Episode Fifty One - Ascension I

Aired: October 18, 2003

Stars: Apocalypse, Xavier, Storm, Magneto

Appears: Mystique, Wolverine, Beast, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Cyclops

Cameos:

Guests: Nick Fury, Mesmero, Apocalypse

First Appearance(s) of: The Four Horsemen

Written by: Greg Johnson

Summary

EGYPT:

A small lizard crawls on the sand under the hot sun of Egypt. The peace is interrupted as one of Apocalypse's transport vessals appears in the sky with a flash. It begins to blow the sand away, revealing the third pyramid!

It sets itself down on the top and and the door opens, revealing Apocalypse, who floats up into the sky and fires down upon it, creating yet another dome around the pyramid.

We cut to Mesmero's circus tent, where he is reading a newspaper.
Mesmero: Third mysterious dome appears... heh heh heh heh!

Suddenly, claws begin slashing through the tent, startling Mesmero. He gets up and backs away, but the claws slice through the tent right next to where he is standing. Wolverine cuts a big hole in the tent and grabs a poster with a picture of a hand on it.

Wolverine: I can read palms too, bub. And your future ain't looking too good.

Mesmero turns and runs out of the tent, panting. A telekinetic blast knocks him over! He looks up and is flung upwards, his back pressed against a circus stand. He struggles to get free as Jean floats down in front of him.

Jean: Hello, Mesmero.
Mesmero: You are too late. Evolution is upon us. And there is nothing you can do to stop it!!!

At the X-Mansion. Mesmero is strapped to a chair in front of Wolverine, Beast, Cyclops, Jean, Xavier and Storm.

Jean: I scanned his mind and from what I can tell, Apocalypse abandoned him.
Mesmero: No! He will be back for me!
Xavier: You were discarded, Mesmero. You owe him no alliegiance, so please, tell me what Apocalypse is planning.
Mesmero: *deep sigh*
Xavier: I can take the knowledge from you by force if you prefer, but I won't be as gentle as Miss Grey.
Mesmero: Apocalypse will trigger the X-Genes in the normal population, and most will transform into mutants.
Storm: What do you mean, "most"?
Mesmero: Many will not survive.
Beast: How will this be accomplished? What does it have to do with the pyramids?
Mesmero: I have said too much. The wrath of Apocalypse is--
Xavier: He is not your primary concern. Not at this moment.

Xavier puts his hands on Mesmero's head and begins to scan his mind. Images of the three technological pyramids flash by, as well as one of Apocalypse transmitting energy into some sort of device.

Xavier: There's three pyramids. They're powered by the sphinx... and Apocalypse. He is now ready.

Xavier and Storm turn and leave the room, as Jean looks on, rather sadly.

In the Blackbird hangar, Storm flips some switches in the cockpit as Xavier wheels his way to the plane. Jean steps in front of the screen.

Jean: Professor.
Xavier: Jean, what are you--
Jean: You're going to confront Apocalypse, aren't you?
Xavier: Yes... I am.
Jean: After what happened to Magneto? The same could happen to you!
Xavier: Magneto attacked him. I simply hope to communicate with him.
Jean: I seriously doubt Apocalypse is interested in our point of view!
Xavier: But opening a dialogue is the first step to a peaceful resolution.
Jean: Then... maybe I should go with you! Two telepaths might have a better chance at reaching him.
Xavier: If something should go wrong, I need you here, alongside the X-Men.

Xavier begins to enter the Blackbird as Jean continues to look sad.

Jean: You're not coming back, are you?
Xavier: Whatever happens, I need you to remain strong, for everyone.

The hatch on the Blackbird closes and Jean wipes her eyes and turns away. The cliff behind the waterfall in front of the X-Mansion opens up, revealing the secret tunnel. The Blackbird flies out of it into the sky.

Egypt, the Sphinx:

Apocalypse's vessal appears in the main room of the Sphinx, where Magneto, Xavier and Beast found it in 'Dark Horizons'. It opens and Apocalypse comes out.

He goes over to the cerebral interface and touches it, which causes one more large robotic temple to appear underneath the Sphinx, pushing it into the air on top.

In the Blackbird:

Storm: We're entering Egyptian airspace. Charles, it's not too late to find another way.
Xavier: I'm afraid it is. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to stop him.

