X-Men Red #1 sees a surprising Omega-Level mutant forming a new Brotherhood of Mutants that may eventually come into conflict with Krakoa.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Men Red #1, now on sale from Marvel Comics.
The X-Men have been steadily expanding their influence across the Marvel Universe, but the spread of the mutants has also weakened them internally. Fractures have been building within Krakoa, with new groups and missions planting the seeds of conflict. Now, an Omega-level mutant has taken things even further, and quietly set the stage for major problems going forward.
Storm’s declaration to form an Arakko-based Brotherhood as a deliberate counter to the X-Men in X-Men Red #1, by Al Ewing, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee and VC’s Ariana Maher, could set up a major internal conflict for the mutants and their allies.
X-Men Red further explores the internal conflicts of Arakko, which remains a war-like nation even as Storm tries to usher it into an era of peace. Complicating matters is Abigail Brand, who seeks to turn Arakko into a galactic power free of Krakoa’s influence, and has been secretly working alongside Orchis after deposing Henry Gyrich. This makes her pitch to Storm about forming an Arakko-based X-Men team all the more dangerous, as it would give her more power over the future of the mutant race while simultaneously seizing agency and control from the mutants. Sunspot is hesitant and wants to recruit his own counter-team, finding an unlikely ally in Storm who also resists Brand’s ideas and wishes to be a part of Arakko outside of her duties as Queen.
Storm takes it a step further and approaches Sunspot and Magneto to propose that they create an Arakko-centered balance to Brand’s X-Men, in effect a new incarnation of the Brotherhood that can act as a “balance” to Brand’s team. It’s an interesting idea, and one that could become incredibly important for the future of the mutant race. With Arakko’s ruling class ultimately voting to embrace peaceful evolution over returning to their war-like ways, the warrior culture will likely find new purpose within the Brotherhood. Furthermore, this could help cement a new mutant group that can operate independently and even opposed to the X-Men without being strictly enemies, allowing the mutants of Arakko to express perspectives different from those of the mutants on the “mainstream” nation of Krakoa.
However, it’s likely only a matter of time before the Mutant Brotherhood find themselves drawn into conflict. With Brand’s plans for the future of Arakko dependent on the collapse of the current mutant government, it’s only a matter of time before her hand-picked X-Men stand in opposition to the new Brotherhood. Storm’s status as an Omega-Level Mutant as well as a member of both the Quiet Council and the Great Ring means her Brotherhood will likely carry a great deal of authority and importance. If Brand seeks to continue expanding her control, she’ll inevitably have to find a way to either sway Storm’s way of thinking or outright steal away her position and power.
Krakoa was designed as a mutant utopia where past aggressions could be pushed aside. But while many old enemies have found new friends on the island, fractures in the structure of the mutant nation have set up a number of internal conflicts. Inferno only served to intensify these problems, with entire branches of Krakoa now openly courting conflict amongst themselves. Storm electing to bring back the Brotherhood in a new form might only make the situation worse especially if Magneto joins her group, as his recent departure from the Quiet Council came with a great deal of drama. An internal conflict might be inevitable for the X-Men, and Storm’s new team might be caught right in the middle.
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