Astonishing X-Men: Torn (2012)

Guess who’s back? The dynamic duo of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday have returned to bring us even more Astonishing X-Men: Torn (2012)! Brace yourselves, because if you thought their previous collaborations were full of twists and turns, prepare for something even crazier. Emma Frost’s recent actions have sent the X-Men into a tailspin. Can they handle one more unexpected development? And as if that wasn’t enough, the elusive Hellfire Club finally makes its move after laying in wait for months. But that’s not all – the identity of the X-Man meant to destroy the Breakworld is about to be revealed. What lies ahead for this chosen one?

The X-Men have been manipulated by a new Hellfire Club, led by Cassandra Nova and including Emma Frost, Perfection, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and Sebastian Shaw. It turns out that when Emma kept Cassandra’s mind trapped in a biological form, Cassandra planted a suggestion in Emma’s mind to make her believe that she needed to help Cassandra destroy the X-Men and free herself. Additionally, it is revealed that Cyclops’ difficulty controlling his optic blasts stems from a traumatic experience in his childhood. Using her powers, Nova was able to defeat the X-Men by exploiting their deepest fears. Eventually, Cyclops informs Emma of Cassandra’s scheme, but it remains unclear if Emma ever returned the remaining fragments of Cassandra’s consciousness or not. Suddenly, Ord and Danger appear and forcefully teleport them all away to a spaceship headed for the Breakworld under the watch of S.W.O.R.D.