The Genesis War is coming. Arakko isn’t ready, and Apocalypse isn’t either. As Genesis prepares to lead her legions to war against the forces of Arakko, Apocalypse still needs to wrestle with mutantkind’s future.
X-Men: Before the Fall — Heralds of Apocalypse carries the heavy task of setting up the future of Krakoa as the Fall of X approaches. Al Ewing, Stefano Landini, Luca Pizzari, and Rafael T. Pimentel have joined forces to develop this 36-page one-shot, and they are more than capable of reintroducing Apocalypse as the war approaches.
SPOILERS AHEAD for X-Men: Before the Fall — Heralds of Apocalypse!
The issue starts off where X-Men: Red #12 begins. The White Sword has fallen, and Genesis is rising. Apocalypse, meanwhile, stands before a daemon and debates the philosophy of strength. Is strength based in morality? Is there more to it than survival alone? Is it enough to be strong? No, Apocalypse decides, shortly before his daemon is stabbed in the head in a genuinely hilarious panel.
Genesis has arrived, and she is not pleased. She and Apocalypse bicker over the direction of Amenth and Arakko alike. Eventually, they settle into a sword fight — as one does.
But while Apocalypse is satisfied with his answers to the question of strength, X-Men: Before the Fall — Heralds of Apocalypse is not. It flashes back to his relative youth. A time of peace when the children of Apocalypse and Genesis were born and when Isca had not earned her legend. Apocalypse is seeking to extend their time of peace, but Genesis is less certain.
As it turns out, Genesis is right. Annihilation attacks. The realm plunges into chaos, but Genesis and Apocalypse rise above it all to make themselves rulers. Annihilation attempts to seek a truce and offers a whispered promise to Genesis. Only now does Genesis confess what the god offered: the chance to end the war.
Marvel Comics
The strength theme arises again. Is it morally justified to seek more war to encourage strength in the children? Is it right to give the strong a chance to prove themselves? Genesis comes to a different conclusion than Apocalypse. She chooses war.
Enraged, the modern Apocalypse throws himself into battle with his wife. He takes twin swords through the chest for the pleasure, but his point is made. Pain does not scare him. Arakko being cleaved from Krakoa angered him, not the pain of it all. Just as Okkara was split, the bond between Apocalypse and Genesis has been severed. It can never truly be healed.
Meanwhile, in another flashback, Genesis and the Horsemen accept the surrender of the Summoners. The only surprise to it all is that one Summoner reveals the death of Tarn the Uncaring. Apocalypse defends the choices of Arakko, while Genesis reviles them. Marianna Stern — fresh from X-Men Red #12 — warns Genesis of the state of Arakko. Genesis dismisses her husband outright.
The final flash-forward sees Apocalypse offer Genesis an Okkara gate. He keeps one for himself and plants another. Then, as Genesis leaves with her staff, the daemon returns from his feigned death. He has survived, thus he is strong. He and Apocalypse leave to be tested. Neither know the true meaning of strength, but they are determined to find it.
X-Men: Before the Fall — Heralds of Apocalypse does what many other X-Men comics do not: It lets a villain evolve into a hero without weakening his premise. Apocalypse has always been a Darwinian character. To survive is to be strong, and that has always been his guiding principle. X-Men comics have been exploring the weaknesses in his approach for years. This issue, however, is one that accepts his perspective without endorsing it.
Apocalypse is considered a mere philosopher by Genesis, which only further establishes her own power. Yet, despite Genesis winning this battle over her husband, the strength in Apocalypse is still apparent. Even after his loss, he is strong enough to seek further testing. He is strong enough to stand for the people of Arakko. He finds morality and, in that morality, he finds strength.
Marvel Comics
The art in X-Men: Before the Fall – Heralds of Apocalypse is unsurprisingly exceptional. Even in long nine-panel pages filled with nothing but unexpressive characters and dialogue, all three artists manage to paint compelling pictures that keep the scene interesting. Parallels and ever-changing backgrounds keep every moment alive and fresh.
Of course, if there are any faults in X-Men: Before the Fall – Heralds of Apocalypse, it’s that the issue would be difficult to parse through for anyone not intimately familiar with Arakki history. The data pages — featuring the story of Arakko’s history — certainly helps, but it’s worth rereading X of Swords to really get a handle on the characters again.
The timeline is also somewhat confusing. The initial flashbacks are easy to parse through, but subsequent flashbacks to the meeting with Stern seem to come out of nowhere. Otherwise, though, Ewing ensures quality transitions that help to clarify the overall narrative. Again, the data pages are incredibly necessary here and should not be skipped.
Overall, X-Men: Before the Fall – Heralds of Apocalypse is a brilliant story that should easily excite any X-Men fan. The coming war with Genesis promises more interaction with Apocalypse, which has been sorely needed. His question of strength will soon be hanging over the heads of every Krakoan as they survive in the wake of the Fall of X.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.