U1C #5: "The Knights Of Hykon"

(Childish things.)

Comments

What is it about a child-like attitude and phenomenal cosmic power that's just so much fun?  I could watch Sky Song beating up the X-Men all day.   "Blue-tail is funny and fast and clever... but also a little rude." SHWAK!  "Now one of them's gotten all shiny!  It looks much prettier now!" SSKRASH!  And when she isn't providing her own naive-yet-bloodthirsty running commentary, she's generating ever larger energy weapons with which to pulp people, as if this were a stage from Super Smash Bros, and not a life-or-death struggle.  She's great.  She's my new favourite.  I wanna be just like her when I become infinitely powerful and completely invulnerable.

As you'd expect from a trio of creatures we first saw partying on the surface of the Sun (initially I thought they might be Sentinels left over from UXM #59, having finally worked out the futility of trying to punch a star into submission, but this is much more fun), there doesn't seem to be anything the X-Men can do to so much as faze them (Nightcrawler manages to swipe Sky Song's sword - getting dragged into a new dimension whilst howling in agony for his troubles, but that's about all).  You get the distinct impression that Sky Song is so immature simply because she can afford to be.  When nothing can hurt you, you have no reason to pay attention to anything unless you want to.  Which, of course, makes her seem all the creepier even before the sky starts weeping boiling rain.

Cloud Runner isn't quite as much fun as Sky Song, but he certainly has his moments.  His analysis of the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier is typically otherwordly and condescending ("A metal airship, filled with light and smoke and frightened animals... what will they think of next?"), he has my favourite design of the three Knights, and he ends up throwing Fury's ride into Central Park simply to make a point: shit is going down.  Watch this space...

Clues

This story continues directly on from the previous issue, and takes place over the course of a few hours, which makes it likely we've crossed over into early morning on the following day.

Date

Friday 19^th to Saturday 20^th of February, 1982.

X-Date

X+3Y+291 to X+3Y+292.

Contemporary Events

A new class of life, the prion, is discovered.

Standout Line

"It has pointy bits, too! They would hurt little animals, I think...  It needs to calm down."  Sky Song meets Wolverine, disapproves.