Mister Sinister’s plan has almost reached an end. The galaxy is filled with Sinisterized monsters. The Brotherhood of Mutants has been defeated. Dominion is a step away. But Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 is the last step, and that one is always the most difficult.
In the final issue of Sins of Sinister, Kieron Gillen, Paco Medina, and Lucas Werneck team up to end a dying timeline. With precious few opportunities left in a universe that desperately needs a reset, they do a genuinely admirable job of wrapping up the world.
SPOILERS AHEAD for Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1!
The opening to Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 mostly covers the same points as Nightcrawlers #3. The Juggernaut breaks through Sinister’s lab, Mother Righteous is dead, and Moira is gaining ground. However, despite having seemingly killed Jon Ironfire in Storm & the Brotherhood of Mutants #3, Sinister quickly discovers that the situation isn’t as positive as it seems.
Marvel Comics
Ironfire, using his blood to shield his skull, charges back into the fray. Turns out that he wasn’t interested in missing Sins of Sinister: Dominion. Ironfire is the sort of man who would face death with a shrug. He does. As Xavier is brought into the conflict by Beast, Ironfire launches into the fight against him while Sinister breaks for Moira. Sinister and Moira debate the ethics of universal reset before Sinister convinces Moira to give him a chance to upload information. They don’t have much time, though. The Namornauts are coming.
The Namornauts don’t actually have a chance to do much, unfortunately. Instead, the diamond-headed Sinister plays his final hand. Long before the Sinister universe began, nearly every single mutant was Sinisterized. A single genetic variation in their DNA made them Sinister. But Sinister never planned for them to live forever.
In his bid to launch himself into Dominion, Sinister activates his failsafe. Halfway through Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1, every Sinisterized mutant burns alive.
It’s a horrific scene that even Sinister acknowledges is an atrocity. Yet it grants Sinister enough power to launch himself into Dominion.
The only problem? There is already a Dominion. And it isn’t Mister Sinister.
Ironfire decapitates Sinister, but it’s too late. Moira kills her clone, and the universe resets. 8 quadrillion mutants are dead. It’s the greatest mutant genocide of all time, and Sinister pays the price.
Marvel Comics
Moira used Mother Righteous as fuel to transport information into the reset timeline. With the downloaded information, she beams the knowledge of Sinister’s failure into his head. Though he begins Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 prideful, the once-smug Sinister is retraumatized by the presence of an existent Dominion.
As the Moira clones are depowered and killed, one last clone emerges from Sinister’s cloning chambers. She takes him captive and drags her before the surviving members of the Quiet Council. Rasputin-IV is now a part of Earth-616, and she isn’t happy.
Mother Righteous, meanwhile, is overjoyed. There’s a new wing to her library, filled with all the magic she could steal. It’s enough that she is willing to attend the next Quiet Council meeting.
As Mother Righteous secretly looks on, Sinister is dragged before the Council. He begs for Destiny’s support, as the Council makes the only decision it can: Pit time. As Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 finally delivers Sinister’s justice, his surviving victims look on, satisfied.
Their satisfaction doesn’t last for long. Mother Righteous reveals herself and exposits about the entire Sins of Sinister event. Painting herself as a friend to the Council, she reveals that Sinister’s genes are already inside Xavier, Exodus, Hope, and Emma. The council comes to the only conclusion it can. They send the Sinisterized mutants down to the Pit, as Storm thanks their new friend.
And, with that, Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 comes to an end. Mister Sinister is trapped, long live Mother Righteous. The prelude to Fall of X begins.
Marvel Comics
To say that the issue is surprising is an understatement. With only a few choice people remembering Sinister’s world, the implications are nonetheless stunning. After all, where is Moira now? How much does she recall? Who has Dominion? What can Mother Righteous do with all of her new knowledge? Most importantly, what does the Quiet Council do now that five of them have been thrust into the Pit?
Of all of the Sins of Sinister issues, Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 is the best-paced. It’s likely a consequence of not needing to establish a timeline or jump into the next event, but it feels smooth and comfortable. It also helps that the issue is 48 pages long — twice the size of each of its predecessors.
Yet, for the extra space, the art doesn’t suffer at all. It’s hard not to feel the tension when Sinister is spat out of the Dominion and cast into the pit, screaming. Not to mention how rewarding it is to see the Quiet Council as themselves again, after months of Sinisterized heroes. As fun as the Sins of Sinister event was, it’s just nice to see X-Men again.
It is hard to see where some characters will go from here. Rasputin-IV, for instance, may be in Krakoa, but it will be difficult to see her role in the coming issues. The most powerful mutant in existence is in Mother Righteous’ pockets, and it will be fascinating to see where she goes from here. Considering that the next era is called “Fall of X”, you can imagine that it won’t lead anywhere good.
If Sins of Sinister: Dominion #1 accomplishes anything, it’s tying up an entire event with ease. Sinister is once again being challenged, and it is satisfying to see him balk after so much horror. With intrigue bleeding from the pages, it will be fun to see where Marvel goes now that the Sins of Sinister is finally at an end.
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