That meticulously orchestrated interview on the "Vought Tonight Show" was like a bucket of ice water thrown into sizzling oil, setting off a worldwide information frenzy.
In just one night, the scales of the era tipped.
The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight fell on New York's streets, the entire world had changed beyond recognition.
The dangerous word "mutants," once synonymous with monsters and freaks, seemed to have been forcibly erased from humanity's dictionary overnight by Vought International's roaring publicity machine.
In its place was a new term, shining with divine radiance, that instantly ignited a global frenzy-superheroes.
The front pages of every major newspaper across America featured crystal-clear screenshots from the interview.
On the dozens of enormous billboards in Times Square, Coca-Cola advertisements had given way to Magneto's stern, intensely imposing face.
Under the media's relentless bombardment and carefully woven savior narrative, the once-panicked public rapidly shifted from fear to feverish worship.
On street corners and in alleyways, young people excitedly discussed the previous night's interview.
At school, children had already begun draping bedsheets over their shoulders, imitating Alex Summers firing his beams and Magneto levitating metal.
And the instant Wall Street opened, Vought's stock shot skyward like a rocket, locking at its upper trading limit.
At that moment, the power of capital and the media blended perfectly, demonstrating an efficiency at brainwashing more terrifying than a nuclear bomb.
The entrance to Vought Tower was packed with humans hoping to join Vought, and even the number of mutants had grown from single digits to triple digits.
More mutants were still on their way to Vought!
The number of mutants calling the mutant hotline alone ran into the thousands!
Washington's higher-ups dared not delay for even a moment. By noon the day after the interview aired, Moira, sleepless