Warning: contains spoilers for New Mutants #14!

Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men relaunch could well be taking a sinister direction – with the Shadow King gradually taking over the mutant nation of Krakoa. The entire mutant race has gathered on the living island of Krakoa, with an amnesty offered to some of the most dangerous mutants of all time. Apocalypse became a member of the governing Quiet Council, literal Nazis like Fenris were welcomed, and even the ruthless and malevolent Shadow King has joined the mutants. The Shadow King is one of Charles Xavier’s most dangerous enemies, a foe who has fought the Professor since before the X-Men were ever formed, and he should be watched with care.

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Unfortunately, it’s becoming clear the X-Men don’t fully appreciate what they’re dealing with. New Mutants#14 finally revealed the truth about the Shadow King; that Amahl Farouk is an Egyptian mutant born in the sixteenth century, a telepath who was seduced and corrupted by the interdimensional entity known as the Shadow King. This astral entity is the avatar of the dark side of the human consciousness, spawned by the first nightmare, and he loves nothing more than corrupting others. New Mutants#14 revealed he is doing just that with a new generation of mutants, delighting in the opportunities he is offered by Krakoa.

But what is the scale of the Shadow King’s ambition? A being of pure darkness, the Shadow King has always been greedy to consume the entire world. There is no reason to imagine his agenda has changed at all, and consequently it’s safe to assume he intends to take over the mutants of Krakoa and then extend his reach over the rest of the Earth. There are clear thematic parallels here with a classic story called the “Muir Isle Saga”, in which he started by gaining control of just a handful of mutants, bending them to his will. Soon he had conquered the entire island, home to many mutants, and established his rule there. He came close to achieving his terrible ambitions, barely defeated by the X-Men.

It looks as though the Shadow King is repeating the same process he followed on Muir Isle now that he’s a citizen of Krakoa. He has begun with a group of young mutants who are being overlooked, and he has driven them to indulge in all their darkest impulses, ranging from depression to self-harm. The X-Men have responded by trying to encourage these kids to experiment with their powers in combat sessions, but that is exactly what the Shadow King wants, because aggression is one of his tools. Meanwhile, it’s disturbing to note the Shadow King’s influence may well extend beyond this handful of teenagers; during the Muir Isle Saga he delighted in pitting mutant against mutant in gladiatorial arenas, and there are at least two such arenas in Krakoa.

The Shadow King‘s baleful influence may well explain the strange character changes that have been in the X-Men since the beginning of the Hickman era, with all the island’s inhabitants under his influence. He is remaining surreptitious right now, aware Charles Xavier has bested him so many times in the past, but he is surely preparing for the day when all of Krakoa will fall under his shadow – and when he will finally get his revenge on the X-Men‘s leader, Charles Xavier.

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About The Author


Thomas Bacon
(4897 Articles Published)

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Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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