House of X: The X-Men and mutant’s prosperity won’t last forever

The X-Men and the mutant community are enjoying a period of prosperity and dominance, but it probably won’t last long.

The House of X series has been one of the best X-Men titles in decades. Jonathan Hickman took the mutants and gave them hope. Beyond that, he gave us the story of how it happened. It was a long time coming, but it was worth it in the end. We learned that Moira MacTaggert is a mutant and that her reincarnation abilities helped the mutants find their place in the universe.

House of X has concluded, and it was an emotional ride. This issue started with former enemies of the X-Men working alongside them to write the laws of the mutant nation of Krakoa. Professor X, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Cypher, Jean Grey, and Storm were joined by Apocalypse, Emma Frost, Sebastian Shaw, Exodus, and Mystique.

Together, they formed a council to help lead mutants into a new era. And everything went smoother than expected. After they dispersed, a party was held. Everyone danced, ate, and drank to a new beginning. For this writer, the best part of House of X was watching old rivalries end. Wolverine and Gorgon shared a beer, as they watched their people celebrate. And Jean and Emma (who both love Cyclops) buried the hatchet. It was beautiful. It’s too bad we know this isn’t going to last forever.

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The X-Men have had times of bliss on multiple occasions — Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters being a safe haven, the X-Men’s time in San Francisco, and later on Utopia. Each time, their home was destroyed. Sometimes from without (the Purifiers, a battle with the Avengers, Magneto, and a host of others).

However, there have been times where the threat has come from within their ranks. An example would be the times Cassandra Nova inhabited the minds of Emma Frost and Professor Xavier and attacked the X-Men. There were also multiple times when the teams split over differences in opinions, like the schism between Cyclops and Wolverine. Just looking back at the X-Men’s history, we can see that this is going to be no different. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.

As of right now, there are three rules. Make more mutants, murder no man, and respect this sacred land (Krakoa). All of these rules are bound to be broken. What happens when some of the men or women decide that they don’t want to procreate? Will they be cast out? What happens when old rivalries come back and cause friction among the mutant race?

Apocalypse alone has more enemies on Krakoa than anyone. And then there’s the sacred land of Krakoa. Krakoa is a living being. Will someone break that rule? All of these are possibilities and in the nature of these mutants. Mystique could break all of these rules or, at the very least, set things in motion possibly for money or because she’s bored.

We also have to remember the X-Men have their enemies on the outside, as well. The Friends of Humanity, Purifiers, and the governments of the world won’t like that mutants have a home of their own. Or that they were so “arrogant” as to help cure human diseases. They’ll also hate the message that Xavier sent into their minds. It’ll feel like a violation and, as a result, it’ll only be a matter of time before they’re attacked. This is a mistake, considering some of the most powerful beings in the world reside there. Krakoa alone could stop their enemies before the mutants have to.

It’s going to be disappointing when this downfall happens. But it’s the way of the mutants in Marvel Comics. They get built up only to inevitably be brought back down. The first sign came in issue one of House of X when Logan was smiling. He was genuinely happy and playing with kids. A happy Wolverine is a bad omen. Mutant lives are a tragedy not unlike the work of Shakespeare. When the X-Men are prospering, you can anticipate something bad is going to happen. The higher the mountain, the longer the fall.

They even figured out a way to cheat death, so you know something terrible is going to happen. It would be a nice change of pace if the mutant community stayed happy while continuing to fight the good fight. It’s just unfortunate that we know this won’t be the case. And when their downfall does happen, it’s going to be both epic and catastrophic.

What do you think? Will the mutant nation of Krakoa last? Let us know in the comments below.