Appearing in "The Cruelest Cut"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Marie D'Ancanto
- Doc (First appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Princess Kymri (Mentioned)
- Jade Parisi (First appearance)
- Four unnamed mutant-bashers (Death)
- Several unnamed humans and mutants
- Francis Dashwood (Mentioned)
- Hellfire Club (Photo)
- Black Bishop (Harry Leland) (Photo)
- White Bishop (Donald Pierce) (Photo)
- Black King (Sebastian Shaw) (Photo)
- White Queen (Emma Frost) (Photo)
- Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde) (Photo)
- Professor X (Charles Xavier) (Mentioned)
- Hugh Jackman (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
- Unnamed paparazzo
- Unnamed father of a mutant-basher
- Amiko Kobayasi (Mentioned)
- Kitty Pryde (Mentioned)
- Don Parisi (First appearance)
- Carl (First appearance)
Races and Species
Locations:
- Earth-616
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York State
- Westchester County
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Lower East Side
- East Village
- Alphabet City
- District X
- Wannabee's (First appearance)
- District X
- Alphabet City
- Bowery (Referenced)
- East Village
- Chinatown (Referenced)
- Midtown
- Theatre District
- Kips Bay
- City Morgue, District X Division
- Lower East Side
- Manhattan Bridge (Cameo)
- Manhattan
- New York State
- United States of America
- Baghdad (Mentioned in narration)
- England, United Kingdom (Mentioned)
- Afghanistan (Mentioned)
- North America
- Earth
- Earth-1289 (Danger Room Simulation)
Items:
- X-Uniforms
- Adamantium (on Wolverine's claws and body)
Synopsis for "The Cruelest Cut"
Marvel Girl and Nightcrawler battle pirates in a non-powered Danger Room session. After a daring rescue, Kurt pulls Rachel in for a passionate kiss. Wolverine and Storm interrupt the impulsive moment, and Rachel is disappointed to read Nightcrawler's thoughts on the romantic waltz he shared with Storm. In an area known as District X, Jade Parisi (the daughter of mob boss Don Parisi) runs from a group of mutant-hating thugs. However, a mysterious defender appears from the shadows to tear the men to pieces. Back at the Xavier institute, Sage stops the harassment of former anti-mutant terrorist, Marie D'Ancanto, by four male students. Storm and Wolverine's Broadway date is also cut short when they are called in to the City Morgue. They are told by the mutant Medical Examiner, "Doc", that the slashes on four male corpses are from Wolverine-like adamantium blades. In the super-being themed nightclub, Wannabees, the X-Men interrogate an informant in hopes of locating Jade. Then Wolverine is drawn to the dance-floor; spotting Marvel Girl enjoying the party, as well as the armor clad Bacchae surveying the area. Rachel is knocked by a waitress and uses her telekinesis to save the drinks she was holding. An instant telepathic scan reveals that the waitress (X-23) is the murderer they've been searching for. X-23's actions are impossibly quicker than Rachel's thoughts and she begins to brawl with Wolverine. The Bacchae respond by firing into the air, causing a panicking stampede that ensures their escape. Wolverine underestimates X-23 and is stabbed in the chest by her dual retractable claws.
Notes
- The dance with Ororo, Nightcrawler was distracted with occurred in Uncanny X-Men #445
- On one page of this issue, Sage reviews a file on the Hellfire Club and reminisces over her time spent as a double-agent.
- Don Parisi is seen with three of his henchmen discussing his daughter's disappearance. He sends for "Geech" to rescue his daughter safety.
- The nightclub features many non-powered mutants dressed as Galactus, Beast, Swordsman, Skrulls, Nightcrawler, Hepzibah, and others.
Trivia
- The Danger room session reflects an adventure of the original Excalibur; where they visited the "Pirate-world" in one of their Cross-Time Capers in Excalibur #16.
- The Bacchae previously appeared in Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #21.
- The costume X-23 is wearing at the nightclub is a nod to the orange and brown costume that Wolverine first wore in X-Men #107.