the real Colossus one-on-one.
Rachel confronts the Brute That Walks. She reaches out to Dr. Avery telepathically and, while she can’t undo La Diabla’s mental bindings, she offers him clarity—visualizing Avery as greater than the beast. This shift gives him the strength to master his rage and regain control of his form.
Elsewhere, Betsy Braddock faces La Diabla head-on. With her psychic butterfly sigil blazing, Betsy dismisses La Diabla’s tricks and schemes as hollow. She declares that she has always known she was eldritch. Brandishing her golden Starlight Sword, Betsy cuts through La Diabla’s alchemy with ease—asserting that she is the magic.
At that moment, Wraith teleports in with Sage. Sage reveals she finally understands Forge’s true intentions—that sealing the fractures, removing the anti-telepathy headband, and leaving the Analog behind were all moves to guide X-Force to this very point.
Forge asks if Sage brought what he requested. She confirms—and throws Surge’s gauntlets into the Resonator, overloading and destroying the machine permanently. Solution locked.
Moses Magnum, La Diabla, and Zanda teleport away in defeat. Forge explains that he kept everyone in the dark because X-Force was his machine, built to operate according to his design.
In the final moment, Surge resurrects herself in the form of coherent plasmatic energy, shocking her teammates. Forge swears he didn’t know this would happen. Sage, looking weary, tells him that after everything he’s done—X-Force is over.
7 comments:
Wow, long time I had not seen such twists and an amazing climax! Much of this issue I was not expecting and I am glad Mr. Thorne could wrap this book so nicely!! I am definitely writing X-Office to compliment and ask to allow his creativity to continue embracing the X-titles!
Loved the wrap up but also sad the run didn't make it to at least a year. Whether we like it or not, cause I know a lot of fans miss ninja skill Betsy, redesigning her to a magical/mutant hybrid is the way forwards.
This run gave me X-Force/Excalibur vibes so I'd love to see him do his take on the latter.
@Edu, I agree! He did great work in a book that had so much working against it. I was really upset when he brought in Nori (my fav Academy X kid) just to seemingly gank her. It just sucks cause I just know she's going back into limbo like most of this book & the other Academy kids.
Yay, great to know that Surge is back (...sort of)!
Tank's identity wasn't really a surprise, but a predictable but well-written reveal is better than a plot twist that makes no sense. And it's always nice to see a writer depicting Betsy as the competent heroine that she is (but please Betsy, drop the Starlight Sword; you don't need it).
@FSaker,
I feel so long as we've got both her & Kwannon using psychic weaponry that the starlight sword might be one of the few ways to define Betsy. I'd say reserve it for use in breaking magical things & killing high end magical enemies. Like things her psy broadsword can't work on.
They've already redesigned how Kwannon manifests the psychic katana compared to how it looked when Betsy used it in her body.
I would also love much more of this! Thorne is very deep in details. The way he delivers is very good! Considering the sudden cancelation and its consequent microscopic time to finish the series, he did an excellent job! I could enlist a bunch more stuff I would like to have seen under Thorne's hands, including the explanation of how Nori came back, which not even Forge knew it this time and what she became!
Hoping Betsy falls in his hands again and that it does not take too long!
To each their own, but I enjoyed this book a lot.
I think Thorne had the challenge of not only getting Betsy's voice back but also having to basically repair the damage Howard did in the 3 books she was allowed.
X-force was supposed to be 15 issues, so kinda sad that Thorne had to be rushed at the end or TPTB wouldn't allow him to reveal "Tank's" identity as Colossus earlier.
But I love that Thorne requested Betsy and that he pitched a solo book for her, I hope he gets it (which to me shows he has ideas for her).
Personally for me, I think it definitely would be a challenge to only get 10 issues and only 1 book a month (as I think in past there were like 2 books a month, maybe even with Tini?)
At the end of the day it was a team book, not a book just focused on Betsy and that wasn't loads of time to totally implement all his ideas for her, but the moments he was able to give her to shine, I am very happy to have seen.
Tini had a team book, but the main character (once Apocalypse left) was Betsy, it was just to Betsy's detriment because Tini wrote Betsy terribly out of character.
If Thorne is allowed 3 books with Betsy, I think she'd be in great hands.
I already loved how he got her out of that CB outfit, I think that was a great idea because it gave me (and prob many others), PTSD and reminded me of the days with TH.
For a team book that was only once a month and just 10 issues? I think Thorne did a phenomenal job.
I can only imagine what he could accomplish with a Betsy focused book.
I'm definitely going to keep writing TPTB asking for more Thorne & Betsy :)
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