The X of Swords (pronounced “Ten of Swords”) event was the first line-wide crossover for Marvel's X-Men family of titles following Jonathan Hickman's transformative relaunch in 2019. It was officially announced in February 2020 as a massive 22-part story running through all X-titles from September to November of that year. The event was helmed by then “Head of X” Jonathan Hickman and Excalibur writer Tini Howard, who served as the primary architects of the narrative. The creative team was a who's-who of Marvel's top talent at the time, with key art from Pepe Larraz, Mahmud Asrar, and R.B. Silva. Larraz, in particular, was praised for his intricate designs, including a full set of tarot cards that were used as promotional material and thematically integrated into the story itself. The event was structured with three oversized “bookend” issues: `X of Swords: Creation #1`, `X of Swords: Stasis #1`, and `X of Swords: Destruction #1`, with the intervening 19 parts weaving through the ongoing X-Men titles like `X-Men`, `Excalibur`, `Marauders`, `X-Force`, `Wolverine`, `Cable`, `Hellions`, and `X-Factor`. The event's release was notably impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a temporary shutdown of the comics industry. Originally planned for summer 2020, the entire storyline was pushed back several months, which inadvertently built further anticipation among the readership. The story acts as a climax to the “Dawn of X” era and serves as the launchpad for the subsequent “Reign of X” phase.
The seeds of X of Swords were planted millennia before the founding of the X-Men, deep in the ancient past of Earth-616. The conflict is not a new one, but the explosive culmination of a war that has been secretly raging for thousands of years.
Long before humanity, there existed a powerful, sentient landmass known as Okkara. This paradise was home to a thriving mutant population. This peace was shattered by an invasion from a dark, demonic dimension known as Amenth, led by a mysterious and powerful entity called Annihilation, who wielded the Twilight Sword. To combat this endless horde, Apocalypse and his first four Horsemen—his wife, Genesis, and their children, Death, War, and Pestilence—rose as the land's defenders. They fought a brutal, century-long war. Ultimately, Apocalypse realized they could not win through conventional means. In a desperate act, he used the Twilight Sword to cleave the very land of Okkara in two. The resulting islands were Krakoa and its twin, Arakko. To save Earth, a heart-wrenching decision was made. Apocalypse and a small contingent of mutants remained on Earth with Krakoa, sealing a dimensional gateway behind them known as the External Gate. Genesis, their four children, and the vast majority of the Okkaran mutant population took Arakko and plunged into the dimension of Amenth to fight the invaders on their home turf, effectively serving as a living cork in the bottle to protect Earth. For thousands of years, they fought, their society transforming into a brutal, martial culture defined by eternal conflict. Apocalypse, left behind, became a bitter, hardened figure, obsessed with his philosophy of “survival of the fittest,” believing it was the only way to prepare Earth's mutants for the day the Amenthi hordes inevitably returned.
In the present day, following the establishment of the mutant nation of Krakoa, the External Gate on the island was finally breached. The first to emerge was the Summoner, the son of War and grandson of Apocalypse, who warned of the impending invasion by the forces of Arakko, now led by the enigmatic Genesis. However, this was a deception; the Arakki mutants had long ago been conquered by Annihilation's forces, and Genesis herself now wore the golden helm of Annihilation, serving as its host. The conflict drew the attention of the Omniversal Majestrix of Otherworld, Saturnyne. Otherworld, a mystical nexus of all realities, was the battlefield upon which the Arakki intended to invade Krakoa. Seeing an opportunity to consolidate her own power and indulge her own capricious whims, Saturnyne intervened. Citing ancient magical law, she declared that the war between the two mutant nations would not be settled by armies, but by a contest of champions. Using her powerful precognitive abilities and a custom tarot deck, she decreed a tournament: ten champions from Krakoa, each bearing a legendary sword, would face ten swordbearers from Arakko. The winner would claim victory for their nation, while the loser would be assimilated. This pronouncement triggered a frantic quest across Krakoa as its leaders raced to interpret Saturnyne's prophecies and identify their ten champions and ten swords, setting the stage for the epic confrontation.
