Things take a decidedly dark turn for the three X-teams all at once! While X-Factor face the final Horseman of Apocalypse – who proves to be all-too familiar – the New Mutants‘ attempt to help a creature called Bird-Brain ends in tragedy. Meanwhile, the X-Men learn they’re fated to die in Dallas, but it doesn;t stop them going there to save their missing leader, Storm!
Previous events that directly impact this storyline:
- THIRD GENESIS – The formation of X-Factor
- MUTANT MASSACRE – The Marauders slaughter the Morlocks
- THE RIGHT – Cameron Hodge turns against X-Factor
Major Crossover: While it’s recognised as one of the earliest major crossovers in the history of the Marvel Universe, ‘The Fall of the Mutants’ is barely a crossover at all. The New Mutants issues reference the events in the other mutant titles and the X-Men’s story can be read without picking up any other X-book – or even the Hulk tie-in, for that matter. X-Factor’s battle with Apocalypse is where the actual crossover aspect comes in with most of the tie-ins relating to those events. I’ve also included some of the lead-in issues as tie-ins because the stories in the main titles don’t make half as much sense without them.
- Uncanny X-Men #220 (tie-in) *
- New Mutants #56-57 (tie-in) *
- Uncanny X-Men #221-224 (tie-in) *
- Incredible Hulk #340 (tie-in) *
- New Mutants #58 (tie-in) *
- Uncanny X-Men #225 *
- New Mutants #59 *
- X-Factor #24 *
- Uncanny X-Men #226 *
- New Mutants #60 *
- X-Factor #25 *
- Daredevil #252
- Power Pack #35 *
- Uncanny X-Men #227 *
- New Mutants #61 *
- Captain America #339
- X-Factor #26 *
- Fantastic Four #312
Uncanny X-Men #220 (tie-in) *
Against her better judgement, Storm decides to locate Forge and ask him to restore her powers, leaving the X-Men under Wolverine’s leadership. When she arrives at Eagle Plaza days later, she finds it abandoned and condemned. Storm reaches Forge’s levels, which activates holograms playing her last encounter with him, of demons in Vietnam, the moment Storm lost her powers and a vision of Forge wired to the walls and driven mad. Forge’s mentor Naźe emerges and explains that Forge was born and trained to combat the Adversary. Storm agrees to help Naźe find Forge, but perhaps there’s more to the old man than meets the eye…
New Mutants #56 (tie-in) *
Last night, Cannonball accidentally smashed the tower containing the bizarre Bird Boy while the New Mutants fought the aliens Raek & Gyrk. Now the New Mutants and the rival Hellions pursue Bird Boy, believing him to be a mutant. Despite their in-fighting, the New Mutants grab Bird Boy and teleport him back to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Magma, confused over her feelings for Empath, announces her decision to transfer to the Hellions’ own Massachusetts Academy…
New Mutants #57 (tie-in) *
Magneto is shocked to find Bird Boy living in the Danger Room. Even Cerebro can’t discern Bird Boy’s genetic origins. Magma leaves for Emma Frost’s Massachusetts Academy. Cypher becomes jealous of Wolfsbane’s fascination for Bird Boy, renaming him ‘Bird-Brain’. The New Mutants get into trouble with Magneto for taking Bird-Brain to the mall after he runs loose in the cinema. The New Mutants are grounded, but Cypher suddenly figures out how to talk to Bird-Brain, making them the best of friends!
