X-Men #20: A New ‘Inferno’ is Coming and Mystique is at the Heart of it All

We almost thought the X-Men were finally safe, with a new democratically elected team on the way. But it looks like all hope is lost for Krakoa once again. Even the cover for Marvel’s X-Men #20 by Jonathan Hickman and Francesco Mobili teases a devastating loss for mutantkind, featuring the face of the mutant hunter Nimrod. The issue itself takes this even further, putting the X-Men on course to enter a new “Inferno” event, and it’s all Mystique’s fault.

It goes back to House of X and Powers of X, the ground-breaking books that launched Jonathan Hickman’s new era of X-Men comics. During that time, the X-Men undertook a suicide mission to destroy a space station being used by an anti-mutant group called Orchis.

As revealed in Powers of X, every possible future of mutantkind ends with mutants being driven to extinction by humans and machines. In order to prevent this from happening, Professor X and Magneto have made it a priority to stop the advanced mutant-hunting Sentinel called Nimrod from coming online.

After the X-Men gave their lives to destroy the station, it was thought that this goal had been achieved. Unfortunately, it looks like they just made things worse.

**SPOILER WARNING for Marvel Comics’ X-Men #20 by Jonathan Hickman and Francesco Mobili**

In the issue, a scientist who lost her husband in the initial attack brings him back to life in the artificial body of Nimrod. By doing so, Orchis has now created their own version of the Resurrection Protocols. And it gets worse.

Mystique, who was sent to destroy this new Nimrod, is defeated by the Sentinel, who easily disposes of a bomb that ought to have destroyed the complete station. Sent back in defeat, Mystique informs Magneto and Professor X that Nimrod, Marvel’s deadliest Sentinel, has come online. She then asks that they resurrect her long-lost lover, the oracle known as Destiny.

The two leaders refuse her request, and in the final pages of the issue, they meet up with Moira X. In the scene, we discover that Moira has Destiny’s diaries, so she knows the predictions that the mutant oracle has made. And in the narration, we read a message left for Mystique by Destiny:

“There will be an island — not the first, but the last. This place will seem to be hope for our kind. When those days come, remember these words: BRING ME BACK. And if you cannot… if they will not… then burn that place to the ground.”

The issue ends with a page teasing the “Inferno” event for this fall with Mystique and other X-Men featured in the artwork. The last “Inferno” was a massive company-wide crossover in 1989 in which demons from the realm of Limbo invaded New York City.

We don’t know yet if this new “Inferno” will involve demons, but two things are certain. Firstly, mutantkind is doomed, despite their best efforts. And secondly, Mystique is going to ruin them all.

What do you think of the new issue? Are you excited about the next big event? Let us know what you think in the comments below!