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X-Men: The Last Stand is the official novelization of the film X-Men: The Last Stand. It was written by Chris Claremont based on the film's screenplay by Simon Kinberg, Zak Penn and Brett Ratner.
Synopsis[]
TAKE A STAND.
The world has acquired a lethal new weapon against X-gene mutants, whose superhuman powers separate them–for better, for worse, forever–from ordinary mortals. Now, for the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their godlike abilities, though their powers may isolate and alienate them, or surrender them and become human. The mutant antibody is called a cure, but its invention may trigger a struggle that destroys every living soul on Earth.
As Magneto declares all-out war against humanity and its dreaded cure, the U.S. president mobilizes the military. But it is Charles Xavier and the X-Men who truly must brace for the ultimate battle, for they alone are powerful enough to determine the outcome.
Lessons of the past are useless in the coming life-and-death conflict, as new players–mutants possessing unprecedented, unearthly skills– take center stage. With so many joining forces with Magneto’s evil Brotherhood, the X-Men will face their ultimate test against an enemy whose forces far outnumber their own.
Now, as the world trembles, the Phoenix slowly rises...
Plot[]
The novelization of the movie differs significantly from the film. In the novel, young Jean Grey discovers her powers after an accident that takes her best friend's life. Angel officially joins the X-Men and travels with them to Alcatraz Island instead of going on his own. Storm stabs Callisto with Callisto's knife after fighting in the air instead of electricuting her, but catches Callisto's body with her winds and places her gently on the ground, which is more in line with Professor Xavier's views on violence. Iceman takes an unconscious Pyro away from Alcatraz. Rogue decides to keep her powers in the end, and Beast stays at the school as a teacher. The attack on Alcatraz is referred to as M-Day, a reference to the "Decimation of mutantkind" storyline in the comic books. In the end of the novel Wolverine is in the basement of the Institute training the new X-Men, which includes Shadowcat, Colossus, Cannonball, Danielle Moonstar, Gambit and Sage, with Storm observing. Moira MacTaggert visits Magneto in the park, presumably offering an antidote to the "cure", which he refuses because as the book says: "He couldn't go back. That path had brought nothing but grief, to those he cared for, those who trusted him, to himself. This was better." This suggests that in the novel Magneto turns over a new leaf before discovering a slight return of his powers. Unlike the film, the novel does not allude to Xavier's resurrection. Unlike the film, the novel does not allude to Xavier's resurrection.
Wolverine and Storm also show more of their emotions for each other in the novel than in the movie. When Storm has her fight about Logan leaving, she places her fingers on his lips - which Logan describes as a caress - and cups his jaw. Logan describes this movement as "tender and achingly intimate" and how she "reveals more of herself to him with those few movements than in all the time he's known her".
Another scene was when Storm and Logan were hiding behind a car to get out of the line of Pyro's fire and Logan finds the 'cure' needles. After showing Storm, he thinks "she looks good enough to kiss," and Storm's is described on "how much she would like to see him try." After handing out the orders to Iceman and Beast, he turns to Storm calling her 'Ro, and places "surprising gentle fingers on her cheek, thumb stroking an invisible piece of grit from under her eye. The gesture was so light and tender, that she barely felt it; yet sent a surge of electricity the size of her spine to the core of her being."
The scene where Pyro destroys a 'cure' facility is expanded; due to the panic and confusion from the explosion, the local police are called in to remain a sense of order. One of the officers is identified as the mutant Bishop. There is no mention of the character's futuristic time travel origins.
The novel also makes a reference to X3 scriptwriter Zak Penn, whose name is given to a sergeant in the middle of the novel, and possibly to X-Men writer Stan Lee as Mr. Lee, one of Jean's neighbours portrayed by Stan Lee in the film. The president's name in the novelization is David Cockrum, a reference to comics writer Dave Cockrum. McCoy asks the president about his wife Paty, who in real life is David Cockrum's wife who used to work at Marvel. Two other references are made towards the end of the book, the first is Hollywood planning a film about the Battle of Alcatraz (a possible reference to the actual movie) along with a British Shakespearean actor, who is also a Knight playing Magneto (a possible reference to Sir Ian McKellen who played Magneto in all three films).