“Is what they have perfect? No. What is?
But it’s a start – and a good one.”
- Professor X
Krakoa, one month ago:
Moira’s No-space, Professor X’ secret cradle:
Xavier, Moira and Magneto stand around a Cerebro unit connected to Krakoan tech. Xavier announces this is the one blind step into the abyss. The proverbial leap of faith. Once they do this, there will be no turning back. Total commitment is required here. So, do they agree?
They do. Magneto puts his hand on Charles shoulder. Whatever there has been between them over the years… all their disagreements, all the anger over the other’s relentless ideology and unyielding persistence… That ends today. He has his word. Charles smiles and puts his own hand on Erik’s.
Then he puts on the Cerebro helmet and telepathically addresses everybody on planet Earth:
“Humans of the planet Earth. I am the mutant Charles Xavier and I bring you a message of hope.” He continues that in the coming months they will learn of several far-reaching pharmaceutical breakthroughs that have been discovered by mutant scientists. These drugs extend human life, heal diseases of the mind and will prevent or cure most common maladies. Influenza, Alzheimer’s, ALS, most forms of cancer… all gone overnight. These drugs will make life on this planet better. Remarkably so. All this… mutants have for them.
People around a hospital bed listen to this message of hope. As do others in boardrooms.
Xavier continues that in the past those medicines would have been a gift. Something freely given by him to them… because he believed it would create harmony between their two peoples.
As do those in the shadows.
That was his dream -- harmony -- but they have taught him a harsh lesson. All he ever wanted was peace between humans and mutants. All he ever wanted was to love them and for humans to love mutants.
The heroes of the world listen.
Mutants wanted to save them – and they did, many times – but in turn all humanity did was stand back, while evil men killed mutant children. Over 16 million of them. So, there will be no gift, for they have not earned it. They will however let them pay for it.
In return for two things, mutants will provide them with the means to have a better life: First they must accept the island of Krakoa as the nation state of all mutants on this planet. Second, all mutants by birth can claim Krakoan citizenship. And with that citizenship they expect a period of amnesty, so that those who have been singled out as criminals can overcome man’s bias against mutants.
Somewhere in the dark, Omega Sentinel listens.
From this day forward, mutants will be judged by mutant law, not man’s.
As do Dr. Alya Gregor and her husband Erasmus Mendez.
These are their simple demands and they are not negotiable. And if they find themselves thinking who are these mutants that they think they can dictate terms to them… They are the future. An evolutionary inevitability. They are Earth’s true inheritors. Humanity closed their eyes last night believing the world would be theirs forever. That was their dream… and like his it was a lie.
There is a new truth:
“While you slept, the world changed.”
Krakoa, now:
In a glade stands a round table, separated into four sections by an X. The members of the Quiet Council take their places grouped in threes: Xavier sitting in a section with Apocalypse and Magneto welcomes the others. Nightcrawler, Marvel Girl and Storm share another section. The two Hellfire Corporation members Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw share the next, with one empty seat in their section. And the final section includes, Mr. Sinister, Exodus and Mystique.
Xavier turns to Cypher, who is sitting in a tree above them. He tells Krakoa to release the hounds and Krakoa releases Sabretooth into their midst.
Angrily, Creed snarls and demands answers. What is this? Magneto coolly replies this is the establishment of a nation. This… and he would have it be one of laws. He takes off his helmet. But not the old laws of man, he specifies, the new ones of mutant.
Which is why they have called the first meeting of the Quiet Council, Xavier remarks. He cannot say that everyone here represents the best examples of what a society should be based on but it falls on them to establish the laws of this land.
Sinister stage-whispers to his neighbor Exodus, asking if Xavier is referring to him? If he is, he doesn’t care! Sinister won’t be ignored. He has ideas! Nobody puts Sinister in the corner! Exodus stoically threatens what he will do to Sinister, should he speak to him again. Which Sinister takes a prompt to suggest that mutant-on-mutant violence be considered a crime. That man threatened him! Throw him into mutant jail!
Apocalypse asks how it can be a crime to kill someone who cannot be killed. How will any of them know they are fit and worthy if they are not tested?
