Quicksilver #6
… Mists & Tempests …
In the ruins of the Citadel of Science in Wundagore Mountain, Exodus of the Acolytes receives contact from Pyro.[1] Pyro is part of a strikeforce of mutants seeking a cure for the deadly Legacy Virus.[2] Tricked into thinking the High Evolutionary’s new Isotope E is a potential cure, they have captured the Knights of Wundagore during a night on the town. Pyro is confident they can get the High Evolutionary’s location out of them with torture.[3] Exodus reminds them that failure is not an option.
Ending the call, Exodus then turns his attentions to New Attilan.[4] Here he has dispatched Fabian Cortez to restore the mental powers of Maximus the Mad. This is because Exodus views the Inhumans as an affront to mutant supremacy and is attempting to destroy the Terrigen Mists, the source of the Inhumans’ superhuman powers.
This attack on the city coincided with the return of Crystal, who was believed to be dead for months, as well as Gene-Fist, the annual Terrigenisis of the next generation of Inhumans. Using his mental powers to control Black Bolt, Maximus orders him to whisper the word “die” at Quicksilver, Crystal, and the rest of the Inhuman royal family in the hopes that his brother’s destructive voice will kill them all.[5] Quicksilver sees that his sister is standing right in the path of the shockwave and uses his super-speed to pull her out of harm’s way. This also allows her to full cast a hex bolt that funnels the destructive force of Black Bolt’s voice up into the sky where it harmlessly explodes.[6][7]
Back in New York, Sir Ram returns Haven from his night out in New York City to learn that the rest of the Knights of Wundagore haven’t come back from the city yet. With Quicksilver also not back yet, Sir Ram finds himself annoyed that Pietro is always off on other business either private or with the Avengers.[8] However, he has little choice over the matter, Bova reminds him, as Quicksilver was chosen to be their leader by the High Evolutionary himself. Sir Ram decides to head back out to look for the others, telling Bova to stay behind and man the communications in case anyone calls in.
At that same time, the explosive power of Black Bolt’s voice has been completely contained. As the Inhuman Royal family try to subdue Maximus he warns them that he has the Crimson Cadre on his side. Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and the royal family all engage in battle the army of nine. However, when Wanda tries to use her hex powers on one of them, she discovers that this is all an illusion being cast into their minds by Maximus. When everyone realizes the truth, they also discover that Maximus was never physically there either.
That’s because the mad Inhuman royal never left his cell. With his powers fading, he demands that Fabian Cortez give him another power boost. However, Cortez only did so in order for Maximus to destroy the Terrigen Mists. Now Fabian refuses to restore his power until he fullfills this part of the bargain. Seeing that he has no other choice, Maximus leads the Acolyte down into the underground chambers where the mists are stored.
Although Maximus leads Cortez down into the catacombs, he betrays him by using his fleeting mental powers to conjure up an illusion of Magneto, the man Fabian fears the most.[9] This distraction allows Maximus to summon the Alpha Primitives and orders them to kill Cortez. As it turns out, Maximus had no intention of destroying the Terrigen Mists. In fact, he actually wanted to unleash them into Earth’s atmosphere to transform everyone on Earth into Inhumans.[10] That’s when the Inhuman royal family, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch arrive on the scene. Crystal uses the Black Knights ebony blade to command to stop the Alpha Primitives in their tracks.[11] However, the ground has been broken and the mists are at risk of leaking out.
