New X-Men, Vol. 3 (edition 2008)

A heartbreaking ending to Morrison's run, setting up Cyclop's change in personality and relationship to Emma Frost.

This gets a little wobbly in the middle, where editorial interference seems to push the storyline endings up sooner. There's an interesting idea of Magneto having to split his personality into noble and villianous components, but it's a bit obfuscated by another sub-plot involving a mutant enhancement drug. We never have a clear idea of how much of the terrorist master's motivation comes from being addicted.

We are very clear on Scott Summers' motivation, however. He never really recovered from having his head invaded by an evil psychic entity. It's hurt his marriage and forced him to contemplate darker and unheroic thoughts. This leads in a way to the alternate future that takes up the last storyline in the book.

It's this last part that really redeems the whole run. It's a modern, super-hero version of the fall from grace in the book of Genesis. Mankind is once again on the verge of tasting of the tree of life, and threatening the creator. It's a wonderfully illustrated Romantic prose-poem on rebelling against God and setting your own fate. ( )