Marvel never fails to amaze readers with their creativity, especially when it comes to mutant super powers. This time, the X of Swords saga brings an interesting addition to the already thrilling built up to a massive showdown.

In what looks to be the X-Men’s toughest challenge yet, as the team’s most competent fighters against a formidable group of opponents in the Champions of Akkaro. However, as fierce as they may be, none is without a fighting deficiency that could prove to be a pernicious liability if detected by the X-Men.

Regardless of the X-Men’s ability to size up their opponents, the task at hand was rendered even more complicated by the introduction of a mutant with a power like no other.

In a conversation Apocalypse has with his wife Genesis in X-Men #14, a lot of details about Arakko and the events that led to her becoming Annihilation. She also told Apocalypse about her sister, Isca The Unbeaten, and how she had betrayed Arakko during the battles against Anenthi by joining the other side.

As Genesis continues, one quickly comes to understand how Isca’s choice to defect the other side might be deeply intertwined with her mutant powers. Isca’s power is to NEVER lose.

Isca The Unbeatable

Isca The Unbeatable is – like her sister Genesis – a millenia old mutant with an interesting special ability. Referred to in the comics as Tychokenises, Isca’s power is to win, regardless of the circumstances encompassing the given situation – alone or otherwise.

In situations that require special skill sets to win, her body will adapt itself according to the necessities. In a situation that is dependent on chance, the odds of success will be adjusted to suit her.

When doing battle in larger groups, things can get a little more complicated for Isca. In a situation where victory does not hinge on her alone, her powers may force her to instinctively change sides in order to stay on the winning side of the conflict. Because of her instinctive drive to win, Isca has very little concept of loyalty and will readily sacrifice others in order to secure a victory.

Preparing for Battle

At the dinner event that precedes the showdown, the X-Men team take the time to discretely measure up the opposition, trying to spot any exploitable shortcomings the other fighters might have.

It isn’t long before Gorgon and Magik come to a shocking conclusion about Isca’s potential weakness, she might not have one that they could immediately take advantage of. This leaves Gorgon with only one basic plan of action, and that is to play the numbers game.

Gordon’s plan is to make quick work of all the other opponents, leaving Isca for last. The hope is that they might be able to use numerical superiority to beat her. However, Gorgon himself seems a little thoughtful of their chances of success.

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“Ten mutants will rise up to defend their home. Arming themselves with legendary blades, both new and familiar ones from Marvel history, mutantkind will finally meet its mystical destiny.” – Marvel

The X of Swords (pronounce Ten of Swords) crossover event preceded – and set the stage for –  the Reign of X. Written by Richard Hickman – of Secret Wars fame – along with Tini Howard, Leah Williams, Benjamin Percy, Vita Ayala, Zeb Wells, Ed Brisson, and Gerry Duggan, all working on the titles involved in the crossover event, incorporating key characters into the tale. Artists, Marcus To, Leinil Francis Yu, Pepe Larraz, Carlos Gomez, Viktor Bogdanovic, Metteo Lolli, and others, all put color to lines, giving Howard’s words accompanying visuals. 

X of Swords – as mentioned – involved the entire line of X-Men related comic book titles in the Marvel stable. That’s The X of Swords titles, X-Factor,  X-Force, Marauders, Hellions, New Mutants, Cable, Excalibur, and  the main X-Men book series, tied into the crossover event. One of Marvel’s biggest crossover efforts to date. 19 of the 22 titles in the crossover series weren’t Titled X of Swords, but played out – interweaved – in the narratives of various Mutant characters. 

The tale begins with mutantkind, under the leadership to the X-Men, having established a sovereign nation on the island of Krakoa. Now Krakoa is no ordinary island, it is a sentient being that has – in previous Marvel comics – been depicted as a giant gollum-like creature. Except, “powerful sources from the unknown” treated the newly established peace – and unlimited respawn benefits – of the mutants. The enemy? Apocalypse’s children, with army, and their own living island, Arrako, in tow.

Through a portal, previously established by Apocalypse to link Krakoa to an extra dimensional realm known as another world, the Arraki horde makes an attempt at overthrowing Krakoa, but only gets as far as injuring Apocalypse. Flowing the battle, team X heads back to home base and try to resurrect their fallen comrades (unlimited respawn benefits, courtesy of Professor X and – can’t stay dead – Moira MacTaggert) but discover that Cerebro’s Resurrection Protocols aren’t effective on mutants who are cut down in Otherworld. 

Ruler of Otherworld, Omniversal Majestrix Saturnyne, then sets a tournament between the mutant inhabitants of the two sentient islands. 10 warriors on each side, blades only. Thus the name, X of Swords. A series of quests, by Krakoa’s heroes, to retrieve the legendary swords they must use in the tournament opens with Wolverine going into hell to get one of legendary, feudal age, Japanese swordsmith, Muramasa’s blades. Storm, on the other hand, must travel to Wakanda to a vibranium sword known as Skybreaker (the thing was wielded by an ancestor of Black Panther’s.)

The tournament quickly descends into a full scale war when Cable alerts the heroes back home that the odds are double-stacked against them in the competition. After Saturnyne cuts off the communication, the heroes left on Krakoa set up an emergency rescue operation. Apocalypse ends up sacrificing himself to save the day, and Krakoa is rejoined with Arrako. With Krakoa, and Arrako’s inhabitants now sharing a space, a new paradigm has been set. To add to that, Krakoa’s governing body is missing members. The story continues to unfold in the Reign of X saga.

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