X-Men: Krakoa’s 10 Greatest Threats
Phillip Pratt
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The X-Men sure don’t know how to play nice these days. If you thought they racked up a lot of enemies during House of X and Powers of X, I’ve got some news for you. They didn’t stop there. Since the Dawn of X began – with the exception of the Mauraders – each title has presented at least one new foe. Here are the 10 biggest new threats to Krakoa.
10. Coven Akkaba | Excalibur
The smallest threat on this list is a group of slightly annoying 20-something wannabe warlocks and witches that got in over their heads. At least, that’s what appeared to be the case, at first. The Coven is a group of humans that originated from Apocalypse’s birthplace. So far, they’ve functioned as reluctant followers of Morgan le Fay as she waged a small war against the new Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock) and her team in Excalibur.
9. Death Commandos | New Mutants
Hoping to visit their dear friend Cannonball on the Shi’ar homeworld, the New Mutants – including Gen-Xers Chamber and Mondo – took to space. Of course, nothing went according to plan. Atop of being arrested for trespassing as well as aiding and abetting theft – they were conscripted by the Imperial Guard for a mission.
Related: X-Men: Marvel Comics’ New Mutants Gives Readers a Big Connection to Powers of X Data Page
Unbeknownst to them, the Imperial Guardsman, Oracle, was playing both sides of the field. Intending to sabotage the New Mutants’ efforts, she hired a band of intergalactic mercenaries called the Death Commandos. How much of a threat they’ll be after this arc is unknown – but for the moment they’re strictly a New Mutants problem.
8. Apoth | Fallen Angels
The fate of the Fallen Angels title notwithstanding – the threat of Apoth is still real. Like so much of what the X-Men have been fighting against, Apoth represents a link to Homo-Novisma. A ghost in a machine, Apoth is a form of intelligence that thrives in the artificial. It also gets its kicks out of possessing children. He is another example of humans melding with machines to battle the mutant threat.
7. Hordeculture | X-Men
When every facet of Krakoa’s tech is being merged with plant life, the worse enemy they could have come across is a maniacal botanist. Even worse, a cadre of them. Luckily, Hordeculture is primarily – if not entirely – composed of elderly women.
Related: X-Men #1: Are Wolverine and Cyclops Involved in a Ménage à Trois with Jean Grey?
The problem they create isn’t so much physical more than it demonstrates how vulnerable Krakoa still can be. Krakoa’s tech may not be hackable by conventional means, but it isn’t infallible. If Hordeculture can compromise Krakoa’s gate network, there’s no telling what else they’re capable of. They may one day be able to corrupt Krakoa itself.
6. Teleflor | X-Force
In the late 1990s, the X-Men found themselves on the brim of the Days of Future Past timeline. Though they were able to avoid the beginning of that particular dystopian future – how it almost came about was never fully conquered. Two words; Omega Sentinels.
Human-sized, sleeper Sentinels created by nanites. The X-Men battled them and their creator Bastion and won. However, the idea was birthed. And an idea cannot die. Years later, the Krakoans are faced with an eerily similar dilemma.
Like Omega Sentinels, they are created from the inside-out by microscopic organisms. Teleflor are mutant-detecting killing machines. Not very dissimilar to the biotechnology Forge and others are developing using Krakoa – they are the plant variation of a worst-case scenario that can potentially spread like a disease.
5. Children of the Vault | X-Men
The Children of the Vault aren’t so much “new villains” as they are a resurgence of old ones that represent a new threat considering what we know of the future. The Children are superhumans created by the artificial evolution of humans without the presence of the X-Gene.
Related: 5 Things That Have to Happen to the X-Men in Marvel’s Dawn of X
Xavier, Magneto, and Moira aren’t just interested in establishing a home for mutant kind. They’re fighting for its future. During one of Moira’s doomed lives, she discovered what truly is the downfall of mutant-kind. It wasn’t Sentinels or a virus. It was mankind.
