This miniseries is the one that brings Storm back to the X-Men, but the most revelatory part of it happens on the splash page to issue #1.
Storm took Black Panther’s last name when they got married! I wouldn’t have guessed that, but it kinda makes sense. As a character, she’s never been a “man as a woman,” like so many strong female characters are (X-23, e.g.), and nor is she an explicit feminist who defines herself in terms of her equality or superiority to men (e.g., She-Hulk). Both of the former “types” are valid representations, but Storm has always leaned towards the traditional–including how she views her own ocassional role as a Goddess in Africa. Indeed, in that very splash page, above, she references her battle with Callisto way back in X-Men #170. There, she took control over the Morlocks–but it was never about ego. It was in service to her team.
I digress.
In this story, Storm must solve a murder in Wakanda, and brings Cyclops with her. Gentle is the accused. But of course a guy named Gentle didn’t kill a poor old shaman. It was Shadow King.
Shadow King possesses Black Panther and so to save Gentle, Storm has to fight her husband and flee Wakanda. He then takes Cyclops and tries to escape in a Blackbird, which Storm blows up–“to save the X-Men” before Scott can return and murder them.
Hiding in the jungle outside Wakanda, Storm fights Dora Milaje and then takes down T’Challa.
The ending is a bit of a cop out. Storm carries Panther’s unconscious body to the altar of the Panther God, who gives her the power to control panthers. This makes the Wakandan army bow to her, and seems to end the part of the story where Storm is on the run.
She then has to fight Cyclops, and that battle is more “epic” than her fight against T’Challa. I know Cyke has the eye blasts and all, but Black Panther should be harder to defeat. This feels wrong.
He also shows up with a bunch of X-Men in tow, all trying to subdue Storm. Really? They wouldn’t take her side? Not even Wolverine?
But Storm hits him with lightning.
And then uses cpr to bring him back to life.
And then Panther God eats Shadow King.
I confess that I enjoyed reading this story, despite the serious flaws and lame ending.