Welcome to an all-new edition of Parlay Points! It’s the comic book review blog to the ODPH Podcast.

For this entry, the end is fast approaching for Marvel Entertainment’s Krakoan Era. With events falling from the Hellfire Gala, The X-Men fight to survive. Ten years in the future, the fight continues. Charles Xavier leads a small group into finding a way to reverse the nightmare. Desperate times call for extreme actions. Can Xavier do the unthinkable even if it means crossing an unthinkable line?

Rise of the Powers of X #3 by Kieron Gillen, R.B. Silva, David Curiel, Clayton Cowles (Marvel Entertainment) sets the stage for a question of conscious with Mutantkind’s true fate lying in the balance!

Let’s not wait another minute and dive into this chapter!

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

The chapter begins with a young Moira McTaggert. With the reveal of her mutant abilities, McTaggert has been a factor in the birth and fall of the Krokoan Era. The narration leads readers on an insight into Moira’s plans. As she plans to celebrate making into her 13th birthday, Moira heads to a meadow from her house.

However, someone is waiting for her there. That person is one Charles Xavier. Keeping the rest of the surrounding area at bay, Xavier plans on doing the unthinkable. If Moria is eliminated before her powers emerge, then the Krokoan Era never exists!

Meanwhile in the future, Moira X connects with a Dominion about a deadly proposition. Readers watch as the deal is presented. What options does Moira have?

This builds into pressure moments for all parties involved. Can Xavier’s team hold off threats long enough for the mission to be completed. What about Moria’s proposal? Events unfold that prove there are no easy answers.

With the gravity of the consequences enormous, Xavier makes a call that potentially changes everything. The question is Will it be the one readers are expecting or not? The final page sets course for a monumental march into the closing issues of this story. Brace yourself. It’s only going to get crazier from here.

***Rise of the Powers of X #3 by*** ***Kieron Gillen***, ***R.B. Silva***, ***David Curiel***, ***Clayton Cowles*** ***(Marvel Entertainment - Cover:*** Nicoletta Baldari)

Gillen wastes no time diving into the most extreme action of this series. Xavier’s plan is drastic and feels desperate. It mirrors how much the dream of Krokoa has been broken. The writing never lets this point escape. The dialogue hits to illustrate the severity of Xavier’s plan.

Gillen mixes in great side points to add more anxiousness. With the battle taking place in multiple times, the excitement is paced well to hit its mark. The resolution is not so cut and dry per say. There are big ramifications. This builds towards a strong final act. The closing page shifts events for Xavier’s plans which means nothing but win. This is arguably the strongest issue of the series thus far.

Silva and Curiel never let readers loose sight of the impact of Xavier’s actions. The initial moment he confronts a young Moira is gifted with a perfect full page image. The panel set-ups are simplistic but exemplify the matter at hand.

Xavier’s forces in the future get a great opening page as well. The near full page shot hits the acceleration involving them into the mix. Once the matter of Moira is resolved (for better or worse), the imagery carries that momentum into the final pages. With a bold final page, the art team drops a huge exclamation point on the chapter that is sure to have fans talking.

FINAL POINT: 9

With the fate of the past and future at stake, Xavier’s desperate action takes center stage in this engaging chapter. Gillen constructs a complex dilemma of moral and ethical consequence with the writing. Silva, Curiel and Cowles give readers much to savor with the incredible images. The end is almost here and readers won’t be able to wait to see how this all ends.

Hirt me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts about the Rise Of The Powers of X #3. Thanks for reading!