Warning: major spoilers ahead for Children of the Atom #2!
The X-Men and Avengers could go to war over their children. The controversial Kamala's Law is finally catching up to the X-Men and the resolution may not be peaceful. In Children of the Atom #2, the Avengers deliver a message to the X-Men that causes some high tension.
Kamala's Law is a law that prevents teenage heroes from engaging in crime-fighting without having an adult hero mentor. It is designed to protect children and everyday citizens, but so far it has only hindered young heroes' ability to save the day. The impacts of the law - and its multiple shortcomings - have been seen in Marvel's current Power Pack series. Until now, the law had not seemed to largely impact the mutant community. That seems to be changing rather quickly. The X-Men and their mutant brethren have been living in Krakoa as an independent nation. They have had enough to deal with, but their list of challenges seems to be continually growing.
In the latest issue of Children of the Atom - written by Vita Ayala with art by Bernard Chang - Iron Man, Captain America, and Captain Marvel pay a visit to the X-Men at the Krakoan Embassy in New York City. They talk to Mystique and Storm, delivering a message: if teenage mutants like the Young X-Men continue to operate freely, they could be at risk of being affected by Kamala's Law - negatively. The punishments for breaking this law include being placed into "re-education centers", as Captain Marvel phrases it. Although the Avengers have come to provide fair warning to the X-Men, there are some tensions rising at the implications of the law and how it is being addressed by Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
The law is not being enforced or implemented by the Avengers - or with their endorsement. It is in effect by the government and is enforced by people who won't hesitate to forcefully detain minors with powers - or who are mutants. The Avengers have come in planning to do the X-Men a service: warning them that young mutant activities can be grouped in with standard hero work. Kamala's Law does not apply only to humans even though the X-Men believe that it should as mutant matters should be addressed by mutants alone. Unfortunately, the X-Men and their community operate in dual worlds and they have only had time to make so many changes. Their to-do list is long and seemingly ever-growing.
Captain America and the Avengers do not approve of the law, but Storm is quick to point out their hypocrisy. Cap has been known to speak against the law, particularly where a group of heroes known as the Champions were involved. Now, Storm shifts the perspective, making it seem as though the Avengers are roundaboutly saying that it is okay for the law to apply to mutants - because they aren't their responsibility. What began as a friendly warning between heroes quickly turns into a tension-filled conversation that calls out hypocrisy, double standards, and a lack of respect for the X-Men's mutant sovereignty.
The X-Men have been changing a lot of their operations within Krakoa and they still have many issues to address. Now, protecting young mutants from unjust laws may become a new priority - particularly since Storm emphasizes the need for each group to take care of their own - further solidifying a divide between the heroes. While this conversation may appear generally innocent, these are the kinds of issues that have gotten the X-Men into wars and the kinds of disagreements that turn into Civil Wars - which the Avengers are very familiar with.