Join The Community
Nimrod is on the cover of the upcoming X-Men #20, but from the looks of the preview shared by Marvel, it's all about Mystique.
And with that, her deceased wife Destiny.
Check out this preview by writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Francesco Mobili, and colorist Sunny Gho. The first two pages are lettered, and third was released previously, unlettered.
Since the advent of the Krakoan era of mutantkind, Professor X and the governing Quiet Council have the ability to bring any deceased mutant back to life - and it's become a lynchpin of the X-Men line going forward. The mutant leadership will resurrect pretty much anyone, with two exceptions: multiple versions of one person (such as Cable/Kid Cable/Stryfe), and mutants with precognitive abilities such as Destiny.
That being said, Professor X and Magneto have been dangling the idea of an exception for Destiny in front of Mystique for months, using that carrot to enlist her on missions she wouldn't otherwise sign up for.
In the riveting Moira MacTaggert-centric House of X #2 from 2019, it's revealed in new backstory that Moira and Destiny are at odds with one another over the future of mutantkind. In that issue Destiny even warns Mystique of the rise of the mutant nation of Krakoa before her death, and that the leaders would tease Mystique with her resurrection only to deny it.
Currently, Mystique continues to go along with the mutantkind brain trust, hoping for Destiny's resurrection - but in the back of her mind sits the portent by Destiny that they will ultimately deny it, and it'll then be Mystique's responsibility to tear down Krakoa and its leaders.
In the preview above Mystique is seen talking with Forge about "blowing stuff up" and "sowing razed earth with salt as to never see life exist there again."
Why would Forge help Mystique? They have a long history - and one that overlaps with Destiny. Just before Destiny died at the hands of the Reavers in Uncanny X-Men #254 and #255, Destiny foretold that Mystique and Forge would eventually love each other. Although they both blew that off at the time (with Mystique even blaming Forge for Destiny's death), they did end up together for a time.
X-Men #20 goes on sale on May 26. Here's a look at the primary cover by Leinil Francis Yu, and a variant by Mike Del Mundo.
Keep track of all of the new X-Men comics, graphic novels, collections and more in 2021 and beyond.
