X of Swords
"X of Swords" is a comic book crossover story arc set during the larger "Krakoan Age" storyline, which debuted in September 2020, published by Marvel Comics. It was part of Marvel's "Dawn of X" relaunch of its X-Men books, following the "House of X" and "Powers of X" storylines. "X of Swords" was followed by the 2021 "Hellfire Gala" storyline.
Publication history
"X of Swords" was the first crossover of the Krakoan Age since the relaunch House of X and Powers of X event it concluded the Dawn of X publishing initiative and launched the Reign of X publishing initiative. As with Powers of X, "the 'X' in the title is meant to be read as 'Ten'". It was initially teased in Free Comic Book Day 2020: X-Men #1 before being announced at C2E2 in February 2020 as the upcoming 15-part X-Men summer crossover storyline. The title is a "reference to the Ten of Swords", a tarot card that "generally represents betrayal, rivalry and tragic endings".Banshee, Glob Herman, and Trinary were set to have roles in X of Swords storyline as teased in Free Comic Book Day 2020: X-Men #1 but Banshee was replaced with his daughter Siryn, Glob Herman with Rockslide and Trinary was removed entirely. Regarding this, then-X-Men line's editor Jordan White revealed that Free Comic Book Day comics are done early and stories could change when revised, so they had meant to change the story and not the characters.
Entertainment Weekly highlighted that "as with so many 2020 comics, X of Swords was hit by big pandemic delays"; the crossover was "a collaboration between more than 28 creators" and "the fact that the creative team was stretched across the globe meant they were all affected by COVID-19 in different ways". On the impact of the pandemic, Excalibur and X-Corp writer Tini Howard commented,
I don't know if it would have been the same book on the original schedule because tinkering with the schedule caused problems, but also enabled us to do certain things. Everything about that book is very much a product of the situation and people functioning under specific conditions probably more than any other comic I've been a part of. We were all working together on it so much, partially because we didn't have anywhere else to go in lockdown. So we were kind of losing our minds together and making this book. In a way I think it saved my year.The groundwork for the storyline was established during Howard's Excalibur run. In June 2020, it was revealed that the crossover had increased to 24 issues – two prelude issues followed by a 22-part story. Screen Rant commented that in this style of crossover "creative teams work together, with normal stories suspended in favor of continuing the event". X of Swords: Creation #1, by writers Jonathan Hickman and Tini Howard with art by Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia, was released in September 2020. The final issue, X of Swords: Destruction #1 by the same creative team, was released in November 2020. A 56-page companion guidebook, X of Swords ''Handbook'', in an encyclopedic style was released alongside the crossover; "each entry features multiple paragraphs detailing each character's known history up until this event".
Plot
Lead-up
As part of the "Fresh Start" relaunch, an extra-sized issue in celebration of the long history of Marvel Comics includes a one-page story shows Apocalypse reminiscing about his original Four Horsemen who were lost so long ago.During the House of X and Powers of X storyline, it is revealed that Moira MacTaggert, an ally of the X-Men, is a mutant whose power is to live many "lives". In her ninth life, she allied with Apocalypse and they both rescued the First Horsemen. Cypher and Professor X travel to the mutant island of Krakoa to establish the future foundation of their mutant paradise. Communicating with Krakoa, Cypher reveals its secret history. X and Magneto invite all former mutant villains to live on the island including immortal Egyptian mutant Apocalypse. Both Krakoa and Apocalyse interact subtly – a hint of their shared past.
As part of the "Dawn of X" relaunch, Cyclops, Rachel Summers, and young Cable travel to a mysterious island on the ocean, where they meet enigmatic character Summoner. It is then revealed that the island is a fragment of Krakoa, with which the living island reunites. Weeks later, Summoner recounts the story of the separation of Krakoa and Arakko, the result of an invasion from the dimension of Amenth.
In the new Excalibur title of "Dawn of X", it is shown that Apocalypse wants to tap into the magical spring source that is Otherworld, ruled by Omniversal Majestrix Saturnyne. This new approximation of Krakoa's mutants and the inhabitants of Otherworld sets the stage for a future confrontation. Some time later, Apocalypse gathers his fellow X-Ternals, and sacrifices some of them to create a portal to connect Krakoa to Otherworld.
