A major enemy from X-Factor’s past has returned, and he could be linked to the threat that could be waiting for the X-Men at the end of time.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Hellions #7 by Zeb Wells, Stephen Segovia, David Curiel, & VC’s Cory Petit, on sale now
The X-Men have had to contend with a number of new enemies lately, with many of their former mutant foes actually joining the heroes on the island nation of Krakoa. But now, one of their most personal — and dangerous — enemies has returned.
As revealed in Hellions #7, Cameron Hodge just returned to bedevil the Hellions aboard Nanny’s stolen Egg-Ship, but could his presence hint at the coming war that could break mutantkind?
After being resurrected on Krakoa following their demises on Sinister’s mission to Arakko, the Hellions find themselves tasked with a new endeavor — hunting down Nanny’s Egg-Ship, which has been stolen. The Egg-Ship is the only place where she can construct the armor necessary to maintain Orphan-Maker and his explosive power. It turns out that the group needs to recover the Egg-Ship from the Right, an anti-mutant organization with a deep history with the X-Men. The Hellions quickly arrive at the ship and dismantle a pair of Smiley-Drones, discovering the leader of the Right is their founder: a restored Cameron Hodge.
Cameron Hodge first appeared in X-Factor #1 as a friend and roommate to a college-age Warren Worthington. He even helped conceive the idea of the proactive mutant team in the first place. But in secret, Hodge despises Warren and all mutants like him. Hodge murdered Angel’s then-girlfriend Candy Southern and founded the anti-mutant group known as the Right. Despite being seemingly killed by a vengeful Archangel, Hodge’s prior deal with the demonic N’astirh allowed him to survive.
Hodge became a cyborg and a chief enemy to the X-Men, playing a pivotal role in the “X-Tinction Agenda” storyline and joined with the Phalanx in a bid to convert humanity and wipe out mutant kind. Eventually revived by Bastion for the events of Second Coming. Although Hodge was seemingly destroyed by Warlock following that event, it was suspected that Hodge had merely been deactivated and could return to bedevil the X-Men in the future.