Uncanny X-Men #221 (tie-in) *
Mister Sinister expresses his disappointment in the Marauders for failing to kill Madelyne Pryor and orders them to rectify their mistake. At the Grand Canyon, Naźe and Storm continue their mission to locate Forge and rescue him from the Adversary, though Naźe has his own plans to claim Storm for himself. At the Xavier School, Wolverine interrupts a dispute between Dazzler & Rogue over their rocky past in order to prep the team for a mission to San Francisco following a call from Maddie Pryor. The Marauders get there first, almost destroying the city’s hospital and making short work of the X-Men. Polaris – now under Malice’s control and acting as leader of the Marauders – tries to drown Maddie & Rogue. Dazzler saves both of their lives, but they’re open to another attack…
Uncanny X-Men #222 (tie-in) *
Rogue and Dazzler defeat Polaris, but her presence shocks Havok as she gets the drop on him. Psylocke almost breaks Malice’s control over her. The X-Men are on the ropes, but the Marauders leave when they believe Maddie is dead. Polaris/Malice gives Havok the chance to kill her. He takes the shot but she survives, leaving him with the knowledge he tried. In the Rockies, Storm and Naźe are attacked by the demonic Eye Killers (who have escaped their banishment following THE MONTESI FORMULA) and are working for the Adversary. Naźe convinces Storm that their escape was Forge’s fault and he’s been subverted by the Adversary. Storm accepts she may have to kill Forge…
Uncanny X-Men #223 (tie-in) *
Crimson Commando, Stonewall & Super Sabre avoid incarceration by agreeing to join Freedom Force as replacements for Spider-Woman (who deserted the team during SINS OF THE PAST). Destiny has a premonition that the X-Men are about to die. Maddie despairs over the turn her life has taken and is comforted by Havok while the X-men set up base in Alcatraz. In the Rockies, Naźe falls to the Eye-Killers’ venom. While helping him recover, Storm takes a healing brew under his advice and suddenly finds herself fighting demons and seeing Forge unleash those demons in Vietnam. Storm then awakens from her dream, though the world outside begins to reflect what she just experienced…
Valerie Cooper officially announces the passing of the Mutant Registration Act and the formation of Freedom Force in the wake of the destruction in San Francisco. Mystique visits Rogue to warn her that the X-Men will die in Dallas. Lt Morrell warns the X-Men that Freedom Force are looking for them, so they head to Dallas to find Storm. In Wyoming, Storm parts ways with Naźe and climbs a mountain to find demons swirling around Forge who is standing before a rift in reality. Forge is glad to see her until she stabs him then immediately realises she’s been duped. Forge is innocent. Storm and Forge are drawn into the yawning portal, leaving ‘Naźe’ unchallenged as the true threat…
Incredible Hulk #340 (tie-in) *
A heavy snowstorm forces Clay Quartermain, Rick Jones and the Hulk to a break from locating the US Government’s gamma bomb stockpile before the Leader does. Stuck near Dallas Airport, the Hulk leaves their battlevan to get some air and leaps into a passenger jet. The X-Men help the jet to land safely. Wolverine picks up the familiar (yet different) scent of the Hulk and the pair soon face each other, with Wolverine refusing to fight. The Hulk goads Wolverine into a scrap which becomes increasingly more vicious. Quartermain bring the bloody battle to a close by firing a rocket launcher at the Hulk and admonishing them both for their behaviour.
New Mutants #58 (tie-in) *
The New Mutants are meant to be studying for their midterms but get distracted trying to teach Bird-Brain to talk. He freaks at Sesame Street and Wolfbane’s half-wolf form, calling them ‘like-creatures’. Cypher & Wolfsbane give him an old New Mutants uniform and, still believing him to be a mutant, make him one of the team. That might, Bird-Brain crashes through a window and escapes with the New Mutants in pursuit. Together, they track down the island in the North Atlantic he came from and are greeted by an assortment of animal-men…
Uncanny X-Men #225 *
The Adversary has taken Roma prisoner and banished her champions – Storm & Forge – to another dimension. He now threatens to disrupt reality and cause untold chaos. Roma appears to Colossus in Edinburgh, alerting him to his destiny. He has almost fully recovered from his recent injuries (sustained during the MUTANT MASSACRE), but maintaining his human form takes immense concentration. He calls the Xavier School and his sister, Magik, immediately teleports over to pick him up. In order to save Rogue, Freedom Force try to arrest the X-Men. Colossus is teleported in just in time to help most of the X-Men retreat into Eagle Plaza – the place they’re destined to die – just as a rift opens in the sky…
