2024 was one of the biggest years for the X-Men franchise that once existed, with the end of the epic Krakoan Era followed by the major change in direction of Marvel's 'From the Ashes' relaunch. Heroes got their first solo series, lore-defining secrets were exposed, and not everyone survived. However, even in this context, Kitty Pryde underwent a surprising transformation, unlocking her definitive form as the inhuman Shadowtiger.
The Krakoan Era of 2019-2024 ended with the X-Men facing two of their deadliest enemies - the super-advanced Sentinel Nimrod and the AI god Enigma. Kieron Gillen and RB Silva's epic Rise of X's Powers revealed the near future where the final team of X-Men gave their lives to change the past and give mutants a small chance at victory. That team included power mimic Synch, an AI copy of Tony Stark, Wolverine, Kamala Khan's Captain Krakoa, and Kate Pryde's Shadowtiger.
The comic revealed that to save mutants, Kitty Pryde absorbed the Death Seed – a piece of Celestial technology normally used to create the Apocalypse's strongest soldiers. With previous recipients including the Sentry, Wolverine and the Grim Reaper, this update supercharged Kitty Pryde's powers beyond all known limits.
The Death Seed enhanced Kitty's body, transforming her into a superhuman oppressor, as well as evolving her shapeshifting powers so she could "bend reality".
2024 Unleashed Kitty Pryde's Shadowtiger form
Kitty sacrificed her humanity to give the X-Men one last chance
The Krakoan Era announced some huge changes to Kitty Pryde. Long the 'little sister' of the X-Men (in a way that shaped future pop culture as Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Kitty began the Krakoan era by asking her friends to recognize her maturity and start calling her 'Kate'. Allying with her former enemy Emma Frost, Kate Pryde became the Red Queen - a major economic player on the island of Krakoa and a leading voice in the Quiet Council. However, When Orchis defeated the X-Men, invaded Krakoa and killed mutants, including her close friend Iceman, Kate underwent a dark transformation.
Kate adopted lethal tactics to survive against Orchis and adopted the codename Shadowkat, inspired by her villainous mentor Ogun. Kate fought with the X-Men to resist Orchis, and in the future of Rise of X's Powersfinally gave what was left of his humanity to become Shadowtiger. The Death Seed enhanced Kate's existing powers, allowing her to use her shapeshifting powers on more than just herself, and greatly increasing their range. She could also phase reality itself, 'bending space' to cause what was essentially teleportation. The Death Seed also transformed her body, turning her into a super-strong, super-durable giant.
Fortunately, the X-Men's future mission was successful and they managed to create an opportunity for the formation of a new timeline rather than their own dark world. As a consequence, Kate avoided becoming Shadowtiger and was was given a second chance to regain her humanity, but in the following months, she no it's going well.
2024 destroyed Kitty Pryde's connection to the X-Men
“I would rather live among people who hate me than among the shattered remains of the life I knew.”
Since the end of the Krakoan Era, Kate (now once again called 'Kitty') has become one of Eve L. Ewing and Carmen Carnero's main characters. Exceptional X-Men. The series begins with Kate now living among humanity having decided that the X-Men have failed in their mission to create mutant/human equalityand asking yourself, "What have I done with my life?" Kate admits that she would rather live among people who hate mutants than return to what appears to be a lost cause.
Fortunately, Emma Frost has other plans and has been manipulating Kitty into making her co-teacher for a new class of young mutants. However, Kitty's reading of the state of the X-Men isn't wrong - the former allies have little unity, and as Cyclops and Rogue try to found new versions of the team, fans know it won't be long before a civil war breaks out. breaks out between the two groups.
2024 saw Kitty Pryde lose her humanity, sacrificing her soul for the extra power she needed to save mutantkind. Unfortunately, victory only means X-Men continue living in a world that hates and fears them, and Kitty PrideAnna's shaken faith in Charles Xavier's dream has left her struggling for a new sense of identity in a very different world.