Tales From the Age of Apocalypse: "By the Light"

Finally, after a wait of more than a year since the last Blink appearance which was not a cameo, we have Tales! Be warned that the following contains SPOILERS for those of you who have yet to read this issue...

The story of this long awaited book establishes several things. It takes place before the rest of the AoA books, pre-Alpha. The story covers Blink's first field experience with the X-Men.

Blink's first appearence comes as she is being consoled by Sabretooth. This is apparently soon after her rescue by 'Tooth and Weapon X from Abyss, as related in Astonishing X-Men 3. We discover that Blink had a brother, who died in the AoA in Abyss's 'pit' before Blink was rescued. To our knowledge, this brother has yet to surface in the real world. (His appearance is a distinct possibility seeing as how Abyss, originally a new character, now has a real world counterpart.)

The basic plot of the book covers the X-Men preparing for a strike on Apocalypse on the Moon, although little beknownst to them, En Sabah Nur is guarded by the most recent fourth horsemen, Death (an inhuman). (Apocalypse loses more horsemen in a world where he is in charge :).) Fortunately for our heros, Prelate Summers (Scott) is also there. Scott is worried about Death's inhumane treatment of the prisoner Sunfire, and his obivious ambitions for Apocalypse's throne.

Blink comes into the picture as the X-Men's ticket to the Moon. She is coaxed into the role by Morph, as Sabretooth, who comes to Blink while she is drawing to ask for her help. She knows more about the true state of the war than her withdrawn appearence would suggest, and she agrees to help (after seeing through Morph's subterfuge).

What follows is an interesting statement of Blink's true power level. She is capable of teleporting the entire moon from the Guthrie farm to the Blue Area of the moon in one hop. This places her range well above that of NightCrawler, who usually crosses Europe in small hops.

Blink is not yet ready to fight the Inhumans at Death's command, but she is saved from capture by Morph who impersonates her when the team is beaten. Blink is able to get aid from Cyclops, who has decided that Death must be stopped. Establishing a habit of dropping in from above and slightly behind the deadly Horseman of Apocalypse (to be used in Astonishing X-Men 4 when she fights Holocaust...) Blink and Cyclops pop up to steal Death's triumph at the last second. Scott frees Sunfire, who promptly incinerates the entire ship and kills Death in retaliation. Blink is able to save both Cyclops and the X-Men from the explosion, by teleporting them all to safety. And so, we await the next part of the Saga of Blink...

Go to the start of the rest of the Age of Apocalypse, in X-Men: Alpha

Return to the chronology.