Carol Danvers is just a Power Source: Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 #200– December, 1985
Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 #200: "The Trial of Magneto!"
Carol Danvers just has a small cameo in this issue. Her Binary powers are needed by the Starjammers to power up a stargate. But this is an X-Men story, and the main focus of the issue is the trial of Magneto.
The issue starts by telling us that Magneto is going to stand trial in Paris, France in a special international court of justice. He will be facing five Judges from each major country and there will be no jury. He is handcuffed in shackles that look like they are made out of metal and his guards are carrying guns that also seemed to be made out of metal. Not a brilliant idea despite the fact that his hands are completely covered. He is the master of magnetism, but he is going to trial willingly so I guess they took that into account as well.
The issue states that his origin is unknown, he simply appeared for the first time at Cape Citadel Missile Base and championed the mutant cause as he saw it. He thought that the only way that mutants can be free and safe is if they concurred Earth. His worst enemies, the X-Men, seem to have formed an alliancewith him recently. He was apprehended at the National Holocaust Center in Washington, DC, by a new team called Freedom Force. They look fishy to me as they seem to include Mystique.
The defense counsel is Israel's ambassador to Britain - Gabrielle Haller and Charles Xavier will be her assistant. This should be interesting. On the not so nice side of things, Magneto's trial has sparked anti-Mutant demonstrations all around the world.
The issue switches to Andrea and Andreas Von Strucker, the Fenris twins. They find the trial to be a perfect opportunity to kill Haller, Xavier and Magneto and to repay their old debt.
Back in Paris the X-Men and the New Mutants arrive at Bagatelle, a beautiful park in Paris. The crowd of people is not happy to see them suddenly popping into existence. Loki should have sent them home, they assumed home was the mansion. They soon realize that it means that the Professor must be in Paris. Rachel Summers, yes she is sort of part of the Summers family, uses her psi-powers to create a spectacular light show to make everyone forget that they saw mutants in the park so the X-Men can make their escape.
However, a group of terrorists attacks a military base in Poland. They leave a sign that says "Free Magneto – X-Men." Obviously someone is trying to frame the X-Men. East Europe is now on war alert. Xavier knows all of this. He wakes up with pain in his chest and shortness of breath. Scott Summers knocks and enters the room. He sees that Xavier is struggling and dying and yet Xavier only lies to him about his condition. Summers updates him that both the New-Mutants and the X-Men are safe now.
Xavier is upset that the X-Men and Magneto are being framed. Magneto, framed? He is usually pretty guilty. Summers says he doesn't want to risk his life for Magneto, as Magneto tried to kill him more than once. Xavier explains that Magneto has placed himself in the hands of the justice system for mutantkind. Now Xavier gives Summers the task of finding out the people who have been performing attacks in the name of the X-Men. While such attacks continue around the world against the armies of different countries. The X-Men must stand alone, without the Avengers or the Fantastic Four who the X-Men believe might arrest them. Really? After everything they've been through together I expected better reasoning.
The trial continues. The defense lawyer, who is Jewish is being hated not just because of the person whom she defends, but because she is Jewish. She says that "The more things change, the more they stay the same." That is true even now in 2019 as we experience a rise in Anti-Semitism all around the world.
Magneto was once turned into a baby and was force to grow up all over again. The judges decide that all events before his rebirth will not be taken into account as it is basically another life.
While the trial takes place, the X-Men follow the task that Xavier left them. They spread out to protect different target that the X-Men imposters might strike. In the end Nightcrawler and Colossus are next to the real target. A military hospital. It seems like the hospital gets hit with tank fire. Nightcrawler gets everyone who can be moved out and Colossus levels a few floors to stop the fire from spreading. A beam of pain hurts Colossus and some of the coming X-Men. Looks like the person behind the attacks has some real power of his own. Still, when the police arrive, they believe that the X-Men are behind the attack and the X-Men make their escape. This is some really bad press.
The crowds which represent the same foreigner hate we see today express their hate towards Xavier and Haller, they curse them and throw vegetables at them. The hate escalates daily. Haller talks to Kitty and says that the mob isn't people. To give up is easy, but Haller made the hard choice to survive, being permanently hunted by memories, fear and pain. It is now her duty and of those who survived the holocaust to make sure that the holocaust must never repeat itself. It is true and scary. It's an old comic and the generation of real survivors is starting to disappear and it is a scary thought that no living testimony will remain.
