That's a heavy metaphor - and again, not one perfectly explored in the Krakoa era, but gazed at nonetheless. By moving on from the classic 'hated and feared by the humans they protect' theme and redirecting away from humanity as mutantkind's greatest enemy toward the evil future AI Nimrod and the Phalanx, a new fantasy took root in the franchise - one where those who feel the most endangered will outlive their tormentors to face radical and mystifying new horizons under their own agency. The Krakoa era, flawed as its own metaphor may have been, at least grappled with taking that story a step further. But that metaphor has started to feel reductive in a world where very real marginalized people are facing challenges to their lives and liberty, with no adamantium claws or optic blasts - or Resurrection Protocols - to turn to. In a way, this feels like leaning into the commonly cited idea of the X-Men as a superhero-ized metaphor for the experience of marginalized people.

There's been a steady drift back toward a growing conflict with humans who despise mutantkind's claiming of Mars, and who, judging by Marvel's cryptic foreshadowing of the upcoming events of 'Fall of X,' may be about to strike the deathblow to the Krakoa era. Now, despite the reach of mutantkind into the stars, even situating Arakko as the head planet of Earth's solar system among intergalactic political bodies, the story has shifted since Hickman's departure from the X-Men line in early 2022. Mastermind of the X-Men JONATHAN HICKMAN brings his plans to a head, joined by an incredible lineup of artists beginning with VALERIO SCHITI… as one woman follows through on her promise to burn the nation of Krakoa to the ground.The culmination of this thematic idea came in 2021's Planet-Size X-Men, in which Storm, Magneto, Iceman, and several other mutants used their incredible Omega-level power to terraform the planet Mars into the planet Arakko, a mutant homeworld with polar ice caps, atmosphere, and new magnetic poles that changed its environment to be hospitable to mutants.

The rulers of Krakoa have been playing a dangerous game with a dangerous woman, and they are about to see how badly that can burn them. THE CULMINATION OF JONATHAN HICKMAN’S X-MEN BEGINS HERE! “There will be an island-not the first, but the last…” Promises were made and broken.

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