The following contains spoilers for X-Force #28, now on sale from Marvel Comics
The X-Men have adjusted well to their home on Krakoa, making peace with the living island thanks in large part to mutants who can create a connection with the non-speaking entity. But one of them, in particular, has a bond that makes him a potential liability on top of an asset.
Black Tom is the most dangerous target for the renegade Cerebro to go after in X-Force #28 (by Benjamin Percy, Robert Gill, Guru-eFX, and VC’s Joe Caramagna), highlighting what makes him such a valuable presence on Krakoa.
In the aftermath of X Lives of Wolverine and X Deaths of Wolverine, a sentient version of Cerebro has been amplified in a truly terrifying way. Given a form of hungry sentience, Cerebro quickly made its way through Krakoa, killing mutants and taking their powers, starting with Forge and extending to the likes of Havok and Polaris among others. X-Force was at least able to identify the threat posed by Cerebro, who wanted to absorb the knowledge and powers of all available mutants. Luckily, Wolverine and Domino were able to locate it and confront it. They even forced it on the run after surviving a brutal fight with it.
However, they also inadvertently put the renegade Cerebro on a path right toward Black Tom Cassidy who could be the absolute worst mutant for Cerebro to target. The cousin of longtime X-Man Banshee, Black Tom spent decades as a frequent foe to the X-Men alongside his partner-in-crime, Juggernaut. However, the age of Krakoa gave Black Tom a fresh chance. Thanks to his abilities of environmental symbiosis and innate connection to planet life, Black Tom was able to form a bond with the living island that extends beyond a basic partnership. Black Tom has been able to communicate and manipulate parts of the island, albeit at the cost of losing parts of himself in the process. This makes him one of the most powerful mutants on Krakoa, as only he and Cypher are truly able to communicate with the island that allows itself to be home to mutants.
If a vicious Cerebro was able to get ahold of Black Tom, it could turn Krakoa itself against the mutants, This could give it the chance to isolate and consume Krakoa’s mind too, more or less turning the Cerebro into Krakoa, and likely allowing it to easily take down everyone on Krakoa. The mutants would have little to no chance of responding in time, and it’s likely the dream of the mutant nation would be eliminated in moments, replaced by a monstrous version of Cerebro that could have absorbed the abilities of multiple Omega-Level Mutants. This Cerebro has already been shown to be adept and brutal with powers, using Polaris’ control over magnetism to bend Wolverine’s claws and attack him in a way even Magneto didn’t usually utilize.
It’s a reminder, like with the return of Danger, that the technology that helps the X-Men can endanger them just as easily. But this serves as the ultimate proof that Black Tom might be Krakoa’s greatest vulnerability. If he were to be corrupted in some way then Krakoa could be turned against itself in a truly brutal manner. Considering the litany of enemies Krakoa has, especially of the magical and demonic variety due to recent events in Otherworld, Black Tom might find himself with a target on his back far more often than he’s used to.
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