issue summaries

Uncanny X-Men 142 Mind out of Time Writer/Co-Plotter: Chris Claremont Penciler/Co-Plotter: John Byrne Inker: Terry Austin Colorist: Glynis Wein Letterer: Tom Orzechowski Editor: Louise Jones Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter Date: February 1981

In 1980, the X-Men face off against the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the US Senate.

In 2013, the few remaining X-Men try to escape the Sentinels to prevent the a nuclear doomsday.

Between the two is Kitty Pryde, who psychically traveled back in time to change history.

Mystique tells the X-Men that the Brotherhood intends on killing Senator Kelly to show that anyone who opposes the superiority of mutants will have to face the consequences. Of course, the X-Men vow to stop them.

Kelly orders the Senate security personnel to arrest the Brotherhood, but the Blob sends the marshal flying while Avalanche uproots the floor the X-Men are standing on.

Nightcrawler teleports behind Avalanche, but Destiny warns him of the attack. Colossus is grabbed by Pyro's fire claw. Wolverine begins to stab Pyro with his claws, but Storms pushes him out of the way with a whirlwind, while cooling off Colossus with rain.

Meanwhile, Angel tries to fly Kitty off safety, but she reminds him they have protect Senator Kelly. Moira pushes Xavier to safety, with the help of a police office, who turns out to be Mystique. Mystique knocks both of them out with nerve gas

Kate is concerned her presence hasn't changed anything. In her future, Storm and Wolverine have made it to the Baxter Building - the Sentinel's main headquarters.

Storm concludes she must become as ruthless as Wolverine, and blasts the Sentinel standing in front of the building with a tremendous bolt of lighting. It collapses.

Colossus tells Rachel to remain outside with Kitty inside Kate's body. He wonders what's going on in the past and why nothing has changed. Rachel replies that their world may not change. Altering the past could create an alternate, parallel Earth. Wolverine grumbles that it could all be a wasted effort, but Rachel doesn't know.

Colossus, Wolverine and Storm make their way into the Baxter Building.

Back in Washington 33 years earlier, Kate rushes past the X-Men battling the Brotherhood, seeing that the X-Men are loosing the fight. Storm begins to doubt her leadership abilities, then pushes them outside with hurricane force winds to give them more room. The fight continues on the street, with Army troops firing on them. Nightcrawler is attacked by Mystique taking the form of him. Wolverine wants to stab both of them, knowing the real elf can teleport out of the way, but Storm asserts her authority as team leader and tells him to sheathe his claws.

Nightcrawler finally finishes Mystique off, and as she reverts back to her normal form, he notices how similar they are. He asks why she knows his name, and she replies to ask his mother, then runs off.

As the battle ends, the X-Men notice that Sprite is no where to be found.

In the future, the X-Men come out of the elevator into the Sentinel control center. Wolverine tells Peter to give him a Fastball Special. There is a Sentinel standing with his back towards them and Wolverine thinks he can gut it without it seeing him coming.

As Wolverine speeds towards it, it turns and vaporizes him. His adamantium skeleton drops to the floor. Storm attacks the Sentinel as more Sentinels arrive. Storm is speared through the back by one of the Sentinels and dies.

In an absolute rage, Colossus strikes back at the Sentinels, sending through the side of the building.

Hiding on the street below, Rachel telepathically feels the deaths of each of the X-Men in the Baxter Building. She wonders if Kate's body dies, will Kitty's soul be trapped in the past? She hopes Kate has a happier life than she did her, if that happens.

In 1980, Kitty finds Destiny holding a gun on Senator Kelly. She phases through Destiny, which causes her to miss the Senator.

Immediately Kate and Kitty's souls travel through time and are restored to their proper bodies.

Storm flies in and checks on Kitty, who's woozy and wants to know where the Danger Room went. She tells the Senator that Spite, a mutant, just saved his life. Then she and Kitty fly out.

On the plane back to the mansion, Xavier questions Kitty about what she remembers. But she doesn't remember anything. She asks Xavier what he learned about her future self, but Xavier thinks it's best if Kitty discovers it herself as she grows up.

Angel wonders if Kitty saving Senator Kelly really did save the future, but only time will tell if they did.

A month later, at the White House, there is a clandestine meeting between Kelly and Sebastian Shaw (of the Hellfire Club). They have read Kelly's report on how to deal with the mutant menace, and formulated a top-secret, covert plan - Project Wideawake. Kelly concludes that if there weren't any mutants to begin with, his life would never have been in danger. Widewake will be headed by Henry Peter Gyrich, who will work with Shaw to develop a new series of Sentinels. Gyrich vows to deal with the mutant threat - permanently.