The Gift

*“My sister says that, with the Firefountain's aid, the entire planet can be like this -- Paradise reborn. A new garden of Eden for humanity -- with every person on Earth granted superpowers.”*

—**Northstar**, *X-Men/Alpha Flight #1*

## The Gift

### Character(s)

Northstar
X-Men
Alpha Flight
Loki

**The Gift** is a storyline written by Chris Claremont, with art by Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek, colors by Glynis Oliver, and letters by Tom Orzechowski.

The story was first published in *X-Men/Alpha Flight* #1-2 in September and December 1985.

## Story

### Part 1

While transporting a mixture of American and Canadian scientists to the Arctic Circle, Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor's plane is struck down by a mystical light. Rachel Grey, training with the X-Men in the Danger Room, senses Cyclops's plane crashing in the arctic and believes it to be the work of Shaman of Alpha Flight, as the attack was similar to the X-Men's first encounter with the Canadian super-team. Meanwhile, at a hospital in Calgary, Shaman exams Sasquatch until a gravely injured Snowbird appears at his doorstep. Rachel Grey quickly ambushes Alpha Flight, with her teammates in the X-Men following her in effort to keep her from hurting anyone.

During the battle, Northstar grabbed Rogue after believing the X-Men to be attacking Alpha Flight. Rogue, in turn, grabs Northstar and kisses him, absorbing his memories and knocking him out. Professor X calms the situation by pulling Rachel into the astral plane and scolding her rash actions. With the battle over, Shaman checks on Snowbird but finds himself unable to heal her wounds. She tells Shaman that she was struck down at the same moment as Cyclops's plane, and that there's a terrible evil emanating from Ungava Bay.

Elsewhere, Loki meets with the primordial deities known as Those Who Sit Above in Shadow. They task Loki with doing a good deed for the people of Earth to prove his worthiness of their favor.

As both Alpha Flight and the X-Men fly to Ungava Bay in one of Puck's airplanes, Heather Hudson converses with Wolverine. She tells him that she's worried about Northstar and how afraid of being vulnerable he is. Wolverine notes that Rogue tagged along with Northstar to scout ahead of the group. Heather is shocked at hearing Northstar teaming up with anyone, especially a woman. At the same time, Northstar brushes off Rogue's help, but she notes that she experienced every thought and memory of his after touching him. This angers Northstar, but Rogue tells him about her powers and how she had no choice. Suddenly, Northstar notices Rogue chewing on a piece of summer grass, and flies ahead to investigate how it was found in the arctic. The heroes land to find a massive, golden palace.

Cyclops greets the heroes, revealing that he no longer needs a visor to contain his optic blasts. Cyclops introduces them to the fpunders of the palace, a collective of the scientists aboard Cyclops's plane that had mysteriously gained powers suited to their personalities. Madelyne Pryor has taken the codename Anodyne, and uses her powers of healing to cure Puck of his dwarfism, Sasquatch of his human guise, and Aurora of her split personalities. After she heals Rogue's inability to touch someone without absorbing their memories, Northstar offers his hand to test it out. Rogue is ecstatic to find that she can touch him, and kisses Northstar out of joy.

The scientists later show the superheroes their "magic fountain" which is the source of their powers. Hypnotized, Heather walks down the ramp but Northstar tries to stop her. He begs her not to continue, but she remarks that she didn't know he cared. Heather returns taller and stronger, in an outfit resembling a valkyrie.

When several monstrous creatures burst out of Shaman's medical bag, Northstar and Aurora flies the bag out of the area. While flying, Northstar tries to reason with his sister, expressing distrust in the Berserkers. They return to the group to find Shaman slowly dying from the monster's attacks.

### Part 2

On the shores of Ungava Bay, Talisman and Shadowcat find a Nordic runestone while searching for Rachel Grey in a cave. Soon, the cave begins to collapse, and the three make it out in time, but not before Talisman discovers the fountain's source is magical.

Later, Wolverine finds Snowbird hiding in a cave near Shaman's monster-filled medicine bag. She begs him to leave her to die alone, but he refuses. Two of the scientists, Beastmaster and Pathfinder, ambush Wolverine in an attempt to murder Snowbird, but Wolverine kills Pathfinder and beats Beastmaster to near death.

At the golden palace, Rogue asks Northstar to dance with her, but he declines. After Sasquatch makes a crack at Northstar's unwillingness to form even simple friendships, Northstar takes Rogue's hand and dances. Rogue tells Northstar how Anodyne's powers have set her free. Later that night, Rogue and Northstar stand at the balcony and watch the stars, with Northstar expressing doubt in this mystical fountain.

Suddenly, Wolverine bursts into the dining hall with Beastmaster's unconscious body and Snowbird. He reveals to the others that magical beings such as Snowbird and Shaman will be killed off with the Firefountain. Each of the X-Men and Alphans take a side, either preferring to sacrifice magical beings to save humanity or to save their friends by renouncing the fountain's gifts. Northstar sides with Wolverine, Talisman, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Shadowcat, and Professor X, refusing to allow Snowbird and Shaman to die. A battle ensues, with Northstar initially flying with Wolverine in his arms in search for an entrance to the fountain, and later battling his own sister who had sided with Anodyne.

Northstar then helps Talisman after she was attacked by Earth-Mover, and Professor X urges Northstar to fly Talisman to the fountain while he cloaks their thoughts and movements from the other telepaths. However, before Talisman can do anything with the fountain, Master Builder confronts them and traps them in a crystal. Aurora finds a book filled with Master Builder's designs, leading him to realize that the cost for their powers were their ability to create. Aurora flies Talisman back to the main group to inform them of their findings.

Soon, Loki appears and reveals his plot to the superheroes. He summons several frost giants to attack the heroes, and another battle begins. During the battle against Loki, Professor X orders Northstar to grab Anodyne and save Lore Lord, who had been blasted miles away by Loki. Loki appears to Anodyne and Northstar, offering to restore Anodyne's powers of healing if she pledges loyalty to him. She reluctantly agrees to save Lore Lord's life.

As they return to the main group, Those Who Live Above in Shadow appear in the stars and scold Loki for failing his end of their bargain. Loki storms off and strips the scientists and those healed by the fountain of their powers. Shaman and Snowbird thank their friends for saving their lives, with Snowbird stating that Loki's gift would have cost the earth its soul.

The superheroes board Puck's plane, ready to return to their lives. Heather asks Northstar if he's going with them, but Northstar hugs her and tells her that without Aurora, he has no place on Alpha Flight and is going to seek his own happiness. Realizing one person is missing, Cyclops finds Rachel in the Firefountain chamber, where Rachel decides not to tell the X-Man that he's her father.

## Featured characters

* Northstar
* X-Men
	+ Professor X
	+ Colossus
	+ Cyclops
	+ Nightcrawler
	+ Rachel Grey
	+ Rogue
	+ Shadowcat
	+ Wolverine
* Alpha Flight
	+ Heather Hudson
	+ Aurora
	+ Puck
	+ Sasquatch
	+ Shaman
	+ Snowbird
	+ Talisman
* Anodyne
* Loki

## External links

* X-Men/Alpha Flight (vol. 1) on Marvel Database