At this point, I have to wonder whether Claremont was aware of how every time the X-ers get near a flying craft, it crashes. Because not only does the narration box talk about deja vu, but this time, the X-Men don’t crash the plane–the plane crashes on Colossus!
It’s early in their relationship, but Cyke and Logan are already fighting.
This issue is the first appearance of Eric the Red, a Shi’ar agent hired to stop Princess Lilandra from recruiting the aid of the X-Men. This is the first time any of these characters have been seen–a glimpse into how Claremont works. He doesn’t just introduce a character, he creates worlds. We don’t see Lilandra, but she’s mentioned in a fever dream/premonition.
We’re also reminded that the team is being stalked by Steven Lang, creator of the new Sentinels (which we haven’t seen yet), and someone is, in turn, stalking Steven.