A priest, a psychic lovechild, and a man with the world's largest flat-top walk into a room. No, it's not the start of a weird joke. It's the core dynamic at the heart of Way of X by Si Spurrier and Bob Quinn. What started as the story of Nightcrawler creating the X-Men's first religion has turned into one of the most engaging titles from Marvel Comics, as the very concepts of life and death are weighed against one another. The series has proven to be thought-provoking, challenging, and foreboding, with Nightcrawler stepping up as a major player in the X-line alongside fan-favorites like Legion. While the release of Way of X #5 ends the series, it also sets the stage for the oncoming epic X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation, which will bring back one of Marvel's most iconic villains as he enacts his horrifying plans upon the X-Men.
Way of X #5 opens with Professor Xavier and several mutants waking up in the resurrection protocols, after being incinerated by Shen and Kuan-Yin Xorn in the previous issue. Enraged, Xavier confronts Legion for answers. Legion is not interested in talking with his father and instead reaches out to Nightcrawler for help in fighting and defeating Onslaught. But as the two outcasts try to decide how to take on one of the X-Men's most dangerous foes, they realize that Arakko is about to be incinerated by one of Mars's moons.
Fabled X-Men Legacy writer Si Spurrier continues his imaginative work with the franchise in Way of X. Spurrier is at his best when he, like Nightcrawler, poses questions without answers. Ever since the X-Men were forever changed in the wake of House of X/Powers of X, the X-Men have been able to cheat death and live without fear of consequences. Way of X #5 shows how Nightcrawler's struggle to accept this new relationship with death has impacted him. Through Kurt, Spurrier poses questions about life that everybody else is afraid to ask. These questions have often been emotionally disturbing. His use of Legion and Onslaught to explore these answers has been captivating. This issue spotlights this balance well as Nightcrawler reaches a crucial realization about the future of mutantkind, only to be interrupted by the threat of Onslaught.
Artist Bob Quinn is at the top of his game in Way of X #5, as the sprawling fights and bold visuals create a striking visual counterpart to the heavy concepts that Spurrier likes to toss around. Quinn layers this issue with energetic figures and detailed backgrounds that help showcase the stakes of Nightcrawler's battle. Colorist Java Tartaglia's use of a dynamic color palette enhances the issue's action. Using the fire from Arrako's volcanos as a light source creates a sense of danger and dread. The warm reds and oranges clash with the particle effects of Nightcrawler's teleporting abilities and Legion's psychic powers.
Importantly, Way of X #5 is not the end of this story. Rather, as Spurrier put it himself, the issue is setting up "the big season finale" that'll be arriving in X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation. As such, this issue has everything fans could want from a penultimate chapter. It is jam-packed with important character moments and tragic realizations that have the potential to rock the X-Men to their core. This series is arguably the best anybody has ever handled Onslaught and it'll be interesting to see what lies in wait when he makes his move against Krakoa.
For fans of the X-Men, Way of X is crucial towards informing the ethics of mutantkind's modern era. Spurrier and Quinn have crafted a heartfelt series that delivers big moments designed to leave readers on the edge of their seats. As the X-line continues into uncharted territory, it is rewarding to have a book that sees the heroes question if they're really doing the right thing or if they have lost their purpose. Way of X #5 is an enthralling read that is sure to be looked back on as a critical moment in the history of Nightcrawler, Legion, and the franchise as a whole.
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