I really, truly loved the Krakoan Age of the X-Men, and I am devastated that one of the X-Men’s most creative, inspiring, and bold eras is now officially over. However, I firmly believe that the ending that the X-Office gave to the Krakoan Age in X-Men #35 was the best possible conclusion to the era given the circumstances, keeping the hope of Krakoa alive while honoring its brilliant legacy.

While I loved the X-Men as a child – particularly the X-Men Evolution animated series – it wasn’t until Jonathan Hickman’s critically acclaimed 2019 relaunch of the X-Men franchise that I became a true superfan of the mutant mythos. Without House of X and Powers of X, I would never have rediscovered my love (obsession?) of X-Men comics as an adult or started my journey as a comics news journalist, so these past 5 years will always hold a special place in my, and countless others, heart.

Many fans of the Krakoan Age made reasonable critiques that the Fall of X felt rushed and undercooked, something I agreed with at times as well, but X-Men #35 successfully blew past these expectations, providing a meaningful ending to the beloved era while smoothly setting up the X-Men for From the Ashes. X-Men #35 was a celebration of Krakoa’s stories and its creators, with a massive group of X-Office collaborators working on the final issue.

Krakoa Was Everything It Promised To Be, And More

It was never perfect, and that is what made it amazing

The promise of Krakoa to its mutant citizens was one of peace, safety, and utopia… but this was never the promise given to the readers. Hickman did a brilliant job of making the flaws in Krakoa’s foundations apparent from the start, particularly in the non-democratic rule of the Quiet Council, the creation of the Pit, and Moira being hidden from the public. While Krakoa was a utopia in many ways and has been the longest period of mutant prosperity since their debut decades ago, the Krakoan Age was always going to end.

In fact, Hickman planned to end the era after Inferno, so the fact that we all got three more years of Krakoan stories to enjoy as fans is a true blessing. From gorgeous allegories to queerness by Vita Ayala in New Mutants, to the transformative and brutal rebirths within The Crucible in X-Men, and the fashion-forward annual Hellfire Gala, there seemed to be a neverending supply of stunning mutant tales to weave. As a queer man, I must highlight the meaningful queer representation shown throughout the Krakoan Age, from Somnus and Escapade’s debut to Destiny and Mystique’s starring role in the era, and the start of Betsy and Rachel Summers’ romance.

Wolverine Gives His Official (& Very Surprising) Verdict on X-Men’s 2019-2024 Krakoan Era

Editorial mandates have forced the end of Krakoa, and the rushed finale of its Fall of X period, but that doesn’t take away from the beauty, joy, hope, and thoughtfulness that the past five years of storytelling have given us as fans of the X-Men. I wish the Krakoan Age would never have ended, and I would pay an unforgivable amount for Marvel to continue telling Krakoan stories, yet I am still so pleased with the return of New Krakoa in X-Men #35 and the closure Kafka gave to the X-Men.

New Krakoa Is A Beacon Of Hope For X-Men Fans

Kafka’s mutant Utopia is the best future we could have wished for

X-Men: Forever #4 revealed that Jean Grey, as the reborn Phoenix, was able to defeat Enigma while preserving “New Krakoa” within the White Hot Room. However, we as fans tragically believed that would be the last we saw of Kafka, the Five, and the other mutants trapped in the WHR, assuming those 200,000 mutants were permanently stranded. It was a true delight to witness New Krakoa coming back to Earth after 15 long years away, rebonding with Earth’s Krakoa and becoming one again. Yet even that was not as beautiful and moving as Emma Frost realizing that the Five (using Hope’s vestigial Phoenix energy) were able to resurrect all 15 million murdered Genoshan mutants.

One of the main goals of Krakoa’s Resurrection Protocols from the start of the nation was for the Five to resurrect all the Genoshan dead eventually, and it was tragic to think this would never happen. While it is shocking to see an entire culture of New Krakoa we may never be able to explore – like the years worth of mutant fashion Jumbo Carnation created – it is lovely to have proof that in some reality, Krakoa will continue to thrive, and grow into a true utopia, better than Earth’s Krakoa could ever hope to be. Kafka says his Quiet Council is quiet because they are tasked with listening to their people, a beautiful and hopeful sentiment that gives me faith in the future of New Krakoa.

There was never going to be a perfect ending for Krakoa, and I am personally just thankful that Marvel did not decide to erase Krakoa’s existence or retcon its creation. Krakoa was, Krakoa is, Krakoa always will be. My friend and peer Jonathan Jones said it best in his review of X-Men #35 for AIPT:

X-Men as a franchise is constrained by the context of Marvel Comics creators: even the most diverse and radically compassionate leftist writers and artists of today would not be able to fully bring a true mutant utopia to comics, since the future will bring with it new understandings of how to achieve justice and wellbeing that will outmode current thought. The gift of Kafka and New Krakoa is two-fold: the perfect mutant utopia exists and Marvel creators do not have to bear the burden of its upkeep.

The X-Men Will Forever Be The Protectors Of Earth’s Mutants

The mutant heroes could never have abandoned Earth for Krakoa

In a perfect world, Krakoa would have continued forever on page, but the reality of comics is that eras can never truly last forever. I think there are countless stories, events, and pathways that Marvel could have taken to keep Krakoa fresh and exciting, but I understand why the decision was made to end the era. When Kafka brings New Krakoa back to Earth, he offers sanctuary to the X-Men in the new utopia. Nightcrawler, speaking on behalf of the X-Men, rejects this offer, which is the only response the X-Men would have ever reasonably had. The X-Men are defenders of mutantkind, and they would never abandon Earth’s new mutants for the promise of permanent peace.

I can’t fully express in words how meaningful the Krakoan Age has been for me, and so many other X-Men fans. The era inspired me, gave me hope, and made me reflect on complex topics like colonialism, the dangers of AI advancement, and how easily the rise of fascism can occur. Besides the important messaging woven into the stories by the X-Office’s brilliant writers, the art throughout Krakoa was simply beautiful, a joy to witness on every page. The Krakoan Age is over, and I am wrecked at our loss, but I am so happy that somewhere among Marvel’s vast Multiverse, New Krakoa is thriving, and continuing the tale that Jonathan Hickman began five years ago.

X-Men #35 from Marvel Comics is available now in stores.

Source: AIPT