Xaviers ivy clad walls were about to come tumbling down from beneath and they'd be the ones removing the keystones.

Great last sentence. They *had* known that Xavier was manipulating people in this way before, but to hear it in detached, bureacratic language such as this is always worse. It sounds inhuman. And yet, I have to ask myself, if I was Xavier and I observed unstable mutants all around me, saw their potential for destruction, if I wouldn't act the same way. If I wouldn't seek to manipulate them into 'positive' behaviors, and secure situations wherein negative behaviors and instability is mitigated. To me, where he draws the line is in using personal relationships to suit his own ends - the 'breeding programs', 'rewards', etc.

It seems to me that Marie is actually the leader and the stronger one in the relationship now. Am I reading that right? His snagging of her chicken seems like something much more like what she might have dared in earlier chapters, when she wasn't yet her equal. And she's been able to drop him not once but several times in the danger room. He later leaves after she bests him, in a defeated posture, and he seems to be leaving opinions about Xavier and plans to defeat him in her hands. A lot of the time, he seems to comfort and support her. Interesting. I think Logan's own self-worth has always been low, and maybe he's seen this potential in her alway. Perhaps her being strong means he no longer has to be so much. Or sometimes, when two people shift from teacher-student to a more equal relationship, the teacher backs off from a leadership position for a while, as though to cement the new parity. At any rate, very interesting.

And now we have possible allies in Storm, Kitty, Piotr, Emma, and the secretary at Xavier's. I wonder if they will be part of taking him down, or if the will be part of the solution to come.

Ok, so is all this good or bad?? The 'secretary', I don't trust her/it yet!! Is setting them up for a fall or is she/it working for Emma and this stuff is all good?? More updates, Jo! More updates!!