Operation Zero Tolerance - 25 Years Later part 2: The Pro-Pro-Prologue

Onslaught: Marvel Universe isn't even over before the X writers are telling us how much worse things are about to get for mutants; the pivot from "Onslaught" to "Operation: Zero Tolerance" may seem abrupt, but in truth the X books start weaving in threads leading to "Operation: Zero Tolerance" from practically the end of "Age of Apocalypse". In hindsight, the building blocks for "Operation: Zero Tolerance" actually make more sense than the ones being laid at the same time for "Onslaught". Like with "Onslaught", these preliminary story threads run through the event's villains, Graydon Creed and Bastion. And like Onslaught the character, Creed and Bastion are total mustache twirlers lacking in any complexity whatsoever (this isn't really a surprise since "Operation: Zero Tolerance" could have been called "Let's Genocide the Mutants" for all its subtlety). Fortunately, what the writers skimped on in character development they more than made up for in intrigue.

The following includes spoilers for multiple X books set before Onslaught: X-Men, most significantly Uncanny X-Men #299, Uncanny X-Men #333, and X-Men Unlimited #11.

Uncanny X-Men 299

Creed for America

Graydon Creed first appears in a debate on mutant rights in Uncanny X-Men #299 (though he was previously mentioned in Stryfe's Strike Files where his parentage was alluded to but not established). He's the founder of the human rights organization Friends of Humanity and is more openly hostile to mutants than Senator Kelly. Ironically, he is the son of two mutants: Mystique and Sabretooth. While his parentage was revealed to readers in Sabretooth #1-4, (where, hiding behind the identity Tribune, he captured his father and sent him on a mission to kill his mother) it is not common knowledge in universe. Creed makes several additional appearances before "Age of Apocalypse". The most significant of which are connected to his anti-mutant interests with the Friends of Humanity (he's also involved in a storyline connected to the Gamesmaster where he's on a team called the Upstarts).

X-Factor 123

Creed's storyline jumps in significance in Uncanny X-Men #323 when he starts making fiery speeches in the wake of gruesome murders committed by the Morlock terrorist group Gene Nation. It's not long before an advisor suggests he consider a presidential run (X-Men #45) and he makes his announcement in X-Men #51. Creed's campaign eventually acquires a powerful patron willing to provide him funding. In X-Factor #123 Creed meets with a man named Harper, a representative of that patron, who not only provides some of that financing but discusses efforts to kill Mystique to prevent her from revealing information about Creed that would doom his campaign.

I'm Not So Bad Ackshually

The introduction of Graydon Creed kicks off an effort by the X writers to humanize Senator Robert Kelly and ultimately use him as a contrast with Bastion in order to establish just how bad Zero Tolerance is compared to previous anti-mutant government efforts. Kelly's last appearance before Graydon Creed's first appearance, Uncanny X-Men #281, sees him ranting and raving at the X-Men, promising they'll pay for endangering innocent lives. The senator was long the personification of the government's mutant intolerance, being the primary backer of the Mutant Registration Act and Project Wideawake, the government program responsible for creating updated Sentinels to hunt and detain mutants. He was the politician whose assassination at the hands of Mystique would have set off the dystopian future in "Days of Future Past". Years later Kelly's anti-mutant bias grew even stronger when his wife Sharon was killed by Master Mold during a battle with Rogue.

Uncanny X-Men 299

Kelly's mutant stance softens considerably beginning in Uncanny X-Men #299 when he appears in the same mutant rights debate as Graydon Creed (and Charles Xavier). When baited by Creed, Kelly denies that the X-Men were responsible for his wife's death and rejects the idea that he harbors any hostility toward mutants out of a sense of revenge. He denounces the goals of Creed and the Friends of Humanity, accusing them of pursuing a political agenda of genocide. And while he reaffirms his commitment to controlling "the more scurrilous genetically challenged", he insists that it must be done in a way that upholds the rights of all American citizens.

Enter Bastion: Uncanny X-Men #333

Uncanny X-Men 333

The head of the government program Operation: Zero Tolerance makes a couple shadowy appearances before the X-Men first encounter him. The first of these is in X-Men #52  alongside a pair of men recording the aftermath of a train full of humans being turned into mutants; he takes the video tape as one of his two companions ominously drops his name. The second is in X-Force #54 when he chastises Detective Charlotte Jones for releasing X-Force from her custody. He doesn't drop his name here but he does throw out the very on the nose comment that his people have "little tolerance for this kind of injustice. Zero tolerance in fact."

Bastion's grand entrance comes in Uncanny X-Men #333. Charles Xavier has heard about a critical meeting in the Pentagon that the X-Men need to monitor, so Jean Grey and Gambit are sent in undercover to investigate. They find themselves in a briefing about a new "multi-national human survival taskforce" called Operation: Zero Tolerance. Bastion is the operation's leader and he claims that he's going to set humans free from a mutant siege. As he discusses the mutant threat he reveals that intelligence has to come to him--intelligence about something malevolent called Onslaught. He details an earlier mysterious incident at a sentinel plant that he believes is connected to Onslaught (the mystery was revealed to be Onslaught taking control of the sentinels that he later used to quarantine New York).

Jean's attempts to scan Bastion without success. Bastion's mind is closed to her and where Jean usually feels mental resistance from people who can keep her out of their mind she senses nothing from Bastion, calling him a psionic blank slate. Before she can make sense of that, though, Bastion identifies her and Gambit. As the pair fight their way to freedom, Jean questions how Bastion knew they were mutants and is further dismayed that her telekinesis has no effect on Bastion. These are the first of many hints going forward about Bastion having an ominous origin. Sharp eyed readers will likely take note of Bastion's appearance and spawn some theories.

Uncanny X-Men 333

Providing additional weight to Bastion's introduction is a subplot involving a meeting between Cyclops and Robert Kelly. The scenes between the two continue the writer's efforts to rehabilitate Kelly as he laments that his previous efforts to "stop the madness" of mutants and humans killing each other (the aforementioned Mutant Registration Act and Project Wideawake) have led to an international group with a new agenda that he believes is an effort to eliminate the entire mutant race. But before Kelly can get into too many details, the meeting is cut short by a bombing orchestrated by Graydon Creed.

X-Men Unlimited 11

Opening Salvo

Bastion's first move against the X-Men comes in X-Men Unlimited #11 when Rogue, who has been on a sabbatical since her falling out with Gambit in X-Men #45, is reported to the authorities by her land lady who suspects she is a mutant. Bastion and a group of soldiers with Humanity's Last Stand move on the small town Rogue has been staying in and captures her with ease after threatening to kill her landlady's child. Bastion's intention is to destroy the town and murder its residents leaving Rogue behind to take the blame. The plan is disrupted when Joseph, having infiltrated Humanity's Last Stand, rescues Rogue and helps her drive the soldiers away. Bastion escapes, but despite his failure to inflame public opinion by framing Rogue, he sees the operation as a success because Magneto's apparent return will drum up more international support.

Scott Lobdell's original intention to use Bastion immediately following "Onslaught" works to great effect during this period between that event and "Age of Apocalypse". While the decision to turn "Operation: Zero Tolerance" into the next big X event creates some schedule disruption after "Onslaught", introducing Bastion at this time, alongside Graydon Creed launching his presidential campaign creates an effective two track storyline that builds tension organically over the long term rather than having to pivot into "Operation: Zero Tolerance" immediately after "Onslaught".

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For an index of the entries in this "Operation: Zero Tolerance" retrospective, jump back to the landing page here. And for an issue-by-issue commentary check out Twitter @theroncouch #CompleteOZT.

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