Inside the Sphinx, Apocalypse grabs onto an electronic machine and groans in pain. In a pan-in shot, we can see his cells being absorbed into the machine. His eyes begin to flash unnaturally.

The Blackbird touches down in front of the Sphinx/Temple.

Xavier: You'll be staying in here, Storm.
Storm: Charles, please. I can't just--
Xavier: If things go badly, I want you to get out of here, fast.
Storm: I will not leave you. So please do not ask me too.

The hatch on the Blackbird opens and Xavier wheels down it. He puts a cerebro helmet on. Storm is still inside the plane, talking to Beast over a video phone.

Storm: He's activated the cerebral headgear. Relaying signal to you.

In the Cerebro room at the X-Mansion, Beast is sitting in the chair. A holographic image of Storm that was being projected as large as the room disappears and is replaced by one of Xavier sitting outside the Blackbird.

Beast: Professor, your powers are at full amplification.
Xavier: Thank you, Hank. Oh, and please, keep the chamber closed to the students.
Beast: I'm afraid it's a little late for that.

He looks back over his shoulder disdainfully at Kurt, Scott, Rogue, Jean and Kitty.

Jean: We're not gonna let you go through this alone, Professor.
Xavier: Thank you all. Now, let's see if I can get Apocalypse's attention.

Back inside the Sphinx Pyramid, Apocalypse removes his hands from the machine. He now looks very robotic, much like the Apocalypse from X-Men TAS. He senses Xavier and he floats out of a small hatch in the Sphinx above Xavier.

Upon seeing his new form, Xavier, Storm and all the rest at the X-Mansion gasp in shock.

Kurt: Oh man, look at him!

Apocalypse floats over in front of Xavier, who begins telepathically talking to him.

Xavier: [telepathically] I am Charles Xavier.
Apocalypse: [telepathically] I know who you are.
Xavier: [telepathically] Then you know I've merely come to talk. To discuss what you're planning, and--
Apocalypse: [telepathically] I have planned nothing. I am but an instrument of destiny.
Xavier: [telepathically] But it's a destiny of destruction.
Apocalypse: [telepathically] The future came to me in that craft. I have embraced it and merged with it's technology so I may lead the evolution of the human race.
Xavier: [telepathically] The human race does not need your help.
Apocalypse: [telepathically] Hmph! Since when has mankind ever known what it needs?
Xavier: [telepathically] You have to know that somehow you will be stopped.
Apocalypse: [telepathically] What I know is, it will not be by you.

Apocalypse lifts the cerebral headgear off of Xavier's head telekinetically. He then levitates Xavier into the air, who gasps. Lightning begins to shoot by as everything goes dark. It is Storm, who is flying behind them.

Storm: LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!

Storm hurls three lightning bolts at Apocalypse, who dodges them all rather gracefully. One hits him and he strains, pulling his fist together. Storm begins to glow like Magneto did in 'Impact'.

Beast, Kurt and Rogue: Ahh!

Apocalypse then proceeds to do the same to Xavier and they both disappear with a flash. In the X-Mansion, Kurt and Beast coil back in fear as the others gasp.

Jean: Oh no.

Jean goes running out of the Cerebro room crying, and good ol' Cyclops runs after her. She stops and leans against a wall, holding her head.

Scott: Jean...
Jean: He knew this would happen! I knew this would happen! I should've stopped him!
Scott: How?! Jean, the Professor was going to do what he thought was right, regardless of the risks. Storm would never abandon him, there was nothing you could've done.

Jean cries some more and buries herself into Cyclops, who hugs her.

A helicopter that says 'Shield' on it lands in front of the X-Mansion. The door opens and reveals Nick Fury. Ol' eyepatch jumps out and heads for the mansion.

Wolverine: What's this about, Fury? *presses a button that opens a door* We're in the middle of dealin' with something.
Fury: I know. We witnessed it as well. That's why I'm here. I'm here to keep you from immediately trying to retaliate.
Wolverine: Hmph. Fat chance.
Fury: Logan! We're already taking measures. And other mutants will further complicate the operation.
Wolverine: What kind of 'measures'?
Wolverine and Fury walk into a control room, where Beast, Jean and Cyclops are.
Fury: Bring up a visual on the sphinx.
Beast glares at him.
Wolverine: It's alright, Hank.
Beast does as told, and three Sentinals appear on screen.
Wolverine: *grabs Fury by the collar* Ugh! You resurrected the Sentinal program? You just made a bigger mess of this!
Fury: It was not my choice to make.
Wolverine growls at him and drops him.
Fury: But their mutant sensors will target Apocalypse. So they just happen to be our best defense at the moment.