New Mutants #59 *
Magneto is elated when Sunspot & Warlock return to the Xavier School, until all three realise the New Mutants are missing. Elsewhere, the New Mutants’ arrival on the barren island is detected by its single human resident, Dr Animus – aka the Ani-Mator – who’s in league with Cameron Hodge and the Right. The Ani-Mator is behind the experiments that produced Bird-Brain as well as numerous other Ani-Mates on the island. The New Mutants encounter the Ani-Mates who want to attack them until Wolfsbane takes her wolf form and earns their respect. To become free of the Ani-Mator, the Ani-Mates have to get through his maze. The New Mutants Bird-Brain and a handful of Ani-Mates enter the maze and battle giant Ani-Mates, but are defeated by a series of traps and are captured. The insane Ani-Mator demands they all be destroyed…
X-Factor #24 *
X-Factor are teleported away from their victory over the Right (during THE RIGHT) by Apocalypse – a foe they’ve faced just once before who’s obsessed with advancing only the strongest mutants on the planet – finding themselves aboard his Ship. X-Factor reject his offer to join his war against humanity. Apocalypse sends his three Horsemen out to destroy Manhattan, but X-Factor bring them down before they can leave the Ship. Apocalypse introduces the metal-winged Death who they immediately recognise as Warren Worthington III, the former Angel, who quickly defeats X-Factor. Apocalypse restrains them and sends his four Horsemen out to provoke a war between humans and mutants. Caliban offers himself to Apocalypse in exchange for power as his hellhound so he can have his revenge on the Marauders…
Pasts and future collide in Dallas, with dinosaurs, barbarians and future cities appearing – all captured by TV news reporters Neal Conan & Manoli Wetherell. Outside Eagle Plaza, Dazzler recovers and almost gets Psylocke and Rogue to safety until Spiral magically knifes Destiny’s mask to her face. The X-Men and Freedom Force quickly join forces to save innocent bystanders from the reality-warping chaos, which all caught on camera by Conan & Wetherell. Psylocke realises Roma, Guardian of the Omniverse, was the one who sent Colossus. Wolverine orders Freedom Force to remain on the ground floor while the X-Men and Neal Conan ascend Eagle Plaza to meet their destiny. On an alternate Earth, Storm helps Forge recover from his knife wound. Over the course of more than a year, they rekindle their love for one another. Forge builds a device that unlocks Storm’s powers which they use to fuel their return to Earth-616 where the Adversary awaits and the roof of Eagle Plaza explodes…
New Mutants #60 *
Magneto heads to the Hellfire Club to use their mutant detection systems, while Sunspot & Warlock disobey his orders and begin their own search. On the island Paradise, the restrained New Mutants can only watch as the Ani-Mator continues to use Right’s funding to create Ani-Mates instead of looking for a way to stop mutations. Now he plans to use the New Mutants to make mutant Ani-Mates! Cypher convinces the loyal Ani-Mates to break them free. But Cameron Hodge arrive and tranquillises the team before gunning down many of the Ani-Mates. Bird-Brain’s friendly Ani-Mates rescue the New Mutants from the Right, so they all join forces as Sunspot & Warlock arrive in time to help them fight back. Cypher is shot dead when he takes a bullet from the Ani-Mator that was meant for Wolfsbane. Hodge’s plane drops a bomb on Paradise. An Ani-Mate octopus destroys his plane before it can drop another, dragging it into the sea. Bird-Brain defeats the Ani-Mator, but the celebration is cut short when the New Mutants realise Cypher is dead. Magik casts the Ani-Mator to Limbo…
X-Factor #25 *
Having sent his Horsemen out to decimate New York, Apocalypse cites the Mutant Registration Act as a sign of humanity’s intentions for mutants. Beast manages to turn off Iceman’s belt, unleashing his upgraded powers to free the team! Their fight with Apocalypse activates a power-drainer in Ship that sucks power from the city below. Apocalypse transports Cyclops & Marvel Girl to the streets to face his Horsemen. Hee teleports Famine to the American Midwest as a reward for defeating Marvel Girl. Back aboard Ship, Beast’s attack on Apocalypse causes the gigantic craft to tilt and career into skyscrapers, eventually hitting the Empire State Building. Power Pack help Marvel Girl catch the falling tip of the tower and take out Pestilence, accidentally killing her. Everyone returns to the Ship where Death ‘kills’ a decoy Iceman, snapping him out of Apocalypse’s control and turning him against his master. Apocalypse takes Caliban & War and leaves the Ship to X-Factor. They land the Ship lands flat, squashing X-Factor’s old HQ. When the media approach, Cyclops explains the X-Factor/X-Terminators ruse that allowed them to train mutants to use their powers. Now X-Factor will openly stand against anyone – human or mutant – who stands for their own superiority…
