Most fans relate the X-Men with science fiction. Indeed, the title juggles several sci-fi ideas, including its central thesis about the next step in human evolution. However, the mutant team also deals with several mystic and demonic threats; one of the best examples occurs in the 1989 crossover, Inferno.
The storyline concerns multiple mutant teams in the Marvel universe, like the aforementioned X-Men, Excalibur, X-Factor, and the New Mutants. Inferno had severe repercussions on X-Men continuity; to this day, it remains a landmark episode that every fan should know about and one of the most critical events in X-Men history.
Background
Inferno impacted every superhero in New York City. The event has two primordial storylines taking place at the same time. One concerns the New Mutants and the corruption of Illyana Rasputin, AKA Magik, and the other follows the X-Men and Madelyne Pryor's descent into madness.
Leading up to the event, Pryor becomes discontent in her marriage to Scott Summers. The two always were one of the strangest romances in X-Men comics, but their relationship eventually reaches a breaking point after Jean Grey's return. The Marauders shoot Pryor and leave her for dead, taking her son, Nathan Christopher. After a brief stint with the X-Men, a lonely and angry Madelyne seeks revenge against her former husband and his team, setting the stage for Inferno to begin.
N'astirh & S'ym
The demons N'astirh and S'ym are the main driving forces behind Inferno. They plan a demonic invasion of New York City and want to use Ilyana Rasputin in order to achieve it. Her power to open portals between Limbo and Earth will facilitate the duo's ambitions.
Inferno remains S'ym's most notorious moment in Marvel comics, but N'astirh has a richer backstory thanks to his affiliation with the infamous supervillain, Belasco. Throughout his history, N'astirh crosses paths with numerous of the X-Men and even plays a pivotal role in Warren Worthington's betrayal by his close friend, Cameron Hodge.
Illyana Rasputin's Role
Comic book fans will know about Colossus' sister, Illyana. She is a prominent member of the New Mutants who was raised in Limbo by Belasco. Illyana's ability to open portals between Earth and Limbo makes her instrumental in S'ym and N'astirh's plans.
During a routine exploration of Limbo, S'ym traps the New Mutants. N'astirh, hiding his alliance with S'ym, coerces Illyana to embrace her demonic self to escape. Trusting him, she does so and triggers her transformation into a fully demonic being while opening a gateway to Manhattan and beginning the invasion.
New York's Defenders To The Rescue
With New York overrun by demons, the city's defenders to stop the attack. The Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and the Power Pack forces to keep the invasion under control. At one point, Spider-Man believes one of his many villains is behind the attack, with Mysterio being the prime suspect.
In a funny turn of events, most of NYC's inhabitants remain unfazed by the invasion. They keep going with their ordinary lives, riding the subway even if it goes straight to hell or riding the buses driven by demons. Despite the comings and goings of life, Manhattan falls under siege.
Madelyne Pryor's Storyline
Alone and feeling betrayed by everyone she loved, Madelyne Pryor is easy prey for N'astirh's manipulations. She makes a bargain with him, agreeing to cast a spell to create a permanent bridge between Earth and Limbo in exchange for his help in locating her son, Nathan, and manipulating the X-Men into killing the Marauders.
The bargain succeeds, and the X-Men, affected by N'astirh's influence, kills most of the Marauders. Only Colossus remains unaffected, thanks to his steel armor. N'astirh also locates Nathan under Mister Sinister's control, eventually leading to Madelyne's discovery that she's a clone of Jean Grey.
Madelyne Becomes The Goblin Queen
Mister Sinister is one of the X-Men's most enduring villains. He plays a crucial role in Inferno and his influence permeates the entire event. However, once his schemes come to life, he loses control over Madelyne Pryor and her child with Scott, Nathan.
After the discovery of her background, Madelyne takes on the mantle of the Goblin Queen and convinces Alex Summers to become her Goblin Prince. Madelyne's corruption turns her into a mighty being, and even the X-Men become fearful of her. Alas, her reign would be surprisingly short.
The Demons' Fight
With their purpose seemingly completed, S'ym and N'astirh begin fighting over control of Limbo and its hordes. S'ym gains the upper hand, leading N'astirh to inject himself with the Transmode Virus and merge with the Wiz Kid's spell-casting computer.
N'astirh succeeds in becoming a bridge between Earth and Limbo, thus rendering Madelyne useless. However, Wiz Kid betrays him and destroys the computers, reducing the demon to ashes. The Virus restores him to life, but he meets his end when Storm kills him with an overflow of lightning.
The Darkchilde
Colossus understands the extent of the demons' influence after the X-Men gleefully kill the Marauders. Realizing that only he can save his teammates, he leaves and seeks his sister.
Illyana, fully transformed into the Darkchilde, sports horns, demonic legs, and even a tail. Her appearance shocks her brother, prompting her to flee to Limbo, where she and Rahne Sinclair plan to end the invasion. Illyana eventually relinquishes all her powers to create a massive stepping disc that banishes all the demons back to Limbo, including S'ym. She then seals the portal by throwing her Soulsword into it. As a result, she reverts to her seven-year-old self, the age when she was first kidnapped and taken to Limbo.
The Goblin Queen Vs. Jean
Even though the demons are back in Limbo, the Goblin Queen refuses to lift her spell bridging Earth and Limbo. She even threatens to offer Nathan as a demonic sacrifice to re-open the gate between Limbo and Earth. She then links her mind to Jean Grey's, sharing her memories and the secrets she learned from Mister Sinister.
As Jean fights Madelyne, the X-Men and X-Force rescue Nathan. Seemingly defeated, the Queen wills herself to die, trying to take Jean down with her. However, the portion of the Phoenix Force that still lives within Jean saves her, and only Madelyne dies, returning New York to normal.
The Aftermath
Inferno caused significant repercussions in X-Men continuity. Illyana Rasputin became a child again, leaving the New Mutants to go back to Russia with her parents. Madelyne Pryor cemented her place as one of the X-Men's best female villains, leaving behind a legacy of death and destruction. She died but left her memories inside Jean Grey, who'd become obsessed with getting revenge on Mister Sinister. For his part, Sinister assumes control of Xavier's School during the invasion and blows it up, trying to kill the X-Men. His attempt fails and Cyclops blasts him into ashes, although he'd eventually return.
In many ways, Inferno was X-Men's first crossover, involving multiple titles and creating a single, cohesive storyline throughout numerous issues. It paved the way for a myriad of crossovers to come while cementing the mutant corner of Marvel comics as the pillar upon which the entire company rested.