The three Sentinals swoop down, flying in at the sphinx. They launch multiple lasers at it until Apocalypse (guess what he does?) floats outta the sphinx! Didn't see that one coming, did ya?

Sentinal: *scanning Apocalypse* Mutant life signs... confirmed.

The middle Sentinal charges at Apocalypse! Apocalypse's left arm turns into a cannon and he shoots the Sentinal, who is knocked back, but not destroyed by any means. It blasts Apocalypse with it's chest cannon, sending him crashing back into the paw of the sphinx. Apocalypse seems surprised that he was actually hit.

Apocalypse leaps into the air, and the three Sentinals shoot at him. He avoids the shot and dives right into the middle Sentinal! It turns into the same color as him, and turns around, blasting the other two out of the sky!

Beast: That's your best defense?
Fury: Actually, they're our diversion.
Kurt, Kitty and Rogue come walking in, as Fury gives more instructions to Hank.
Fury: Show the three domes.
Hank calls up a 4-split screen, one for the Sphinx and three for the other domes.
Fury: The new Sentinals have had some modifications. Those flank cannons now release atomic subdividers, so that the domes can no longer repel the attacks.
A shot of three Sentinals blasting one of the domes. The energy is not reflected back like when Magneto attacked them, proving Fury's statement true.
Fury: We should actually be able to breach them, and then destroy those pyramids!
Beast: Brilliant!
Wolverine: Something tells me it ain't gonna be that easy.

On the screen, all three domes are being blasted, each by teams of three Sentinals. The Apocalypse-possessed Sentinal is still blasting it's comrades.

A bunch of Sentinal parts fall from the sky (including a head, which stares right at us) and explode. Apocalypse frees himself from his possessed Sentinal, ripping it to pieces in the process. He smiles at his work, but then looks miffed as he detects the assault on his domes.

He growls and holds out his hand, which begins to glow. In the main room of the sphinx, four obelisks begin glowing and rise from the ground, each containing a shadowed figure. The four shadowed figures start walking out of the sphinx. It is instantly noticeable that two are women, one has a helmet and cape, and the other is bald... and walking like some sort of mummy.

The door opens up for them, revealing Apocalypse's face.

Apocalypse: My horsemen. You are needed.

The four emerge from the pyramid. Magneto! Xavier! Storm! Mystique! And all four of them have possessed looking eyes and strange markings all over their bodies. (Xavier is walking.)

We see Fury, Jean and Scott gasp for a second and then everyone crowds around the monitor.

Jean: Oh no...
Wolverine: They're... alive?
Kurt: What has he done to them?
Scott: I don't believe it!
Apocalypse: Go. Defend my pyramids.

The four of them walk forward, and four horse head shaped statues begin glowing. They each receive some sort of... psionic flaming horses to ride on. Magneto, Storm and Xavier take off into the sky, as Mystique rides around Apocalypse, staying at the sphinx. He turns and follows her.

Xavier's horse leaps into the air and disappears, taking him with it.

The Egyptian Pyramid:

One Sentinal is hard at work blasting the dome. Xavier warps in behind it and dismounts the horse. He floats down and glares evilly at the Sentinal. (Ah, the day has come when we have an evil Xavier fighting a good Sentinal.)

Sentinal: Mutant life signs... confirmed.

The Sentinal turns and attempts to shoot Xavier while he makes a psionic scythe. He dodges the blast and leaps on the Sentinal, cutting it's arm clean off! He then slashes it's head off.

Jean: *gasp*

In China, all three Sentinals are blasting the dome, when a huge mist rises behind them. Lightning flashes and Storm appears. All three Sentinals shoot at her, but she avoids their blasts and looks straight at the camera, blasting it.

In Mexico, the same scene is going on. Suddenly, all three Sentinals are smashed together by magnetism and then flung apart! By Magneto of course. One Sentinal hits a cliffside and explodes.

