The Uncanny X-Men #201
The story begins with the X-Men back at the mansion (after being at Magneto's trial in Paris), meeting Madelyne and Cyclops's baby for the first time. Storm and Madelyne go out into the hall, and Storm senses a barely-restrained rage in Madelyne. She says that Cyclops vanished on her to go to Asgard, and when he returned every X-Man except him called her. While he was away, she had the baby on the floor, and one or both of them could have died, while he was away doing X-Men stuff in France. Storm says that Cyclops does love her very much, but he has never learned to show his feelings. In the other room Rachel is holding the baby. She telepathically tells him that she never had a baby brother, and she'll do anything to protect him from the life she's had. (Well, the baby -- no name yet -- gets retconned into Cable, so I guess Rachel fails at protecting him from being a crazy from a dark future...)
Outside, Cyclops is feeling bad that Professor X isn't there to share his joy at becoming a father. In space, the Starjammers and Professor X are fleeing the Shi'ar, and Corsair says they can't go back to Earth now, and maybe never. At the mansion, the X-Men are playing baseball. Colossus hits a ball way up into the air and Rogue flies after it. She sees Ronald Reagan flying past in Airforce 1, while she's up there, and kisses the window before flying off. (Apparently Reagan is to meet with Senator Dole (Bob Dole!), then Valerie Cooper. I think he actually did report seeing a UFO during his presidency, so this may be a cutesy reference to that.)
Kitty helps Cannonball with some computer problems, and when she's done she finds Storm in the hall. Cyclops and Madelyne can be heard arguing. Cyclops feels obliged to stay with the X-Men, not trusting Magneto, but Madelyne thinks he has a bigger obligation to her. She wonders if he's afraid the X-Men can't get along without him, or maybe that he's afraid that they can. Storm enters and says a decision must be made. She challenges Cyclops to a duel in the danger room to determine who will lead the team.
The New Mutants and Magneto are training in the danger room, but the X-Men boot them out so they can use it. Wolverine's openly rooting for Storm. Cypher creates an environment for Storm and Cyclops to duel in, a ruined city, giving Storm lots of cover. She ducks into some buildings, As Cyclops pursues her, she pops out of a low hole, tripping him with her belt. She blocks his optic blasts with his own arm, but he knocks her away and she flees. Kitty comments on Wolverine's favoritism, and he says that Cyclops's heart isn't in the duel because he's conflicted. Madelyne notices that the weather outside has become stormy. Cyclops stalks Storm through an abandoned building, but she darts forward and takes his visor. He can't uncover his eyes without fear of killing someone, so the fight is over. He shakes her hand and congratulates her, but inwardly he is a bit of a sore loser. (Storm appears to be subconsciously affecting the weather here.)
At Jean Grey's parents' house while they're asleep, Rachel is there, fixing the homeopathic crystal she broke a few issues back. She adds her own essence to the crystal, then departs, saying she's going to kill the Beyonder with the power of Phoenix! The end.
Overview: Well, this is an interesting issue for a few reasons. First, it's the first appearace of Cyclops and Madelyne's son, who would eventually get named Nathan Christopher Summers. He is later retconned to be Cable, so that makes him even more significant. It's the first time of many Rick Leonardi does the pencils in X-Men. He's kind of a mediocre penciler, but he did a lot of work at Marvel during the 80's, mostly fill-ins, I think, though he did do some Cloak and Dagger stuff. Moreover, the inker is the first professional work (I think) of Wilce Portacio, who eventually would start a studio with Jim Lee and become the regular penciler on X-Factor and later, Uncanny X-Men. (Starting the issue after Chris Claremont left.) He was one of the three founders of Image, along with Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld, but his book, Wetworks, didn't come out for a good year after the others, due to some personal problem. That was the end of his years of fame, alas, though I can't say I ever cared for his work.
