X-Men #5

Writer: Brian Wood
Penciler: David Lopez
Inker: David Lopez
Colorist: Laura Martin
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 11th, 2013

"Battle of the Atom: Chapter 3"

As of right now it really seems that Battle of the Atom is an event in which mutants are arguing over if they should send the original X-Men back to their own time. I feel like there has to be more than that coming but that is the overall synopsis of the event thus far.

This issue shows that not everyone on the current X-Men feels that they should return to the past, at least to not be forced to go back. Jean and Scott are still on the run and the current X-Men and future X-Men hunt them down. It gives the whole thing an almost Sentinel feeling to it. All of the telepaths are struggling to search for Jean in the one moment that she lowers her defenses.

If anything, this issue showed a growth in the relationship between Scott and Jean. It shows that even with Jean knowing her future and the fact that Scott sort of loses his mind, that she still has an intrinsic animal attraction to him that is hard for her to ignore. On top of that, it shows that they are willing to do anything to be able to make up their own minds as to where they should be in time. At the end of the book we find Jean and Scott on the old, beaten down Utopia meeting with adult Scott's team. They are so desperate that they will reach out to the group that they are not so sure about.

On a different note, shouldn't the current X-Men that have their past selves in this timeline be aging at double speed? I don't know...random time traveling thought.

Regardless, I am interested in this event still but am not sure what the overall purpose is. I understand that these kids need to go back in time before something terrible happens...but does that have to be an event? Also, are these "future X-Men" really who they say they are and what the hell is up with future Jean Grey? So many questions, so few answers. At least we get another chapter next week.