Uncanny X-Men 129 (Claremont and Byrne)
The X-Men take their leave of Moira and the others on Muir Island and head for home leaving Banshee behind, his injuries are still affecting his powers and he felt it would be better to stay with the woman he loved.
As the blackbird jets across the Atlantic it passes a slower craft, onboard is Jason Wyngarde, the plane belonging to the Hellfire Club. As he senses Jean on the other aircraft he reaches out and...
Jean is suddenly Lady Jean Grey, travelling to the New World from England. With her is her fiancé Jason Wyngarde, a man she loves so passionately, but at the same time she realises that something is wrong, but she does not know what. She wonders for a moment whether she is actually slipping in time, but as she wanders on deck the Captain approaches her noting that something is wrong. She recognises the voice and....
...is on the Blackbird talking to Cyclops. Both recognise that there is something wrong, and Scott opens up completely to her, saying that he cut off all his emotions when he thought she was dead because he was afraid that feeling them would break him.
“I’ve done a lot of thinking since your…’death’ in Antarctica. I haven’t much liked some of the things I’ve learned about myself. All my life, it seemed that—every time I turned around—I was losing people I loved: my folks, my brother Alex, the few friends I made at the orphanage. Each time the loss hurt. Losing you was the loss I couldn’t take. If I’d allowed myself to feel…anything, the grief would have broken me. When I thought you’d died…I…it was like my mind shut part of itself off. I felt…nothing. Jean, you’re everything to me—as necessary as the air I breathe. I used to say ‘I love you’ without truly knowing what I was talking about. I know now—a little, anyway. Jean—I love you.” Cyclops
They arrive back at the mansion to find a surprise, Professor Xavier has returned and is now intent on taking a more active hand in the running of the X-Men. His more hard handed authoritive approach grates with the team, not young untempered students but individuals who have formed into a different type of team than the original X-Men.
Despite Cyclops insistence that they are working well, Xavier ignores him. Both men are unaware they are being watched.
Wyngarde continues to observe the X-Men, but he is now with allies, hidden in shadows are the inner circle of the Hellfire club. (We learn it was they that had Warhawk attack the X-Men in issue 110)
Wyngarde insists that the X-Men are a threat, but the shadowy form of Shaw, leader of the Club merely says that the Hellfire Club are just as dangerous.
Another figure steps from the shadows, a woman identified as the White Queen (first appearance).
A day later in Chicago and respectable headmistress visits a pupil she is trying to attract to her special school. The teachers name is Emma Frost, the girl is a wide eyed Kitty Pryde (1st appearance)
As her parents talk with Frost, Kitty goes to her room complaining of another headache. It gets worse and worse, then goes just like that. But she is no longer in her room, rather on the floor of the living room.
As Frost leaves representatives from the next school arrive, Professor Xavier, Ororo, Peter Rasputin and Logan. As the Professor talks with the parents, the three X-Men take Kitty out for a soda. As she chats with Ororo Kitty realises there is more to the interest in her than her just being so intelligent, but before she can learn that she is a mutant the X-Men are attacked by men in hi-tech suits. Trying to get away from it all Kitty throws herself backwards and to her surprise and horror seems to glide through the wall.
The X-Men make short work of their attackers but while their guard is down they are caught in the centre of a telepathic attack and collapse at the feet of The White Queen.
As the X-Men are secured onboard a shuttle craft the White Queen is delighted with her victory.
Behind her there is a slight distortion in the wall of the craft and Kitty phases into the shadows, brave, scared and all alone.
