Marvel Comics has revealed the identity of the X-Men’s new mutant hero and latest member, Captain Krakoa. SPOILERS for X-Men #6 by Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia, Clayton Cowles, and Tom Muller. In September, Marvel Comics confirmed Captain Krakoa’s debut in X-Men #6. It also hinted that there’d be some tension between Captain Krakoa and Cyclops. It seems the X-Men’s leader doesn’t want Captain Krakoa on the team. X-Men #6 reveals the surprising reason Cyclops has such a problem with Captain Krakoa. It’s likely not what fans would have assumed from the start but ties into Captain Krakoa’s secret identity.
X-Men #6 sees Cyclops arguing his case for keeping Captain Krakoa off the X-Men to the Quiet Council. The Quiet Council overrules him as it seems to feel Captain Krakoa’s inclusion is a matter of great importance beyond Cyclops’ purview as the X-Men’s leader. With no other choice, Cyclops acquiesces. He leaves Krakoa to return to the X-Men’s base in New York City, but he does this in his new costume as Captain Krakoa.
It turns out that Cyclops is Captain Krakoa. The Quiet Council devised this new identity for Cyclops to cover up the Krakoan resurrection protocols’ existence. Reporter Ben Urich’s investigation into those protocols threatened to expose them. The Quiet Council feels that humans aren’t ready to know that mutants are practically immortal.
It comes down to Cyclops because Feilong, the technocrat with ambitions to claim Mars but who lost that race bitterly to mutants, supplied Urich with proof of Cyclops’ resurrection. The Quiet Council went as far as to fake Cyclops’ death and wiped Urich’s mind deeply enough that the reporter doesn’t remember working on the story at all.
But this isn’t over. X-Men #6 shows Feilong claiming Mars’ moon, Phobos, for humanity, establishing a foothold in the stars. It also reveals that he recovered Nightcrawler’s body from the same attack on Orchis’ orbital base that killed Cyclops and several other X-Men. (UPDATE: As a helpful reader pointed out, Feilong almost certainly recovered Nightcrawler’s body following Way of X‘s climax, where Nightcrawler stopped Phobos from crashing into Mars, and not from the strike against Orchis.)
What do you think of Cyclops becoming Captain Krakoa? Let us know in the comments section. X-Men #6 is on sale now.
- X-Men #6
- OCT210884
- (W) Gerry Duggan (A/CA) Pepe Larraz
- WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CAPTAIN KRAKOA?
- There’s a new hero on the X-Men. Who is he? Why is he here? And why does Cyclops not want him on the team?
- RATED T+
- In Shops: Jan 05, 2022
- SRP: $3.99