The X of Swords event is structured like a grand, tragic play in three acts: the gathering of the blades, the farcical and deadly tournament, and the final, explosive battle that decides the fate of multiple worlds.
Once Saturnyne declared the tournament, a frantic search began. The prophecies were cryptic, and the swords required were scattered across the globe, Otherworld, and even space. This phase of the story follows the designated champions on their individual quests.
| Krakoan Champion | Sword(s) | Quest and Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Wolverine | The Muramasa Blade | Wolverine travels to Hell to retrieve a newly forged Muramasa blade from the very swordsmith he had killed years prior. This sword is unique in its ability to negate healing factors, making it one of the few weapons capable of truly harming him. |
| Magik | The Soulsword | As the ruler of Limbo and a long-time wielder of the Soulsword, Magik's sword was already in her possession. Her “quest” was one of preparation, training the young mutants on Krakoa and grappling with her responsibilities as a Great Captain. |
| Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock) | The Starlight Sword | Saturnyne gifts Betsy a new sword, forged from the “starlight of the Citadel,” replacing her standard Sword of Might. This act ties Betsy's fate directly to Saturnyne and the Citadel, making her a key pawn in the Omniversal Majestrix's game. |
| Storm | Skybreaker | Storm travels to wakanda to claim Skybreaker, a sacred blade made of pure Vibranium and a royal heirloom. This act creates a significant diplomatic incident, as she must steal it from her ex-husband, King T'Challa, prioritizing her duty to Krakoa over her personal relationships. |
| Cable (Young) | The Light of Galador | The young Cable travels to the ruins of the Spaceknight homeworld, Galador, to retrieve this legendary blade. He discovers it embedded in the chest of the last monstrous Galadorian survivor, leading to a desperate battle for the ancient weapon. |
| Cypher | Warlock | Doug Ramsey's quest was internal. Realizing he was no swordsman, he accepted that his greatest weapon was his bond with his techno-organic friend, Warlock. Warlock transforms his own body into a powerful blade, demonstrating their symbiotic partnership. |
| Gorgon | Grasscutter & Godkiller | As one of the Great Captains of Krakoa, Gorgon already possessed these two powerful swords. Grasscutter is the twin blade to the Arakki champion's Godkiller, blades of mythic renown. His role was to stand ready as one of Krakoa's deadliest warriors. |
| Captain Avalon (Brian Braddock) | The Sword of Might | Stripped of his role as Captain Britain, Brian is given the choice between the Sword of Might and the Amulet of Right. He chooses the sword, becoming Captain Avalon, a decision Saturnyne mocks as cowardly, as it ties him to the earthly realm of Avalon instead of the entire Omniverse. |
| Warpath | Vibranium Knives | Warpath travels to the Hellfire Club's foundry, where he communes with the spirit of his deceased brother, Thunderbird. He is granted a pair of Vibranium knives, representing his acceptance of his past and his role as a protector. |
| Apocalypse | The Scarab (a Khopesh) | Apocalypse's sword is one of personal significance, a massive Khopesh forged from a dark, whispering metal. It represents his ancient past and his deep, personal connection to the entire conflict with Arakko and Amenth. |
The champions of Krakoa and Arakko arrive in Otherworld for the tournament, only to discover it is not a series of honorable duels. Saturnyne, as the host, reveals the contests to be a series of bizarre, unfair, and often deadly challenges designed for her own amusement and to manipulate the outcome.
By the end of the “tournament,” the score is heavily stacked against Krakoa due to Saturnyne's biased judging. The final contest is revealed: Apocalypse versus his wife, Genesis, who is fully possessed by the golden Helm of Annihilation.
Apocalypse fights his wife, realizing she is no longer in control. Annihilation offers him a choice: surrender and join her, or see both Arakko and Krakoa destroyed. To save his people and his family, Apocalypse yields. He forfeits the tournament. This is the moment Annihilation was waiting for. With Arakko declared the winner, the demonic hordes of Amenth are given free passage through Otherworld to invade Krakoa. As the armies pour forth, Saturnyne's true plan is revealed. She used the tournament to lure all her enemies into one place. The full might of Krakoa—led by Jean Grey and Cyclops—arrives, alongside the new Captain Britain Corps led by Betsy Braddock. A cataclysmic battle erupts. The resolution comes when Saturnyne uses the combined magic of the tournament to merge the Annihilation Helm with the Starlight Sword, creating a new crystal that traps the entity's consciousness. The Amenthi forces, now leaderless, are defeated.
