Warning! Spoilers ahead for Planet-Size X-Men #1
While Elon Musk and SpaceX hope to one day make Mars a habitable world for mankind, Magneto and the X-Men just made that dream come true in Planet-Size X-Men #1, albeit with some major evolutions to the idea that could only come from the impressive power of mutantkind. Prior to the first annual Hellfire Gala hosted by the mutant island nation of Krakoa, Magneto assembled a team of mutants to help him literally terraform Mars into a world for Arakko, making it a livable world to suit the needs of mutants.
The main purpose of turning Mars into a habitable world is the result of the aftermath of X of Swords, which saw Krakoa's sister island Arakko being transported from Otherworld right next to the island nation, along with its own host of mutants. As a result, Magneto has proposed to take Mars and turn it into a world suitable for the Arakki mutants to live and prosper, and he was soon given approval in the new Planet-Size X-Men #1, coming from writer Gerry Duggan and artist Pepe Larraz.
Now, the issue sees Magneto providing the vast amount of iron needed for injection into the planet's core, effectively conducting planetary "open-heart surgery" with help from Hope Summers and Vulcan, allowing the planet to support life. Not only that, but Magneto has recruited both Krakoan and Arakki mutants to help fill the planet with said life, filling its massive craters with oceans and enriching the surface of the planet to sustain and grow its own vegetation and oxygen. Finally, once the primary foundations of creation were in place, Magneto had the entire island of Arakko teleported to Mars using the External Gate. Then, work began filling the planet with structures and institutions such as a diplomatic center, a second SWORD station, as well as a spaceport for visiting travelers. However, while everything is set and in place to debut the X-Men's new planet at the Hellfire Gala, Magneto reveals to Storm that he fully expects humans to be upset by his and his team's actions.
Magneto's not wrong. Elon Musk would most likely be first in line to express his frustrations over Krakoa essentially acting unilaterally to claim Mars as its own and turn it into a world for mutants. Colonizing Mars and making it a livable environment for humans has been a driving force and plan of SpaceX's for years. However, Magneto is also right in his argument that humankind is still years away from any attempts to colonize Mars and get it done well, let alone terraforming the entire planet on such a grand and rapid scale. Furthermore, why shouldn't a population of mutants take Mars for themselves if they have the power and abilities to do so? They've certainly dealt with enough hatred from humankind as a whole already, so relocating Arakko certainly seems like not that bad of an idea.
In any case, Mars was finally unveiled at the Hellfire Gala, having been completely transformed and turned into Planet Arakko. No doubt this move is going to make some major waves going forward, and it's going to be really interesting to learn how the Gala's various non-mutant guests will respond to this large power play conducted by Magneto in future issues. Dr. Doom and Captain America have already had their own negative reactions. Regardless, here's hoping the Elon Musk of the Marvel Universe isn't too livid that the X-Men took his dream and made it a reality for their own people.