Operation: Zero Tolerance - 25 Years Later part 8: The Kids Aren't Alright

Generation X was the vehicle that really get "Operation: Zero Tolerance" going. Yes, Bastion had been making provocative moves as far back as X-Men Unlimited 11, but none of them amounted to anything and no one in the X books ever brought up Bastion as a threat. In fact, until Cable 40, none of the X teams were forced into a conflict with Operation: Zero Tolerance. Despite Bastion's encounter with Rogue, it was somewhat unclear how much the writers believed Bastion knew about the X-Men (this was especially evident in Onslaught: Epilogue). Even when his investigation began in Generation X 20, Bastion's information seemed somewhat contradictory--for instance knowing Banshee's identity and Chamber's codename but having no idea that the school was connected to the X-Men. Lobdell finally settles on Bastion having a great deal of knowledge about the X-Men, something made clear in Generation X 27 when the event proper begins via the Jubilee plotline.

From there the series somewhat meanders through the event as the three plotlines spinning out of issue 25 (the capture of Jubilee, the students getting lost, and Banshee and Emma searching for their lost charges) spin their wheels. Unfortunately Generation X's involvement feels somewhat perfunctory (though not as much of a cash grab situation as their "Onslaught" issues). This series of issues would also see the departure of Scott Lobdell as writer and a drastic change in Chris Bachalo's art style.

The following includes major spoilers for Generation X 27-31.

Generation X 27

The Plight of Jubilee

Following Jubilee's failed escape attempt from the lab (in an undisclosed snowy location), she is returned to Bastion's repurposed Hulkbuster base in Generation X 27 where Bastion interrogates her. Using a series of projections he tries to convince Jubilee that she is the last surviving X-Man. He produces an apparently wrecked visor from Cyclops and a seemingly captured Wolverine who is being tortured.

The analyst Daria, who assisted Bastion's investigation into the Massachusetts Academy, is working with him again here. She is able to prompt Jubilee to relive memories with the goal of shaking her mentally and pushing her to reveal intelligence about the X-Men. Over the course of the interrogation Daria finds herself sympathizing with Jubilee and disapproving of Bastion's actions (though she keeps that to herself for the time). At one point Jubilee is able to push Bastion into inadvertently succumbing to his own memory scanning technology, and Daria finds herself watching a brief image of Bastion's past that suggests he is an artificial person.

Bastion pushes his ruse a little too far when the projection of Wolverine begs for the torture to stop. This convinces Jubilee that she's being lied to and prompts Bastion to abandon his efforts to gain intelligence and order an attack against the X-Men (which commences at the end of X-Men 64).

Jubilee's significance drops considerably after this issue. Bastion loses interest in her and Jubilee's only contact is with Daria. When Jubilee uses her powers in an attempt to escape it triggers Daria to release nanites from inside her that she didn't know were there. Jubilee talks her down until she can regain control of the technology within her. By the end of issue 31 Daria has built up a strong enough connection with Jubilee that she frees her, drops her off some distance from the base, and provides a distraction so Jubilee can evade recapture (Jubilee's story continues in Wolverine 117).

Escape to Los Angeles

Generation X 31

The other students, last seen lost at sea in Generation X 26, would be rescued via an encounter with Glorian, shaper of dreams. Finding the team worthy, he makes each of their fondest dreams real (though they don't realize they're living in a fantasy made manifest). These events take place on a ship at sea with Glorian explaining that he raised the ship from beneath the ocean and brought the team to it. Skin is the only one of the team not under Glorian's spell and he pushes back against the idea that these fantasies are really want the teams wants. As Glorian gets agitated the fantasies fall apart and in the end Glorian grants Skin's unspoken wish and transports the whole team to L.A.

Once in L.A. Skin takes the team to stay with his cousin. While there the team is betrayed by an old enemy of his and are subsequently attacked by Operation: Zero Tolerance's Prime Sentinels. The team is able to evade the sentinels for a time but ultimately face a full assault. This is resolved off panel in a battle that sees Monet split into two younger girls (which begins leads to the explanation of her origins).

It's 10 O'clock--Do You Know Where Your Students Are?

The Banshee and Emma plot doesn't intersect with "Operation: Zero Tolerance". In the wake of the fight with Mondo they're searching for their students. Banshee believes they've somehow become trapped on Krakoa, so the two headmasters set off in Emma's jet. On route they pick up a distress call from the X-Men (this corresponds to the sentinel attack on the X-Men in X-Men 64-65). The two don't actually link up with the X-Men and instead travel to Florida to one of Emma's last undiscovered safe houses in order to hide from Bastion's forces. While in hiding Banshee and Emma are contacted by D.O.A., a servant of Emplate, who offers a trade: in exchanged for Penance being turned over to him, Emplate will reveal the location of the rest of the students. Emma seems to agree only to be punched out by Banshee before the trade can be finalized (though Emma insists she was never going to go through with it).

Though all of these characters remain separated at the end of Generation X 31, they will have reunited by the beginning of issue 32.

What's My Age Again

Left and center: Generation X 25. Right: Generation X 30

Bachalo's work on Generation X was distinctive from the beginning of the series, with a somewhat exaggerated style to the various characters he drew. This style changed radically beginning with issue 27 as Bachalo begins drawing every main character beside Banshee as shockingly young. The students appear almost as pre-teens with Emma being drawn not much older looking--perhaps an older teenager. It's a somewhat bizarre choice, and an odd way for Bachalo, whose last issue on the series is 31, to go out.

Speaking of going out, Lobdell would also leave the series during this time with his last issue being 28, practically in the middle of "Operation: Zero Tolerance" given the Jubilee story that became so much more serious in issue 27. Lobdell's choice to leave the series was motivated by a desire to put a greater focus on the two X-Men books. However, he wasn't interested in the direction editorial chose to take the X books and he left both titles shortly after "Operation: Zero Tolerance" ended. Probably the most significant story departure from Lobdell's original plan was Monet's origin which became somewhat more convoluted than Lobdell had intended (though he has said the changes were an editorial decision rather than the writers').

In the end Generation X proved an underwhelming addition to the event. The issues were not quite as minimal in their contribution as X-Force and X-Man, but they were unimpressive. Whether that was a result of Lobdell's departure there's no way to know, but given his connection to both Generation X and Bastion I would consider it a possibility.

~~~

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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