Summary
- The X-Men have assembled a powerful team to take on Orchis, with Wolverine and Cyclops finally reuniting to lead it.
- The X-Men are calling on the Avengers, Doom's X-Men, the Arakki Brotherhood and the Dark X-Men to assemble an army.
- The and solidarity from other Marvel superheroes, who have previously let the X-Men down, shows a seismic shift in how mutants are perceived and ed in the Marvel universe.
The battle for survival against Orchis. However, rather than a simple battle royale, the X-Men's new roster has something big to say about the ideas and themes of the last half-decade of X-Men stories.
In recently released solicit information for X-Men #33, Marvel declares "X-Men X-SSEMBLE," alongside art of some major mutant heroes charging into battle. It's the first time that Wolverine and Cyclops have been on the same roster since the start of the Krakoan era, with old favorites like Emma Frost and Magik returning alongside Ms. Marvel, Forge, and Shadowkat. However, the big news is that Doom's X-Men will be ing the fight - and that's only the beginning of the surprise reinforcements.
X-Men #33 |
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Release Date: |
April 3 |
Writer: |
Gerry Duggan |
Artists: |
Joshua Cassara |
Cover Artist: |
Joshua Cassara & Marte Gracia |
X-MEN X-SSEMBLE! If there were ever a time to rally the troops and take the fight to the enemy, it's NOW! Stand side by side with the X-Men as they head for their final stand! They can't stop ALL of us! |
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A team of mutants who grew up in Doctor Doom's Latveria - known in-world as the Seven Daggers of Latveria - Doom's X-Men are a powerful group who recently fought the X-Men to a standstill. However, they surprised the group by hinting that they'd be prepared to offer aid when the mutant heroes eventually take on Orchis.
The X-Men Unite with Doom's X-Men
As They Take the Fight to Orchis, The X-Men Summon ALL Their Allies
For the last few years, the X-Men have been locked in combat with Orchis - a bigoted group who want to wipe out mutants (and eventually all superhumans). The main battle is taking place in The Fall of the House of X (Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneck), though the wider 'Fall of X' initiative is unfolding across Marvel's comics. Like the X-Men, Orchis is made up of several factions, with major players including Feilong (a genius billionaire who has stolen Iron Man's company and inventions), Nimrod (an unbeatable Sentinel who can adapt to any mutant power), and Captain Krakoa (a false-flag operative who has been framing mutants for international terrorism.)
Having garnered international , Orchis has the X-Men on the run, imprisoning major figures like Cyclops, deporting innocent mutants to Mars, and deploying specialist sentinels, including gigantic versions of Iron Man and adamantium-clawed models based on Wolverine.
X-Men Officially Gives Colossus Credit For Permanently Upgrading Its Mutant Powers
After years suffering his personal hell, X-Men finally gives Colossus credit for expanding the limits of mutant powers to include godlike feats.
In the face of such a powerful enemy, the X-Men need all the help they can get, especially because the stakes are even higher than they seem. Orchis' AI secretly plan to summon a godlike robotic intelligence called the Dominion to Earth, wiping out all biological life - a plan that's unfolding in Rise of the Powers of X (Kieron Gillen and R.B. Silva.) With Orchis having killed off so many of their and allies, the X-Men need help, and Doom's X-Men are the perfect heroes to augment their numbers:
Doom's X-Men/Seven Daggers of Latveria |
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Codename |
Powers |
First Appearance |
The Dreamer |
Can enter the dreams of others, the twin of Ironcloak. |
X-Men/Fantastic Four #3 |
Ironcloak |
Can make others invulnerable, the twin of Dreamer. |
X-Men/Fantastic Four #3 |
[REDACTED] |
A mysterious mutant who Doom has declared isn't yet ready to serve him. |
N/A |
Nerium |
Control of plants, with a personality linked to the seasons. |
X-Men #28 |
Slag |
Superstrength and durability created by volcanic body. |
X-Men #28 |
Volta Doom |
Electrical powers harnessed by a vibranium 'Doom spear' - being considered as Doom's successor. |
X-Men #28 |
[REDACTED] |
A mysterious mutant who Doom has declared will only be used when desperate measures are needed. |
N/A |
The X-Men Are Summoning the Avengers, Dark X-Men, Arakki Brotherhood & More
The Dream of Krakoa Has Come True in a Weird Way
However, the X-Men's new alliance against Orchis doesn't stop with Doom's team. Avengers #12 - launching on the same day as X-Men #33 - will see Earth's Mightiest Heroes finally enter the fight. Iron Man has been working closely with the X-Men since Feilong took his company, and has been secretly creating a Mysterium suit with wild new powers. The Avengers have been waiting for Tony to be ready before bringing the fight to Orchis, and now he's giving the go ahead.
