Uncanny X-Men #170

Issue Details

Synopsis

"Dancin' in the Dark" Prelude : Alaska. Scott Summers is dancing the night away with Madelyne Pryor. Its their first date. Its a lot more than either thought it would be. Never one to let a good moment go unspoilt, Scott withdraws to have an angst-filled internal monologue about Jean. He tells Madelyne about Jean, who stands by the fire to think about it. More internal angst from Scott, but Maddie comes back. Neither of them is willing to walk away from the other that easily. The Alley : Callisto intends to marry Warren against his will. The X-Men object, and take that moment to break their bonds and start another fight. While Nightcrawler manages to defeat Callisto by multiply porting with her, his companions aren't nearly so lucky as Plague gets the drop on Storm. Nightcrawler backs down - he's unwilling to kill Callisto, and Plague is more than willing to finish Storm. Callisto reveals the origins of the Morlocks. Elsewhere, Caliban tells Kitty he cannot bring her fever down. Kitty pleads with Caliban to save the X-Men, and gives him an ultimatum - help the X-Men and she'll stay with him, refuse and she'll hate him forever! Interlude : Mystique is running from dogs across a familiar landscape. Her ankle breaks and she tumbles into a stream. Jason Wyngarde pulls the dogs off her, but only to give Lady Jean Grey the pleasure of slitting her throat! Mystique wakes up. She goes downstairs where Destiny is waiting for her. They talk, and Destiny says the being responsible works on a fundamental level of time and space. Suddenly, a timeline becomes clear to Destiny, and she shouts out that Rogue is in danger! Mystique rushes up to her room, but as Destiny predicts she is already gone. We briefly see Rogue on a Greyhound bus. Masque starts playing with Storm's features, and Nightcrawler demands he stop. Callisto offers him membership in the Morlocks, and he declines. Suddenly, Caliban appears in the chamber carrying Kitty! Colossus easily snaps the 'stronger' chains they bound him with in his rage at seeing her thus, and Nightcrawler tells the Morlocks that he needs to be allowed to get her to the Mansion's medilab. Callisto refuses. Caliban tells Nightcrawler that leadership of the Morlocks is decided by a one-on-one duel, and he's in the process of challenging Callisto to one when she informs him these duels are to the death. At that point Storm tells Nightcrawler to back down - she is leader of the X-Men, and the challenge is hers to make. Protests from her teammates that she is still feverish are ignored. Hoping to unnerve Storm, Callisto tosses a dagger high in the air to her, but Storm catches it smoothly out of the air. The duel is fierce, and Callisto scores first blood. But eventually Storm gets her opening and uses her cape to tie up Callisto's dagger arm. She raises up Callisto's arm, opening her up for Ororo's dagger thrust - straight through Callisto's heart! Callisto collapses. Callisto lives, but only because of the quick action of the Morlock Healer (offstage). Ororo takes Angel, and offers the Morlocks sanctuary at Xavier's. While they choose to remain, Caliban verbally wishes that they become friends. Epilogue : Alaska. Dawn finds Scott and Maddie awake and making out on the couch. Maddie offers to make breakfast, and when the bright sun causes her to squint she asks Scott if she can borrow his glasses, reaching over to grab them. Scott reacts in horror and hits her to prevent it. She demands an explanation and he shows her his power. They make up.