Warning: contains spoilers for NYX #8The X-Men franchise is filled with iconic antiheroes like Wolverine, Archangel, and Magneto, but one recent antihero - the young mutant Hellion - is one I truly never thought I would be rooting for. Debuting as the villainous Krakoan in the post-Krakoa NYX comic, Julian Keller's tragic backstory was recently retold in NYX #8, a comic that has made me care for the character in a way I never have before.

Julian debuted in New Mutants (2003) #2 as a new student at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, eventually coming under the tutelage of Emma Frost and being named leader of her youth squad, the Hellions.

NYX #8, from writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing with art by sco Mortarino, sees Laura, Sophie, and Kiden rescuing Julian after his imprisonment for "killing" six human politicians. The issue is a wonderful character study into the troubled Hellion, depicting him begging for death in Krakoa's Crucible, his romantic relationship with Laura, and finally revealing the truth: Julian never killed the politicians, and he is not capable of being a true villain.

Hellion Has Never Truly Been A Villain

Julian does reasonably hold righteous anger within him though

To be fair to Julian, as an avid X-Men reader I was never the biggest fan of the Academy X class of mutant students (besides Laura Kinney and Dust, of course...). I perhaps did not give the young mutant hero enough of a chance to grow on me when I first read New X-Men, but I did always appreciate him seeking out Emma Frost as a teacher, and his clear penchant for leadership. Frost saw something in him - both his capacity for leadership and his potential for future villainy - and Hellion was a great defender of other heroes against "flatscans," like the deadly Wither. Plus, his relationship with Laura Kinney was a beautiful way of showing the beginning stages of her healing from trauma, and he clearly cared for her when many her past had not.

That being said, he never truly drew me in as a character, and I thought his storylines after the trauma of losing his hands to Nimrod were not the most engaging, although it was tragic to see the impact this loss had on him as a hero. He was also barely seen during the Krakoan Era, a missed opportunity for a hero who clearly loved the mutant utopia. NYX #8 finally reveals how Julian got his human hands again, flashing back to the iconic Krakoan Crucible, where he begged Silver Samurai to kill him, so The Five could resurrect him with his hands intact. Not only was this scene a fascinating glimpse at the disability politics of Krakoan Resurrection, which was not explored enough in my opinion, but it also really showed just why Hellion was so distraught at the loss of Krakoa. The island nation was the first time in years he felt safe and himself, and humanity took it away from him without a seconds thought.

Julian Had The Potential For Villainy But Couldn't Deny His Heroism

Hopefully he will up with the NYX crew

Hellion really does want humanity suffer for Orchis' crimes against Krakoa, but at the end of the day, he will always be a hero. Even though he said some terrible things to Wolverine - he has a habit of saying terrible things - she was able to break through his defenses by reminding him that he lost his hands protecting people from Nimrod. Laura figured out Julian's big secret, he never killed any men, lying to the rest of the villainous Quiet Council that he had. Hopefully, now that Laura has helped Hellion get back on the right track, he will team up with the NYX team to take down Empath and the rogue cuckoos.

Jackson and Lanzing did a wonderful job of humanizing Julian through flashbacks, while Mortarino perfectly illustrated his complex and triggered emotions. I can finally see the appeal of Hellion as an X-Men hero, and now all I can hope for is that the post-Krakoa era gives Julian Keller even more time in the spotlight!

NYX #8 from Marvel Comics is available now in stores.