Since the founding of Krakoa, the X-Men have welcomed numerous former enemies into their fold as citizens of the mutant nation, all dedicated to building a better society for themselves.
But not every former enemy of the X-Men is keeping their chill in Krakoa - and according to the surprise ending of May 11's X-Men #11 from writer Gerry Duggan, artist Pepe Larraz, colorist Marte Gracia, and letterer Clayton Cowles, at least one of them seems to have been plotting and scheming against their own fellow Krakoans for some time.
Alongside the founding of Krakoa, enemies of mutantkind responded by creating Orchis, a sinister organization dedicated to wiping out Krakoa and its citizens. One of the most instrumental figures in Orchis is the mysterious Dr. Stasis, a villainous mad scientist who is obsessed with the concept of mutant resurrection - though the secrets of how it's done have remained out of Stasis' reach.
Now, in X-Men #11, Cyclops sheds his Captain Krakoa guise to take on Dr. Stasis in his secret lair and frankly kicks his butt. Blasting a massive optic beam into Stasis' face, the villain's helmet shatters, revealing Stasis' true identity as none other than the X-Men's old foe and current questionable ally Mr. Sinister - but is he the real Mr. Sinsiser or not?
How and why Stasis came to be an anti-mutant villain remains to be seen, but it could have something to do with the hidden machinations of the Mr. Sinister on Krakoa, who has been secretly cloning X-Men while also working on an experiment to clone Moira MacTaggart meant to harness her original mutant power of resurrection, which she recently lost.
In the following preview of June 22's X-Men #12 by Duggan, Larraz, and Gracia, Dr. Stasis claims to be the original Mr. Sinister AKA Nathaniel Essex, and that the Sinister the X-Men have come to know on Krakoa is the imposter.
Whoever Stasis/Sinister really is and whatever he's up to, X-Men #12 - 'The Sinister Origins of Doctor Stasis' - promises to reveal more details.
Keep up with all the new X-Men comics planned for release in 2022 and beyond with our handy listing.
