After a number of trials, X of Swords is about to come down to a major one-on-one battle between two combatants that’s been millennia in the making.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Force #14 by Benjamin Percy, Gerry Duggan, Joshua Cassara, Guru-eFX and VC’s Joe Caramagna & Cable #6 by Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto, VC’s Joe Sabino and Tom Muller, on sale now.
X of Swords has pushed the X-Men to their absolute limit, with the challenges and battles costing the mutant heroes their resolve and in some cases even their lives. But after an impressive showing by a former villain, the entire tournament comes down to one fight.
After Gorgon’s final battle actually ties the tournament between Krakoa and Arakko, the battle between the two mutant nations will be decided once and for all by a duel between Apocalypse and Genesis.
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X of Swords has been a massive challenge for the mutants of both Krakoa and Arakko, with the strange and unexpected duels catching the heroes by surprise. Captain Britain fell to Isca the Unbeaten, giving Arakko the first point. Cypher and Bei the Blood Moon were married, earning a point for both sides. Magik lost an arm-wrestling contest against Arakko, and while Wolverine did succeed in beating Summoner, the latter’s death technically gave him the victory. Wolverine and Storm’s drinking contest ended with the pair earning a point for Krakoa, but a drunken Wolverine was forced to duel War for Solem as part of their earlier arrangement — winning the battle, but earning a point for Solem (and Arakko) in the process.
Magik and Pog Ur-Pogg had a second fight, with Magik realizing the truth behind Pogg Ur-Pogg’s strength and defeating him with ease. But soon, the challenges begin to take a turn for the heroes of Krakoa — feats of strength, endurance, skill, craft, and even dancing leave the Krakoans down in the score by 18-to-6. But the sacrifice of Gorgon, who manages to bring down thirteen of White Sword’s warriors before being slain himself by the Arakko mutant, is able to ensure that Krakoa evens the score.
With the tournament now a tie (19-to-19), it all comes down to one fateful duel that’s been millennia in the making. Having not yet taken part in any challenge, Apocalypse and his long-estranged wife Genesis — the current holder of the Helm of Amenth and the leader of the dread Arakko army — now stand poised to settle the conflict between Krakoa and Arakko once and for all. It was Apocayplse’s own machinations to set up a reunion with Arakko after having lost access to it (and his family) thousands of years ago. But now that the Arakko mutants have proven to be surprisingly cruel and powerful, Apocalypse has been forced to take up an ancient blade he was given to celebrate the birth of his children to help end their threat to his new home.