Debuting in 2022, X-Men: Red focuses on the mutants that have settled on Mars, now called Arakko. Except for a few mutants from Krakoa, the population comprises battle-hardened mutants from the island of Arakko. Their leader is Ororo of the X-Men, better known as Storm.
X-Men: Red is written by Al Ewing, with art by Stefano Caselli, Juan Cabal, Andrés Genolet, Michael Sta. Maria, Madibek Musabekov, Frederico Blee, Fernando Sifuentes, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, Ariana Maher, and Cory Petit.
Featuring an intriguing alliance between Magneto, who recently resigned from Krakoa’s Quiet Council, and Storm, the bold comic series consistently delivers one surprising development after another.
This article contains spoilers for Marvel’s X-Men: Red comic book series.
10/10 There Are “No Thrones On Arakko”
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #1, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
Storm was uneasy when people referred to her as the Queen of Arakko. The planet was ruled by a council, much like Krakoa. The Great Ring comprised three tables, with a fourth not seated in the Great Ring. Attempting to get under her skin, Isca the Unbeaten and Abigail Brand of S.W.O.R.D. taunted Storm with her title, Regent of Arakko.
Storm’s position gave her an extra vote on the Great Ring in the case of a tie, usually caused by Isca’s abstained vote. Having had enough of this, Storm destroyed the throne with lightning, proclaiming no thrones on Arakko. Storm then decided Arakko needed defenders, if for no reason than to thwart Abigail Brand’s plans.
9/10 Magneto’s First Daughter Wasn’t A Mutant
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #3, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, Fernando Sifuentes, and Ariana Maher
The Scarlet Witch’s gift to Krakoa was the ability to resurrect mutants who had died before Cerebro was built to hold their minds. This also carried over to mutants who’d died before their powers surfaced. Magneto hoped that his first daughter, Anya, could be returned to life decades after her death.
Later on, Magneto explained his reason for leaving Krakoa. His daughter Anya had no mutant gene. She was completely human, so she couldn’t be resurrected, and her mind was lost forever. This broke Magneto’s spirit, driving him to seclusion.
8/10 The Empress Of The Sh’iar Could Be Resurrected On Krakoa
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #4, by Al Ewing, Juan Cabal, Andrés Genolet, Michael Sta. Maria, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
The current Empress of the Shi’ar Empire is Xandra, the genetic daughter of Lilandra and Charles Xavier. When Storm represented the Sol system at an emergency diplomatic meeting of various intergalactic civilizations, she learned that Xandra has died.
The diplomats debated the ramifications of the power vacuum and the war that would probably follow. Black Panther interjected to remind everyone that Xandra was a mutant and could be resurrected on Krakoa. Having heard his daughter’s psychic scream, Charles Xavier prioritized Xandra’s resurrection and brought her back.
7/10 Magneto Can Survive For A Short Time Without A Heart
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #5, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
When the Eternals attacked the mutants during Marvel’s A.X.E.: Judgment Day event, they sent the powerful Eternal Uranos. Isca The Unbeaten turned on her fellow mutants, signaling that Arakko’s fate looked grim. Shortly after Uranos arrived, the mutants of Arrako fell under his fury. In the battle, Uranos ripped Magneto’s heart from his chest.
Despite having lost his heart, Magneto kept his blood pumping by controlling the iron in his blood, allowing him to continue fighting alongside Arrako. Storm arrived just as the battle appeared bleakest and struck Magneto with lightning. Magneto used that power to strengthen his mutant abilities, summon molten lead from Arrako’s core, and defeat Uranos before eventually succumbing to his injuries.
6/10 The Fourth Table In Arakko’s Great Ring Is The Night Table
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #6, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
During the battle against the Eternals, the Fisher King gathered Sunspot and the teleporter Syzya to form the missing Night Table of the Great Ring. Syzya claimed the Seat of Nowhere, and Sunspot took the Seat of Nobody. The Fisher King seized the Seat of Nothing.
