Riptide is built for a crowded space, which makes his part in the Massacre especially ugly. He spins at tremendous speed and throws off a barrage of sharp projectiles. In a tunn…

Riptide is built for a crowded space, which makes his part in the Massacre especially ugly. He spins at tremendous speed and throws off a barrage of sharp projectiles. In a tunnel full of people, he doesn't need to choose a single target. The visual can almost look ridiculous when described in isolation. A man spins around and shoots spikes. Put it on the page with fleeing Morlocks and exhausted X-Men, though, and there is very little room left for the joke. Nightcrawler is badly injured during the fighting in Uncanny X-Men #211. Colossus takes punishment while trying to protect others. The usual rhythm of a superhero battle, where the team finds the trick and turns things around, keeps getting interrupted by another person going down. Peter finally kills Riptide by breaking his neck. For Colossus, that is an awful moment to reach. His strength has so often been tied to protecting somebody, catching them or putting himself between them and danger. Here the same hands end a life. Kitty's scream helps push Peter past the point of restraint. Rogue then has to take in what he has done, even while everybody is still in danger. These are people who know his gentleness, watching him use his strength in a way they can't take back. It also leaves an uncomfortable difference between winning an exchange and saving anyone. Riptide is stopped, but stopping him doesn't undo the wounds or restore the people already lost. The X-Men still have to get out with whoever they can carry. Storm orders the withdrawal with the survivors. Wolverine is sent on alone to bring back a Marauder for questioning. There isn't time to stop and make sense of what Peter has just done.