This issue makes Cyclops out to be somewhat of a heel. It's convinced some people that Chris Claremont doesn't like Cyclops, which is just silly, since he treats him great most of the time. Cyclops is an introverted person who's been stuck in the same groove for much of his life, and is having trouble uprooting himself completely. X-Factor is right around the corner and I don't think Cyclops appears in X-Men again for nearly 50 issues, in Inferno. After he (regretably) ditches Madenlyne, she becomes part of the supporting cast of X-Men, while their baby sort of vanishes completely for a while. Alas!
Outside, Cyclops is feeling bad that Professor X isn't there to share his joy at becoming a father. In space, the Starjammers and Professor X are fleeing the Shi'ar, and Corsair says they can't go back to Earth now, and maybe never. At the mansion, the X-Men are playing baseball. Colossus hits a ball way up into the air and Rogue flies after it. She sees Ronald Reagan flying past in Airforce 1, while she's up there, and kisses the window before flying off. (Apparently Reagan is to meet with Senator Dole (Bob Dole!), then Valerie Cooper. I think he actually did report seeing a UFO during his presidency, so this may be a cutesy reference to that.)
Kitty helps Cannonball with some computer problems, and when she's done she finds Storm in the hall. Cyclops and Madelyne can be heard arguing. Cyclops feels obliged to stay with the X-Men, not trusting Magneto, but Madelyne thinks he has a bigger obligation to her. She wonders if he's afraid the X-Men can't get along without him, or maybe that he's afraid that they can. Storm enters and says a decision must be made. She challenges Cyclops to a duel in the danger room to determine who will lead the team.
The New Mutants and Magneto are training in the danger room, but the X-Men boot them out so they can use it. Wolverine's openly rooting for Storm. Cypher creates an environment for Storm and Cyclops to duel in, a ruined city, giving Storm lots of cover. She ducks into some buildings, As Cyclops pursues her, she pops out of a low hole, tripping him with her belt. She blocks his optic blasts with his own arm, but he knocks her away and she flees. Kitty comments on Wolverine's favoritism, and he says that Cyclops's heart isn't in the duel because he's conflicted. Madelyne notices that the weather outside has become stormy. Cyclops stalks Storm through an abandoned building, but she darts forward and takes his visor. He can't uncover his eyes without fear of killing someone, so the fight is over. He shakes her hand and congratulates her, but inwardly he is a bit of a sore loser. (Storm appears to be subconsciously affecting the weather here.)
At Jean Grey's parents' house while they're asleep, Rachel is there, fixing the homeopathic crystal she broke a few issues back. She adds her own essence to the crystal, then departs, saying she's going to kill the Beyonder with the power of Phoenix! The end.
Overview: Well, this is an interesting issue for a few reasons. First, it's the first appearace of Cyclops and Madelyne's son, who would eventually get named Nathan Christopher Summers. He is later retconned to be Cable, so that makes him even more significant. It's the first time of many Rick Leonardi does the pencils in X-Men. He's kind of a mediocre penciler, but he did a lot of work at Marvel during the 80's, mostly fill-ins, I think, though he did do some Cloak and Dagger stuff. Moreover, the inker is the first professional work (I think) of Wilce Portacio, who eventually would start a studio with Jim Lee and become the regular penciler on X-Factor and later, Uncanny X-Men. (Starting the issue after Chris Claremont left.) He was one of the three founders of Image, along with Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld, but his book, Wetworks, didn't come out for a good year after the others, due to some personal problem. That was the end of his years of fame, alas, though I can't say I ever cared for his work.
This issue makes Cyclops out to be somewhat of a heel. It's convinced some people that Chris Claremont doesn't like Cyclops, which is just silly, since he treats him great most of the time. Cyclops is an introverted person who's been stuck in the same groove for much of his life, and is having trouble uprooting himself completely. X-Factor is right around the corner and I don't think Cyclops appears in X-Men again for nearly 50 issues, in Inferno. After he (regretably) ditches Madenlyne, she becomes part of the supporting cast of X-Men, while their baby sort of vanishes completely for a while. Alas!