It's Not My Fault
| It's Not My Fault | |
|---|---|
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| Dates run: | June 23-26, 2023 |
| Run By: | Ben |
| Read the logs: | It's Not My Fault |
Use the spell to lend me your magic, and I can open the earth to destroy the railway.
A group of brujos perform a ritual in Mexico to destroy a railroad development, but things don't go exactly to plan and X-Force gets involved.
Contents
Cast
Julio Richter, Marie-Ange Colbert, Amanda Sefton, Gabriel Cohuelo, Felicia Hardy, Jubilation Lee, Topaz, Artie Maddicks
Rictor’s maternal grandparents Omar Gonzalo Canul Pérez and Gloria Diana Reyes Pech
Timing
Plot Summary
The Mexican government is planning a massive upgrade and expansion of the country’s railroad lines, which includes development through the village where Rictor’s grandparents live. Of course, this plan generates aggrieved opposition from the local populace, supported by environmental and indigenous rights groups.
But Rictor’s grandparents know there is an ulterior motive. They are the latest caretakers of an ancient Mayan codex of spells, which they keep in anticipation of a future savior of the world. A few years ago, they were approached by Juan Meróz, billionaire CEO of the development company and known aficionado of mystical artifacts from Mexico’s past. He wanted to buy it. They refused. Shortly after, the plans for the railway were announced. This is clearly retribution and an attempt to obtain the codex by coercion or outright theft.
Rictor’s grandparents have been protesting construction for several days, and Rictor has joined them. When they reveal the codex to him, he recommends using it to strike back at Meróz; just desserts for his attempts to steal it. It is written in an old form of Mayan, and his grandparents only understand one spell: a group of twelve can funnel their magic into one other person. Rictor volunteers to be that person. That magic can strengthen his own, and he can bury the rail line so it can no longer proceed.
His grandparents are reticent, but he is insistent. What else do they have these gifts for if not to use them to protect the vulnerable from those who would exploit them? It will be dangerous because they do not know if this ritual will work and how it will interact with Rictor’s unique brand of “magic,” but nothing worth doing is easy. They agree to recruit other brujos involved in the protest to help.
Up in the States, Amanda Sefton keeps an eye on collectors of magical artifacts like Meróz. When a source close to him informs Amanda of his plans, she decides to assemble X-Force to intercept and keep the codex safe. This triggers a precognitive episode from Marie-Ange, who identifies the team that must go: the two of them, Gabriel, Topaz, Artie, Jubilee, and Felicia. Marie-Ange also knows that if they do not go, they risk global catastrophe.
Rictor and company travel to the construction area and prepare the ritual. Security catches them when Rictor triggers the first shock. X-Force intervenes at that moment, and chaos inevitably ensues. The ritual is disrupted and, due to a luck snap caused by Fi’s anxiety about magic, Rictor is unable to control the earthquake he started. If not stopped soon, the entire Yucatán peninsula could be left in ruins. While X-Force subdues security, Amanda draws the energy out of Rictor and funnels it to Topaz, who stabilizes the ritual, thus stopping the quake.
With the railroad destroyed and the land damaged, there is no way development can continue in this region. The village is spared but at a terrible cost, as much needs to be rebuilt. But they at least kept the codex safe. When X-Force acknowledges that Rictor is a mutant and not a magic user as they all believe, they offer to take him to New York to train. Having witnessed what he could do were he to lose control again, Rictor agrees.
In a stinger scene, Rictor’s grandparents meet with a representative of Clan Akkaba, to whom they deliver the codex. They express their joy at realizing their family’s destiny to bring about the return of Mah K'ina Tah Balam, the long-lost Mayan god of battle, plagues, drought, and blood. The representative reminds them that Mah K'ina Tah Balam is just one name of many for their god, known primarily as En-Sabeh-Nur.
Related Links
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External Links
Trivia and Meta
Trivia
The title is a pun.
Meta
Plotrunner: Ben
Fun fact: Juan Meróz is Silver Age X-Men villain El Tigre, who stole a magic amulet that turned him into an avatar for the Mayan god Kukulcán! https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Juan_Meroz_(Earth-616)
Another fun fact: Apocalypse did canonically impersonate this god in an old Namor annual, so there is a basis for his presence in Mexico! https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Mah_K%27ina_Tah_Balam-Ahau_(Earth-616)
