The X-Men's most powerful Omega level mutants in Marvel Comics are going to war - on each other. Omega level mutants number among the most powerful beings in the universe; they are defined as mutants "whose dominant power is deemed to register -- or reach -- an undefinable upper limit of that power's specific classification." The potential of Omegas working in harmony was perfectly demonstrated in recent X-Men comics, when a number of them literally Terraformed the planet Mars.
The ranks of Omega level mutants had swelled through the history of the X-Men books, but when superstar writer Jonathan Hickman relaunched the line in 2019 he decided to cut them down for dramatic purposes. He revealed there were only 14 Omega level mutants on Earth, effectively de-powering all the others who had been called Omega over the years - including the original Omega mutant, Rachel Summers. Their numbers have grown again since, though, because the X-Men brought millions of mutants from another dimension - with quite a few Omegas numbering among their ruling caste. They've now been transported to the newly Terraformed Mars, although they're expected to follow the commands of Storm, the Omega mutant who has been declared Regent of the Solar System.
In an interview with CBR, comic book writer Al Ewing - who's about to launch a new X-Men Red series based on Mars as part of the "Destiny of X" line - revealed the Omegas are about to go to war on one another. One of the key players will be Vulcan, the youngest brother of Cyclops and Havok, an Omega level mutant who actually conquered the entire Shi'ar Imperium and led them to war. Jonathan Hickman's plans for Vulcan fell apart, but Ewing is taking the story in his own direction. As he explained:
"Well, Vulcan is losing it... It's an ingredient Jonathan left for us in the communal fridge that I think I can cook into a tasty treat. And -- oh, yeah, one more minor thing -- he was Emperor of the Shi'ar for a while, wasn't he? With the fast pace of galactic politics, it's almost like that's been forgotten -- almost as if shameful periods of Shi'ar history are unofficially memory-holed by the state. Now, I'm not one to tell the Shi'ar how to run their business, but I think Vulcan might feel a little put out by that policy..."
According to Ewing, X-Men Red #2 will feature a major confrontation between Vulcan and Storm; the next issue will then feature "a battle between Omegas that resolves in an unexpected way." It's unclear who these unnamed Omegas are, but it's quite possible Storm is going up against some of the new Omegas of Mars - meaning their power-sets are unknown. Artist Stefano Caselli will no doubt have an absolute blast rendering the clashes between various Omega mutants.
Comic books have always embraced the spectacular, but the X-Men's Terraforming of Mars opens up so many new possibilities for action on a scale never seen before. If Storm is indeed going up against some of these new Omega mutants, she'll need to be at her best, because their harsh upbringing means they won't care about collateral damage. And meanwhile, a focus on Vulcan should mix things up nicely - because he's already shown he has the power to dominate an entire galaxy. The X-Men could come to regret welcoming him into their midst.
Source: CBR