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Generation-X #3; A trilogy Ends and Begins a New Saga for the Team
Back after a few months hiatus on the 90s comics front. Back to give the somewhat ending of this opening Generation-X trilogy the proper send off it deserves.
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Generation-X #3 picks up right where we left off. We come back to Penance pinning down a startled and petrified Banshee. The teacher. The responsible one. Supposedly the young mutant’s mentor. A questionable decision by writer Scott Lobdell given Banshee’s past history participating in many X-Men related scrapes. Fear is an emotion all too clearly etched on the face of Banshee. Until he’s able to double-kick Penance off him and get away from those razor sharp talons of hers.
Surprised and rage-induced, Penance is taken off guard for a second as Paige does her Husk thing. Appearing out of nowhere and spearing Penance to the ground. The kind of spear that would make Goldberg proud. A strong statement of bravery. This isn’t just Sam Guthrie’s sister anymore.
Cat and Mouse (if the Mouse had Razor Sharp Talons)
Chivalry aside, Penance takes a swipe at an unabashed and unconcerned Paige – severely injuring her. It’s worth noting at this point that due to Penance’s oversized novelty baseball mit sized talons comes an innate ability to burrow underground at tremendous speeds. She does just that, flipping the fight with Paige on its head. Causing Banshee to interfere and throwing his sonic screams at Penance. In turn, helping Penance burrow a cavern underground even faster than before.
Brief cut scene to a character who we’ll get to know more of. Mondo. A superhero who will later be revealed to be much more than that. Let’s just the 1990s loved the idea of clones a little too much.
Jubilee and Synch intercept Penance at the other end of where her makeshift cavern leads. Penance attacks them with her full rage and Synch puts up a shield in front of him and Jubilee. Penance easily breaks through but then breaks off and leaves. Though the question is asked why Penance would not just kill them? This scene achieves more in positioning Jubilee as a student of Xavier’s who has gone through tremendous growth. Here’s a kid who is near the end of her teen years. Forged into a leader (in training).
Chamber saves Penance from Herself
Monet tackles Penance, knocking her out. Under the instruction of Emma Frost she is then told to assist her with a deep psi-scan because she’s an adult and she knows best. Yes. Because Emma Frost is never wrong.
*rolls eyes*
Unbeknownst to Monet the psi-scan has woken Penance. When Banshee’s sonic wave causes Penance to race off again. Monet questions why Banshee had to do that when she had Penance in hand. To which, the overzealous Headmaster of Xavier’s School for the Gifted, advises that is just the problem. When Penance’s talons ate razor sharp and could cut off ones limbs. Easily.
Banshee is an insufferable leader in this issue to say the least. Leading only by whims that are directed by illogical thought. Reminiscent of an abusive Charles Xavier depicted in the 60s. You begin to question Jubilee’s station, a seasoned X-Man in her own right, who isn’t given more authority over the Generation-X youngsters.
Speaking of Jubilee, she comes across Chamber reaching out to Penance. Who would’ve known that talking to her instead of trying to attack her would’ve worked? There’s a beautiful scene, courtesy of Chris Bachalo, whose art sculpts Lobdell’s script so eloquently. A trope if ever there was one in a comic book. A scene that succeeds in depicting 2 individuals that are hurting and find a kindred spirit in one another.
Generation-X #3 closes out with Skin bringing a game of scrabble to Paige for them both to play. Two teens who a couple of issues ago were trading intolerant jabs. Him; sexist innuendo. Her; racist barbs. Now finding common ground. An apt metaphor for covering off adolescence and life in general.