Mutant or Not, Juggernaut Deserves to Rejoin the X-Men

The Juggernaut, aka Cain Marko, has a long and storied history with the X-Men. As the stepbrother of Professor Charles Xavier, the Juggernaut originally debuted as a supervillain in opposition to the group, only to later join the team. Despite his close association with the X-Men, the Juggernaut is not a mutant, and is not allowed to access the mutant island nation of Krakoa because of it.

The Juggernaut first received his mystical powers from the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, becoming the god’s avatar on Earth and harbinger of destruction. Recently in the Juggernaut series from Fabian Nicieza and Ron Garney, the Juggernaut received a new power source in the form of the Crimson Bands, denouncing his former benefactor and cutting ties with him once again. Free from Cyttorak’s negative and destructive influence, the Juggernaut was even able to help a young mutant get safely to Krakoa. It was another step in the former villain’s long journey towards atonement for his past.

While he may not be a mutant, the Juggernaut has a long history of joining superhero teams and trying to be a better person than he has in the past, and he deserves a spot on the X-Men because of it. Unfortunately, Professor Xavier might not agree. In the last year’s Juggernaut #2, a powerless Juggernaut assumes he’ll be able to have a fresh start on Krakoa, but Xavier tells him it isn’t possible, Krakoa is for mutants only. Since then, Northstar’s human husband has been able to be on the island, creating some inconsistencies in who exactly is allowed. Is it possible Xavier doesn’t want his stepbrother on the island or is it Krakoa itself shunning Cain Marko?

Regardless of the exact reason Juggernaut isn’t allowed on Krakoa, the precedence has certainly been set for him joining the X-Men. In fact, it’s not even the only mutant team he’s been a part of. The Juggernaut has joined two iterations of the X-Men and has also been a member of (New) Excalibur. In addition to those mutant teams, the Juggernaut has also been a member of Marvel’s villain-turned-heroes, the Thunderbolts, and has most recently teamed up with the Savage Avengers. His resume as a hero outshines his past as a villain, and his standing with the X-Men should reflect that.

Luckily for Juggernaut it seems like some among the X-Men may even agree with this. In a recent teaser put out from Marvel, Juggernaut appears alongside a team of mutants led by Nightcrawler, believed to be his Legionaires (that’s how he spells it.) Spinning out of the events of Way of X and The Onslaught Revelation, this is a new team dedicated to defending peace, law and the Spark. It’s unclear if Juggernaut will be allowed on Krakoa after this, but if he’s helping to defend the mutant way of life, he should be.