The Scott and Jean Archives
Xavier returns from Washington D.C. to find the mansion empty and his students missing. He uses Cerebro to try to locate them but to no avail. He can only hope that their training will help them survive.
Back on the island, it is nightfall and the X-Men have set up camp. Iceman is outraged when Beast tells him he had replaced Iceman’s “candy with granola bars” and starts a snowball fight. Marvel Girl tries to console Cyclops, who is beating himself up having not figured out the trap sooner.
Exhausted, they settle to get some sleep. But they are awoken in the night by a group of hungry creatures. Marvel Girl drives them away telekinetically after the creatures have gotten to all their food. Iceman sleeps through the ordeal with his headphones on. Angel is about to wake Iceman up when a livid Xavier summons the X-Men, demanding to know why they haven’t reached the volcano.
After an unreasonable screaming display, Cyclops is convinced that it is not Xavier who is communicating with them. Marvel Girl also claims to have sensed the faint telepathic signature of the real Xavier when the false Xavier lost his temper at Angel, that the real Xavier is trying to find them.
The X-Men plan on breaking the false Xavier’s focus, making them once again able to communicate with the real Xavier. Proceeding towards the volcano in accordance with the false Xavier’s command, the X-Men stumble into the “forehead wrinkle” of giant in the ocean. As the giant drags them into the water, Iceman transports Beast to safety while Angel struggles to fly Cyclops and Marvel Girl out of reach of the giant.
Fighting to avoid being eaten, Cyclops comes up with the idea to use the giant as transportation. They stay out of sight of the giant whilst riding on its head, and catch a glimpse of all the dangers that lurk beneath the giant’s strides. Cyclops concludes that whoever sent them to the island was aware of all the dangers and wanted to get them killed.
Having reached the volcano, the X-Men await the presence of the false Xavier. The false Xavier is shocked that the X-Men actually made it to the volcano. The X-Men shrug it off like it was an easy feat, and start mocking him, angering him. The false Xavier loses control and exposes his true identity to be Mastermind.
After his battle with The Stranger, Mastermind’s body was “petrified”, and his mind trapped within. He pushed his mind to grow stronger, and in his “travels” stumbled upon this “deathtrap” of an island. He plotted his revenge and sent the X-Men to the island in Xavier’s absence.
With Mastermind’s guard down, Xavier is able to resume communication with the X-Men. He proceeds to telepathically battle Mastermind. The X-Men cheer on a triumphant Xavier. Now aware of the danger of having Mastermind’s petrified body in the mansion, Xavier has plans to remove Mastermind to “a facility that can negate his ability”. The X-Men are relieved to be able to go home.
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