Suddenly, the issue switches to Madelyne Pryor who is alone in the X-Men mansion. She is very much pregnant. And Scott Summers wants to win worst husband and future parent of the year award as he didn't call her even after the X-Men came back from Asgard a week ago. All of the other members of the X-Men have called, but he didn't. Suddenly, Corsair, the leader of the Starjammers and Scott's father, and Lilandra, the empress of the Shi'ar Empire, appear. Lilandra tells Pryor that she feels that Xavier is dying and only the machinery on their spaceship will save him. But Pryor informs them that Xavier is in Paris. They both immediately leave after hearing these news. I guess the stress causes Pryor to go into early labor. Corsair doesn't make a single comment about the fact that he will soon be a grandfather, I guess his son takes after him in his behavior.
We see Corsair and Lilandra return to the stargate which Binary is powering all by herself. Two of the Starjammers are teasing Binary about her light show. But she just tells to pay attention to the return of Corsair and Lilandra. The two of them make it clear that they need to return immediately. Suddenly, their main ship is attacked. They are not on it, they need it though to teleport to Earth. Lilandra says she wants to return alone to be with Xavier on his deathbed, while the Starjammers should save themselves and their ship.
Corsair decides to also try and save Xavier. He wants to go with Lilandra to Earth. Binary explains that he might get trapped on Earth or that the gate can collapse while there are still transmitting. She is the voice of pessimism instead of the voice of reason. She could probably fight the attackers, but they are part of the Shi'ar Empire so it will probably be pointless. Still, Corsair and Lilandra will take the risk. If the situation escalated Corsair orders the Starjammers to abandon him.
When the X-Men join Kitty a change is happening. More people show up to the protest. But Kitty can't see their signs. Apparently, young as she is and with powers, she still needs glasses. She can't see that they are protesting for mutants and not against them. Scott is afraid that this supportive crowd will be attacked, as they are the perfect target.
During the trial Magneto makes a really good speech. He gave himself to the court so that people will stop punishing mutants for his crimes. He has learned from his mistakes that violence will lead to more violence and the loss of innocent lives.
Rachel uses her powers to track down whoever fired at Colossus. This leads them to a boat. Colossus is worried that this might be a mistake, but as soon as they get on the boat, they are attacked by armed men and armed men in high-tech armor. Colossus and Rogue are at the front, taking most of the fire as they are bullet proof. The other X-Men join in the fight pretty fast. But they are evenly matched. Only Rachel understand the real problem. The people around them saw the X-Men attacking a boat for no apparent reason. Yet it is Wolverine that realizes the real problem. The beam that hit Rogue and Colossus last time isn't here. The men in the armor are simply a diversion.
Then the issue switches to the real attack. At the courthouse. Fenris blew up the wall and intend to kill Magneto. Xavier's powers are too weak to stop them and too weak to call the X-Men.
Magneto faces them and swears that they will harm no one while he is still alive. Obviously, they intend to kill him and probably all the humans at the court.
While the X-Men seem to finally gain the upper hand, they see that Wolverine was right. It is was a diversion. The real target is the court. They see explosions coming out of the courthouse.
Inside the court Fenris tell Magneto that they come for revenge as he has killed their father. He has no memory of that incident or of them, only a vague impression. Their attack is unpredictable as they break the floor beneath him. He falls with others, but uses his powers to soften their fall and shelter them from debris. Magneto realizes that their powers work through physical contact. Then Rachel shows up and makes the ground bury the twins. But she yield when they threaten to kill Haller.
Xavier understands the same thing as Magneto did, that Fenris must be in physical contact. Xavier uses the last of his powers to break the contact between the twins. One of the Judges tries to kill Andrea, but Magneto stops him, and the other judge calms him down. Rachel deciphers the name of the teins from their thoughts: Strucker. Suddenly, Magneto understands. He and Xavier saved Haller from Strucker. Strucker died and they did not know that he even had children.
Xavier understands that Magneto will want to kill Fenris. But, before he can say anything on the matter he has a heart attack. Fenris uses the moment of distraction to break the floor and Xavier and Magneto are swept away with a flood.
Despite the power of the flood Magneto manages to save Xavier. Xavier is dying and his dying wish is that Magneto will take his place. He wants Magneto to lead the X-Men and teach the New-Mutants. Magneto doesn't want to agree. Xavier manages to convince him by reminding him of their shared past, in Israel they dreamed dreams together, but they went their separate ways. Now that Magneto understands the error of his ways, it is only fitting that he shall take on the way of Xavier.
Corsair and Lilandra arrive to find an almost dead Xavier. They take him to the ship to try and save him.
At the Paris main police station the X-Men arrive with a pile of unconscious men in armor. These men were part of Fenris. They are responsible for all of the attacks that were signed with X-Men name on them, and the X-Men stopped them from attacking in Paris as well. Now the police can take over.
The issue ends with Magneto in tears, silently promising to be true to his own word.
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