In X-Men #24, the premiere team of mutant heroes embark on a lighter romp despite the growing shadows in this title’s final issue before this year’s Hellfire Gala. In doing so, it appears that Gerry Duggan, Joshua Cassara, Frank Martin, VC’s Clayton Cowles, and Jordan D. White have brought the second democratically elected X-Men squad’s tenure to a close. The cast for the next round of X-Men is still largely clouded in mystery, with a few key hints and clues for readers to theorize with for the next couple of weeks.
Ambitious in the amount of ground it aims to cover, X-Men #24 has two prologues and epilogues, each of which are distinct and largely separate from each other as well as the team’s return to Gameworld. In order to accommodate the page space needed for these additional threads, the Gameworld gamut is a fairly straightforward brawl against fan-favorite Arraki swordsman Pogg Ur-Pogg. The X of Swords scene stealer’s return is a delightful one, especially with the introduction of his children, the thieving Pogglets.
Many aspects of this issue bring home the fact that the entirety of mutantkind stands on the verge of a great inflection point for the Krakoan Age. A young Cable’s failed face-off with Moira X, Omega Sentinel, and Nimrod raises up the franchise’s signature time-looping antics, which is humorous considering Moira’s motivation is that “mutants always lose,” while Karima Shapandar believes “mutants always win.” A note from the TVA and another heated discussion between Rogue and her mother Destiny emphasize that the choices that lay just ahead may shape their entire timeline moving forward.
Speaking of Destiny’s ominous warnings, two prophecies in particular focus on the current team of X-Men as well as the one to come. The “death of the Red Queen,” is an overt reference to Kate Pryde’s exit from her role in Hellfire Trading and rejoins the X-Men under the new codename ‘Shadowkat.’ Even more pressing is Irene’s claim that a traitor is already in the midst of the current squad, and Talon & Firestar seem the likeliest candidates. These aren’t the only insights into the team’s future cast: Rogue, Iceman, Havok, Magik, and Wolverine have all served on the Krakoan rosters, but they will be busy with their own Fall of X titles. Jean officially confirms her exit from the team near the end of the issue and challenges Scott to reconsider his allegiance to the role as well. It also seems that Lorna Dane misses her time on the team, and with Jean echoing the issue’s title “Once an X-Man…,” Polaris might be joining once more.
Credit: Marvel Comics
Of all the other Krakoan X-Men, Forge and Synch’s future with the team remains a total mystery, while Sunfire embarks on his mission to rescue Redroot from Otherworld. Shiro has spent such a lengthy period preparing, and the final part of this epilogue shows that his mission will be no walk in the park either. However, readers will have to tune into an upcoming X-Men Unlimited arc to follow this journey. Notably, this is the first time since the launch of Marvel’s Infinity Comics that the main X-Men title has pointed to its Unlimited Infinity Comic companion as essential reading.
With such a widespread set of stories and cast members, Cassara and Martin really get to have some fun. Destiny’s gorgeous mask, Moira X’s new wig, and Jean and Scott sharing an emotionally loaded embrace are all standouts. And yet, Pogg and the Pogglets are such pure fun that they might just top them all.
Depending on how many of the current X-titles you’re keeping up with, the building tension heading into the Hellfire Gala is becoming all consuming while still having two weeks’ worth of issues between then and now. The timing of Rogue and Destiny’s conversation is also a tad confusing given Irene’s emphasis on finding Manifold is already the impetus for the nearly finished Rogue and Gambit mini. That being said, these flaws are extremely minor and fairly negligible.
X-Men #24 is the end of this chapter for this squad, and it seems that the board is just about set for the most infamous Hellfire Gala in Krakoa’s history. It’s fun and filled to the brim with different story threads which unite to build anticipation for the upcoming X-Men roster. Time for the Pogg Ur-Pogg heads to unite – hopefully the X-Men survive the coming blight.
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