One-thousand years into the future, humans, and machines become the same. By then, mutant-kind has all but been eradicated with only a mere handful kept alive as part of a nature exhibit. The Children represent a building block towards that grim future.
4. The Xeno | X-Force
Since the beginning, there have always been dark forces lurking within the bowels of the government looking to subjugate or eliminate mutants. When Krakoa came into existence and Xavier telepathically put the world on notice – it was only natural that such an infection would spread.
The U.S. and Canada were never the only governments to behave in such a manner. Russia, and the now-defunct nation of Genosha, were notorious for doing much of the same. However, when members of more benevolent countries like Wakanda fell victim to the same state of mind – Xeno was born.
“Xeno” is derived from the word “xenophobia” which is defined as; dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries. The villains involved with the group will lean towards the idea of protecting themselves from a hostile foreign power – but having mutants in control of that power kicked it up a few notches.
They aren’t pulling punches either. So far, after capturing Domino, the Xeno removed large swathes of her body and implanted the acquired flesh into their genetically developed commandos. Why? To allow them access to Krakoa. To do what? Assassinate Professor-X. They succeeded in both efforts and then some.
3. Mystique | X-Men
The Xeno are terrifying, but they are still an outside threat. Mystique has consistently been a thorn in the side of the X-Men and any mutant that was unfortunate enough to get in her way. Even her very own children at times.
Though she’s a member of the Quiet Council, Mystique’s allegiance is still tentative. Most of what she’s done to this point has been to ensure the resurrection of her long-dead wife, Destiny. You see, Destiny is a powerful precog. For the moment, Moira MacTaggert would rather no mutant with the ability to see the future be resurrected. Most likely fearing that they’d reveal what’s to come before she deems Krakoa ready for such information.
This edict includes characters like Blindfold, and of course, Destiny. Unbeknownst to Moira and company, however, Destiny has already given directions to Mystique. If she’s not resurrected, Mystique is under orders to “burn [Krakoa] to the ground”.
2. Orchis | X-Men
Orchis is an amalgamation of the remnants of several groups and organizations from Marvel – both “good” and “evil” – including S.T.R.I.K.E, A.R.M.O.R., H.A.M.M.E.R., S.W.O.R.D., A.I.M., HYDRA, and even S.H.I.E.L.D. The hyper-advanced science-based organization is a direct response to Xavier, Magneto, and Moira’s actions in creating Krakoa. However, they may have been seeded much sooner than that.
Their singular goal appears to be stemming the exponential growth of the mutant race. They plan to do this by arming/ training soldiers and developing uber advanced models of Sentinels such as the “Mother Mold” – a giant, sentient Master Mold producing manufacturing plant.
Related: 5 Reasons The X-Men Might Be Brainwashed
Xavier, Magneto, and Moira believed the activation of the unit eventually leads to the creation of the first Nimrod in the present timeline. This is the reason they sacrificed the lives of Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Jean, Husk, Archangel, Mystique, and M to see that it was destroyed. Too bad, they were wrong.
1. Pure #### Hubris
The biggest threat to the X-Men and the nation of Krakoa, altogether, is the collective overconfidence and smug attitudes they’ve demonstrated since the beginning of the Dawn of X. Whether it’s because of their measure of immortality, new-found wealth, global influence or if they are being telepathically manipulated- the mutants have abandoned all traces of humility.
Even the most cynical of characters like Kitty, Beast, Wolverine, X-23, and Gambit have been construed as towing the Krakoa-line. Their self-righteous attitudes are already grating on the nerves of allies, as seen with the Fantastic Four. First with Cyclops when he attempted to negotiate Sabretooth’s release, then most recently over Franklin’s future.
Arrogance isn’t new territory for some characters. Emma Frost is famous for it, but when the entire race is seemingly studying at her feet – there’s a problem. Much of the change in pace can probably be attributed to their more relaxed view of Xavier’s dream of co-existence.
He said it himself – their priorities have shifted. But with their casual approach to political, economic, and telepathic manipulation of others – it would seem so has their sense of morality.
What do you think is Krakoa’s biggest threat? Let us know below.
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