Warning: contains spoilers for Marauders #13.
Marvel’s X-Men are no longer able to enter Wakanda without permission from Black Panther himself. The “X of Swords” event is forcing several mutants to go out and find legendary blades for a contest against the champions of Arakko. Storm has been selected as one of Krakoa’s warriors and must retrieve a legendary blade known as Skybreaker. Unfortunately for her, Skybreaker is a sacred weapon of Wakanda.
Krakoa and Wakanda have had a rocky relationship for quite some time. As Krakoa was being founded, the mutants formed trade negotiations with much of the world, offering life-saving drugs derived from flowers native to Krakoa for recognition as an independent nation. Wakanda, however, rejected the proposal, simply saying that it has no need for mutant drugs. In addition to their political differences, two of the nations’ most prominent individuals, Black Panther and Storm, share a complicated history. The two were married, but Storm had trouble balancing her duties as a member of the X-Men and as Queen of Wakanda. Ultimately, this led the two to split, and a multitude of awkward encounters have ensued ever since.
In Marauders #13 by Vita Ayala and Matteo Lolli, Storm arrives in Wakanda to retrieve Skybreaker and is greeted by Queen Ramonda and Shuri. Storm’s former mother-in-law tells her that she must wait for T’Challa to return before being granted access to the vibranium blade, as it holds great importance to Wakanda’s people and giving it away could cause an uproar. Storm, working on a limited timeframe, sees no other choice but to take bold action, and she sneaks out that night to steal Skybreaker. She succeeds, but at a great cost. Not only is Storm forced to fight with Shuri, but her actions cause T’Challa to cut off Krakoa’s access to Wakanda.
![X-Men: Black Panther Declares Wakanda Off Limits To Marvel’s Mutant Heroes](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Black-Panther-and-Storm-with-Skybreaker.jpg)
Just as Storm is about to leave Wakanda with Skybreaker, Black Panther shows up with several guards who are ready to put up another fight. Black Panther orders his men to stand down but is clearly upset with Storm. Still, he allows Storm to go, as he understands the severity of her situation. Storm departs through a Krakoan portal, which her ex-husband orders his men to destroy immediately after she leaves, saying, “If the emissary of Krakoa wishes to return, it will not be as a thief in the night but with the permission and grace of Wakanda, if we so choose.” Krakoan portals are a main form of transportation for the X-Men and many exist around the globe. Destroying the portal in Wakanda is a fairly aggressive act for the Black Panther. It seems that King T’Challa no longer wants anything to do with the X-Men.
The ramifications of this are yet unknown, but fans predict that the conflict between Krakoa and Wakanda will escalate. Both nations are incredibly advanced in comparison to the rest of the world, and a war between the two would certainly be catastrophic. The X-Men have their own war to fight at the moment, however, so diplomatic measures will just have to wait. “X of Swords” is in full swing and with Skybreaker now on Krakoa, the X-Men are a little more prepared to face whatever the champions of Arakko have in store. Hopefully afterwards, Storm and Black Panther will finally be able to make amends.