The X-Men vs. the Morlocks: Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 #170– June, 1983

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 #170: "Dancin' in the Dark"

The issue opens in Alaska with Scott Summers dancing with Madelyne Pryor.

Pryor is a pilot and looks exactly like Jean Grey, Summers is a member of the X-Men and her bosses' grandson. They stayed wherever they are way past closing time and they are all alone. Pryor explains that she saved the son of the owner of the hotel last year so they can stay for as long as they like, even in the best suite in the hotel. A temping thought for Summers, but the pain for Jean Grey is there every time he looks at her doppelganger.

Pryor notices the change in Summers' mood. She asks him about it, and blames herself for the change. He explains to her that he is still grieving for the love he lost. He loved a woman called Jean Grey, they were planning on getting married, and then she died. Summers shows Pryor a picture of Grey which he still carries in his wallet. She immediately notices the physical resemblance, thinking that they are one person. Pryor is angry and confused and needs to be alone to process this new development. When she returns she asks him if he likes her because of who she reminds him of or because of herself and he just replays that he would like to find out. That scene has a happy ending as they continue the dance that they started at the beginning of the issue with a new tape.

Now the issue continues from where it left off in the previous one. Callisto is about to marry Angel. Callisto is the leader of the Morlocks and she wants to marry the most beautiful man on earth, Angel. When the X-Men came to his rescue she captured them. But now that they gathered up their strength, Nightcrawler teleports out of his ropes and Colossus turns into steal and tears them up. It is times for round two. Storm summons lightening to scatter the crowd of Morlocks.

Nightcrawler defeats Callisto, but the Morlocks could call Nightcrawler's bluff as the X-Men do not kill. Plague gets to Storm and infects her. If she'll touch her again Storm will die. The X-Men surrender.

Nightcrawler asks Callisto about the place that they are in and the Morlocks. It is exposition time. She explains that they are in an abandoned cold war bomb shelter. She found it and made it a home and a sanctuary. She found others like her. Abandoned, deformed and despised. Caliban with his power of sensing the presence of other mutants helped her.

The issue switches to Caliban who is trying to heal Kitty Pryde. She thinks that she is dying, Plague has infected her. She asks Caliban to help her and the X-Men and in return she promises to stay with him. I guess it is a promise she won't keep despite the fact that she insists that she will or hate him forever if he refuses to help her. The strain is too much for her, combined with the fever it overwhelms her and she passes out.

Suddenly the issue switches to Mystique. She has a super vivid dream of being stuck in 1783, where she is captured by Jason Wyngrade, a member of the Inner Circle, and then executed by Lady Jean Grey. She is still fire and flesh in Mystique's dream. But Jason is in a mental institution and Jean is dead. How odd. Even the pain that she felt in her dream still lingers.

Mystique goes downstairs and finds Irene, Destiny – a blind mutant who can see the future. She has foreseen this outcome, but not the cause of it. Someone even more powerful than Charles Xavier is behind all the mayhem. Suddenly Irene sees that Rogue is in danger, but that they are too late. Rogue is gone. Destiny cannot see her future. We see that Rogue has left and she's not even sure why. The issue teases us that the person behind all of the events is watching satisfied and laughing.

Back at the tunnels Callisto asks Nightcrawler to join the Morlocks but he refuses. He wants to fight to be accepted not give up and hide. Than Caliban shows up with a dying Kitty in his hands. He wants her saved but Callisto refuses. Then Caliban tells Nightcrawler that Callisto can be overthrown with a trial by combat.

Nightcrawler challenges Callisto to a trial by combat. But then Callisto tells him it is a fight to the death and she knows that the X-Men do not kill. So I am super surprised that Storm challenges Callisto. Sure, she is the leader of the X-Men, but she's the most resistant to killing than all of the X-Men. It is a dual without powers, but with weapons. I guess that Callisto isn't aware of Storms hard upbringing. Callisto throws a knife at Storm and Storm catches it. Callisto is shocked. But Nightcrawler and Colossus are worried as Storm has sworn never to take a life, so she cannot win. Callisto draws first blood. She has enhanced physical senses. But Storm knows a few tricks. She takes off her cape and uses it to break Callisto's hand and stab her with her own knife. Callisto is not dead, but too close for the liking of the X-Men and close enough for victory in the eyes of the Morlocks.

Technically now Storm is the leader of the Morlocks. She invites everyone to the mansion, but Caliban refuses, saying that they belong where they are. The X-Men leave victorious and shocked.

The issue than returns to Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor. They are a happy couple in love until Pryor tries to take off Summers' sunglass. The only thing that is blocking his deadly eyes. In his panic he actually hits Pryor. She is angry and demands explanation for his behavior. He shows her what his eyes do without his powers. I think she forgives him too fast, powers or not, that is not excuse to hit someone. I feel that this issue encourages domestic violence through this. And yet the issue ends with the happy couple in love.

Please follow me and upvote my posts to help yourself stay up to date with everything that is nerdy and awesome.

Resteems will also be most appreciated.

See you in my next post.