At the end of last issue, Magik had slowed down the VCR tapes of the “death” of the X-Men, including her brother Colossus, during Fall of the Mutants, and determined that Forge had killed them by casting a spell that required human sacrifice to keep The Adversary from destroying Earth. Technically, that was true—and the X-Men voluntarily gave themselves to the spell. What Illyana doesn’t know, of course, is that the X-Men are alive and well and hiding in Australia.
I have to say that it’s odd and out of character that Peter didn’t tell his sister he was still alive. But putting that to one side, these issues are Magik seeking vengeance on Forge.
Magneto has taken his new parental role towards the New Mutants seriously, and doesn’t want them using their powers so he forbids Magik from taking action, but she teleports to Muir Island, where Kitty Pryde is staying and also grieving over the loss of her teammates.
Despite their teary reunion, Kitty, too, says she isn’t down for killing Forge.
Magik goes to Limbo to get her sword, even though she knows it will cause havoc in the future because the sword is needed to keep the Limbo dimension in check.
Eventually, her New Mutant teammates join her and they track Forge down—but it’s actually Mystique in disguise. Her Freedom Force teammates have plotted an ambush.
After a (fun but pointless) battle, Mystique reveals herself and talks to the New Mutants. She tells them Destiny has foretold that Magik will bring harm to the world through her anger, and that’s why they’re trying to stop her from killing Forge. I think she’s predicting the upcoming Inferno event.
As you can see, Spiral is all in for killing Magik.
Anyway, Magik and her mates still proceed, find Forge, and fight.
And Forge goes nuclear.
Of course, some of her teammates are also trying to stop her from going all out, so she’s kind of fighting two fronts.
In the end, Magik wins.
Of course.
The end of the story introduces two new characters, Gosamyr and Spyder, who appear to have something to do with Lila Cheney. I haven’t read these issues before, so I don’t know what’s coming, but I’m pretty sure these two folks are involved in Inferno.
Speaking of which, the absence of the sword is enabling the Limbo demons to grow in power…
And by the end of #64, the demons have begun corrupting her.
Definitely above average, but not quite in the “B” range because, at the end of the day, it’s all pointless: Magik wants to kill, has two big fights, and then doesn’t. There’s not a lot of rationale offered for the change in character, other than that maybe she’s a teenager and just got tired and bored.