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Description
After their return from the Cross-Time Caper, Excalibur find themselves tossed into the world of their Nazi counterparts, Lightning Squad. When Phoenix realizes that this is not an alternate reality but their own world merged with that of a Nazi-dominated timeline, the team must thwart the evil schemes of the Red Skull, Adolf Hitler and the power-mad geneticist known as Herr Xavier! Xavier seeks to create an evolved being of immense power he calls “The X-Man” and he is mentally slaughtering mutants held in Nazi concentration camps to accomplish it. He has spared those mutants he finds useful, including the Lightning Squad. His ambitions and growing arrogance have displeased an ailing Hitler who calls upon the Red Skull to stop Xavier’s power-hungry schemes once and for all. While investigating this merging of realities, Excalibur is nearly sentenced to death but is sent to the Reichsminister of Genetics, Moira MacTaggert, instead. Here they are confronted by her personal guard, the Reichsmen, twisted versions of various X-Men. After a brief tussle, MacTaggert reveals that their two worlds have merged in such a way that the dominant traits of a person from each reality prevail. The will and intellect of Moira’s Nazi version proved less formidable than that of Excalibur’s reality, leaving Excalibur’s Moira in command of the Nazi Moira’s body. Aided by the “true” Moira, Excalibur disguise themselves as the Lightning Squad and infiltrates Xavier’s lair. Herr Xavier quickly realizes they are not the genuine Lightning Squad and subdues them. Meanwhile, the Red Skull puts Hitler through an experimental rejuvenation process and uses his Nullatron to take mental control of Excalibur. But none of those involved counted on the power of Phoenix. Together with the evolved consciousness formed by Xavier’s mutant victims, Phoenix attacks Xavier at this critical juncture. Xavier and the Red Skull merge with the evolved consciousness to form an enlightened psychic entity. Hitler is left alone, strapped to the rejuvenation equipment. He is quickly de-aged to infancy before disappearing into the primordial void. The merged worlds are separated as the cosmic balance is restored and Excalibur finds their world returned to normal.