He cannot be serious, Storm scoffs. Equally disgusted, Marvel Girl remarks he is, but if their goal is greatness of purpose and if their undertaking is to have worth, she thinks the opposite would be true. The highest crime would be killing someone who cannot come back -- it would be a mutant killing a human.
Mystique mocks: and when the humans come for them, which they will, aren’t they going to do anything to defend themselves? Magneto differentiates that is the old argument of is it murder if it is done in defense of a nation and is not what they are talking about. Jean is right. Xavier also agrees and asks if anyone else has an argument with this. Apocalypse doesn’t care, as mankind means nothing to him. Nobody disagrees and Xavier announces one law is that mutant cannot take a human life.
Sabretooth snarls that they are going to make an example of him. He begins uttering threats. Quiet! Emma orders and telepathically attacks him. Sabretooth begins to drool but continues ranting. Quiet, Jean repeats and joins Emma’s telepathic effort.
Sinister cheerfully observes that it’s the drool that really brings the whole outfit together. This is fun! What’s next? Somebody shock him.
Shaw has opinions on this. Property rights, he begins to enumerate, wealth, currency. A few of the things man clearly got right. He has a few ideas…
Cypher interrupts, speaking for Krakoa. He points out Krakoa is alive, a person not a place. Fauna, not flora. So, he’d be careful about the whole property thing. Storm agrees and suggest that if you want to own a home it has to be out there in the world. No one has said they have to run from it.
Emma muses none of that touches any number of broader economic concerns, but they are not going to settle these today, anyway. They have complications. Exodus opines that Cypher raises a good point. This place is an Eden to them. Life-giving. Nurturing. It lives and through it so do they. If there is mutant ground that is sacrosanct, this is it. There is honor to be had in lifting it up.
Xavier agrees and asks if they all do. Good, then it’s a good start. He plans to finish the meeting but Mystique interrupts. They have yet to hear from the righteous among them, she smirks targeting her son. Where is his foolish providence in all of this? Where is his God? she challenges Nightcrawler. Kurt considers her words then quotes “And God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it…” It’s obvious, he grins. They need to make more mutants.
Xavier agrees. He stands up. Is what they have perfect? No. What is? But it’s a start and it’s a good one. As of today, these are the first laws of their nation:
Make more mutants.
Murder no man.
Respect this sacred land.
And with those laws, they have to decide what to do with Mr. Creed, who has broken them. Do they believe that giving him one last chance benefits their society or are they better served by making an example out of him? That no one is above mutant law?
Magneto announces that he gave Creed strict instructions for that mission and he ignored them. He made his bed. Let him sleeping in it serve a higher purpose. Apocalypse agrees. So long, Sinister sneers. Pack light. Safe travels to faraway lands! Guilty! is Exodus’ short verdict. Just get this over with, Mystique groans. Kurt and Jean are not happy but agree and Storm considers the verdict long overdue. Shaw doesn’t care but annoyed answers ‘yes,’ as does Emma.
They think he’s just going to take this? Sabretooth seethes. He is making a list and now they are on it, along with their kids and then their kids. He will make their lines extinct! Are they listening to him?
Xavier addresses Doug, who in turn talks to Krakoa. Tentacles spring up from the ground and drag Creed downward into the dark. Xavier informs him they can’t let him back into the world; they don’t have prisons and don’t believe in capital solutions (which would only return him to the Resurrection Protocols). Instead, he will be kept in stasis in Krakoa, aware but unable to move. Forever, or until a day when he will be given the option to be redeemed. But until then, he is exiled.
Xavier turns to the others. It’s distasteful, he knows, this business of running a nation. He prays that they never get used to it. That they never learn to love it…
They get up and join the ongoing celebrations. There are fireworks and music. The Five are dancing together. A restored Banshee smiles at his daughter Syrin, who screams at the singer Dazzler, supplying her with sound for her lightshow.
Angel, Beast and Iceman catch up with each other. Exodus dazzles some children at a campfire with a tale. Synch and Skin are happy to be alive again.
Wolverine shares a six-pack and a hug with Cyclops and Marvel Girl, then walks up to his archenemy Gorgon to hand him a beer as well. In the spirit of reconciliation, Jean does the same with Emma.
Apocalypse stands apart, watching the celebrations, as do Xavier and Magneto. Just look at what they have made, Magneto states amazed.
