Why the X-Men Are Going Easy on the King in Black

Warning: Spoilers for S.W.O.R.D. #2 below! 

The X-Men have been holding back their immense power against Knull, one of the Marvel Universe’s greatest threats to date. It’s no secret that the merry mutants have now cut themselves off from the rest of the world in their current relaunch, but the latest crossover event, King in Black, is now exposing the toxic lengths to which they’ve gone to ensure their own protection.

As the primordial god of darkness unleashes his symbiote-powered destruction upon earth, engulfing the entire planet in shadow, the governing mutants of Krakoa have retreated within their own land and closed off their nation’s gates. Issue two of the main King in Black series sees Charles Xavier and Magneto denying a request to provide their mutant soldiers’ support in the fight against Knull. It’s a difficult call to get behind, but understandable given Knull’s current domination. However, S.W.O.R.D. #2 by Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti showcases the powerhouse mutants that are being kept away from the battlefield by Krakoa’s leaders, reminding readers that the X-Men could significantly turn the tide of this war if they really wanted to.

The group known as The Five consists of some of the most powerful mutants on Krakoa that are capable of putting a serious dent in Knull’s forces. The only problem is, they’re also essential to mutantkind’s newfound capacity to conquer death. By working together, The Five have granted the mutants of Krakoa immortality through their synchronized ability to resurrect any fallen mutants. It’s for this reason the rulers of Krakoa refuse to let these five mutants fight in any battle. Instead they are sectored away and preserved as Krakoa’s most fragile assets, not to be put in any danger under any circumstances.

S.W.O.R.D. #2 exposes just how stingy the mutants are being while the god of the symbiotes takes over the world. When the team of S.W.O.R.D. agents arrives on Krakoa, the scene shifts to the hatchery where The Five are secluded for safety. Proteus notes that he could have easily manifested the light of a sun into reality to turn the tide against the symbiote invasion by now. Hope Summers reiterates that it’s more important to preserve their power for resurrection, but there’s no denying that a bulk of The Five feel frustrated and guilty for not using their omega powers to assist in battle. Sending Proteus and Hope into the fight for earth alone could provide some much needed fire power, not to mention the lives Elixir could save with his healing ability, but, unfortunately, the prosperity of Krakoa has been placed high above saving the entirety of the known universe.

The current era of X-Men has granted mutants some seriously long overdue prosperity after an extensive history of always being the outcast underdogs of the Marvel Universe. However, one of the most intriguing angles presented in this new age of mutantkind is how the freedom from subjection has placed mutants’ own priorities above all else. In the old days, Xavier’s dream imagined a world where mutants and humans could coexist. Now, however, that dream has been proven impossible, and despite the entirety of earth now under the threat of destruction by the King in Black, the X-Men are opting to look out for their own people ahead of lending assistance to the rest of humanity.

About The Author

Andrew Cavalluzzi
(107 Articles Published)

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Andrew is a Los Angeles based entertainment writer. As an indulger in all things movie, comic book, video game and TV series related, he spends most of his breathing time racking up knowledge in all those categories. His obsession with the Marvel Universe knows no bounds and his endless pursuit to find the perfect formation of words that best captures his adoration for storytelling will probably be the end of him.

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