Quick thinking, Pietro points out to Fabian Cortez that the release of Terrigen in the atmosphere would create a world of mutations that the Acolytes consider impure. By this reasoning, Cortez agrees to use his ability to boost the powers of others on Quicksilver. This allows Pietro to run so fast that he can create a reverse vortex that pushes the mists back into the ground, allowing Crystal to use her elemental powers to seal the cracks. In the confusion, Cortez is teleported away by his masters. When Maximus tries to talk his way out of trouble, Black Bolt punches him out and carries him back upstairs. With the danger passed, Quicksilver and Crystal both agree that it is long past time they had a talk about the future of their marriage.[12]
Recurring Characters
Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Inhumans (Black Bolt, Medusa, Crystal, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton), Maximus, Acolytes (Exodus, Fabian Cortez, Scanner), Legacy Virus Strikeforce (Pyro, Avalanche, Feral, Omega Red), Sir Ram, Lord Anon, Bova, Luna, Alpha Primitives
Continuity Notes
The High Evolutionary and his New Men were forced to retreat from Wundagore Mountain after it was invaded by Exodus and his Acolytes in Quicksilver #1.
The Legacy Virus is an illness that directly targets mutants that was unleashed on Earth by the terrorist known as Stryfe in X-Force #18. Pyro was infected in X-Men Unlimited #2 but that status wasn’t confirmed until X-Men Annual (vol. 2) #2. Among Pyro’s strike force, only Feral (who was infected in X-Force #90) has the disease. A cure won’t be found until Uncanny X-Men #390, but not before Pyro died from the illness in Cable #87. His death won’t be forever though, see X-Necrosha #1.
The Knights of Wundagore were out on the town and got captured last issue.
Attilan is referred to as “New Attilan” here. This is in reference to the fact that the kingdom had been recently returned to Earth. See, Earth pollution forced the Inhumans to relocate their hidden city to the Blue Area of the Moon in Fantastic Four #240. However, it was returned to Earth recently due to the machinations of Morgan le Fay during the Atlantis Rising event. See Namor the Sub-Mariner #60-62, Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising #1-2, Fantastic Force #8-9, Fantastic Four #401-402, and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #41-42. It now resides on an island that was once the site of ancient Atlantis. It will remain here until it is transported back to the Himalayan Mountains in Inhumans (vol. 2) #12.
Quicksilver mentions how this was the second time in recent history that he was mentally controlled. He is referring to the events of Thunderbolts #11-12 and Quicksilver #4 respectively.
In this story, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch are referred to as mutants. However, years later, both of these facts are revealed to have been lies. In Uncanny Avengers #4-5, it is revealed that Pietro was kidnapped as an infant by the High Evolutionary. In order to cover up his experiments he made it so Pietro would register as a mutant.
We’ll later learn in Quicksilver #10 that it was under the cover of this conflict that the Kree Lunatic Legion were able to steal Terrigen Mist for their scheme to turn everyone on Earth into Kree. See also Iron Man (vol. 3) #7, Captain America (vol. 3) #8, and Avengers (vol. 3) #7.
Quicksilver has been pre-occupied with the reformation of the Avengers in Avengers (vol. 3) #1-4, catching the Thunderbolts (in Thunderbolts #11-12) and the return of Crystal.
Cortez fears Magneto as he has betrayed the master of magnetism in the past, notably in X-Men (vol. 2) #1-3.
Maximus’ plan to turn everyone on Earth wouldn’t actually work out the way he envisions. Years later, during Infinity #1-6, a Terrigen Bomb was set off creating two enormous clouds that followed the jet stream. It would only effect humans that had latent Inhuman genes triggering their transformation into NuHumans. Terrigen Mists would also later be revealed to be harmful to mutants as seen in Son of M #1-6. Larger concentrations caused mutants to suffer from a deadly illness called M-Pox as seen in Avengers (vol. 6) #0 and Death of X #1-4.
Crystal explains that the Knight’s ebony blade was brought to Attilan by the sorceress Morgan le Fay. That happened during the Atlantis Rising event. She mentions how when she wielded the weapon in the past the Alpha Primitives considered her their queen. See Avengers Unplugged #6.
This talk is because Quicksilver and Crystal still have unresolved issues despite her absence. As we’ll learn next issue, a lot of this involves Crystal’s past affair with the Black Knight which took place between Avengers #336-375.