In the first issue of “SWORD,” Magneto visits the new Krakoan space station and greets the mutants onboard with a classic X-Men catchphrase.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for S.W.O.R.D. #1 by Al Ewing, Valerio Schiti, Marte Gracia, VC’s Ariana Maher, and Tom Muller, on sale now.
Catch phrases aren’t new to comic books, but they have fallen out of favor in exchange for more realistic dialogue choices over the years. A good catch phrase is difficult to come up with, and when employed in anything other than a humorous fashion, they usually fall flat. Occasionally, something is said that wasn’t intended to become attached to a particular property, but can’t be shaken simply because it’s too good to ever let go. The X-Men might not be the first heroes anyone thinks of when considering great catch phrases, but Magneto just borrowed one that has been around for almost as long as he has.
Krakoa has emerged from the Tournament of Swords the victors, and now another new day is dawning over the mutant nation. Magneto has taken to the stars for a visit to the Peak, a repurposed S.W.O.R.D. space station under the command of Abigail Brand, to act as a representative of Krakoa and offer his services, on top of a normal inspection of the facilities. Once aboard, Magneto is met by the station’s security team comprising of Cable, Random, and Risque. When he is greeted by Cable, the Master of Magnetism humorously references the longtime X-Men catchphrase “Hope you survive the experience.”
This key phrase is one that has been used to welcome new recruits to the X-Men for years, and it’s shown up so much that it’s almost an ironic gesture at this point. This is certainly the case as pertains to Quiet Council member Magneto, with Cable emphasizing that if the elder mutant doesn’t survive, he will probably lose his job. First uttered in 1980’s X-Men #139 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, the phrase was used as the tagline for the issue’s cover, introducing Kitty Pryde to the team in an official capacity with “Welcome to the X-Men, Kitty Pryde… Hope you survive the experience.” It quickly grew into a recurring gag, later being featured on 1983’s Uncanny X-Men #171, as well as 1987’s Uncanny X-Men #219, welcoming Rogue and Havok to the team respectively.