After five years of uncanny twists and turns, the end of the Krakoan Age finally begins in Fall of the House of X #1.

PRELUDE OF THE FALL OF X

Well, it’s all been leading to this. Jonathan Hickman’s colossal relaunch of the X-Men line, which began in 2019 with the dual series House of X and Powers of X, is reaching its conclusion. We don’t know what’s coming next for the mutants and how it will compare to the epic scope of Krakoa, but that’s a question for another day. Right now, in Fall of the House of X #1: WAR!

RECAP OF THE FALL OF X

At the height of anti-mutant sentiment following the disastrous Hellfire Gala, Cyclops arrives in Paris for his Orchis trial. He knows this event has nothing to do with justice and is solely a public spectacle at his expense, but he does not resist. Meanwhile, Wolverine and Colossus prepare to extract him with Xavier, Nightcrawler, and Rasputin IV.

Cyclops speaks briefly with Dr. Alia Gregor and Omega Sentinel during a trial recess, and he notes that they’re both in similar predicaments, fighting a war in the wake of their deaths of their respective partners. He asks Omega what her endgame is in this situation, namely what she will do when all the remaining mutants are dead, but she does not answer and ushers him back to court.

When the plan to extract Cyclops goes wrong, the team is forced to improvise. Back in court, Cyclops refuses to acknowledge the crimes he is charged with, insisting that the late Jean Grey is the only person who can judge him. Elsewhere, Mister Sinister celebrates their apparent victory on mutantkind and sends Nimrod to kill Krakoa (as in, the sentient island itself), but it traps the assassin in amber and runs away.

A memo issued by Cyclops’s lawyer, Jennifer Walters, clarifies that he only agreed to participate in the trial to help give the X-Men some extra time to prepare themselves for the incoming Orchis onslaught. Responding to their botched plan, Shadowcat utilizes all remaining Krakoa gates to rally their forces across Earth and beyond while Emma Frost broadcasts a message of resistance to every mutant who can hear her, but Polaris appears to be missing. Adopting her late father’s classic crown, she arrives on Knowhere to rescue Broo and his Brood, recruiting them for the war.

ANALYSIS OF THE FALL OF X

Not much happens in this issue, but I think writer Gerry Duggan does a good job in establishing how high the stakes are for mutants now in what could very possibly be their final hour. (I mean, I know they’ll be fine because I’m not stupid, but even so.) The X-Men clearly haven’t had much time to prepare themselves for Orchis after what happened at the Hellfire Gala, but if mutants are anything, it’s resilient in the face of bleak adversity.

I’m very interested to see how this title’s companion series, Rise of the Powers of X, will coincide with the events seen here. Similarly to its namesake original, it’s set in a dystopic near-future that will somehow inform the happenings of the present. If anything else, it’s clear that the Krakoan Age is not going out without a whimper, as there are several more offerings and tie-ins to come during this storyline.

NEXT IN THE FALL OF X

The saga continues in next week’s Rise of the Powers of X #1 and Wolverine #41.