Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1!

The X-Men’s ground-breaking Krakoan era has come to an end, but Apocalypse has just brutally proven it will matter for years to come. Krakoa, the island paradise Earth’s mutants once called home, breathed new life into the X-Men franchise. Now, in X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1, the titular villain, who underwent a dramatic shift during the Krakoan era, has returned to find a successor–and he was inspired by Krakoa.

X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1 is written by Steve Foxe and drawn by Netho Diaz. Apocalypse has opened a contest to find an Earth-bound successor while he leads a colony of mutants on Mars. Gathering the contestants together, Apocalypse invokes Krakoa, and the possibilities that were inherent in the nation. Apocalypse talks about Krakoa as if it was the fulfillment of his dream. It was then, he reminded the assembled mutants, ripped away from them.

Apocalypse tells them “lean times” are here again, and Earth’s mutants need a leader, one who can make Earth safe for mutants again.

The X-Men’s Krakoan Era Was a Return to Greatness

For the First Time in Many Years, the X-Men Were Exciting Again

The X-Men franchise languished in the early 2010s as Marvel shifted focus towards their Avengers line of titles, and the Krakoan era, launched at decade’s end, represented a commercial and artistic rebirth. Nearly all of Earth’s mutants would come to reside on the island nation of Krakoa, ending years of attempts at living among humans who hated and feared them. For a brief period, as Apocalypse points out, Earth’s mutants no longer had to worry about fighting for their existence. All good things come to an end, and mutants have once again been scattered across the globe.

During the Krakoan era, a number of mutants underwent dramatic changes in terms of personality and outlook–among them were former villains Magneto and Apocalypse. Apocalypse was once one of the X-Men’s most feared villains, and for good reason. Apocalypse regularly uses helpless mutants as his Horsemen, transforming them body and soul. On Krakoa, however, Apocalypse “saw the light,” and began using his talents to restore mutant powers that had been lost on M-Day. Krakoa showed Apocalypse, Magneto and other villains that more could be accomplished by working together.

Krakoa Might Be Dead, But Its Idealism Lives On

The X-Men’s Krakoan Era Will Define the Franchise for Years to Come

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Although the Krakoan era has now officially come to a close, Apocalypse’s new, and brutal, contest shows it is not likely to be forgotten anytime soon. Krakoa is no more, but its ideals of a peaceful existence for mutants will never die. Apocalypse firmly believes this, and, in his own distorted way, seeks to recreate Krakoa’s spirit. The X-Men’s Krakoa showed there was no need for messiah figures, but Apocalypse seems to cling to this mentality, despite the changes he underwent during his time on the island. The Krakoan vision lives on in the Marvel Universe.

X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!