X-amining X-Force #34

"Guns & Poses"
May 1994

In a Nutshell
In the wake of "Child's Play", Rictor goes home.

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Tony Daniel
Inkers: Holdredge, La Rosa, Candelario
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In the wake of the Gamesmaster's defeat, Moonstar reveals she is in fact Dani Moonstar, former New Mutant, then departs, with X-Force unwilling to try and force her to stay with them. Outside, Magma breaks things off with Empath, who leaves himself, and Warpath tells Magma X-Force can drop her off in England on their way home, as she hopes to search for her family. Meanwhile, Shatterstar shows Rictor a news report that his uncle & cousin were shot in a gunfight with Mexican police, prompting Rictor to reluctantly return home. Later, he is reunited with his family, but remains disgusted by their involvement in the illegal gun trade, while Cable's presence draws attention due to his physical similarity to Stryfe, who killed Rictor's father, triggering a fight. But Rictor uses his power to defuse the situation, then visits his cousin in the hospital, telling him he belongs in prison. When his cousin accuses him of being too good for his family now, Rictor admits he's not, but that he's trying to be.

X-amining New Warriors #46

"Child’s Play (Fourth Move): Head Games"
April 1994

In a Nutshell
The Younghunt ends with Paige Guthrie starting a new game with Gamesmaster.

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Darick Robertson
Inkers: Mahlstedt, Bulandi, & Akin
Letterer: Steve Dutro
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Hallway Monitor: RobTokar
Shop Teacher: Tom DeFalco

Plot
The New Warriors & X-Force converge outside the Gamesmaster's Swiss chalet base. Assuming any plan they concoct will be foiled by Gamesmaster's telepathy, the two teams launch a frontal assault on the base. Gamesmaster responds by sending Siena Blaze and his captive mutants, all under his mental control, to fight the two teams, ultimately prevailing. With both teams unconscious, Gamesmaster declares himself the winner. Just then Paige Guthrie emerges and proposes a new game to Gamesmaster: let everyone live, and he gets to play against Paige, X-Force and the New Warrriors for the fate of the next generation of mutants. Amused, he agrees and declares Paige the winner, releasing his captives before disappearing. In the aftermath, the two teams ponder whether their lives are worth the price of this new game, and giving Gamesmaster the idea to influence new mutants. Ultimately, Cable concedes the point, but declares that if people like Gamesmaster are going to treat the survival of mutants like a game, then he intends to make sure it's a game they play to win.

X-amining X-Force #33

"Child's Play Third Move: Rules Were Made To Be Broken"
April 1994

In a Nutshell
X-Force battles Fitzroy

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Tony Daniel
Inker: John Holdredge
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist: Marie Javins
Guidance Counselor: Bob Harras (the mean one)
Cafeteria Monitor: Tom DeFalco (the meanest one)

Plot
Outside the Guthrie home, X-Force battles Fitzroy, tricking him into using his own life force to open a portal to the last place he's been. As X-Force jumps through, Cannonball's sister Paige follows them, over her mother's objections. Meanwhile, Justice delivers Firestar to Gamesmaster, who tells him he is well aware of Shinobi Shaw's plans to usurp him, that he knows Justice intends, in turn, to betray Shinobi, and that all the mutants captured in the Younghunt thus far are now connected to Gamesmaster, so to kill him would also kill them. In New York, the New Warriors blackmail Graydon Creed into telling them the Gamesmaster is at Shinobi's Swiss chalet, while X-Force arrives at Shinobi's penthouse and forces him to do the same. At the chalet, Karma wakes up and frees the captive mutants, revealing that she's been in control of Siena Blaze since Blaze attacked her in Madripoor. However, the Gamesmaster in turn reveals he's well aware of that, and takes control of Blaze himself, using her power to blast everyone into unconsciousness, declaring he'll use their powers against those coming to rescue them.

X-amining New Warriors #45

"Child's Play Second Move: Sleeping with the Enemy"
March 1994

In a Nutshell
Karma returns as the New Warriors are drawn into the Younghunt.

Writer: Nicieza
Pencilers: Robertson & McKinney
Inkers: Mahlstedt, McKenna & Stegbauer
Letterer: Avon
Colorist: Hondru
Editor: Tokar
Editor-in-Chief: DeFalco

Plot
As the Gamesmaster explains the details of the Younghunt to the captive Cannonball & Boomer, Night Thrasher briefs the New Warriors on his and Justice's undercover sting of Shinobi Shaw. They are interrupted by an attack from the armored Tribunal, operating in Graydon Creed's name. In Madripoor, Moonstar & Empath are attacked by Siena Blaze while trying to locate Karma, but Karma manages to take control of Blaze. Back in New York, the New Warriors defeat the Tribunal, aided by the sudden arrival of Justice, who reveals that Firestar is the next target of the Younghunt, and he needs to bring her to Shinobi Shaw in order to maintain his cover. Firestar reluctantly agrees to play along, and Justice delivers her to Shaw, who reveals he plans to use her as bait to get close enough to the Gamesmaster to use the other captive mutants to overthrow him and the rest of the Upstarts. However, though Shaw believes his plans are shielded from Gamesmaster, in truth, Gamesmaster is well aware of them. But just then, Siena Blaze contacts him, announcing that she's captured three more targets: Moonstar, Empath & Karma.

X-amining X-Force #32

"Child's Play (First Move) With a Roll of the Dice"
March 1994

In a Nutshell
Cannonball & Boomer are captured as the Younghunt begins

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciler: Tony Daniel
Inker: Jon Holdredge
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
In Nova Roma, Magma is captured by Fenris, but Empath manages to escape. At the Hellfire Club in New York, Justice meets with Night Thrasher and tells him he's learned the next targets of the Upstarts are the surviving members of the New Mutants & Hellions. In Kentucky, X-Force arrives at Cannonball's family home, where his sister Paige tells them how Cannonball & Boomer were captured by Siena Blaze. Elsewhere, Gamesmaster calls a meeting of the Upstarts, reminding them not to kill their targets, and pointing out that would-be members Fenris are already in the lead of the latest game. Back in Nova Roma, Fenris attempts to capture Empath, but are stopped by Moonstar, while Fitzroy confronts X-Force at the Guthrie farm. In New York, Shinobi Shaw informs Justice to either bring the next target to him, or else let one of the other Upstarts take a crack at her, and Justice flies off to confront his girlfriend, the former Hellion known as Firestar.