X-Men #109

Cover: Leinil Francis Lu (pencils) Mark Morales (Inks)

Title: Ceremonies (23 pages)

Writer: Chris Claremont
Pencils: Thomas Derenick
Inks: Rich Ketcham & Norm Rapmund
Colors: Liquid! Graphics
Letters: Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Saida Temofonte
Assistant Editor: Peter Franco
Editor: Mark Powers
Editor in Chief: Joe Quesada

Feature Characters: Professor X, Wolverine, Colossus (all next in Uncanny X-Men #390) Rogue, Betsy Braddock, Neil Shaara (last three leave the team, last three next in fourth flashback in X-Treme X-Men #3), Nightcrawler; Kitty Pride (behind the scenes)

Guest Stars: Remy LeBeau (next in Uncanny X-Men #390), Ororo Munroe (next in flashback in X-Treme X-Men #2), Henry McCoy (next in Uncanny X-Men #390), Bishop (next in fifth flashback in X-Treme X-Men #2; last three leave the team), Cerise II (last in Maximum Security #3)

Supporting Characters: Archangel (next in Uncanny X-Men #394), Bobby Drake (next in Uncanny X-Men #395); Trish Tilby (last in Magneto Rex #1, next in X-Treme X-Men #5); Sage (formerly Tessa; next in flashback in X-Treme X-Men #1)

Guest Appearance: Viper II (last in Generation X #54)

Cameo Appearances: Illyana Rasputin (Colossus hallucinates her watching him perform in the circus)

Note: This issue is a Monster size book and features reprints of Uncanny X-Men #98, #143 & #341. This issue was also being read by Xander in the fifth series Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Hard Love".

As Christmas approaches the X-Men enjoy some downtime, having a snow fight with some locals in Salem Centre and ice-skating. Nightcrawler, Cerise and Colossus perform in a local circus. Archangel breaks up with Psylocke. Bishop stops a some bank robbers. Wolverine visits the grave of Mariko Yashida where he is met by Viper who gives him a gift from Kitty Pride. Rogue's powers continue to be uncontrollable, with the only exception being Wolverine's claws that won't go away, and she scares off some children. Storm, Gambit and the Beast discuss the volumes of prophecy written by Destiny that are now in Professor Xavier's hands, with Storm worried that it may not be a good thing for someone as powerful as Xavier to have too much knowledge about the future. Later she gathers a group of X-Men and suggests that they leaving the mansion to track down the rest of Destiny's books. She suprises them by announcing Tessa as one of the group. Later that night the X-Men exchange presents.

Last Issue of X-Men * Next Issue of X-Men