The Mutant Massacre (also known as the Marvel Mutant Massacre) was a X-Men storyline created by Marvel Comics, released in 1986.
Above ground, the X-Men are in a bit of a schism - the original five X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Beast and Angel) had reunited and, at Angel's suggestion, decides to form X-Factor in an attempt to rescue mutants and rehabilitate them under the disguise as "mutant hunters". However, the other X-Men and the New Mutants had a new head master at the Xavier Institute as Magneto had decided to pull a Heel–Face Turn and join the X-Men in Xavier's stead. Untrusting of Magneto, X-Factor refused to contact the X-Men and let them know who they were.
Below ground, something sinister was coming. The Morlocks, a sprawling society of mutants living underground, had lived peacefully since the day Storm fought Calisto for control of the mutant colony. However, a group of mutants known as the Marauders had learned of the Morlocks and now knew of their home. It was time for a cleansing. The horrible screams and vicious attacks would catch the attention of the X-Men and X-Factor in their own ways. Can even the aid of the God of Thunder Thor and the young super team the Power Pack save the Morlocks and the X-Men from extermination?
The Mutant Massacre was unique for its storytelling technique. Despite the storyline being told through Uncanny X-Men #210-213, X-Factor #9-11, The Mighty Thor #373-374, Power Pack #27 and a "side story" of sorts in Daredevil #238, the story was not technically told in straight-line parts. The way a reader could read the story, they could pick up an issue of one title and get part of a story told to completion. However, the reader could also collect all of the parts and get the fuller story.
Beyond the technique, this storyline featured a number of events and set into motion numerous plots. This would see the first mention of Mr. Sinister, whose actions would kickstart a number of events in the future, the first battle between Wolverine and Sabretooth, Psylocke joining the X-Men, the damaging of Angel's wings and the start of a plot in Thor which saw the God of Thunder rendered immortal yet frail.
Tropes Used in this Storyline:
- Action Girl: While there are numerous examples here, Psylocke and the Morlock Plague get big kudos here for taking on Sabretooth by themselves. Psylocke's actions get her to join the X-Men while Apocalypse recruits Plague for his Four Horsemen.
- The Chains of Commanding: After the X-Men are ravaged by the Marauders, Storm has a crisis of conscience due to everything and promptly bolts from the mansion.
- C-List Fodder: Probably one of the earliest uses of this trope. While there's plenty of maiming to go around, it's the Morlocks who drop like flies.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Twice during the story:
- When Mystique and the rest of Freedom Force are humiliated by X-Factor in their attempt to capture Rusty Collins, she goes and reveals information that Warren Worthington III is backing X-Factor.
- Due to Thor besting Hela during his search for Odin, she inflicts on him a curse that renders him immortal yet unable to heal, which he finds out when Blockbuster breaks his arm.
- Doomed New Clothes: The Uncanny X-Men Prelude has Rogue buying a new outfit. This gets ripped up by Riptide.
- For the Evulz: While the Marauders are here on a mission, they take sadistic glee in murdering innocent people no matter who they are.Annalee: Cal... Scalphunter... He was... one who murdered... my babies — said so... boasted— how can anyone be so cruel--
Calisto: To some, dear old duffer, that comes naturally. - Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: When Storm goes through a massive My God, What Have I Done? moment after the X-Men's disastrous tromp into the Morlock Tunnels, Calisto hunts her down and rattles her back to her senses.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: In two different ways:
- X-Factor completely distrusted the X-Men because they had Magneto on their team, thus any attempt to contact them was shot down.
- At the time, X-Factor had been running a strange scheme where X-Factor disguised themselves as human "mutant hunters" only to wrangle these endangered mutants as the "mutant activists" known as the X-Terminators. However, X-Factor's actions, thanks in part to Cameron Hodge, stoked anti-mutant hysteria and would lead to a group of Morlocks getting gunned down by the police.
- Humiliation Conga: Poor Angel. His company's connection to X-Factor is exposed, his girlfriend Candy Southern breaks up with him when she catches him comforting Marvel Girl, the Marauders ambush and pin him to a wall with Blockbuster ripping handfuls of his wings off of him and he's ultimately forced to have his wings amputated.
- Innocence Lost: A major part of the story is the young heroes having to come to grips with the deaths of so many innocent people. Even more so is how even the older heroes find themselves making choices that they usually don't.
- Left Hanging: The fates of Karma’s siblings wouldn't be resolved until 1997!
- Mode Lock: Riptide shoves multitude of stars into Colossus' hide and, when Magneto tries to heal him, he accidentally locks him in his steel form unable to move until before the events of Fall of the Mutants. As well, Harpoon strikes Shadowcat just as she's trying to phase. This causes Kitty to be stuck in her intangible form until the events of Fantastic Four vs. X-Men.
- Neck Snap: How Colossus kills Riptide and Thor kills Blockbuster.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: While Thor had intended on giving the dead Morlocks a Viking Funeral, Hela revealing what was wrong with him pissed him off so much that he utterly cleaned the Tunnels of any trace of life. This has the unintentional effect of making the X-Men believe the New Mutants were dead after Magus captures them.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore: The X-Men have suffered casualties with Colossus, Nightcrawler, Kitty out of action (the latter two eventually Put on a Bus). They change their base of operations away from the School for Gifted Youngsters.
- Power Nullifier: The Marauder Scrambler has the ability to neutralize his victim’s powers via physical contact.
- Present Absence: The Uncanny X-Men Prelude of the crossover has the team dealing with the disappearance of Rachel Summers.
- Put on a Bus: Nightcrawler and Kitty. Colossus for about 13 issues.
- Rage Breaking Point: Colossus is so infuriated with the Marauders that he powers through Riptide's throwing star shower, grabs him by the neck and snaps it before turning to Harpoon.Colossus: HARPOON— make peace with your gods, little man — you are next!
- Rebuff the Amateur: The X-Men do this to Psylocke several times, feeling she is too inexperienced. Fortunately, surviving a fight with Sabretooth wins them over.
- Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated: The New Mutants are believed dead when Thor burned the sewers with lightning.
- Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: In the issues of X-Factor just before the story kicks off, Freedom Force are brawling with the team when Destiny gets a vision, and tells Mystique they need to get out of there. Immediately.
- Skeleton Motif: Dani Moonstar sees a BIG one hovering over the school, just as the mortally injured Morlock have been transported.
- This Cannot Be!: Wolverine has this reaction when he picks up the scent of the (to his knowledge) late Jean Grey in the tunnels.
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Many of the heroes involved in the story — even the Power children — find themselves teetering between upholding their morals and making nasty smears of the Marauders. It's a shock when Storm orders Wolverine to capture one Marauder for questioning and allows him to do whatever he wishes to the rest.
- We Can Rule Together: The Hellfire Club offers Magneto a seat as the White King, figuring that it might be best if the X-Men and the Club be allies in the mounting Anti-Mutant hysteria.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: Kitty tells a mob off for condemning Nightcrawler for his appearance.
- The Worf Effect: Just so that the Marauders aren't shown to be just sadistic murdering bullies, they take down Nightcrawler, Colossus, Shadowcat and Angel and give Thor and Wolverine a hard time.
- Worf Had the Flu:
- Nightcrawler had sustained injuries from a battle with Nimrod. This limited his ability to teleport. This proved detrimental when, after teleporting Vertigo into submission, he couldn’t use his power when Riptide attacked him.
- Storm had previously lost her powers after being blasted by a neutralizer gun created by Forge. This proves actually beneficial when the Marauder Scrambler tries to affect her.
- Thor gets cursed by Hela to suffer broken bones. Blockbuster breaks his arm.
