What's Happening in 'Powers of X'

Warning! This article contains spoilers for last week's POWERS OF X #5, so read on at your own risk, True Believers!

After a dramatic string of issues in HOUSE OF X, this week’s POWERS OF X #5 draws back the curtain on the mutant nation of Krakoa. Jonathan Hickman and R.B. Silva took the time to establish who’s running the show with Professor X and Magneto. And while Moira X is still MIA in the present timeline, this issue establishes Emma Frost as a hugely important part of their plans...

Emma touches upon Magneto’s disastrous stint as the leader of Genosha, and its subsequent destruction in NEW X-MEN (2001) #114. There is a legitimate concern that Krakoa could meet the same fate—that’s why the export of Krakoa’s miracle drugs is so vitally important. Essentially, it seems, they’re economically blackmailing the world into leaving them alone until the mutant population has been fully restored.

Hickman also took the time to address Emma’s reluctance to partner with Sebastian Shaw again, after recently removing him from the Hellfire Club. They need his underworld ties, and thus Shaw is back in the game with a seat on Krakoa’s ruling council alongside Emma. The most intriguing element here is that Emma asked for a third seat on the council...but the identity of the mutant to fill it remains to be seen. In fact, most of the council is shrouded in secrecy. Beyond the Hellfire Club’s representatives, only Xavier and Magneto have been named. However, Cypher and Krakoa itself will also have a say in the council’s decisions.

The prologue for the issue reveals that Forge built the upgraded Cerebro that can copy the minds and souls of mutants. Judging from Forge’s costume, this scene appears to take place around the era of X-MEN (1991) #1, shortly after Professor Xavier’s return from Shi'ar controlled space. It also adds another wrinkle to Xavier’s long exile; in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #200, we saw that the Starjamers and Lilandra took Xavier away to save his life. But in doing so, they gave him the key to eventually resurrect nearly every mutant on Earth. Surely, it can’t be a coincidence that Xavier finally had the technology to go forward with this upon his return...

As a follow up to last week’s HOUSE OF X #5, Xavier invited the X-Men’s former enemies to join them on Krakoa. It’s worth noting that there may only be one Sinister now, as it appears that the rest have been slaughtered. Was this another aspect of Xavier’s plan? Or does this last Sinister clone have his own dark designs for Krakoa’s mutants?

In the far future, 1,000 years from now, the Phalanx agree to absorb humanity’s knowledge...at a price. It’s unclear if these future humanoids are mutants or humans, but they’ve made a devil’s bargain. The Phalanx can’t absorb their flesh, so they will be consumed alongside the entire planet when the Phalanx takes their collective knowledge. To put it bluntly, if this is the outcome of everything the X-Men have fought and died for, then this timeline might be considered a failure. But is there anyone left who can stop it?

We’ll find out as POWERS OF X and HOUSE OF X race towards their mutual conclusions.

Read POWERS OF X #5 for yourself at your local comic shop now!