Purifier leader Matthew Risman reflects on the tasks passed down to him from William Stryker before Stryker’s death to ensure the eradication of mutantkind. First, Risman was to “protect the Oracle”, which he did by bringing Bastion back to life. Second, he was to create “the Choir”, a group of “human angels” enhanced with alien technology found in the wings of a mutant. That mutant was Warren Worthington III, whose body has responded to the amputation of his wings by once again morphing into the blue-skinned, metal-winged form of Archangel.

Archangel, driven insane by the destruction of his feathered wings, lashes out at Logan, Warpath, and X-23. He proves to be too strong and enraged for the group to contain and escapes, taking flight to pursue those who stole them. X-Force quickly follows Archangel in the Blackbird.

At The Facility, Risman tells his compatriots Eli Bard and Reverend Craig Sinclair that even though Bastion is the Oracle, his act of infusing the bodies of Stryker and the other members of the Human Council with the techno-organic alien Magus is a perversion against humanity. Bastion must be stopped. Risman says he is going to destroy Stryker, Bastion, and Magus, and orders Sinclair to kill Wolfsbane as well now that she has brought them Angel’s wings. Brother Eli joins Risman on a jet to lead Risman’s Choir to war against Bastion and the rest of the Purifiers.

Wolfsbane wakes up in a cell at The Facility, her hands shackled with power dampeners. Memories of her brainwashing and subsequent attack on Angel flood back to her, leaving her distraught on the floor. Rahne's father, Reverend Craig, enters with a pistol and shoots her, but in addition to hitting her, the bullet breaks the chain on the power dampeners. She changes to her canine form and escapes her cell, Reverend Craig screaming after her.

Stryker, being controlled by Bastion thanks to his integration with Magus, is preaching to the Purifiers at their base in Chicago. He tells his army that Matthew Risman is the Judas in their midst, and he “must be struck down”. In the sky above the building, Risman orders his Choir to take out the guards on the roof. With swipes of bladed wings, the watch is decapitated. The Choir storms through the skylight and all hell breaks loose.

After the dust settles, Risman and Eli walk over the corpses of Purifiers and Choir angels strewn about the floor and face Bastion, standing alone. Risman requests a word.

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