This feature is basically a counterpart to our Left Unresolved feature. That feature is for plotlines that were, well, left unresolved. In this one, though, we spotlight examples of long unresolved stories that WERE ultimately resolved by later writers. The only rule is that at least four years have to pass between the plot point being introduced and it being resolved.
Today, we discover the secret reason behind the famous Mutant Massacre in the pages of Uncanny X-Men!
In Uncanny X-Men #211, the Mutant Massacre began, when the Marauders entered the tunnels that the group of mutants known as the Morlocks used as their home and, well, began to massacre them...
One of the Morlocks escapes and lives long enough to draw the X-Men into the fray...
(Storm probably wasn't the best leader of the Morlocks, was she?)
This led to a classic confrontation where a number of X-Men were hurt badly and Colossus flat out snaps a dude's neck!!
So anyhow, Wolverine goes back out by himself the next issue because the team is so decimated, and he runs into Sabretooth, and we learn that the Massacre is all part of a greater plan by Mister Sinister...
And then that's it. For years, there never really was an explanation as to WHY Sinister wanted the Morlocks slaughtered. I mean, you could argue he's just a jerk, but even if you wanted to go that route, it was never SAID that that was why. It just always went unsaid.
Until 1995, that is. Go to the next page to learn why the Mutant Massacre took place! And what role did the Age of Apocalypse play in it?
After the Age of Apocalypse ended, a few characters from that world ended up on the "main" Marvel world. Two of them, Dark Beast and Sugar Man, ended up in the PAST.
While here, Dark Beast created most of the Morlocks, based on Mister Sinister's work...
While Sugar Man invented the Genoshan mutates, also based on Sinister's work.
In Cable #28 (by Jeph Loeb, Wilfred and a few inkers), Sinister has manipulated Cable into attacking Sugar Man and destroying the mutates, but once there, Sinister realizes that the mutates cannot breed, and thus they are not really a danger. He then basically confirms that THAT was the purpose of the Massacre...
He did not want "inferior" knock-offs of his work running around, breeding.
That's really disturbing. But I guess that's why the dude's named SINISTER, right?
Okay, that's it for this installment! If you have a suggestion for a future Provide Some Answers, drop me a line at bcronin@comicbookresources.com or at my new snazzy CBR e-mail, brianc@cbr.com