Spoilers: The false world that Nate Grey created comes crumbling down as the rebellious mutants awaken from their dreamlike state. Nate explains that rather than an alternate universe, it’s a separate plane of existence that exists within Nate Grey himself created when the Life Seed merged with him after the Battle of Disassembled. X-Man sees his actions as saving the X-Men, while the X-Men themselves see it as both abandoning those left on Earth and living a half-life without companionship or love. Ultimately, the thesis is that relationships are what define the X-Men, and subtracting them takes away far more than what could ever be gained. Even Nate Grey is affected by his relationships, his subconscious creating a second Danielle Moonstar that exists solely within the Age of X-Man. The Marvelous X-Men are unsure about what they want. Some like Nightcrawler and Nature Girl want to stay, while others like Jean Grey and Storm want to return to their world, especially after seeing Cyclops’ X-Men in desperate need of help. On the other hand, the X-Tracts support X-Man’s vision, while the Prisoners want their life back. Nate Grey decides to restore everyone’s memories and original forms. They all have to go or all have to stay, it’s all or none. The mutants created specifically for the Age of X-Man cannot leave either. Magneto takes matter in his own hands and decides to plunge the Life Seed through Nate’s chest as it is the only way to end this. Elsewhere, Blob tells Psylocke it won’t be the same after they go back. Betsy replies that’s what makes it beautiful. As Magneto stays behind, the others travel through the fissures in the space-time continuum and return home. Magneto tells Nate his vision wasn’t fully formed thanks to the misguided rules and policing that Nate Grey enforced. A deal is struck: a piece of Magneto stays behind with Nate so they can dream it all up again from scratch, while the real Magneto returns home with the others. The Age of X-Man ends and begins again.
“For so long, my life has been out of control. Chaos and serendipity, wrapped in insanity. I have suffered, I have lost. Not just my life, but my very soul, my self. But no more. Now I know who I am.” – Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Braddock, daughter of Otherworld, mutant, telepath, telekinetic, defender of the realm and, above all, X-Man.
