Marvel’s December solicitations are here, and they show that the Hellions, the X-Men’s newest and most insane team... are about to be killed. Hellions #7 is set to take place in the aftershock of the upcoming X-Men event X of Swords. The event will feature ten of Krakoa’s mutants wielding powerful blades to fight the Swordbearers of Arakko, an ancient enemy that has ties with Apocalypse. Many mysteries surround these new villains, but Arakko, the land from which they hail, is a living island that used to be attached to Krakoa. Ever since the “Dawn of X” began with Earth’s mutants splitting off and creating their own nation, the X-Men have been divided on a variety of missions. X of Swords, however, will bring everyone together and alter the course of the X-Men’s future.
Among the various teams of X-Men that have been introduced since the events of House of X and Powers of X are the Hellions, a team containing many problematic members. The team was founded after Mister Sinister suggested that some of Krakoa's less trustworthy mutants be used in missions where collateral damage wasn't an issue. Generally, this meant that they wouldn’t be sent out into public settings because human casualties would be almost inevitable. The mutants added to the roster included Havok, Orphan-Maker, Nanny, Empath, Scalphunter, and Wild Child. Psylocke was also added to the team in order to keep them in line.
Unfortunately for this band of misfits, their adventures will go awry in December. Hellions #7, written by Zeb Wells with artwork by Stephen Segovia, will see the team perish. No news has shown how this will happen, but the cover art for the issue shows Mister Sinister crying over a gravestone, which confirms that things won’t go too well for the Hellions. Marvel’s synopsis reads:
MUTANT MASSACRE! Mr. Sinister’s team of Hellions are dead. Oh, the pain! Oh, the injustice! Oh, the--wait a minute…what’s Sinister really up to? The fallout from X OF SWORDS!
Despite Mister Sinister’s tears on the cover, the synopsis shows that the X-Men’s former adversary may not be as genuine as everyone has been led to believe. The Hellions have already learned that Mister Sinister has countless skeletons in his closet (or rather corpses in his basement) and it would not be out of character for him to be scheming behind the backs of the rest of the Krakoans. He may even play a role in the team’s demise. This is especially likely as "Mutant Massacre" is also the name of a 1986 X-Men story in which Sinister presided over the mass slaughter of refugee mutants, making the term synonymous with his personal brand of dirty deed.
One of the greatest discoveries for the X-Men in their current run is that death is not a huge problem for Earth’s mutants anymore. Thanks to the combined powers of a select group of mutants, practically any resident of Krakoa can be resurrected from the dead. With this solution in place, it seems like death is not a threat anymore. With the upcoming X of Swords event, however, this could be thrown into question, as it is supposed to have a major effect on how the mutants continue their civilization. Hopefully the Hellions can rely on resurrection to bring them back, because if they cannot, then the team could disappear as quickly as they formed. Whatever the case may be, fans can expect to learn more when Hellions #7 comes out in December.