Uncanny X-Men #514 - Marvel

Scott is really in his element here. He seems to do the best . . present the best character, when there's a situation that requires more of a direct leader than say a mentor. When he's calling the shots . . telling everybody what to do, and where to be . . formulating a plan of attack, and contingencies . . that's when Scott is the true leader of the X-Men. I like him when he's in his 'General' character, rather than just offering input or being the 'Headmaster'. I really liked the scene when Scott and his group are standing on the top of a building watching Emma and her group take out Simon Trask's latest human/sentinel hybrids. Scott keeps everyone in check, not letting emotions flare, and tells them it's a training exercise . . " . time to do your homework. Find your mark. Watch how they move. Study how they think in the heat of battle. Study hard." This is the team that Scott's put together to take out Emma's team . . should they need to. He's also got Dani in Las Vegas brokering a deal for him . . with somebody. He wants Mindee to get arrested. Bets is on some secret mission that's going to take 2 or 3 days to get into place. And Neena is in charge of a team that's supposed to rendezvous with Logan. They catch up to him when he pops up in the bay, so I'm guessing that he's been doing some reconnaissance on Alcatraz. Emma and her group have finished taking out the Sentinels, and are now on their way to the hospital where Trask was last seen. I can't believe that nobody has put together that Bastion is behind this yet. Especially with these humans turning into human/sentinels, you'd think somebody would make the leap in logic. I think part of the problem though is that even though they took all these characters out, nobody stopped to study the package and see what was done to them. They know that Trask is controlling them, and communicating through them, but . . they still haven't put it together. The longer Bastion goes unchecked, the bigger foothold he's getting. Especially when it comes to government support and this mutant-procreation law that he's trying to pass. Oh yeah, and our X-Squad is off the Pacific coast doing something under the ocean. It sounds kind of dire to me. "This is the end of the X-Men in California, Jeffries. We don't have a choice." Needless to say, I think Matt Fraction is doing a tremendous job with the story here. I really like the control he's taken of these characters. And of course, Terry Dodson's art is spot on. This is a great story-arc. Frustrating! But, great! More importantly though, I can't wait to see where the future of the X-Men lies after this. I think everything is going to be shaken up by the time this is over. Fan-frikkin-tastic!!