Warning: contains spoilers for X-Force #28!
In an awesome new cover for X-Force #28 from artist Joshua Cassara, the X-Men‘s Omega-level mutant assassin Quentin Quire transforms into Marvel’s new Juggernaut. Characterized by incredible strength and unstoppable momentum, the Juggernaut is an agent of the demon lord Cyttorak, and the title is held by whoever is empowered by his mystical Crimson Gem (usually Cain Marko, though Colossus and Doctor Doom have also accessed this power in the past.)
Quentin Quire, aka Kid Omega, is a telepathic and telekinetic mutant in line to one day host the world-razing Phoenix Force. A reluctant protege of Wolverine, he initially balked at the X-Men’s dream of unity, but now serves it as a member of X-Force – the mutant race’s black-ops team, given special dispensation to seek out and eliminate threats to the new nation of Krakoa. Quentin recently underwent a personal rebirth, more fully embracing the role of mutant hero, and it seems he will soon experience a far more physical transformation to become the latest Juggernaut.
In cover art released by Marvel, X-Force #28 sees Quentin transformed into a new Juggernaut wearing telekinetic-construct armor. The issue – from writer Benjamin Percy and artist Robert Gill – will hit stands May 4, following the series’ April return with X-Force #27 (after the conclusion of X Lives of Wolverine/X Deaths of Wolverine, which have the team’s leader stuck on a mission through time.) Quentin’s new form will be used to combat Cerebrax, a mysterious foe who seems to be linked to Cerebro – the system the X-Men use to store mutant consciousnesses so that those who are killed can be resurrected in new bodies. Enjoy the cover below:
Given that X-Force #27 will introduce this threat, it’s so far unclear what will lead to Quentin Quire’s transformation, but there are several options. The most obvious is that he’ll borrow the power of Cain Marko, who is set to return to Krakoa as one of Nightcrawler’s Legion of X. Marko recently broke ties with Cyttorak, but used some of his former master’s earthbound magic to forge a new suit which maintains his supernatural abilities, and Krakoa has plenty of power manipulators who might be able to channel Juggernaut’s might into Kid Omega.
Another option is that Quire might, like Colossus before him, turn to Cyttorak in mutantkind’s hour of need. This is made less likely by Marvel’s other new Juggernaut, the Survivor. The daughter of Cyttorak, the Survivor has her own power set which allows her to summon magical puppets in the form of her father, and came to Earth after the anti-magic entity known as the Peregrine Child forced Cyttorak to abandon his throne and flee the Crimson Cosmos. The Peregrine Child was recently defeated, so it’s possible that Cyttorak is back where he belongs, but Death of Doctor Strange: The Avengers #1 seemed to set up a new status quo in which he’d be absent for the foreseeable future, allowing his daughter the freedom to find her place on the mortal plane.
A final possibility is that Quentin is merely using his powers to recreate the Juggernaut’s armor while having become incredibly buff by other means. This is a definite possibility, and while Krakoa has many mutants capable of body modification, Quire has also been particularly reckless in using the X-Men’s resurrection process to improve his physiology. Since members of X-Force die so often in the line of duty, they automatically move to the front of the line for resurrection, and Quire has been using this process to modify his body in small ways, such as stopping his nails from growing and making his hair naturally pink. In a time of crisis, it’s possible he’ll go even further and request a Juggernaut-level physique. However he does it, X-Force #28 will apparently see the X-Men‘s telekinetic assassin assume the role of Marvel’s latest Juggernaut, hopefully giving him the raw power needed to fend off whatever threat Cerebrax poses to mutantkind.