Main story
The Invading Army
It is discovered that the first incarnation of the Horsemen are actually the biological children of Apocalypse and his wife Genesis who was also sent with Arakko. Following that, Apocalypse went to the Summoner and directed him to the portal to Otherworld where he could return to Arakko, while being accompanied by Unus the Untouchable and Banshee. However, what Apocalypse did not expect was that this was all an elaborate plan created by his own children so they could return and overthrow Krakoa with their fellow Arakkii mutants and Daemon army. Apocalypse himself was soon attacked and critically injured by his daughter War, being forced to retreat to Krakoa to heal their wounds and prepare for war between the two groups.Failure of the Resurrection Protocols
Former student Rockslide suffers a surprise attack by Summoner, who destroys his psychic essence. Hurrying back to Krakoa, the Five proceed to restore his physical husk, but, when X begins to telepathically download his memories, the five Cerebro mainframes fry and short circuit. Apprehensive, the Five convene with the Quiet Council to inform them that once a mutant is killed in Otherworld, this creates problems for the resurrection process. When the Five attempt to resurrect Rockslide, they create an amalgam of the different Rockslide variants who is later dubbed Wrongslide.The Gathering of Swords
acts as a medium and delivers the list of swords and cryptic hints about the chosen champions of Krakoa. Magik is the first one to rise to the occasion. Wolverine and Arakkii mutant Solem are sent to a Hell-like dimension to reach legendary bladesmith Muramasa, and ask him to forge new blades for the tournament. Solem gets both of the new Muramasa swords, but yields one to Logan in exchange for a favor. Storm travels to Wakanda to request permission to borrow an ancient relic from the Royal Family: a mystical sword named Skybreaker, made of vibranium and previously wielded by a legendary Wakandan king. Due to the Royal Family's refusal, Ororo is forced to steal it only to face her ex-sister in-law Shuri, before leaving the country.In Krakoa, Cypher shares his worries with Warlock and the Living Island, while training under Magik for the upcoming tournament. Meanwhile, the Quiet Council decides to take a different approach instead of sending a mutant with little battle experience: they agree to send Mister Sinister and his Hellions on a secret mission to sabotage the contest. Young Cable, Jean Grey and Cyclops travel to the S.W.O.R.D. space station and Cable activates it with his sword, the Light of Galador. The trio soon discovers that an extradimensional army known as the Vescora massacred the station's occupants. After dealing with this threat, young Cable joins the other swordbearers. In Otherworld, siblings Betsy Braddock and Brian Braddock trick Saturnyne into forging the Starlight Sword, while also acquiring the Sword of Might.
Still reeling from the betrayal of his children, Apocalyse reminisces about the time he lost his wife Genesis and children, the First Horsemen, when Okkara was split into two islands. Soon after, he asks Gorgon to accompany him to Egypt to retrieve his own sword for the upcoming tournament. In Arakko, the First Horsemen begin to assemble their forces for the upcoming tournament, all the while revealing underlying tensions among themselves and between a few of the major players of Krakoa's side.
Accommodation in Otherworld
After the chosen Swordbearers of Arakko and Krakoa travel to the Otherworld, they are welcomed by Saturnyne. Both parties intermingle and try to discover each other's secrets and weaknesses. Apocalypse encounters his former wife Genesis, who reveals the story of her banishment while Storm shares a dance with the Horseman of Death.The Tournament Begins
After the feast, Saturnyne announces the challenges. Aside from one-on-one battles, she forces the Swordbearers to compete in a series of extravagant contests.Notable contests include: the apparent death of Captain Britain against Isca the Unbeaten, shattering into glass-like fragments; the marriage of Cypher and Bei the Blood Moon; and Gorgon being killed after a fierce battle against White Sword and his One Hundred Champions. Finally, with the score tied, Saturnyne announces the last match: Apocalyse versus Genesis possessed by Annihilation.
In the meantime, Sinister and the Hellions arrive in Amenth to sabotage the Arakkii team, but their mission goes awry when they encounter Tarn the Uncaring and his Locus Vile. Theirs is a bloody battle, and four of their number are killed. The other Hellions barely escape through a portal to Krakoa, but as soon as they return, the real Sinister kills the survivors to keep his true purpose during the mission a secret: stealing gene samples from Arakkii mutants.