issue summaries

Uncanny X-Men 184 The Past... of Future Days Writer: Chris Claremont Penciler: John Romita, Jr Inker: Dan Green Colorist: Glynis Wein Letterer: Tom Orzechowski Editor: Ann Nocenti Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter Date: August 1984

Raven Darkholme (Mystique) and Dr. Valerie Cooper arrive at Forge's research facility in Dallas. Forge shows them a gun he's invented that can neutralize the abilities of any super-being or mutant. He's not sure of the affects and hasn't fully tested it. He also shows them a scanner he's invented that can check for mutants or aliens.

In New York City, late at night, Rachel watches a tv news report about the X-Men fighting a giant dragon in Tokyo in a store window. She recognizes Wolverine, Sunfire, Nightcrawler and Colossus, but is shocked at Storm's appearance. The reporter continues on, discussing the ramification of the X-Men saving thousands of lives on the anti-mutant legislation Senator Robert Kelly has introduced in Congress. The tv in the closed store goes off, and Rachel doesn't catch what the reporter says about the provisions in the bill. She uses her telekinesis to turn the power back on, but the news report is over.

Rachel chides herself for not acting faster. But she's still confused about what is going on and feels like something horrible has happened. She recalls going to the mansion the previous day to find Professor Xavier, but saw Illyana at the same age she was when she died years in the future. Confusing her even more is that in her past, the Mutant Control Act passed after the assassination of Senator Kelly, but now he is the one responsible for it. She walks down the foggy, disserted street, wondering if the time shift did work and if she is in the right past.

Unbeknownst to Rachel, she's being followed by a psychic vampire named Selene, who is impressed by the power Ray possesses. She doesn't want Ray for a mere victim, but as her heir.

Rachel gets the feeling she's being watched, but doesn't see anyone. She's thinks she's just being jumpy, and panics when a fire truck goes speeding down the street. She notices how weak she is after the time jump.

Selene is able to sneak up behind her in an alley and tries to grab her. Rachel blasts her and runs down the street. She finds a club and runs inside past the bouncer. Unable to block out the thoughts of all of the people inside, she collapses onto the floor. The bouncer grabs her and nearly throws her out, when the club owner hears Rachel pleading to let her stay otherwise Selene will kill her. The owner, Nick Damiano, sees how terrified she is and believes her.

Nick takes Rachel to his posh apartment. She telepathically scans him and doesn't find any ulterior motives for his kindness, so she trusts him. He offers her some juice and then she goes to takes a bath. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she can't believe how terrible she looks. While soaking in the tub, she can no longer sense Nick's presence.

She hurries out of the bathroom, and see Nick sitting at the table. But he doesn't answer and she can't hear his thoughts. As she approaches, she realizes Nick is dead and only a dried out corpse remains. Selene attacks her by binding the carpet around Rachel, and tells her that homo sapiens are her pray and they soon will be Rachel's as well.

Rachel blasts her way free and notes that she's feeling stronger now. She uses her TK to throw anything in the room at Selene but she turns them all to dust. Selene is able to bring the floor to life and it grabs Rachel. As she fights against it, the gas and electrical lines under the floor rupture causing explosions and a fire breaks out.

Selene tells her that Rachel's raw power is no match for her decades of experience, and to join with her. She gets past Ray's psi-shields. She tries to keep fighting her, but Selene has gotten too far into her head.

Then Professor Xavier telepathically contacts Rachel. She explains to him what's happens and begs him to help her. An astral projection of the Professor appears. He was able to find them since Cerebro had located two mutants with enormous power. He tells Selene to leave the girl alone or suffer the consequences.

The X-Men (Rogue, Nightcrawler and Colossus) burst into the apartment. As Colossus and Rogue try to make their way through the flames and Selene's attack, Nightcrawler teleports to the other side of the apartment to prevent Selene from escaping with Rachel.

Selene grabs Kurt and declares that Rachel is hers. She starts choking him with his own uniform, until Rogue tackles Selene. Rogue tries to absorb Selene, but instead Selene begins draining Rogue of her life force. Xavier psionically attacks Selene, freeing Rogue. Selene flees.

Rogue knocks a hole into the side of the apartment, allowing them to escape. Colossus carries an unconscious Rachel and Kurt and jumps from the burning building. Outside, Storm is able to put out the fire, and is a little taken aback by Xavier taking a more active leadership role with the team.

A bit later, the X-Men gather on the street. Storm reports that she can find no trace of Selene. Rachel explains to them that Selene is a mutant, and a sort of vampire that feeds off of the life-forces of others. She tells Xavier that she sensed the psychic keys that the Professor had taught her. Xavier questions when Rachel was a student of his. Rachel tells them she keeps forgetting that it hasn't happened yet, but they don't understand what she means.

She is still shaking and barely able to stand. Leaning against Xavier, she finally realizes that Xavier can walk. She turns to Ororo and asks if she's Storm. When Ororo confirms that she is, Ray questions what happened to her hair and her costume because in all of the photos she has seen, Storm has never looked like that.

Realizing she's in the wrong past, Rachel collapses to the ground, telling them she has made a terrible mistake and now the world is doomed.

Notes

This issue is reprinted in Classic X-Men 88.