Ultimate X-Men: Magnetic North, Part 5
Issue: #65
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Pencils: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors: Justin Ponsor

Mystique, Magneto, and Forge (carrying Lorna) walk down the halls of the Triskelion, past the slain guards. After briefly discussing Mystiques motives for taking this mission (is it because she believes in the mutant cause, or just wants to strike back at Xavier for leaving her behind in favor of Emma Frost), Magneto tells her that it’s time for her to make the ultimate sacrifice.

On the floor above, Warren confronts Deathstrike over Ali, but he’s not alone. Longshot grabs Deathstrike from behind, telling her that mutants look out for their own, and then snapping her neck. Warren, far from being grateful, shouts at him to stay away from them and flies off down the corridor with Ali. Longshot turns his attention to Nathaniel Essex, but something interrupts.

Jean-Paul Baubier is carrying Alex Summers up the side of the Triskelion with superhuman speed. At the top, they find Magneto’s party. Magneto uses metal debris to wrap Northstar up, and then faces off against Alex. Before either can strike, the X-jet appears overhead. Jean discovers that Magneto is wearing his helmet and can’t be affected by telepathy. Magneto begins manipulating the Blackbird and anything magnetic inside, including Wolverine’s claws. He then shatters the plane, sending its occupants plummeting earthward.

Nightcrawler teleports, Jean rescues herself and Scott, Ororo catches Logan, and Bobby swoops down on an ice slide to catch Kitty. The X-Men converge on the Triskelion’s roof, and Scott begins giving his team orders. Jean takes mental control of Alex, but Magneto grabs him and threatens to kill him with the surrounding pieces of metal. Undeterred, Scott blasts both Magneto and Alex, who is unharmed because his powers cancel out his brother’s. Magneto is out of the fight, and Lorna comes to, hugging Alex.

At that moment, Nicholas Fury and a security detail arrive. Fury acknowledges that Xavier has contacted him with proof of Lorna’s innocence, but he threatens to throw Alex in jail for the attempted break-in and prison riot. Wolverine climbs onto the roof and tells Fury to let the students go, or he’ll tell the president how Fury used Wolverine’s abilities to take out a mutant teen whose powers were uncontrollable and lethal. The mission was done without the president’s approval, Wolverine reminds Fury. Fury tells them all to go, but adds that the X-Men are no longer affiliated with SHIELD and will be treated like enemies if they interfere again. Angel, carrying the wounded Ali, appears on the roof. Fury calls a medic.

A week later, Ali is still in a coma in the hospital. At her bedside, Warren tells Xavier that he’ll take full responsibility for Ali’s injury, and that he wouldn’t blame Xavier for expelling him. Xavier says he plans to expel Warren, but that it will only be an excuse for Warren to enroll at Emma Frost’s school and keep an eye on things there for Xavier. The Professor agrees to keep Ali on at the school when she wakes up.

At the school, Piotr is talking on the phone with Jean-Paul, who invites him to homecoming at the Academy. Piotr accepts. Nightcrawler, who’s in the same room, is stunned to discover Piotr’s sexual preferences and hastily teleports elsewhere. Alone, Piotr hears a voice, and turns to find Rogue standing in the doorway, her eyes having the red glow that Gambit’s once did.

Emma Frost visits Magneto in his cell. She warns him never to go near any of her students again. His escape plan failed, she pointed out, and only one of the criminals being held in the Triskelion actually got away. Magneto, his back to her, compliments the escapee on his luck; Magneto’s eyes turn the same shade of yellow as Mystique’s.

Under the city, Longshot and Magneto make their way to freedom. Magneto had actually arranged for Fury to be tipped off about Longshot’s location, because Magneto knew his escape attempt would be likely to succeed if Longshot were present. Longshot asks if Magneto will re-form the Brotherhood and return to killing humans. Magneto replies that it’s time for something new.