Recaps

Russell escaped the Agravall Experimental Base, rescued Laura and Felicity, and used his growing powers to protect people in the slums while resisting military pursuit. After developing molecular control, he met Charles Xavier and heard his offer to join the school, leaving Russell’s place in the Mutant conflict unresolved.

• Russell discovered his powers and the Ultimate Evolution System in the Agravall Experimental Base, then killed Doctor Caspin and escaped after destroying the collar control center and freeing the Mutants.
• Russell led the survivors out of the base, then continued across the desert with Felicity, Laura, and three deformed Mutants after the others scattered.
• Russell and Laura killed two men who tried to rob them, and Professor X and General Darian separately learned of Russell’s escape and began seeking him.
• Russell settled with Felicity and Laura in a poor New York neighborhood, where he killed Scar’s gang and later rescued residents from a deliberately set fire.
• Major Flint’s forces attacked Russell at the burned slum, but Russell killed the soldiers and destroyed five Sentinels before shooting Victor Marshall.
• Russell unlocked molecular-level Psychic Telekinesis, checked into a luxury hotel with Laura and Felicity, and experimented with invisibility, blue flames, and lightning.
• Charles Xavier arrived with Scott Summers and Ororo Munroe, recognized Laura as X-23, and invited Russell to his school, but Russell questioned the school’s connection to the X-Men and Brotherhood.

Russell grew stronger, rejected both Magneto and Professor X’s offers, and used his power against the Triad Gang’s trafficking operation. After rescuing Rogue and taking her in, the story shifted to Matt’s powerless struggle and Jim’s flight into the Four Seasons Hotel.

• Charles offered Russell a place at Xavier’s School and told Scott to protect him, while General Darian sent Hound 10 to capture Russell at the Four Seasons Hotel.
• Russell bathed in Aqua Regia, improved his healing, and gave Felicity money to distribute to the poor, drawing Tony Stark to visit him.
• Hound 10 attacked Russell in the hotel suite, but Russell drained his energy and killed him, then confronted the forces outside before Logan and Scott intervened.
• Russell fought Logan and Scott, challenged Professor X’s ideals, and rejected both Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s leadership offers while agreeing to spar with their mutants.
• Russell killed Triad Gang members after they attacked Felicity and Laura, uncovered the gang’s child and organ trafficking, and killed Okamoto Taichi despite Daredevil’s attempt to stop him.
• Russell gave Jameson evidence of the Triad Gang’s dealings and publicly admitted to his killings, while Kingpin warned Bullseye not to provoke him.
• Russell rescued Rogue from Sabretooth, let her absorb his power without collapsing, and agreed to let her stay with him rather than join the Brotherhood or Mutant Academy.
• Russell trained with Felicity, Laura, and Rogue as Matt struggled without his powers and Spider-Man helped him, while Jim shot bankers and fled into the Four Seasons Hotel.

Russell’s visit to the Xavier Institute unleashed Jean’s Dark Phoenix and led him to announce a contest to recruit powerful followers. As Kingpin built an underworld operation in Russell’s name, Russell transformed Spider-Man into a six-armed mutant.

• Russell gave Jim enhanced abilities, and Jim fought the police before Steve Rogers confronted him and Clint Barton killed him, and Russell retrieved Jim’s soul and tried to revive him.
• Matt lost his case after a microscopic barrier blocked his abilities, so he sought help from Charles Xavier, who temporarily restored his powers.
• At the Xavier Institute, Russell challenged the X-Men and Jean’s Dark Phoenix awakened, killing Scott and Hank and injuring Storm before agreeing to fight Russell.
• Jean and Russell battled across New York, while General Darian ordered plans to weaken Mutant support and Colonel Stryker prepared to capture Charles.
• Russell and Jean announced a contest at the White House, and Jean recruited Camilla after killing the Gray Consortium members who had used her to transport drugs.
• Kingpin offered to support Russell’s plans, and Russell agreed to awaken one of Kingpin’s abilities in exchange for his help, and Ancient One later offered Russell the Sorcerer Supreme role, which he declined.
• After Magneto and Jean revealed a military base’s experiments on living Mutants, Russell agreed to help clear it, while Kingpin’s forces attacked New York factions in Om Messiah’s name.
• Spider-Man disrupted Kingpin’s attacks across the city, then confronted Kingpin and Russell, and Russell activated Spider-Man’s X-Factor and gave him four additional arms.

Russell defeated Captain Marvel, joined forces with the Phoenix, took control of the Chitauri, and encountered Avengers from another universe while probing threats beyond their timeline. As Morlun hunted Spider-Man and Black Cat in New York, Russell arranged a rescue and prepared to train with Ancient One.

• Spider-Man struggled to control his six arms as crowds mocked him, while Magneto and Russell exposed the Mutant Recovery Program’s serum as a fraud and Russell altered the Mutants’ bodies.
• Mister Sinister challenged Russell with Madelyne Pryor, and Captain Marvel joined the fight before Jean Grey confronted Madelyne and Ancient One moved the battle into space.
• Russell overcame Captain Marvel and absorbed her White Hole power, then a Phoenix Fragment fused with him as Jean recognized that the Phoenix had chosen him.
• Russell returned to Earth, took Loki’s Mind Scepter, and forced the Chitauri fleet to submit before confronting Thanos and trading the Soul Stone’s location for the fleet.
• Steve, Scott, Tony, and Banner arrived from another universe, but Russell discovered their mission, took their Pym Particles, and helped Ancient One use the Time Stone to reveal future threats.
• Russell sensed Peter Parker being hunted by Morlun, who had killed Spider-Men across hundreds of universes, and saw Peter and Black Cat refuse to abandon each other.
• Russell asked Ancient One to spar with him in the Hell Dimension, then sent Loki, Jean Grey, Magneto, and a Chitauri patrol ship to rescue Spider-Man and capture Morlun alive.