{"id":6611,"date":"2021-04-21T23:35:31","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T22:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/?p=6611"},"modified":"2021-04-21T23:35:31","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T22:35:31","slug":"way-of-x-1-annotations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.housetoastonish.com\/?p=6611","title":{"rendered":"Way of X #1 annotations"},"content":{"rendered":"

As always, this post contains spoilers, and page numbers go by the digital edition.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WAY OF X #1
\n“Way of X”
\nby Si Spurrier, Bob Quinn & Java Tartaglia<\/strong><\/p>\n

COVER \/ PAGE 1:<\/strong> Nightcrawler, in familiar swashbuckling mode, fighting two of the Orchis soldiers. The stained glass window behind him has the faces of his team from the opening mission: Blink, DJ, Loa and Pixie.<\/p>\n

PAGE 2.<\/strong> Recap and credits. The recap sets up the general premise of Krakoa, and the vague disquiet which Kurt expressed in\u00a0X-Men<\/em> #7.<\/p>\n

PAGE 3.<\/strong> Data page. An excerpt from a book (title redacted) evidently written by Nightcrawler in mock biblical style, but trying to set out the development of his philosophy.<\/p>\n

A “florilegium” is a compilation of excerpts from other writings (an anthology, more or less). Literally, it means “gathering of flowers”, which seems quite appropriate for Krakoa.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Kurt presents himself here as having had reservations about Krakoa from the off, not something that’s been terribly apparent outside\u00a0X-Men<\/em> #7. A striking feature of the Krakoan era, though, is how few characters have shown any disquiet or reluctance about embracing the entirely new culture of Krakoa; dissenters have been practically invisible in the X-books (perhaps on the view that cynics like Pete Wisdom largely just don’t go there in the first place). This is the first book in the Krakoa line to really adopt the perspective of a character who isn’t convinced.<\/p>\n

PAGES 4-6.<\/strong>\u00a0Professor X talks to Nightcrawler as he starts his mission.<\/em><\/p>\n

The opening panel<\/strong> shows a mystery figure in close up. It seems to be the same figure we see in shadow on page 33, who is presumably the Patchwork Man mentioned later in the issue. The Patchwork Man is strongly implied to be Professor X’s estranged son Legion, presumably speaking directly to Xavier in his dreams here.<\/p>\n

Professor X<\/strong> is, unusually, seen here without his helmet – we very rarely get this in the Krakoa era, though I suppose it’s not really the sort of thing he can sleep in. Naturally enough, he keeps it next to his bed. Presumably it’s still linked to him, if he’s powerful enough to make psychic contact with Nightcrawler all the way over in Venice. Xavier backs out of his conversation with Kurt by saying that he simply wanted to wish him luck on the mission, but this obviously isn’t true, since he only remembered the mission after the call had started. The obvious implication is that Xavier is indeed looking for support from Kurt in his priest-like (or at least pastoral) role.<\/p>\n

The photograph that Xavier looks at – and which triggers another flash of the Patchwork Man – presumably shows Gabrielle Haller holding baby David (Legion). Xavier didn’t find out about David until much later on, though, so presumably he’s not the man in the background whose head has been removed from the picture.<\/p>\n

Of the two photographs on the dresser, I’m not immediately sure who the part-seen male is. The girl is Xandra Neramani, the genetic daughter of Xavier and Lilandra – another relative he’s had negligible contact with. Xandra is currently the Shi’ar Empress over in\u00a0X-Men<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Kurt’s team<\/strong> consists of:<\/p>\n