The X-Men's Storm could be the most dangerous mutant of all - and her secret history could set up a key role in the upcoming "X of Swords" event. The mutant named Storm has always numbered among the most powerful X-Men. She had mastered her power over the weather long before she ever met Charles Xavier, and was worshiped as a goddess in Africa. She embraced the call to stand in opposition to bigotry and prejudice, and has remained the heart and soul of the X-Men ever since.
Jonathan Hickman's X-Men relaunch has revealed just how powerful Storm truly is. After years of intense debate among fans, Storm has finally been classified as an "Omega mutant," defined as "a mutant whose dominant power is deemed to register -- or reach -- an undefinable upper limit of that power's specific classification." It didn't come as much of a surprise to many, though, given Storm's feats had long since suggested she should be considered an Omega. In the Worlds Apart miniseries, for example, Storm was able to blast a specific jet out of the sky when she was literally in the other hemisphere.
Speaking at Marvel's Next Big Thing panel at Comic-Con@Home, Marauders writer Gerry Duggan promised Storm will have one of the most important arcs in the upcoming "X of Swords" event. Disturbingly, there's some evidence this could be a particularly shocking story - because it looks as though Storm may betray the X-Men. But why is she so important to "X of Swords," and why would this set her up to be a power player?
As noted by Bleeding Cool, in New Mutants #32 readers learned that Storm has a mystical heritage. Illyana Rasputin accidentally time traveled back to the days of ancient Egypt, and she and fellow New Mutant Dani Moonstar were rescued by a sorceress who looked strikingly like Ororo Munroe. This was not Storm, however, but rather her ancestor Ashake. This story was fleshed out decades later in the Mystic Arcana miniseries, which revealed mystical power runs through Storm's entire bloodline.
Matters came to a head in 2018's Black Panther #172, in which Storm faced the mystical being known as the Adversary, with the fate of Wakanda hanging in the balance. T'Challa insisted Storm was enough to defeat the Adversary, that her powers are "more than any mutation." Rather, he claimed Storm's powers are in fact "a gift of godhead, passed down from your ancestors." Storm claimed the gift of all Wakanda's faith, and the faith of the Black Panther himself, and she unleashed enough raw power to defeat the Adversary - a foe who had once only been stopped by the sacrifice of the entire X-Men. According to Black Panther #172, Storm stands unique among the X-Men, because she is no mere mutant - she is literally a mutant goddess.
The Mystic Arcana miniseries didn't just hint at Storm's true heritage; it also established a subtle tie between Storm and a mystical blade called the Sword of Bone. The origin and precise abilities of the Sword of Bone are unknown, but it certainly possessed tremendous power; it was called one of the Four Cornerstones of Creation, along with the Darkhold, the Serpent Crown, and a rose from Otherworld. On its own, the sword could be used to rend time and space, and anyone struck by the blade was given perfect clarity of thought. If its power was combined with the other Cornerstones of Creation, it allowed the wielder to rewrite reality itself. It was sought by the Elder God Chthon in one of his attempts to break free from his prison dimension and return to Earth.
The "X of Swords" event will see ten mutants wield ten legendary blades, and Gerry Duggan has confirmed Storm will have a key role. The most logical conclusion is that she will seek out the Sword of Bone, which her ancestor Ashake concealed in a temple in ancient Egypt. This was deemed too vulnerable, and so the Elder God Oshtur - a benevolent member of that race, rather than one of the more monstrous and malevolent beings - moved it on to the Astral Plane. Of course, the Astral Plane has long been accessible to the X-Men, who have gifted telepaths like Charles Xavier among their ranks. In fact, Xavier spent several years stranded on the Astral Plane, meaning he knows it better than any human, and he has been able to send people's minds into that realm. If the X-Men learned the Sword of Bone was on the Astral Plane, they should be able to send Storm there to retrieve it with relative ease. Imagine the sheer power of Storm: no mere Omega mutant but a goddess, wielding a sword that makes her mistress of time and space.
As exciting as this prospect may be, it's also deeply disturbing, because Storm has always unwittingly been an agent of the Elder Gods. Her mystical potential appears to be a blessing from Oshtur, a kind and noble goddess who is the source of much of Earth's magic; indeed, this is the "Bright Lady" Storm routinely refers to. Oshtur was the mother of Agamotto, the first Sorcerer Supreme, and she taught her son the ways of magic; she is responsible for creating the Tome of Oshtur and the Book of the Vishanti, which contain many of the most powerful white and order spells. These have allowed various Sorcerers Supreme to protect Earth from extradimensional threats, including other Elder Gods.
But Oshtur's favor would necessarily make Storm particularly interesting to other Elder Gods - less benevolent ones, such as Chthon. There's been some speculation Chthon is the true villain of "X of Swords," because one of the mysterious Swordbearers of Arakko wears a distinctively Chthonic mask. Marvel is currently concealing that particular Swordbearer's identity, but one image appeared to suggest it could well be Storm, suggesting Oshtur's blessed one may well find herself drawn to Chthon. And if she wields the Sword of Bone when she does so, she would give Chthon access to one of the Four Cornerstones of Creation. That would bode ill for all reality.
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July 28, 2020 at 05:02AM