The most dramatic moment followed the battle with the Eternals. Isca the Unbeaten was tried for betraying Arakko and killing fellow members of the Great Ring. Backed by the Night Table, the Fisher King challenged Isca to a contest concerning who truly understood the meaning of loss. Failing the challenge because she’s never known defeat, Isca resigned from her position on Arrako’s council.
5/10 Magneto Revokes The Krakoan Gift Of Resurrection
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #7, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and Ariana Maher
Demonstrating his resolve upon joining the Great Ring, Magneto abandoned his Cerebro backup. He professed his desire not to be resurrected if he were to die, wanting to embrace mortality like the mutants of Arrako. Then the battle with Uranos tested Magneto’s resolve.
As Magneto died in Storm’s arms, he reinforced his decision to forgo the resurrection protocols, and he made Storm promise to keep an eye on Charles Xavier. Drawing his final breath, Magento saw his dead daughter, Anya, welcoming him.
4/10 Storm Gave Up Leadership Of Planet Arakko
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #7, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and Ariana Maher
In the wake of the Eternal attack on Arakko, and the death of many members of the Great Ring, Ludos proposed that Arakko be governed by focusing on dreams rather than the old ways of combat. Concurring with his proposal, Storm yielded the seat of the Regent of Arakko to Ludos.
However, Storm didn’t leave the Great Ring. Instead, she took Magneto’s seat, the Seat of Loss, to honor his sacrifice for Arakko. This proved Storm’s commitment to Arakko and acknowledged the loss of a former enemy who had become her friend.
3/10 The Shi’ar Prolonged The Kree/Skull War For Strategic Advantage
Revealed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #8, by Al Ewing, Madibek Musabekov, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
Three hundred years before Marvel’s current timeline, there was a truce between the Kree and the Skrulls in their long war. Then the Kree received word that the Skrulls were doing forbidden research on genetic weapons. The Kree attacked the station only to discover it was a hospital, and the war reignited.
Back in the present, Xandra admitted at a diplomatic meeting that the Shi’ar had fed false information to the Kree for a Shi’ar strategic advantage. Before Xandra could offer repayment for the centuries-old war crime, the meeting was interrupted by the former Shi’ar Emperor, Gabriel Summers, also known as Vulcan.
2/10 Vulcan Is A Sleeper Agent
Confirmed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #8, by Al Ewing, Madibek Musabekov, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
Orbis Stellaris had resurrected Vulcan and deposited him on Earth during the founding of Krakoa. This was done in concert with Abigail Brand, who was also working with ORCHIS. The resurrected Vulcan exhibited the same brutality and ego he’d once possessed, once more filled with fury and fire.
As part of her ulterior plans, Abigail Brand had orchestrated Vulcan’s resurrection on Krakoa. She then sent him to interrupt Xandra’s diplomatic meeting, hoping to start an intergalactic war. Vulcan attempted to murder the Shi’ar ruler by blasting her with the full brunt of his powers. To Vulcan’s dismay, Sunspot had been using an image inducer to impersonate Xandra and wasn’t harmed by the raging blasts.
1/10 Abigail Brand Is Scheming To Strengthen S.W.O.R.D.’s Hold On Earth
Confirmed In: X-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #8, by Al Ewing, Madibek Musabekov, Federico Blee, and Ariana Maher
While working together, Cable had begun to suspect Abigail Brand had ulterior motives that could be putting mutantkind in danger. Since Abigail died in Uranos’ attack, Cable knew the first thing she’d do upon her resurrection would be to review her daily log of plans, just in case her mental back-up didn’t have the most recent details.
Cable and Whiz-Kid cooked up a scheme that allowed them to read Abigail’s secret documents as she reviewed them. To their horror and outrage, they discovered Abigail had been working with ORCHIS and Orbis Stellaris, that she had orchestrated Vulcan’s resurrection, and that she was trying to trigger a massive war. If she were to succeed, Abigail’s goal of absorbing ORCHIS and establishing S.W.O.R.D. as a global peace agency headquartered on Mars would spell doom and devastation for millions.
