Complete story — includes the ending
Transported to another galaxy via stargate, the X-Men (including the Phoenix) find themselves on the ancient and mostly barren planet in the heart of the Shi'Ar Empire. They are in pursuit of their enemy, Erik the Red, who has abducted the alien, Lilandra Neramani.
The Shi'Ar Empire spans its entire home galaxy. Currently, it is ruled over by the insane Emperor D'Ken (Lilandra's brother). Erik the Red is revealed to be Davan Shakari, a high-ranking Shi'Ar official loyal to D'Ken. Although mostly barren, this world does contain the M'Kraan Crystal, a mammoth and legendary jewel that contains unimaginable power. D'Ken has come here with an entourage of about twenty members of the empire's Imperial Guard in order to access the power of the Crystal. Legend states that when the stars are aligned in a particular way (as they have just recently done), then the Crystal can be penetrated and its power unleashed.
Shakari has brought Lilandra to be an offering to the demonic “Soul Drinker” beast which lurks upon this world. Cyclops demands that D'Ken hand over Lilandra to the X-Men. D'Ken dismisses him and orders his Imperial Guard to kill the X-Men. A ferocious battle commences. The X-Men hold their own against the Guard, despite the latter team's much larger number of combatants.
Emperor D'Ken unleashes the Soul Drinker on Lilandra, but Nightcrawler teleports to her rescue and spirits her away to the X-Men's side of the battlefield. The Soul Drinker therefore takes an unnamed member of the Imperial Guard in her place as its sacrifice. Elsewhere in the war zone, Wolverine's uniform gets shredded. He finds an Imperial Guardsman named Fang with a similar build to his, knocks him out, and takes his uniform.
Lilandra reveals that D'Ken intends to use the M'Kraan Crystal to gain absolute power. She opposed him and became his enemy and a fugitive of the empire. She explains further that she was first psychically connected to Professor Xavier when he used his mental powers to thwart an alien invasion by the Z'Nox; she journeyed to Earth to seek his aid in the hope that he could aid her resistance efforts.
Inexorably, the X-Men are being overwhelmed by the sheer number of their opponents. But the tide of the battle is turned by the arrival of the Starjammers, a group of interstellar pirates who join the X-Men in battle against the Guard. Phoenix mind-probes their leader Corsair and is shocked by what his thoughts reveal.
Suddenly the M'Kraan Crystal pulsates… and for a fraction of a second, reality ceases to exist! Back on Earth, Peter Corbeau warns the Fantastic Four that should reality suffer more cosmic “blinks”, the universe will be destroyed.
The Shi'Ar Empire spans its entire home galaxy. Currently, it is ruled over by the insane Emperor D'Ken (Lilandra's brother). Erik the Red is revealed to be Davan Shakari, a high-ranking Shi'Ar official loyal to D'Ken. Although mostly barren, this world does contain the M'Kraan Crystal, a mammoth and legendary jewel that contains unimaginable power. D'Ken has come here with an entourage of about twenty members of the empire's Imperial Guard in order to access the power of the Crystal. Legend states that when the stars are aligned in a particular way (as they have just recently done), then the Crystal can be penetrated and its power unleashed.
Shakari has brought Lilandra to be an offering to the demonic “Soul Drinker” beast which lurks upon this world. Cyclops demands that D'Ken hand over Lilandra to the X-Men. D'Ken dismisses him and orders his Imperial Guard to kill the X-Men. A ferocious battle commences. The X-Men hold their own against the Guard, despite the latter team's much larger number of combatants.
Emperor D'Ken unleashes the Soul Drinker on Lilandra, but Nightcrawler teleports to her rescue and spirits her away to the X-Men's side of the battlefield. The Soul Drinker therefore takes an unnamed member of the Imperial Guard in her place as its sacrifice. Elsewhere in the war zone, Wolverine's uniform gets shredded. He finds an Imperial Guardsman named Fang with a similar build to his, knocks him out, and takes his uniform.
Lilandra reveals that D'Ken intends to use the M'Kraan Crystal to gain absolute power. She opposed him and became his enemy and a fugitive of the empire. She explains further that she was first psychically connected to Professor Xavier when he used his mental powers to thwart an alien invasion by the Z'Nox; she journeyed to Earth to seek his aid in the hope that he could aid her resistance efforts.
Inexorably, the X-Men are being overwhelmed by the sheer number of their opponents. But the tide of the battle is turned by the arrival of the Starjammers, a group of interstellar pirates who join the X-Men in battle against the Guard. Phoenix mind-probes their leader Corsair and is shocked by what his thoughts reveal.
Suddenly the M'Kraan Crystal pulsates… and for a fraction of a second, reality ceases to exist! Back on Earth, Peter Corbeau warns the Fantastic Four that should reality suffer more cosmic “blinks”, the universe will be destroyed.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Marvel Database contributors, X-Men Vol 1 107. Illustrations and reference markup removed; synopsis paragraphs combined. · Content license