The X-Mansion:

Fury: If they fail, then I'm out of options. Except for maybe one... you guys.
Wolverine: I'm way ahead of ya. Now order us some helijets.
Wolverine goes and stand at the head of the room, to give orders.
Wolverine: We need four teams. One at each dome, and one at the sphinx. We absolutely must gain control of these locations. So Shadowcat, start with the Brotherhood. Nightcrawler, you go find Spyke.
Kurt teleports away and Kitty takes off.
Wolverine: Cyclops and Jean, go round up anyone else you can think of. Rogue, you come with me. I've got a special assignment for you.

The Brotherhood house, Lance is at the door, talking to Kitty.
Lance: Forget it.
Kitty: Come on Lance, at least ask the others.
Lance: Hey, you guys feel like going to Mexico and fighting Magneto?!
Quicksilver is asleep on a chair, and Blob is asleep as well. Toad is sitting there, drawing glasses and a moustache onto his face.
Lance: Forget it.
Lance goes to slam the door, but Kitty puts her foot in the way, stopping him from closing it.
Kitty: Are you serious? After everything I just told you?!
Lance: Look, if Magneto couldn't stop this guy, what chance do we have?
Kitty: Well, none if you don't try!
Lance: Sorry Kitty, just let Apocalypse turn this world into mutants. Maybe he's onto something.
Lance shuts the door in Kitty's face as Wanda comes walking down the stairs. Lance goes to walk upstairs, and Wanda gives him a pissy look.
Lance: What? Don't tell me you want to go fight your own father.

Wanda opens the door and Lance looks back at her, but still doesn't come. She runs to catch up with Kitty.

At the X-Mansion, three helijets rise into the air and take off in different directions. The X-jet rises out of the basketball court and takes off as well.

In Mexico, a Sentinal fires repeatedly at Magneto, barely missing him. It keeps going and unloads a bunch of shots onto the dome... and succeeds in destroying it! Revealing the pyramid underneath.

Magneto angrily rises up and uses his magnetic powers to crush the Sentinal like a tin can, making it explode.

In China, a Sentinal is blasted out of the sky by a lightning bolt. Storm looks at the other two, who are still firing on the dome. She begins to create a large whirlwind.

They destroy the dome and begins to target the pyramid with all their weapons! Unforunately, both of them are then ripped apart by the whirlwind.

In Egypt, Xavier leaps out of a Sentinal's head, causing major damage to it! He then pushes it back into the dome, causing a huge explosion! Pieces of it go flying everywhere as the one remaining Sentinal destroys the dome! Xavier glares at it.

Inside one of the jets, Beast is watching this.

Beast: Listen everyone, our opponents have had their mutant powers greatly enhanced. So make no mistake, we are in for the fight of our lives.

At the sphinx, three scorpions ar sitting on a rock outside the sphinx. They suddenly meld together into Mystique, who then takes a bird form and begins to flying around the sphinx.

Inside the Sphinx, Apocalypse is looking at holographic images of each pyramid, he waves his hand, causing holographic egyptian symbols to appear in front of them.

In Mexico, Magneto is still dodging blasts from a Sentinal with only one arm remaining. It turns its arm into a huge claw and tries to slash Magneto with it, but his simply rips the Sentinal's arm to pieces with his powers. He then rips the rest of it apart until it explodes, and it's head goes rolling by him as he looks up into the sky.

In China, Storm lands as Sentinal pieces go flying everywhere.

In Egypt, Xavier runs up the side of the pyramid and hurls a psionic bolt directly into the Sentinal's chest! He leaps up and uses his mind to send it crashing down to earth. He looks over as a helijet lands at the base of the pyramid.

The hatch opens and reveals Boom-Boom (!), Multiple, Jean, (Magma or X23... I cant tell which) and Colossus (!). They walk down the ramp, and Colossus transforms to metal as they do.

At the sphinx, an X-jet lands, and Wolverine, Cyclops and Nightcrawler come out and gaze at the sphinx.

In China, Storm looks up as a helijet hovers overhead. The door opens, revealing Berserker, Beast, Iceman and Spyke (!).

And lastly in Mexico, a helijet lands. Inside it are Shadowcat, Sunspot, Havok (!), Angel (!) and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto walks over to look at them and they face off with him.

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TO BE CONTINUED

Quotes

Quick Review

Another fantastic Season Four episode. For the full review of the "Ascension" storyline, please see the Ascension Reckoning II guide.

Beyond Evolution Copyright © 2004 Denaill.