Thursday, June 18, 2015

X-Men: First Class by Jeff Parker Vol. 2 issue #14

This is the continuation of the previous issue which features a rather misleading cover. I really thought that the robot Aaron went on a rampage and tried to kill the X-Men. But you will find out as you read on that this was not the case at all. Much like the last issue, the momentum of the narrative's stride was maintained pretty well. This was really enjoyable most likely because I'm very invested on this Aaron android who unfortunately did not survive his confrontation with the Lava Men. But alas I'm getting ahead of myself. 

The X-Men just lost Angel who decided to stay with his aunt in the Land of Mists because he felt more accepted there than in the outside world. Henry and Bobby are probably hoping that his absence is only temporary while both Scott and Jean knew that Warren may be gone for good. However, the former is just not emotionally stirred about it unlike the latter. 

Meanwhile, an old scientist friend of Charles Xavier asked his help to train the military A.I. Aaron alongside the X-Men which the professor allowed, trusting that his students can adjust and cooperate with a substitute member for a new mission. Everyone was okay about it but Jean who simply does not want a new teammate while she's still grieving the loss of another. Aaron is very advanced and senses Jean's understandable distrust of him. Luckily for him, Henry and Bobby seemed to enjoy having a robot around to tinker stuff with. Scott also sees Aaron as a tactical advantage. 

But while in the middle of a fight with the Lava Men, Aaron malfunctions. He did get back on track in the nick of time but then the X-Men received a telepathic message from the professor that some or Aaron's fellow A.I. robots had gone berserk earlier in a military base somewhere so he asked them to keep an eye in case Aaron starts acting weird. That's a handy problem during a mission. 

Later on during a second confrontation with the Lava Men, Aaron loses it and starts displaying existential crisis while getting beaten up by Lava Men as he sacrificed himself so the others can escape. Jean, moved by a sudden moment of sympathy as Aaron melts in the lava, retrieves a mechanism of what she perceives as his brain which was to the relief of his creator. This means that his data can be restored including memories of his interactions with the X-Men. That makes me happy. I might be able to see Aaron again. Hopefully he can join the X-Men again.

There was also bonus section in this issue which features wordless panels of the gang recalling their most fond memories of Warren. It was sweet and short and very moving. We only have at least six more issues to go before XMFC ends.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

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