With no other plans left, Charles Xavier travels back in time to meet a young Moira before her mutation starts. As Krakoa’s memory lingers on his mind, he knows he cannot convince her to change her ways and believes there can only be a more permanent solution to prevent AI from eradicating mutant-kind. All it takes is for him to pull the trigger to eliminate the problem that will plague their future. Rise of the Powers of X #3 by Kieron Gillen and R.B. Silva has Xavier pondering if he can live with the explosive consequences of his lethal plan.

As a character, Xavier has always been concerned with being seen as a good man who has to make hard choices so others won’t. From agreeing to ORCHIS’s demands at the Hellfire Gala to keeping his Moira plan secret from the others, he willingly burdens himself to become the “necessary” martyr to save mutants from their eradication by erasing Krakoa. Gillen demonstrates Xavier’s flaws, especially his binary point of view and his martyr complex. To Xavier, there is only one option: kill a young Moira until Rasputin and Rachel stop him. Underneath all his pleasantries and cheerful facade lies a darker underbelly that has always existed. As he tells Moira, “I wanted to be part of a family. I wanted to be loved. I thought I could have both. I was mistaken,” all the while pointing a gun at the young girl. To Xavier, he can no longer compromise and has to be the man who commits a horrible act to protect mutants. However, this is also hypocritical since he willingly works with Sinister, and the only way to truly save mutants is through the method he believes is best. As much as Xavier claims he learned from his mistakes, he is still trapped in his old ways and cannot escape them despite others trying to pull him out. Shooting Rachel at the end, he can only apologize.

Moira and her allegiance to the machines lie on the other side of the conflict after being contacted by the mysterious Dominion, who transferred the alternative Omega Sentinel’s consciousness to Earth 616. Revealed as Enigma, he offers Moira an unusual opportunity in her tenth life to be independent and be his right hand when he absorbs everything. Considering the binary nature of computers, it makes sense as he presents her with two options: yes or no: a one or a 0, as the Dominion puts it. However, the choice does disrupt the supposed binary of the timeline where she has the possibility of it going in a different direction. Much like Xavier, Moira feels bound in a system of binary choices where she has to decide on one or the other. Yet, the options are more complex than they seem since Enigma gave her a unique opportunity. noth are still devilish bargains where you still lose a part of yourself. 

As usual, Silva’s work is a delight primarily due to his imaginative and striking visuals. Simply put, it’s not only one of the most gorgeous X-Men comics but one of the most gorgeous comics. I am fascinated by his approach to science fiction visuals and design, strongly supported by David Curiel’s colors and VC’s Clayton Cowles’s lettering. Along with his compelling artwork and paneling, Silva is one of the definitive X-Men artists of all time.

Rise of the Powers of X #3 has the characters making Faustian bargains to protect their respective interests. As the machines get closer to their goals, Xavier believes he needs to make difficult choices to save mutants. Only time will tell whether this will actually the machines.

Story: Kieron Gillen Art: R.B. Silva 
Color: David Curiel Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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