Warning: includes a preview of Excalibur #20!
The X-Men are finally confronting the biggest threat to mutant immortality. A danger that has been hanging over their heads for months is finally being addressed, according to a new preview of Excalibur #20 from Marvel Comics. With Krakoa and Marvel's earthly plane having intersected with the magical Otherworld prior to the X of Swords event, the connection has become a huge problem because of how it subverts the X-Men's ability to resurrect dead mutants.
First introduced in 1966 within the pages of Fantastic Four #54, Otherworld has proven to be a complicated location for the X-Men. It is a dimension separate from the one that the X-Men live in, though now connected to their nation by a Krakoan teleportation portal. Sadly, the discovery was quickly made that while mutants who die in Otherworld can be resurrected, they come back transformed, completely different to their former selves. Having only recently developed the ability to grow duplicate bodies and imbue them with the backed-up memories of the departed, it's vital that the X-Men find a way to either fix Otherworld's influence over this process or else break off contact with the realm for good.
A new preview for Excalibur #20 - written by Tini Howard with art by Marcus To - reveals that the X-Men are finally addressing this glaring problem. Despite the External Gate Apocalypse created being closed, a gate to Otherworld still exists in Avalon, an Otherworld land built up from the myths and legends of Britain. This gate is protected by the Captain Britain Corps on one side and the X-Men team Excalibur on the Krakoan side. The last few issues of Excalibur - as well as issues taking place within X of Swords - have shown how dangerous Otherworld can be for mutants. After many attempts to seek reconciliation, the X-Men are finally talking to Captain Britain about closing the gate. Check out the Marvel Comics preview here:
The gate to Otherworld presents many problems for the mutants of Krakoa. In Otherworld, powers manifest differently and resurrection protocols have proven to be stunted by death in the alternate dimension. Dying in Otherworld means actual death, since only a random, different version of a mutant can be brought back with difficulty, not necessarily the same mutant. This is perceived to be permanent when compared to previous deaths the X-Men have experienced in the mundane world. Going to Otherworld is dangerous and could be life-ending. Additionally, the leadership of both sides has not been seeing eye to eye when it comes to the gate. Saturnyne - the leader of Otherworld - has not been forthcoming with aid or even effective communication with the mutant community. As Xavier says, there is no greater threat to any given Marvel mutant at the moment than death in Otherworld, and yet the gate situation remains unresolved.
This is no surprise, considering the dangers of connections to Otherworld have been known since X of Swords. The actual surprise comes from how long it has taken to fully address this matter. Charles is right to worry about young mutants, as New Mutants #16 saw some mutant children sneak into Otherworld, followed by powerful heroes Danielle Moonstar and Karma, who are now trapped in the one place from which resurrection can't save them. The X-Men's resurrection procedure isn't magic, but rather a complex process requiring five heroes to combine their powers. That balance could be ruined by Otherworld's influence, so it's a good job the X-Men are finally sending Excalibur to resolve the situation. Sadly, Saturnyne isn't likely to make that easy.