When the X-Men get lost in space, an opportunity arises for Emma Frost, Havok, Bastion, and Miss Sinister to hatch their devious plans in X-MEN: BLUE #23!

On March 14, writer Cullen Bunn and artist Jorge Molina trap the mutants on a spaceship, pit Polaris against the body-snatching Malice, and put future of the enigmatic Emma Frost up for grabs.

We caught up with Bunn to chat about the state of mutant affairs…

Marvel.com: What events led to the team finding themselves lost in space in issue #23?

Cullen Bunn: In the preceding arc, “Poison-X,” the Original Five X-Men venture into space to deal with something of a symbiote problem. That adventure is going to cost them dearly and they aren’t going to be able to get home as quickly as they want to. That leaves a void here on Earth, especially since the threat of Mothervine is escalating quickly!

Marvel.com: How have tensions at home been unfolding with the Blue team missing?

Cullen Bunn: Magneto is angry. I think that’s the best way to describe it. His team has left him high and dry, and his enemies are using the absence of the Original X-Men to their advantage. With the Original Five missing, Magneto is forced to take some drastic steps.

Marvel.com: What’s going on with Malice and Polaris, and what’s the history there?

Cullen Bunn: Polaris and Malice have a long history. Years ago, the psionic entity of Malice possessed Polaris and turned her against her friends. Now, thanks to Miss Sinister, Malice is back! Way back in the early issues of X-MEN: BLUE, Jean Grey found a necklace containing the Malice entity. Malice was meant to possess Jean…but she’s now found her way to Polaris. The question is, in a world of doppelgangers, is this the Malice we knew from before?

Marvel.com: Emma Frost, Havok, Bastion, and Miss Sinister are up to no good—tell us about this unholy alliance and what danger it poses.

Cullen Bunn: Each of these villains has a different reason for wanting the same thing. They are all trying to see the mutant race thrive. Miss Sinister wants this for scientific research and genetic raw materials. Bastion wants this so that he can restart his mission of killing mutantkind. Emma wants this so she can see a dream fulfilled. And Havok wants this because be believes, deep down, that mutants should rule the world. They are launching the Mothervine project in order to see this happen. Of course, once they achieve this goal, they are going to turn on each other and try to kill one another. They’re all planning for that eventuality already.

Marvel.com: This young Blue team have now been lost in time and space…sounds like a metaphors are afoot!

Cullen Bunn: Absolutely right! Growing up and finding a place in the world is a turbulent and trying endeavor for each and every young person. Hell, it’s difficult for most of us throughout our lives. This is a big theme for the X-Men. They are in a world where they, quite literally, don’t belong. They have impossible role models in…themselves…and they can’t see how they would ever become those people. In some cases, the people they are supposed to become seem horrible to them. It’s a story of destiny and a teen’s struggle to avoid said fate.

Marvel.com: Speaking of story themes, how do fan favorites Polaris and Emma Frost fit in with the idea of “destiny versus free will” that this series has been exploring?

Cullen Bunn: An interesting pair you’ve picked for this question. For one, the theme of free will is overt. Polaris is in danger of being possessed by Malice. She must struggle against that if she wants to be herself. For Emma, she struggles against destinies of her own making. She started out as a villain. She became a teacher. She became a hero. Then, because of a terrible loss, she became a villain again. The story in the next few issues will show what she decides she must be…and if those around her will accept it.

Marvel.com: With so many story threads going on, how you do you and Jorge Molina manage to keep everything unified and streamlined in terms of story and art?

Cullen Bunn: It’s a real challenge sometimes. I am working on several arcs at once, and in addition to Jorge, I’m working with R.B. Silva and Edgar Salazar and Jacopo Camagni and Iban Coello, all on stories that interconnect in significant ways. The good news is that these folks are consummate professionals, and they are working together as well as humanly possible to make sure it all comes together.

Read Cullen Bunn and Jorge Molina’s X-MEN BLUE #23 on March 14!