With the recent conclusion of the war between the X-Men and Eternals in Judgment Day, it's clear that the franchise is still full of surprises. The conflict put the entire Earth in turmoil and resulted in the deaths of several beloved Marvel characters such as Magneto and Sersi.
While Judgment Day was a grim event for the X-Men, it's far from the first dark story featuring Marvel's merry mutants. The comic line has always been about the characters facing discrimination and the horror that comes with it, something which is reflected in Reddit's selections of darkest X-Men comics.
God Loves, Man Kills
An original graphic novel that was the inspiration for X-2, "God Loves, Man Kills" is one of the darkest X-Men comics according to xooxanthellae. The story finds Magneto teaming up with the X-Men to save Professor Xavier from William Stryker, who plans on using the latter's psychic powers to kill every mutant.
While the main events of the comic never dip into the overly gruesome territory, the revelations about Stryker can be unsettling for some readers. The comic reveals that the Reverend murdered his wife and newborn son after the latter's birth, showing just why Stryker is one of the X-Men's most infamous villains.
The Apocalypse Solution
According to Redditor tomophilia, "XForce vol 1 from Remender is phenomenal." The first arc of the comic is known as The Apocalypse Solution and sees the Wolverine-led black ops team attempting to assassinate a newly reborn Apocalypse to prevent his ascension.
What makes the comic such a dark yet compelling read is the fact that it forces the reader to question whether the actions taken by X-Force are justified. They claim to be acting for the greater good, but their mission is based around the murder of a child, a fact which some of the members of the team don't seem to have any problem with.
Days of Future Past
Because "The original Days of Future Past" is regularly cited by Redditors such as t_huddleston as one of the best X-Men comics, it can be easy to overlook how bleak the story is. The comic focuses on Kitty Pryde being sent into the past to avert the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to prevent a dystopian future from coming to fruition.
While the idea of mutants being rounded up and hunted to extinction is now an old hat for many X-Men readers, Days of Future Past was the first time anti-mutant sentiments felt palpable for readers. It showed just how far prejudice could go, and cast a looming shadow over the X-Men franchise which continues to toy with the idea that a future where mutants are hunted is inevitable.
What If the Phoenix Had Not Died?
While Dark Phoenix has merit as one of the darkest X-Men storylines considering the titular character is responsible for the death of millions, Cshelton002 argues that "What If the Phoenix Had Not Died?" might be more depressing. In the story, Jean Grey doesn't sacrifice herself to stop the Dark Phoenix from taking control and as a result, goes on a killing spree.
The original ending to Dark Phoenix might have been harrowing, but the What If variation takes things even further. Jean ends up murdering the X-Men while under the control of the Phoenix Force, and the story ends with the universe engulfed in its power, with Jean helpless to do anything to curb the darkness that controls her.
E is for Extinction
Grant Morrison's "New X-Men" is generally considered by Redditors such as detourne to be one of the best interpretations of the team, yet the writer's run opens with one of the bleakest X-Men stories. His first arc spans issues #114-116 and sees the newly introduced Cassandra Nova reprogram a Sentinel which kills most of the island Genosha's population.
Beyond the massacre of nearly 16 million mutants found in E is for Extinction, the comic also deals with Emma Frost's trauma from having experienced the event. She ultimately exacts her revenge on Cassandra Nova, except it's revealed that Nova had swapped places with Charles Xavier, a move that cemented Morrison as one of the best X-Men writers.
The Age of Apocalypse
One of the most well-known Marvel crossover events, "Age of Apocoalypse [sic]" is what Redditor juiceman730 deemed to be the bleakest X-Men comic. In it, David Haller goes back in time and accidentally kills Charles Xavier, causing a paradox where Apocalypse takes over North America and rules with an iron fist.
Beyond the instigating factor of the story, the murder of the beloved Professor X, what truly elevates The Age of Apocalypse as a story is its fleshed-out world. With Apocalypse in control of the continent, genocide is committed toward humanity while mutants with telepathic and time travel abilities are hunted down.
Dark Angel Saga
From Rick Remender's run on Uncanny X-Force, the Dark Angel Saga is a story that made distinctlysinister "tear up." The story details X-Force's efforts to prevent Angel's transformation into the villainous Archangel by traveling to the Age of Apocalypse Universe to claim a Life Seed to destroy the Death Seed within Angel.
The thing that makes the arc so bleak is the fact that the team's efforts to save their friend are in vain. They had been duped by an already ascended Archangel and were forced to put him down to save the world.
X-23: Innocence Lost
Redditor xooxanthellae deemed "X-23's origin story" to be among the most depressing reads in Marvel Comics. The miniseries chronicles the creation of X-23 by Dr. Zander Rice and Dr. Sarah Kinney, the former of whom forces the child to become an assassin.
While many focus on the ending where X-23 ends up killing her mother because she was coated in the trigger scent that sets off X-23, just as unsettling is Laura's treatment by Dr. Rice. She's allowed to be a normal child for the first seven years of her life but is then forcibly exposed to radiation so her powers manifest, wherein Dr. Rice experiments on her without anesthetic.
Old Man Logan
"Old Man Logan" is considered by xooxanthellae to be among the darkest Marvel comic books. The original storyline was conceived by writer Mark Millar and focused on Logan's mission to help a blind Clint Barton travel east to the capital of New Babylon to deliver a secret package.
Like many Mark Millar comics, Old Man Logan features several disturbing images and ideas. The story is most infamous for a minor detail involving the incestuous offspring of Bruce Banner and Jennifer Walters, though the most depressing aspect of the story comes from the fact that Logan quit being a hero after he was tricked into killing his fellow X-Men.
Mutant Massacre
Released during the X-Men's height of popularity, "Mutant Massacre always effects [sic]" Redditor ElementalMagic2212. The crossover event involves the mysterious Marauders instigating a massacre of the Morlocks while the X-Men and X-Factor attempt to save their mutant brethren.
Beyond the senseless slaughter of the Morlocks (and the gut-wrenching reaction from characters like Leech and Caliban), the darkest aspect of the story involves the character of Angel. To save the Morlocks, the mutant is essentially crucified by Harpoon and Blockbuster, resulting in his wings having to be amputated.