Uncanny X-Men (Vol 2) #356: Reunion

Hank, Warren and Bobby are travelling to Alaska to visit Scott and Jean. Logan had received Scott’s cryptic message but has other matters to attend to. He leaves this task to Bobby, who in turn “recruited” Hank and Warren “to help [their] oldest friends in the world”.

Hank, Warren and Bobby’s taxi has crashed into a tree after the driver was distracted by a bird that fell onto the windscreen, then colliding with a moose. In the wilderness, Bobby thinks he saw a “strange” man with red eyes staring at them. Luckily for them, Chris the Sherriff happens to pass by and offer them a ride to Scott and Jean’s house.

Warren does not like all the bad “omen[s]” they have seen along their journey. Beast is left curious about the birds “fall[ing] from the sky”.

Jean is entertaining Staci and her sister Melissa when Chris arrives with Hank, Warren and Bobby. Jean rushes up to give her old friends welcoming hugs. Staci hints at Jean’s friends that her sister Melissa is “very available”.

After Chris, Staci and Melissa take their leave, the guys head inside to see Scott. They have actually come to check on Jean after Scott expressed concern about Jean’s recent enhancement of her powers. But Scott wants to keep this monitoring of Jean hush-hush among him and the guys, and disguises this visit as a get together for the “five original X-Men”.






Hank has Scott show him his room so he can talk to Scott in private.

Meanwhile, Jean asks Warren and Bobby whether they think Scott is acting “weird”. Scott had only told her about their “surprise” visit that morning. Warren confides in Jean his relationship troubles with Betsy. Jean tells him that “it takes a lot of work” to keep her relationship with Scott working.

Hank lends Scott a listening ear. He reasons with Scott that “Jean can’t be the Phoenix” as “she was never possessed by it in the first place”. Scott has learnt from his past experience that he cannot bottle up all his worries and fears; he needs to confide in those he trusts.

They have seen their mentor Xavier, “one of the most decent, courageous men [they’ve] known” driven mad and nearly destroyed the world. Scott is worried that “the same could happen to Jean”. Perhaps there’s more to telepaths than they understand, and Scott wants people he trust to help “watch” Jean. Hank is not sure he sees anything “strange going on with Jean” but agrees with Scott that times have changed but there is still “little they know about psi powers”.

Before dinner, the five friends settle in front of the fire to reminisce old times. Looking back, Jean muses that Scott had been “looking out for [her]...even that first day [they] met”. Scott was a gentleman while “these other ‘Romeos’ were trying to make an impression. Bobby cannot believe that Jean “fell for Scott because he got her a chair” and declares that Scott is definitely “weird”.






While they talk more about the X-Men, Hank finds the local news about Inuit land disputes in Alaska intriguing. Scott lets slip that he does not intend to stay long in Alaska, which puts Jean off. The topic shifts to the disappearance of Xavier. Hank suggests that they “devote some energy” to searching for him. Jean tells him she has found “no trace of his presence anywhere in the world” while doing a mental search. Hank is surprised at Jean’s enhanced level of telepathy.

Suddenly, the fire rages inwards and smoke starts to fill the room. Scott goes to check if some snow had fallen and clogged the chimney. Bobby blasts some ice through the chimney and dislodges a dead bird from within. Warren flies onto the roof to get a better look. That is when Melissa spots Warren with his wings when she is out walking her dog with Staci.

As the X-Men head out to get some dinner, they encounter a protest in town. The Inuits want their “totem poles” “restore[d]” on their lost lands. Again, Bobby sees the strange man he encountered this morning. He points it out to the others but they ignore him.

They finally make it to the restaurant. Scott talks to them about “[reconsidering] the Professor’s dream, and maybe [replace] it with [their] own”.

Outside, more dead birds fall from the sky.


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