Uncanny X-Men #231: Reunion of the Rasputins

Uncanny X-Men #231 is cover-dated July 1988, and picks up a thread from New Mutants. A footnote helpfully clarifies it picks up from #66. Which was cover-dated August. It looks like that fill-in issue over in Mutants screwed up a tight crossover. Let's do these in publication order, though, and see how comprehensible this is.

Colossus is moping. He's got good reason to: he's stuck in his armoured form, and has become incredibly hot to touch (he accidentally burns a picture of Illyana). Gateway summons him - possibly the most demonstrative that Gateway has been yet - and teleports him to Limbo.

In Limbo, Illyana is now back to fighting a full-fledged demonic rebellion, and is doing the appropriate spell to bring Piotr back to life. Well, to undeath. She didn't count on getting the real deal, and assumes Piotr is hers to command. She explains the plot to him, anyway, and gives what I take to be a summary of #65 and #66: that Baba Yaga (a figure from Russian folklore) had abducted the New Mutants. He succesfully rescues them, and during his mission finds himself able to transform to flesh again.

After this he delivers some homilies to Magik. She still is of the opinion that she is inherently evil, and any altruism is simply an act. But, as Colossus points out, thinking it is worthwhile putting on that act is what makes one good. Our Piotr wouldn't be so cynical as to think of the possibility that she's a very manipulative psychopath playing a long game. They part with Magik still believing that Colossus has perished, but having accepted it a little.

But why did Baba Yaga attack the mutants in the first place? Magik doesn't think to ask that. She should have: it's another front being by S'ym opened in the war in Limbo. Oh dear...