The X-Men's Emma Frost is about to absolutely destroy her nemesis, Sebastian Shaw. First appearing in the epic "Dark Phoenix Saga," the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club were a band of mutants who desired to use their powers for personal profit. The various members of the Inner Circle were as likely to turn on one another as they were to go up against the X-Men.
First joining the Hellfire Club as a stripper, Emma Frost used her psychic powers to make men see what they wanted to see. Over the months, Emma became increasingly frustrated at the abusive way she was treated, and one day she snapped against the Hellfire Club's Leader, Sebastian Shaw. To her surprise, Shaw invited her into the Inner Circle, murdering two of Emma's fellow strippers in front of her in order to intimidate her. The two became bitter rivals over the years, and Sebastian haunted Emma even after she left the X-Men; he's always attempted to get one up on her, even now that they're both supposedly working together in favor of the interests of the mutant nation of Krakoa. Kate Pryde was drawn into the conflict between the two, and now she and Emma are working to get their revenge for Shaw's misdeeds.
Recently, Newsarama released the cover of the upcoming Marauders #22, showing Lourdes Chantel - a little-known character who was one of Shaw's former lovers - resurrected and standing in a position of power and authority next to the White Queen. The two stand in front of a chessboard with Emma toppling the Black King, a sign of a game finally drawing to an end. There's another piece on the board, as well; Harry Leland, obviously resurrected too. The synopsis reads:
THE PAST CAN STILL BURN YOU!
The Hellfire Gala may be over, but the flames of Hellfire past come licking at the heels of the Inner Circle…
The cover is based on an earlier one, for Marauders #2, in which Sebastian Shaw stood next to Emma Frost as the Black King and White Queen of the Hellfire Club. The clear implication, then, is that Shaw is about to lose his position - replaced by Lourdes Chantel. That's certainly a surprising twist because Lourdes has only appeared a handful of times before, and she was loyal to Sebastian before ultimately being killed. But Gerry Duggan has told Newsarama there may be another story behind her resurrection; "Painful secrets are revealed in the wake of this year's triumphant Hellfire Gala," he observed. "Lourdes was a flame that burned bright, and was extinguished before Cerebro came online, making her resurrection a lost cause - OR IS IT??"
But the inclusion of Harry Leland on the cover is just as important. In Marauders #17, Emma taunted Sebastian that his son's powers are more like those of his fellow Hellfire Club member Harry Leland, hinting she believed Leland had an affair with Shaw's wife. Sebastian Shaw has always prized his family lineage first and foremost, and if Emma can prove he has no dynasty, then she will have truly destroyed everything her nemesis has ever stood for. The X-Men's White Queen, Emma Frost, is truly about to destroy Sebastian; no wonder the cover shows her mocking the toppled Black King.