The tournament was defined by the clash of two very different groups of champions, each fighting for the survival of their people.
The ten champions chosen by Krakoa were a mix of legendary warriors, strategists, and unexpected heroes, reflecting the diverse and often conflicted nature of the new mutant nation.
| Champion | Title/Role | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | — |
| Apocalypse | Great Captain | To reunite with his long-lost family and end a war he began millennia ago. |
| Wolverine | The Best There Is | Duty and a grim acceptance that he is the one who must do the dirty work. |
| Magik | Great Captain / Sorceress Supreme | To protect her students and the future of Krakoa, using her command of dark magic. |
| Captain Britain (Betsy) | Guardian of Otherworld | Forced into the role by Saturnyne, she fights to protect the Omniverse and her Krakoan home. |
| Storm | Member of the Quiet Council | A fierce devotion to the mutant nation and a refusal to let any threat destroy their newfound paradise. |
| Gorgon | Great Captain | A warrior's honor and the desire to prove Krakoa's strength through combat. |
| Cable (Young) | The Young Soldier | A need to prove himself and live up to the legacy of his older self. |
| Captain Avalon (Brian) | Protector of Avalon | A conflicted duty to his family, his kingdom of Avalon, and his former allies on Krakoa. |
| Warpath | Krakoan Warrior | To honor the legacy of his brother, Thunderbird, and protect his found family. |
| Cypher | The Voice of Krakoa | A reluctant participant who relies on intellect and friendship over brute force. |
The champions of Arakko are the ancient, battle-hardened family of Apocalypse and the greatest warriors of a society that has known nothing but war for thousands of years.
| Swordbearer | Title/Role | Details |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | — |
| Annihilation | The Adversary / Host of Genesis | The sentient golden helm and the consciousness of the Amenthi dimension, possessing Apocalypse's wife, Genesis. The ultimate antagonist of the event. |
| War | First Horseman / Daughter of Apocalypse | A powerful and bitter warrior who feels abandoned by her father. Mother of the Summoner. |
| Death | First Horseman / Son of Apocalypse | A grim and silent combatant with immense power over death and decay. |
* Pestilence
| The White Sword | The 100 Champions | An ancient mutant with the power of resurrection. He commands an army of one hundred immortal champions whom he can raise from the dead. |
| Isca the Unbeaten | The Invincible | A silver-skinned mutant whose power is that she cannot lose. She will subconsciously switch sides or have reality bend to ensure her victory. |
| Solem | The Prince of Hell | A suave, amoral mutant from Arakko's past with adamantium skin, who was imprisoned for centuries. He owes Wolverine a favor. |
| Pogg Ur-Pogg | The Land-Crocodile | A gigantic, brutish crocodile-like creature who was “voted” to be a swordbearer and fights for the honor of his people. |
| Bei the Blood Moon | The Doom Note | A formidable warrior whose mutant power is a “Doom Note”—a voice that carries immense destructive power and can only be understood by those near death. |
| The Summoner | Grandson of Apocalypse | The treacherous grandson of Apocalypse who instigated the conflict. His sword is a living gate to the dimension of Amenth. |
For fans looking to experience the full story, following the precise 22-part reading order is essential.
X of Swords is more than just a battle; it's a deep exploration of themes that resonate throughout the X-Men's history.
As a relatively recent and highly complex comic book event, X of Swords has not been adapted into any other media. There is no version of this storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), animated television shows, or video games. The characters involved, such as Apocalypse, Wolverine, and Storm, have numerous adaptations in other media, but the specific narrative of the Okkara schism, the Arakki swordbearers, and Saturnyne's tournament remains exclusive to the Earth-616 comic book continuity. The story's heavy reliance on deep X-Men and Captain Britain lore makes it a challenging prospect for a direct adaptation without significant streamlining and foundational world-building.