Daredevil #252
Matt Murdock’s Hotline Clinic is celebrating their first win when the Horsemen of Apocalypse attack New York and the power goes out. Many believe a nuclear war has begun. Gang leader Ammo rallies the lost and angry to build an army to take over the streets. Daredevil & the Black Widow search for supplies for the injured and encounter Ammo’s gang who have taken over the police armoury and plan an assault on the hospital. With help from army vets hoping to contain the violence, Daredevil & Black Widow fight the huge gang. Ammo opens fire on his own people, including kids, prompting Daredevil to bring him down directly. Matt’s young friend Cain is knifed by a gang member and dies in Daredevil’s arms…
The grounded Power Pack kids are home alone when the blackout hits, Starstreak flies into the subway in search of their mother. She encounters Pestilence whose touch makes her sick. The other Power kids find Starstreak and heal her, then witness the falling Ship. They help Cyclops & Marvel Girl defeat Pestilence while trying to catch the severed top of the Empire State Building, but Pestilence is crushed beneath it. Cyclops & Marvel Girl take Pestilence’s ‘horse’ back to Ship. Power Pack help the falling Ship land safely and get home in time to be there for their mother when he arrives home.
Uncanny X-Men #227 *
Neal Conan sends out live footage of the X-Men fighting demons in ‘Vietnam’ from inside Eagle Plaza via the news-van outside. Maddie Pryor and the X-Men see ‘Forge’ use the souls of dead soldiers to cast the demonic invasion back to wherever it came from, the way it must’ve happened years earlier in the real Vietnam. Above them, the Adversary has control of Roma’s Starlight Citadel and is holding Storm, the real Forge and Roma captive. Against all odds, the X-Men, Maddie & Neal Conan ascend to the Citadel and free the captives, with Colossus’ steel form proving to be the Adversary’s weakness. Neal films the X-Men and Maddie as they agree to sacrifice their souls to give Forge the power he needs to banish the Adversary. On Muir Isle, Nightcrawler wakes from his coma, only to receive the news from Shadowcat that the X-Men are dead. Forge helps Neal Conan out of Eagle Plaza. Mystique accuses Forge of murderer now that Rogue has gone. In the Starlight Citadel, Roma restores the X-Men to life, acknowledging that the Adversary must not be locked away forever. The X-Men choose to allow the world to believe they’re dead, with Roma offering to transport them wherever they want to go…
New Mutants #61 *
Magik gives into her Darkchylde persona and casts the ‘Smile Faces’ of the Right into Limbo to be torn apart by Transmode-infected demons. The New Mutants return to the Xavier School, all blaming themselves for Cypher’s death. Magneto returns having seen footage of X-Factor revealing themselves to be mutants and the X-Men dying in Dallas. Things get heated when he finds out Cypher is dead as the divide between him and the New Mutants grows. Later, the team choose new costumes and decide to forge their own destiny…
Captain America #339
Famine spends almost a day draining the American heartland and those who farm it if life before she’s confronted by the Captain (Steve Rogers, the former Captain America) and his allies. Famine takes down Falcon & Nomad before the Captain defeats her. Her master teleports her to safety before she can face justice. Two weeks later, Steve Rogers drops in on Tony Stark who’s developed a new adamantium shield for him. Stark hopes this act of kindness will convince Steve to ignore his upcoming clash with the US Government…
X-Factor 26 *
X-Factor avoid arrest and continue to help those in need around the devastated New York City, observed from afar by Apocalypse. Beast’s will to help those in need costs him more of his intellect. Cyclops comes clean with Marvel Girl about his relationship with Maddie and his regret over how he treated her. X-Factor take on the Ship as their headquarters and their heroism is celebrated with a parade through New York!
