Mutants are more mysterious than ever in Marvel’s new Last Universe, and Ultimate X-Men has just revealed a small part of mutant historyX-Men. In this authoritarian world, mutants are even more underground than ever, so even rumors and conjecture are useful information, especially when they help draw parallels to classical X-Men Concept. Whether any of the rumors are true, or whether they are just propaganda, remains to be seen.
in Ultimate X-Men (2024) #5 – Written and illustrated by Peach Momoko – Last Nico Minoru shares mysterious rumors, which Paint mutants as a cult who believe themselves to be the successors of humanity.
Nico only knows what her grandmother told her. According to her, mutants, self-labeled ‘Have higher‘, are a cult that use the symbol of a crossed-out spiral. Nico’s story is intercut with a scene of Shinobu Kagayama, aka the villain of the series The Shadow King, going to a cult meeting with his family. His casual conversation with Surge earlier also suggests that she too may be a member.
Mutants are labeled a “cult” in Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe
Ultimate X-Men (Vol. 2) #5 – Written & Illustrated by Peach Momoko; Lettering by Travis Lanham
in Ultimate X-Men #5, Nico speculates that mutants may be connected to blood magic somehow. The World’s Armor catalyzed her power after the Shadow King gave her an Omamori charm that Armor had originally received from her friend Tsubasa. Nico notices blood in the charm and suggests that the villain used it to make a blood oath with Armor, giving her powers. Maystorm, another hero, gained her powers after being accidentally scratched by the villain’s cat, which may have linked her to the Pact. This could be something all mutants can do, or something unique to the Shadow King.
If mutants are similar to their mainstream Earth-616 counterparts, however, their powers are based in their DNA, which might explain why blood is important. In the mainstream Earth-616 continuity, ‘Ho Superior’ is the scientific name for mutants, although it also has a dark origin. The term was first used by Magneto in X-Men (Volume 1) #1 Which, in context, makes it sound like a supremacist term, which was obviously the original intent. Over time, though, the name has stuck as a neutral term. what Ultimate X-Men Creator Peach Momoko is doing, therefore, is bringing the term back to its roots.
The history of mutants in the Ultimate Universe remains shrouded in mystery
The Final (2024) #2 – Written by Deniz Camp; Illustrated by Juan Frigeri; Color by Federico Blee; Lettering by VC’s Travis Lanham
The mutant cult can also parallel classic mutant supremacist villains like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. One interesting question is how this revelation ties into the broader new Ultimate Universe, Earth-6160. The world is an authoritarian Earth ruled by the agents of the Evil Maker, and his council of supervillains includes traditional mutants like Colossus, Magic, and Sunfire. In addition, the recently released Ultimates #2 Featured a flashback to what appears to be a mutant rights rally in the indeterminate past.
It is also possible that the rumor of mutants being a cult is actually propaganda by the Maker. Just because Ultimate X-Men’s Villain is a member, that doesn’t mean all the mutants are. If mutants were driven underground, they would look like a cult. Fortunately, readers won’t have to wait too long to learn the full truth. Marvel’s request for Ultimate X-Men #8 Promises that the full origins and history of mutants in this world will be revealed. Both readers and this new team of X-Men Will soon know what mutants really are.
Ultimate X-Men #5 is available now from Marvel Comics.