At the X-Men’s Hellfire Gala, Marvel’s mutant nation Krakoa just found out that a world power turned against them as a major villain returns.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Excalibur #21 by Tini Howard, Marcus To, Erick Arciniega & VC’s Ariana Maher, on sale now
One of Marvel’s most powerful mystical threats, Morgan Le Fay was actually one of the first enemies of Krakoa when it became a new mutant nation — discovering Krakoan Flowers forming a gateway to Otherworld, Morgan attacked the Krakoan Gate and effectively declared war on “the witch-breed.”
Her defeat was an early victory for Excalibur, but now — as a result of Clan Akkaba’s machinations in the United Kingdom and the death of Pete Wisdom — Le Fay has been restored to the land of the living and has seemingly turned her full attention towards the mutants.
When Le Fay first confronted the mutants, she was able to prove how dangerous she was by capturing Brian Braddock and briefly corrupted him into her champion — in turn resulting in Betsy Braddock becoming the new Captain Britain. Alongside the Coven Akabba — a British cult of magic-practicers who worship Morgan and despise mutants — Morgan came up against the newly assembled Excalibur. Apocalypse was ultimately able to trick Morgan into putting up the throne of Avalon as the prize for a duel between the Braddock siblings that Betsy won. Naming Jamie Braddock the King of Avalon, Apocalypse was able to effectively imprison Morgan le Fay and experiment on her to help him better master magics so he could reach through Otherworld.
Despite being removed from the playing field early on, Morgan le Fay’s influence has remained. Coven Akabba has operated in opposition of Excalibur and Captain Britain, and in her absence following her near-death during X of Swords, have successfully turned much of Britain’s official opinion against Betsy. Rising in the ranks of the United Kingdom’s power structures, one of their leaders — Reuben Brosseau — is even able to become Britain’s ambassador to the UN. This results in the termination of the UK’s alliance with Krakoa, which comes as a major blow to Krakoa on a global level. Although mutants are not barred from coming to the UK, the Krakoa Gates will be destroyed.
They even announce their intention to try and take the Braddock Lighthouse away from mutants and Captain Britain as it resides on British land — prompting Rictor to rally the other druids he can and break it off the mainland to form a new slightly independent island from the Coven Akabba influence. But that’s not the last thing the Clan Akabba does in opposition to Krakoa. They also secretly bring Pete Wisdom back to their meeting house in London and quickly capture him — using him as part of a ritual. Killing Wisdom to take his mutant blood, the Clan is able to imbue the energies of the blood into Morgan le Fay’s prone body within Avalon. This awakens her and breaks the chains that had previously held her down, releasing her back into the world.
She even has the ability to pass through the Krakoan Gates thanks to Wisdom’s mutant blood, giving her the ability to fully escape and make her way back to Earth. Morgan steps back into the world just in time to see the formation of Braddock Island, which is now the UK’s primary Krakoa Gates — and seemingly disappears in a flash of green light. Morgan’s return should be a genuine concern for the mutants, especially with the coming Inferno. Morgan’s presence could only complicate an already tense time for the mutant population, and throw the few magical defenders of Krakoa into disarray — while also threatening the headway the mutants have been trying to make as they spread their connections deeper into Otherworld.
