Villain: Magneto & The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants: Toad, Mastermind, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver

First Appearance: Mr. And Mrs. Grey

Gadgets & Technology: Asteroid M, Magneto Plane (aka Magno-Ship,) Magnetic Intensifier

Letters Page: Page One

Unfortunately for Scott, he gets stuck in the Danger Room behind a sealed door while the automatic "Danger Apparatus" is turned on! He has to fight off a Danger Room routine geared to the skills of the Beast. He manages to do so, but it nearly costs him his life! The Greys are satisfied with their visit, and later pull out of the driveway and head home, their journey noted by a mysterious Mastermind, who is casing the area to find the location of the X-Men's mansion. Mastermind can't detect the building, so he beckons Quicksilver to pick him up in a Magneto Plane and return him to Asteroid M, the current hideout for the Evil Mutants. As all members of the Brotherhood join together to discuss their next plan, Magneto makes it clear that he views the X-Men as their biggest threat, and unveils his next plan to trap them.

Back at the mansion, Bobby tries to interest a sullen Scott Summers into watching a track meet on TV, to which Scott is angrily resistant, thinking it better to sit and worry about Professor X. While watching the track meet, the rest of the teens notice an incredible performance of one of the athletes, as he bounces past all the other runners and performs feats beyond the abilities of normal man. As they watch the stadium show their rage towards a person they view as a "fake," The X-Men assume this is a mutant in need of protection. With the Professor's assurances, they fly off to rescue him.

As they arrive at the stadium, the mystery athlete has been surrounded by an angry mob. The Angel dives in and carries him away to a waiting car. They are able to escape the stadium and make their way to a subway station. Inside the subway car, a curious Beast thinks he recognizes the athlete, and notices he's wearing a mask- it's really THE TOAD!!! He bounds out of the railway car and the X-Men give chase, but they have fallen into a trap! Magneto lies in wait and immediately launches an attack on the Angel, binding him together inside a metal cage. The rest of the Evil Mutants fend off the X-Men, and eventually make way with their prize- the hostage Warren Worthington!

At Asteroid M, Magneto launches into an interrogation of the Angel, who won't break. In response, Magneto begins to brainwash him. The X-Men, on Earth and with a hostage of their own in the Toad, try to wheedle information from him on the whereabouts of the Angel and the escaped Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The Toad, however, is in a daze, seemingly out of sorts and wandering. He leans down to his sock and triggers a communicator wrapped around his ankle, and shortly a pick-up capsule descends from the skies. Assuming it's meant for the Toad's return to Magneto's private base, the X-Men all load inside.

Once inside the walls of Asteroid M, the X-Men confront Mastermind, who escapes to warn Magneto of the oncoming mutants. Magneto dons his Magnetic Intensifier so he can more powerfully command his magnetism. He quickly disables Cyclops and Marvel Girl, but is unable to completely stop the team's progress. Sensing he will not be able to completely stop them, he announces he is going to blow them out of the air lock and into outer space. Scarlet Witch will not countenance murder, and hexes the control panel to stop Magneto. While Magneto rages against Quicksilver and his sister, Cyclops blasts open the door to the room- the X-Men have arrived! Cyclops enmeshes the Evil Mutants in battle while the rest of the team slips away to free the Angel. The team stands up to a final assault by Mastermind and Magneto, but as they fight, Asteroid M starts to break apart. Magneto attempts to isolate the X-Men into a part of the satellite that is disintegrating, but runs out of time. The X-Men manage to quickly escape in a pod, returning to Earth and a waiting Professor X.

Happy to see him, and proud of their ability to stand up to a team of powerful mutants, the X-Men are informed by their mentor that the loss of his powers was all an act- he was merely giving them their final exam! By taking on the evil mutants without the help of their Professor X, the students passed with flying colors!

--synopsis and panel images by Gormuu

-- scanned letters page provided by Karl Mattson