Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men reboot has brought most, if not all, important mutant characters back to life for a new chapter. Lots of mutant- related titles are hitting shelves, including X-Men, Marauders, Excalibur, X-Force, and more. While Cyclops and others lead field teams, Charles Xavier and Magneto are part of the group that established the new utopia and its laws. However, the mutant resurgence may be short-lived as one central X-Man meets their end in X-Force #1.
With most of mutant-kind living on the island nation of Krakoa, its residents can work to live in relative peace. The “Quiet Council”, twelve mutants that run the government on the island, work to foster relationships with the world and help their race thrive. Of course, not everybody is happy with the thought of “homo-superior” establishing their own democracy. This is where X-Force comes in, launching special ops missions to deal with anybody who would cause mutants harm.
X-Force #1 Spoilers
Domino is infiltrating an anti-mutant organization but the group discovers her real identity. In response, the villains launch a covert strike on Krakoa. The commandos bypass the island defenses and begin shooting every mutant in sight. One of the victims seems to be Xavier, whose body lies lifeless on the ground next to his shattered Cerebro helmet. X-Force will undoubtedly respond to the attack, leading to the first adventure for the new team.
While this seems like a giant sucker punch to the X-Men’s comeback, it’s doubtful his death will stick. First off, no one actually sees Xavier’s death. Second, even if he is dead, Hickman’s reboot has given five mutants the ability to combine their powers and resurrect fallen allies. This helps to account for the appearances of many long-dead mutants from throughout X-Men history. The only significant hurdle would be the restoration of his mind. After a resurrection is complete, Xavier restores their minds with a backup of that person’s memory from his Cerebro helmet. With Xavier gone, this task may be difficult to achieve, but with many talented telepaths present on the island, not impossible. One of the members of this new X-Force team, Jean Grey, is one who could likely restore Xavier’s mind.
Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men reboot has been met with mixed reviews. Some fans have praised the new direction, welcoming the new status quo. Others have been quick to denounce it, arguing that Xavier and the company’s behavior has destroyed the characters that we all know and love. Regardless, the X-Men will continue the fight to maintain their place in the world.
Who are you most excited to see in the pages of X-Force? What do you think about the reboot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
