Allow Me to Introduce: The 2021 X-Men

Let's rewind back to July 2019 when Jonathan Hickman jumped into the X-Men driver's seat and began a drastic re-imaging of Marvel's merry mutants. With most of the major mutants united and working together, Krakoa has been established as a mutant nation that has opened the door for these characters to be explored in ways not seen as often. Rather than constant struggles against humans or fighting amongst each other over ideologies, the better part of a year and a half has been spent seeing mutants overcome the labors of living with each other. Side by side with that has been the continued promotion of living peacefully with other nations, the creation of their own laws and government, and the fruitful existence in paradise (well, mostly). It has been quite a difference from the typical X-Men status quo of the past, especially with over 10 different mutant-focused comic titles to follow since the House of X/Powers of X event that led to the "Dawn of X" relaunch.

Of course, something that has obviously been missing since this process began was the establishment of an "X-Men" team, which has traditionally been a team of mutants put together by Professor Xavier to help maintain peace among mutants and humans. Having been removed from living among humans, there has not necessarily been the need for such a group. Of course, much of the "Dawn of X" books have been following other established groups of mutants, such as the Marauders, X-Force, and the New Mutants, so it is interesting that the most popular of groups was left out. If anything, it helped shed a little more light on these other titles, since it is likely that the upcoming "X-Men" title written by Gerry Duggan will be a major focus for most comic readers, especially for those that are not interested in following all of the books from the "Reign of X". Right now, if nothing else was to change, it looks as though the "Reign of X" chapter of this story will have 14 comic titles to follow.

When the "Dawn of X" chapter ended, Jean Grey and Cyclops chose to step down from their roles on the Quiet Council (the head of the mutant government) to re-establish the X-Men. At the time, the in-story motivation was to gather a group to represent the "best and brightest" that Krakoa has to offer. Looking at the individuals chosen, though, it seems this group will be looking to do a lot more than just represent. I am curious as to what role the team will have on Krakoa. Could it be used as a police force to maintain order? Or could this be the primary team sent out to publicly handle certain missions in the rest of the world? With two specific members being included on the new team, it seems that the X-Men will at least continue exploring the threat of the Children of the Vault.

But without further ado, allow me to present to you, your 2021 X-Men roster:

CYCLOPS

The de facto leader of the X-Men through the majority of the team's existence, Scott Summers (Cyclops) originates back to the very first issue of the X-Men comic. While the source and nature of his powers have not remained consistent across all writers, his optic blast and the glasses/visor he relies on to maintain those powers have been Cyclops signature. From his ongoing love story with Jean Grey, his shifts between boy scout and revolutionary, and his complicated family tree, Cyclops has one of the most impactful histories across X-Men lore. It would honestly have been quite strange had he not been a part of this iteration of the team, since it represents a fresh start for mutantkind and some version of the vision for which the X-Men have been fighting.

JEAN GREY

Most of what I said about Cyclops can be reiterated here for Jean Grey. One of the original members of the team, Jean Grey (Marvel Girl) has been at the center of many of the X-Men's pivotal happenings. While she may be best known for being a host for the Phoenix Force, bringing her power levels to one of the greatest in the universe, Jean is an Omega Level telepath with telekinetic abilities (thus, a force to be reckoned with). I always felt an important part of her role was to be the voice of reason for the team and Scott, who always had a bit of a struggle with whether to cross the line or not. While it depends on how she is written, Jean's optimism could end up very important in helping balance the team, especially as we see the personalities of the other members.

WOLVERINE (X-23)

Wolverine may be the most popular X-Men character ever, with Magneto playing a first second, so it is no surprise that a Wolverine makes it on the team. What is surprising, however, is that Logan will not be donning the cowl, but instead his daughter (or clone, if you were unaware of a recent-ish retcon) Laura. Now, X-23 is my favorite comic character and while I was excited to see her inclusion on the main team, I was disappointed to see that it is under her father's identity and not her own. Nevertheless, including her on the team provides a relentless powerhouse with a healing factor and adamantium claws who was trained to be a killer. A bit of a comeuppance for a character with such a dark past. You can not convince me this team is not being formed for something a bit more than just setting an image.

ROGUE

Quite the popular character and one with a bit of a difficult history herself, Rogue (Anna Marie) has a long history of struggling with her abilities, which all but eliminates her ability to make physical contact with others. When she does so, Rogue absorbs a person's memories, knowledge, physical abilities, energies, personality traits, and mutant powers, leaving the other individual drained of energy. During storylines related to a mutant “cure”, Rogue has many times been used as a mutant sympathizer for such an option. She has currently been a main character in the Excalibur title, working closely with her husband Gambit, Jubilee, and Captain Britain, so it will be interesting to see what pulls her away from this team to join another.

SYNCH

Now, I thought this was a weird choice, mostly because his mutant ability is so similar to Rogue's. For creating a fighting force, having two members who can use others' abilities can be very helpful, but seems like a repetitiveness that wastes a roster spot. A tad different, Synch's mutant ability allows him to gain any abilities of super-powered individuals within a specific vicinity to him. It is likely he was included to continue his relationship with X-23 (because what would an X-Men team be without multiple love interests) and because he has the most current knowledge on the Children of the Vault. Most well-known for being a member of Generation X, this is a mutant who has not had a great amount of exposure. Another interesting choice for joining the team, considering he is seen as a vital backup to the Five (a set of mutants whose powers used in unison allow for dead mutants to be resurrected).

SUNFIRE

A character I know very little about, Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida) is a Japanese mutant trained in the martial arts that has the ability to absorb radiation and convert it into plasma. These abilities allow him to fly, fire plasma blasts, create shields, and generate deadly high temperatures. His history with the X-Men has been a bit rocky, as he has struggled in balancing his responsibilities to his native country with those of being a superhero, leading to many identity crises. He was once a horseman of Apocalypse (Pestilence) and a member of the Avengers Unity Division, as well as a member of a former iteration of the X-Men. With mutants having their own country, I wonder if there will still be any play with Sunfire's allegiances to Japan.

POLARIS

Marvel recently held a vote that the fans could participate in to select the final member of the X-Men team. From a list of 10 (I voted for Armor), it was Magneto's daughter who was elected in to the final spot. Her powers are nearly identical to that of Magneto's, though she has also demonstrated a secondary mutation that allowed her to grow in height, gain super strength and durability, as well as amplify negative emotions of those around her. A former member of an older X-Men team and multiple iterations of X-Factor, she has been a frequent love interest for Havok (Alex Summers) and while she has demonstrated loyalty to her father, she has always been a bit kinder than him regarding how she goes about things. She recently helped form the new X-Force Investigations, which aided in the mutant resurrection process by investigating and validating mutant deaths. I have little problem with Polaris being a member of the X-Men, but similar to Rogue, I think this spot could have been given to a mutant who does not already have a big role in any of the current titles.

There you have it, the initial roster for the 2021 X-Men. Note that I specified "initial" roster, and it is sure to change and shift throughout the history of this iteration of the team. We will have to wait until July to see how this team will help shape the future of Krakoa. Are you excited for this new "X-Men" title? Who would you have chosen as the seven members of the X-Men?