291: Young X-Men # 6-12 (Series End)
- Matt Campbell
- 19 hours ago
- 4 min read
What’s Covered?
Young X-Men # 6-12
Roster Watch
Synopsis
6 - 7: Walkthrough
Writer - Marc Guggenheim
Pencils - Ben Oliver
Cyclops brings in Danny and Roberto—rather than as teachers, they’re now field trainers whose job is to mold the newbies into soldiers. The young X‑Men are being prepped for real combat, not school-level training. The team (mostly Rockslide) threatens Ink in no uncertain terms, showing distrust after learning in the last arc (284: Young X-Men # 1 - 5) that he was working with Pierce. Meanwhile, we learn that Graymalkin might be wildly older than he looks—possibly even two centuries—and might be an ancestor of Charles Xavier. It’s also revealed that Blindfold will not be an active member of the team. Rumblings begin that Anole may soon join.
Tensions escalate as a teammate’s status is questioned. Dust is told by Pierce that one of the “New X‑Men” isn’t even a mutant. Dust reveals her secret anguish: she wishes she wasn’t a mutant. On top of that, she confides she’s dying. The team heads off to an island under construction to track missing workers, which turns out to be Krakoa. To their surprise, Ink locates the workers; and it turns out he is the non‑mutant. The real “mutant” behind the trouble is his tattoo artist. This discovery shakes the team, especially Rockslide, uncertain if Ink still belongs on the team.
8-9: The Y men
Writer - Marc Guggenheim
Pencils - Rafa Sandoval
Faced with the truth, Ink quits the team upon learning he isn’t a mutant. Meanwhile, Anole, still wrestling with his own insecurities, reluctantly accepts joining the Young X‑Men. We had previously learned that he was struggling with being gay and had moved to San Francisco to start over. The team embarks on a mission against a gang of tattooed thugs. Surprisingly, the Young X-Men get their asses handed to them. Just when hope seems lost, a mysterious figure appears: Cipher — she invites Ink to come with her, claiming they are both X‑Men.
Ink makes a bold return by getting a Phoenix tattoo, which he uses to absorb and redirect the tattoos and powers of the gang thugs, saving the team in a dangerous pinch. The heroics raise one burning question for everyone: who is Cipher? Her motives, her powers, her alliance — it's all shrouded in mystery.
The dramatic rescue injects urgency and power into the narrative — and shows that even non‑traditional “mutants” can be heroes. Cipher’s enigmatic appearance looms large: is she friend, manipulator, or wildcard? The issue shifts the arc from team‑building to survival under unpredictable forces.
10: Who the Hell is Cipher?
Writer - Marc Guggenheim
Pencils - Ben Oliver
Back in base, we learn that Dust is suffering from cellular degradation, a lingering effect from when she was “turned to glass.” Death is not distant: she has maybe a week left. Meanwhile, it’s revealed Cipher is an invisible mutant who has been around for quite some time, known only to Jean Grey and Cyclops. This was really lame in my opinion and a pretty tough sell. At the same time, Pierce makes a sinister bargain: he claims he can save Dust’s life, but only if she frees him. Dust’s fate hangs by a thread.
11-12: Dust to Damned
Writer - Marc Guggenheim
Pencils - Rafa Sandoval
Under mounting pressure, Dust concedes and frees Pierce. What follows is chaos. While Dust was willing to break out Pierce, she will not openly fight her team. A brutal fight breaks out. Dust is seemingly killed in the struggle. Meanwhile, readers are shown chilling flashes of some dystopian future in a mutant country called Xaviera — where the surviving young mutants are slaughtered. The vision ends with the death of Wolverine.
In a desperate, last‑ditch effort, Ink channels the Phoenix tattoo to resurrect Dust — bringing her back to life. The immediate crisis is defused. For now, the Young X‑Men resolve to stick together, though the series ends here. But the resurrection doesn’t erase the ominous prophecy from Xaviera: in that future, Dust goes insane and kills the remaining mutants. Present‑day unity feels fragile, uncertain, haunted by the shadow of what’s to come.
My Connections and Creators
Boring or Great?
These characters are always pretty fun and it was a natural continuation of the Academy X stories, although I don't understand why Julian (Hellion,) Laura (X-23,) Cessily (Mercury,) and Surge were not in this. I understand that Laura is in X-Force, but I don't believe the rest of them are active characters in any other stories. While Ink was mildly interesting, I could have lived without him, Graymalkin, and Cipher (lol.)
Thoughts on Art
The shift in pencilers mid‑run is noticeable but effective: Oliver’s art in the early issues feels polished and orderly, befitting the idea of a structured training program. When the series takes a darker, more chaotic direction, Sandoval’s grittier, more dynamic style heightens tension and emotional weight. The tattooed gang, the Phoenix‑tattoo resurrection — the visuals carry as much storytelling power as the script.
Things to keep an eye on
Will Dust's malady ever come back?
Will we ever see Ink, Graymalkin, or Cipher again? I doubt it.
Where is Julian, Cessily, and Surge!?