Warning: Spoilers for X-Men Red #4
The former X-Men of Krakoa Magneto and Storm, now leaders on the mutant planet of Arakko, are turning their backs on the controversial Krakoan immortality and society to cement their roles leading the citizens the Arakko in the pages of X-Men Red #4. The Arakki mutants have a harsh, honor-based system of governance and community, with Storm and Magneto finally deciding that for them to make a real impact on Arakko, they must turn their backs on the ways of the X-Men of Krakoa and conform to Arakki standards.
X-Men Red has seen Ororo, the Regent of Arakko, reject her royal throne to take a more active role in the governing of Planet Arakko, making up for her past regrets of being an inactive and passive leader of both the Morlocks and the Wakandans. Meanwhile Magneto, now going by his old name Max, almost entirely retired from the political game, before making a heel turn and deciding he would give leadership one last chance, joining the Arakki government's Great Ring.
X-Men Red #4 - written by the acclaimed Al Ewing with gorgeous art by Stefano Caselli - focuses on the fallout from Magneto's brutal defeat of Tarn the Uncaring in the Circle Perilous. Since Magneto killed Tarn in the Circle Perilous and is an Omega-level mutant, he has now taken Tarn's "Seat of Loss" on the Great Ring, Arakko's counterpart to Krakoa's Quiet Council, and not all of the Arakki leaders are pleased, notably so Isca the Unbeaten who was horribly shamed by Sunspot in the last issue. While Storm is not present at the Great Ring's meeting Magneto boldly speaks for them both in both his actions and his words. The Great Ring has assembled to discuss and decide if Krakoan mutants are even able to take a seat on the Ring, since they are now "immortal" and the Arakki hold death as a focal point of their society. Isca laughs at Magneto when he shows them his portable Cerebro backup, made by the mutant inventor Forge, which holds the only backup of Max and Ororo's memories and "souls," but her laughter is quickly ended by Magneto forcibly crushing the Cerebro device with his powers, effectively preventing Magneto and Storm from ever being resurrected.
This may seem like a desperate, deliriously dangerous decision on the part of Magneto and Storm, but Magneto firmly tells the leaders of the Great Ring that, "We two no longer have the Krakoan insurance... If we are to defend Arakko, we must be of Arakko. We understand the logic. We understand the cost." Both of these infamous Omega-level mutants are now dedicated to helping reshape Arakko into a mutant home world that is safe and protected, and recognize that they simply would never be able to earn the trust and admiration of Arakki citizens if they were protected by the insurance of Krakoan resurrection. Magneto points out that there are other ways to be resurrected on Krakoa, like using the Scarlet Witch's newly created "Waiting Room," but that mutants need to want to return to life to use the Waiting Room and Magneto makes it very clear that he is not interested in immortality, only making things right in the life he currently has. Of course, Ororo still holds a place on Krakoa's Quiet Council, so will still be deeply involved in the politics and growth of the Krakoan nation, but by destroying her Cerebro backups she is firmly declaring that she is now an Arakki, who happens to have a seat at the Quiet Council.
This is truly a massive political move for Magneto and Storm to make, and an incredibly dangerous one considering the upcoming A.X.E.: Judgment Day event which will see the mutants of Krakoa and Arakko pitted against the horribly powerful Eternals, since now Magneto and Ororo can not be resurrected if Uranos or the other Eternals kill them.
X-Men Red #4 from Marvel Comics is available now in stores.