The Fall of X left mutantkind in a disastrous spot. With Krakoa in a state of hibernation, mutants being hunted across the galaxy, and Arakko at war, there is no true safe haven anywhere. Except, that is, in the promised land.
The mutants have found their sacred haven, but not everything is as it seems. While Exodus has promised a land of milk and honey, their perfect oasis is hiding some sinister secrets. Immortal X-Men #16 is where Kieron Gillen, Lucas Werneck, David Curiel, and Clayton Cowles bring those secrets to the light.
It’s hard not to enjoy Immortal X-Men, but issue #16 really helps to raise the stakes to an impossible degree. Plotlines from Immortal X-Men #1 are finally being brought back into the light, and it feels like the book is building to a truly cataclysmic climax. That happens to be everything that Exodus has been dreaming of since his spotlight in Immortal X-Men #5. Mutants are finally united, and they are ready to take a stand against their personal devils.
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Beyond the stakes, it is important to note that Immortal X-Men has now almost entirely abandoned its point-of-view structure. This is an issue that is meant to present Apocalypse’s perspective of events, yet his narration only lasts for six pages and is hardly prominent outside of two of those pages. Everything else jumps from Shaw to Xavier to Destiny and Hope. There is absolutely nothing wrong with temporarily leaving that structure behind, but it is jarring to see it go so quickly and without much warning.
Instead, Destiny has a much larger role within this story. Her data page alone offers some much-needed exposition into the new status of the false Krakoa — though it would be nice to see more of life on the oasis without having to be told about it. A single celebration and a cameo of a mutant with a fish-like creature is just not enough to comprehend the enormity of what this place represents to them.
The other characters also get a chance to shine. By drastically cutting down the cast, Gillen has given himself room to explore each character in depth. Shaw’s flaws are exposed, Exodus’ fanaticism remains as fervent as ever, and Hope’s slow descent into his cult continues unabated. Only Xavier’s personal development is left awkwardly waiting on the edge, though the next issue promises to answer any remaining questions about him.
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The last major flaw of the book is that, while the allusions to Christianity were compelling when they were first introduced, they are admittedly overstaying their welcome. Three straight issues of Exodus pontificating have been engaging, but exterior forces buying into his perception do bring it far beyond subtlety. A subtler touch would be helpful, especially when even villains are now standing on their soap boxes.
One tremendous element is the way that this issue ties into other books in the X-Men line. Without going too far into spoiler territories, the book brings in a central character in another book and reveals both the twist of that series and a narrative revelation for Immortal X-Men.
It’s a brilliant stroke that drags a seemingly unconnected book into the forefront of the X-Men books without sacrificing too much page space or effort. The focus remains entirely on the Quiet Council, as this book always intends to do, yet still honors its sister series.
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I would also be remiss not to mention that there has been some massive improvement to the art. Instead of featuring blank white backgrounds on every other page, Immortal X-Men #16 finally offers consistency in its backgrounds. The art remains dynamic, but Curiel and Werneck have taken the extra time to offer at least a splash of color behind every character. It’s a minor change, but it’s a much-needed touch that this book has been waiting for.
Immortal X-Men #16 delivers on everything that it needs to — and more. As Gillen begins to wrap up plots, the Fall of X has also opened up new directions in the story. Every issue comes to expose more about each member of the Quiet Council, and the surprise twist at the end leaves years of content to be mined. While the book would benefit from trimming some sections to show more about the typical Krakoan, a book about the Quiet Council is meant to explore the Quoet Council — and that is exactly what it does.
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