X-Termination #2
Writer: David Lapham
Cover Artist: Mike Deodato
X-Termination #2 is the conclusion to the crossover between Astonishing X-Men, Extreme X-Men, and Age of Apocalypse. Lapham brought everything full circle with this ending which was very much needed. These three books were among the weakest of the X-Men titles, but connecting these storylines at the very end created something that none of them could live up to by themselves. Many characters died, got closure, and evolved for the better and that is all you could ask for with this book because there wasn’t much else to do with them for these books to remain appealing or even relatively relevant.
Wouldn’t say that it was the best story, but for what it was worth it put characters where they needed to be for future purposes. Dazzler given the option to become a teacher for the Jean Grey school, Iceman now to be corrupted with the death seed, and we now have another Stryker in the main universe where the original is dead. Though were this was the case many things went wrong. Mainly between the characters being killed off-panel, the weak closing to Jean’s story as Apocalypse, and losing both Nightcrawlers which seems like their way of making sure there was nothing left of his character to take the originals place. There is also the issue of what is to be of the other Cyclops and Wolverine that is in their world now, what is to become of them? Because even though they may disappear it doesn’t change the fact that they are there.
Despite a decent story, the art for the crossover at times was uneven. That’s not to say it wasn’t good enough to really make those moments that mattered pop out, but there were many changes that were noticeable and which distracted.