The Avengers #12 |
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Release Date: |
April 3 |
Writer: |
Jed MacKay |
Artists: |
sco Mortarino |
Cover Artist: |
Stuart Immonen |
The FALL OF X comes for Earth's Mightiest heroes! The Avengers have hung in space over the Earth, a sword of Damocles over Orchis, for too long. But knowing they had only one chance to strike, they waited while Iron Man prepared. Now, on his signal, it is time, and the Avengers only know one way to strike: hard! |
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But even with Doom's X-Men and the Avengers, the X-Men aren't done. Over the last few months, the core X-Men team have been reaching out and solidifying alliances. Madelyne Pryor's Dark X-Men roster have pledged their magical , while the end of the Genesis War has freed up Storm mutant alliance to help out. The loser of that war, Apocalypse's wife Genesis, has sworn to do penance by attacking Orchis with her newly formed Brotherhood - which includes her two Omega-level children War and Famine.
As the X-Men 'X-ssemble,' Marvel's entire roster of heroes finally consider mutant persecution their problem.
Meanwhile, Storm is going on a mission to resurrect Magneto and calling on Blue Marvel's Defenders for help. Other teams like X-Force, Alpha Flight and the Avengers' Unity Squad (aka the Uncanny Avengers) have been doing their part out of the spotlight, but can be expected to the X-Men for their final battle (Orchis even managed to enrage Spider-Man.) It's a huge, multi-faceted alliance, and a groundbreaking show of - crucially coming from heroes who have let the X-Men down in the past, as well as some longtime enemies.
The X-Men Finally Have the of Marvel's Superhumans
There's Been a Seismic Shift Since 2012's Avengers vs X-Men
As Marvel's perennial outsiders, the X-Men have rarely seen ongoing from other heroes. Indeed, during 2012's Avengers vs. X-Men event, Cyclops called out Captain America for not doing more to prevent mutantkind's persecution. It's a debate the two have continued for years, but one that the Krakoan Era has resolved. Not only has Captain America spoken up for mutantkind, but he drafted a team of mutant heroes into the Unity Squad in order to combat Orchis' propaganda. In fact, Cap, Iron Man, and Spidey have all been working behind the scenes to benefit the X-Men's resistance. As the X-Men 'X-ssemble,' Marvel's entire roster of heroes finally consider mutant persecution their problem.
Mutant solidarity and diversity have put the X-Men back in the fight, making this final battle about the spirit and aims of Krakoa, but not the nation itself.
Nightcrawler Was Right
The X-Men's New Religion Predicted How They Can Win
The mutant nation of Krakoa was founded as an isolationist dream, with the hope that mutants having their own island would aid co-existence with humanity. However, Orchis' attack on the 2023 Hellfire Gala killed or exiled the island's citizens, with only a handful of heroes escaping. In fact, as the final battle against Orchis looms, it's those who weren't on Krakoa who are coming to help - those like Doom's X-Men and Madelyne Pryor's Dark X-Men who took a different path. This hearkens back to 2021's X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation (Si Spurrier and Robert Quinn), and Nightcrawler's 'Spark' philosophy.
Attempting to give the mutant nation its own religion, Nightcrawler stated that - having achieved the ability to bring fallen mutants back to life - the X-Men needed to promote and celebrate difference. If they all behaved in the same way and were collected in the same place, a big enough threat could wipe out their society - however if mutants took different approaches then some would always survive, and eventually they'd be able to bring back the whole. Kurt essentially predicted the X-Men's final battle against Orchis - it's the mutants who weren't on the island when it was attacked who are now ready to regroup.
"A Smug Villain Who Remains Unpunched Is Not Living Up To Their Full Potential.": X-Men's Most Underrated Villain Was Meant to Appear in the Krakoan Era
In a recent interview, outgoing X-Men writer Kieron Gillen revealed that he nearly brought back one underrated villain from his earlier X-run.
Since 2019, X-Men has presented fans with the thorny idea of Krakoa - what it means practically and morally for mutantkind, especially since it was ultimately built on a lie, with Xavier, Magneto, and Moira X always planning for the rise of AI. As the X-Men rise up with an army to overthrow Orchis and save the world, it's not Krakoa that saved them. Mutant solidarity and diversity have put them back in the fight, making this final battle about the spirit and aims of Krakoa, but not the compromised realities of the island as a political entity.
It's starting to become clear how the X-Men could win their war against Orchis but still bring about the end of the Krakoan Era, perhaps birthing a new mutant dream out of the ashes - of course, that all depends on the X-Men and their allies actually surviving this final clash.
X-Men #33 and Avengers #12 are coming April 3 from Marvel Comics.
