Oracle enters the story in the middle of a battle that gives almost nobody time to introduce themselves politely. She is the Guard's telepath, a white-haired figure among oppone…

Oracle enters the story in the middle of a battle that gives almost nobody time to introduce themselves politely. She is the Guard's telepath, a white-haired figure among opponents who can threaten the X-Men in very different ways. That matters in a fight with this many moving parts. The X-Men cannot judge the danger simply by finding the largest body or the brightest blast. A member who can reach into a mind belongs on the same battlefield as the people throwing punches. Her most immediate trouble comes from Wolverine. He closes on her, and Starbolt intervenes with enough heat to destroy most of Logan's costume. Starbolt identifies Oracle as the woman he loves. In a few panels, the Guard acquires a connection that exists independently of the emperor and the assignment. Wolverine's response is brutally practical. He throws Oracle into Starbolt, turning the attempted rescue into a collision between the two Guardsmen. It is the sort of ugly improvisation that makes Logan dangerous in a crowded fight. Getting hit doesn't persuade him to stop, and somebody else's concern becomes something he can exploit. Oracle's introduction leaves that personal connection sharply visible without explaining her whole life. Starbolt's declaration tells us what he feels; it doesn't tell us everything Oracle feels in return. The difference is worth keeping. Her presence helps the Guard feel like a group of people who already know each other. There are attachments within the ranks, and those attachments can affect what happens when the formation breaks into individual fights. D'Ken may have ordered the battle, but he doesn't account for every reason his soldiers act inside it.