Comic review: Uncanny X-Men #21 – A Heart in the Right Place, a Story in Pieces

 

Uncanny X-Men #21 closes out Gail Simone’s current phase of the series just before the upcoming Age of Revelation, and as expected it’s an ending that summarizes the run’s problems more than it resolves them. This is an issue that is both emotionally warm and painfully chaotic. It wants to tell a story about found family, acceptance, and trauma, but it does so in a rushed, inconsistent way that never allows those themes to fully land.

This is a comic whose ambition far exceeds its structure.

A Series That Forgot What It Was Supposed to Be

The biggest issue with Uncanny X-Men at this point is simple: it has no clear narrative spine. Reading issue #21, it’s hard not to feel like this run is a collection of abandoned ideas that were never given satisfying conclusions.

Let’s recap:

    a prophecy that one of the four Outliers would destroy the world - dropped,
    
    a dragon, the Eye of Agamotto, and a curse that would turn Gambit into a monster - inconsequential,
    
    a mutant prison operating out of their old school - still exists, but no longer matters,
    
    a mutant-hater purgatory the kids were meant to guard - quietly erased,
    
    a mutant serial killer,
    
    a Bayou mob enforcer with ties to Gambit,

    Deathdream, who exists more as a concept than a character.

All of this happened, but very little of it matters now. Uncanny X-Men #21 painfully exposes the fact that the series never found a way to unify its ideas into a cohesive story. Instead, it jumped from plot to plot, seemingly hoping the emotional weight of “chosen family” would cover up the narrative mess.

It didn’t.

Ransom – The Best Element, but Not Enough

If there’s one thing that truly works here, it’s Ransom. The last two issues have done more for this character than the previous nineteen combined and that’s both a compliment and an indictment.

The story of a boy kidnapped as a child, abandoned when his father refused to pay the ransom, is brutal and effective. Trauma, resentment, anger, and the struggle to define oneself are all themes that fit perfectly within the X-Men mythos. Issue #21 adds more color: a cold, calculating father who never truly valued his son.

The problem is that:

    the conflict between Ransom and his father is resolved far too quickly,

    the emotional climax barely has time to breathe,

    a brand-new villain (the Proctor) appears and disappears before making any impact.

For a supposed cult leader whose followers are willing to die for him, the Proctor is shockingly toothless. His “army” dissolves because Wolverine tells them to leave. That’s not a finale it’s narrative evaporation.

Wolverine Carries the Title on His Back

Let’s be honest: without Logan, this barely feels like an X-Men comic at all. Wolverine is everywhere mentor, emotional anchor, plot catalyst, and the only character with a fully realized presence.

Even then, something feels off. His near-instant admiration for Ransom comes across as forced and unearned, as if the script is trying to artificially elevate the Outliers rather than letting them grow organically.

That said, there is one moment that absolutely works: the comic convention scene and Logan’s interaction with the woman cosplaying as Jean Grey. It’s quiet, bittersweet, and genuinely touching the best scene in the issue and proof that Simone can write powerful emotional beats when she’s not juggling five half-baked plots at once.

The Outliers – Likeable, but Not Ready

Ironically, after 21 issues, one thing is clear: the Outliers are fine… just not as the core of this series. Ransom and Deathdream have potential, but the rest remain underdeveloped. Their powers are vague, their dynamics underexplored, and they lack defining moments that would truly cement them as a team.

They should have:

    either received their own smaller, focused series,

    or remained supporting players to the classic X-Men.

Instead, they were pushed to center stage before the story knew what to do with them.

Visuals – A Consistent Bright Spot

The artwork remains one of the book’s strongest elements. Luciano Vecchio (and earlier Javier Márquez) give the series a sleek, cold visual identity that complements its melancholic tone. The pages are clean, expressive, and visually engaging, carrying the book far more effectively than the script itself.

Final Thoughts

Uncanny X-Men #21 successfully encapsulates the emotional intent of this run while simultaneously exposing its narrative emptiness. As a story about finding family where there was once only loneliness, it works in theory. Unfortunately, the journey to get here was disorganized, unfocused, and riddled with abandoned promises.

This isn’t a bad comic but it’s not a finale that truly closes anything.

Pros

+solid development for Ransom

+genuinely touching Wolverine moment at the convention

+strong, consistent artwork

+clear thematic focus on found family

Cons

-rushed, sloppy storytelling

-forgettable, non-threatening antagonist

-numerous abandoned plot threads

-underdeveloped Outliers

-emotional beats that never fully land

Final Score: 6/10

Uncanny X-Men #21 is a serviceable, occasionally heartfelt end to a phase that never quite found its footing. With a reset on the horizon, one can only hope the X-Men finally get back on track.