| Synopsis | - With Pierce dead, Cyclops and the other X-Men have begun to uncover Bastion’s ultimate plan. With no teleporters, no planes, and no Cerebra, Cyclops announces that they are trapped on Utopia. Meanwhile, the X-Club Science team are caught in a trap of their own as they recover from the oil rig explosion. Through a conversation between Dr. Nemesis and the others, it is revealed that they are stranded just outside of San Francisco and Utopia. Back on Utopia, Hope is shown attempting to shake off her encounter with Mirage, while Cable attempts to counsel her. After repeating that she was never ready to return, Hope tells Cable that all of the pain and suffering inflicted upon the X-Men by Bastion is her fault. Hope also warns him that it is only going to get worse. Cable tells her that monsters like Bastion are not going to stop killing mutants just because she leaves. Cable then tells Hope that fanatics do not quit until the job is done, and the question is…does Hope? Suddenly, an offshore explosion rocks Utopia sending X-Men reeling. When the X-Men gather near the Bay, they find a massive dome of energy enveloping both San Francisco and Utopia. The X-Men quickly attempt to destroy the dome, but to no avail. Namor appears and informs Cyclops that the energy dome also descends into the ocean floor. Meanwhile, at Bastion’s base he is treated to a hero’s welcome and congratulated on the success of his plans and the death of mutantkind by his human council. Bastion calmly orders them to stand down and dismantle their forces as he will no longer need them.
Back at the ruins of the oil rig, the X-Club attempts to analyze and dispose of the dome. After a detailed scientific explanation provided by Madison Jeffries, the X-Club find themselves face to face with the Avengers. According to Hawkeye, the Avengers have arrived to help the X-Men and punish those responsible for the dome. In San Francisco, Magma, Namor and Cyclops survey the damage caused by the dome via jetpacks, meeting at the Golden Gate Bridge. At the bridge they observe a smaller, silver dome and conclude that it is powering the dome. Back on Utopia, Cable tells Hope that she must decide whether or not to abandon the X-Men. Hope asks him if he would really be willing to leave all his friends and loved ones behind to help her; Cable tells her that his first responsibilities are to her. Touched by his words, Hope states that the X-Men got into this fight because of her, and that she will not leave them to fight alone. Back on the bridge, the X-Men arrive. Under Cyclops’s orders, Iceman attacks the silver dome only to be choked by a big metal arm. The other X-Men watch in horror as a legion of Nimrod type Sentinels begin to emerge.
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