X-amining Uncanny X-Men #290

"Frayed"
July 1992

In a Nutshell
Forge leaves the team, ending his relationship with Storm.

Plot & Script: Scott Lobdell 
Pencils: Whilce Portacio
Inks: Scott Williams
Letters: L. Lois Buhalis
Colors: Kevin Tinsley
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
As Iceman and Hiro battle the Cyberai, Colossus makes travel arrangements for he and his brother to return to Russia, and misses his brother accidentally turning a delivery boy into a tree. Meanwhile, Storm considers Forge's proposal, while Forge discusses Storm's reaction with Jean. When Jean refuses to tell Forge whether or not Storm truly loves her, he rushes off. Back at the restaurant, Hiro tells Iceman to get Opal to safety while he holds off the Cyberai. At the mansion, an increasingly-insane Mystique taunts Bishop about the death of Randall, but is shielded from his retaliation by Forge. As Iceman and Opal flee the restaurant, Hiro detonates his armor, killing the Cyberai and himself, to Opal's shock and horror. Back at the mansion, Storm prepares to give her answer to Forge, but he cuts her off, telling her he's leaving to help take care of Mystique, believing she needs him more than Storm ever will, that Storm will never leave behind her responsibilities with the X-Men to be with him. Saying he now knows she'll never marry him, he departs, leaving a crushed Storm to quietly whisper that she was going to say yes.

X-amining Uncanny X-Men #289

"Knots"
June 1992

In a Nutshell
Forge proposes to Storm.

Writing: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: Whilce Portacio
Inks: Scott Willaims
Lettering: Tom Orzechowski
Coloring: Joe Rosas
Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Storm continues Bishop's orientation while Bobby nervously prepares for a date with Opal, during which she'll be meeting his parents for the first time. Meanwhile, Hiro is keeping watch on Iceman's parents from afar. Back at the mansion, Mystique, staying at the school at Wolverine's request, taunts Warren about his life pre-Archangel, drawing the attention of both Storm and Forge. This leads to Forge and Storm arguing, with Forge taking Storm to task for putting her responsibilities with the X-Men over their relationship. He tells her that he knows she is more than her cool, detached "Goddess" persona, but Storm isn't so sure. Forge declares he'll prove it to her, and asks her to marry him. Meanwhile, Bobby & Opal meet Bobby's parents for dinner, but Bobby's dad is blatantly racist about Bobby dating an Asian woman. Just then, Hiro interrupts, saying they're about to die, but that he is there to rescue Bobby and his family. As Bobby asks from who, Hiro's fellow cyber-ninjas suddenly appear, declaring that in order for vengeance to be exacted, Bobby's parents must die!