Fantastic Four #312
Exposure to cosmic rays has mutated Ms Marvel into a ‘She-Thing’ and further-mutated the Thing. The Black Panther allows Doctor Doom to accompany him and the Fantastic Four back to America in time to witness X-Factor’s parade through New York. Doom becomes the target of his own troops, sent by Kristoff Vernard to assassinate him (following their fight for the throne of Latveria during ALL IN THE FAMILY). Doom asks X-Factor to attack the Latverian Embassy for him. When they refuse, he kidnaps Ms Marvel and the Beast. Ms Marvel refuses to even try escape, so the Beast risks losing his intelligence to stop Doom. Ms Marvel is inspired, but Beast becomes a mindless berserker. The other heroes arrive and subdue Beast, while Doom negotiates safe passage out of America. Ms Marvel promises to stop feeling sorry for herself.
Uncanny X-Men #229 (1988)
The New Mutants and Magneto attend Cypher/Doug Ramsey’s funeral; Warlock tries to reanimate Doug’s corpse; Magik’s armour spreads over her entire body; Magik pursues Forge and tries to kill him, blaming him for the apparent death of her brother and the rest of the X-Men; Shadowcat refuses to help Magik kill Forge to avenge Doug; Magik takes the Soulsword from Limbo to use against Forge, allowing the techno-organically enhanced S’ym and his demons to gain more power in Limbo and move S’ym’s plans forward; the New Mutants depart the Xavier School, concerned that Magneto is returning to his old ways when they see him don his original costume once again.
Cameron Hodge is revealed to have made a deal with N’astirh, gaining immortality which allowed him to survive the plane crash; Hodge lures Death/Warren Worthington III into a deadly showdown; Death decapitates Hodge for killing Candy Southern.
Uncanny X-Men #240 (1989)
The Marauders have their next rematch with the X-Men during INFERNO.
The X-Men and X-Factor come face to face; Maddie Pryor is reunited with baby Nathan Christopher Summers, comes face-to-face with Mister Sinister and becomes the Goblin Queen during INFERNO.
X-Factor #38-39 (1989)
Warren Worthington III takes the name Archangel; Marvel Girl/Jean Grey and Madelyne Pryor/Goblin Queen have a showdown; Maddie Pryor is revealed to be a clone of Jean Grey created by Mister Sinister who had served her purpose now that Nathan Summers was born; the part of the Phoenix Force residing in Maddie is absorbed into Jean, resulting in Maddie’s memories being absorbed by Jean and Maddie herself dying; Mister Sinister is seemingly destroyed by Cyclops (though he later returns) during INFERNO.
Exposure to one of Mister Fantastic‘s cosmic ray machines transforms the Thing from his mutated rocky form back to human form.
Uncanny X-Men #262-263 (1990)
New Mutants Annual #6 (1990)
Forge reunited with Storm only to find the body she’s in the body of a fourteen year old girl having been deaged by Nanny during DAYS OF FUTURE PRESENT.
Uncanny X-Men #273 (1991)
Forge joins the X-Men alongside Storm.
Fantastic Four #350, 352-354 (1991)
Doctor Doom reclaims Latveria from Kristoff Vernard; the Thing is returned to his more familiar rocky appearance; Ms Marvel finally relents and accepts Doom’s offer to cure her rocky form, betraying the Fantastic Four, leaving the team and ending her relationship with the Thing.
X-Factor Annual #7 (1992)
Storm rejects Forge’s marriage proposal in favour of her loyalties to the X-Men.
Cable #6 (1993)
The real Naźe is revealed to be alive having allowed the Dire Wraith to believe it killed him; the Adversary actually took Naźe’s Wraith form; Naźe returns to aid Forge against the resurrected Adversary during HAVOK’S FALL.
X-Factor #121 (1996)
Naže, Forge, Roma and the government-sponsored X-Factor defeat the Adversary.
Archangel becomes infected with the Apocalypse Seed, giving in to his Dark Angel persona and becoming the heir of Apocalypse; Archangel is stabbed with the Life Seed, effectively killing that persona; he is reborn as a younger Angel, keeping the metal wings but losing the blue pigment in his skin.
Cable and X-Force #15-17 (2013-2014)
See how this story fits into the wider Marvel Universe continuity:
