Marvel Releases New X-Men X Of Swords Trailer

In a way, even though it's officially started, we've only scratched the surface of the new X-Men crossover X of Swords (pronounced Ten of Swords, like the Tarot card). With just two issues of the twenty-two part crossover published, there's still a ways to go with the event and Marvel has a brand new trailer to tease the threat that the villains are facing. Released today, the video offers a first look at the Swordbearers of Arakko, the ten champions that the X-Men will have to face on Otherworld. If all of that sounds like a different language, we'll explain below. In the meantime, the trailer for X of Swords: Stasis can be found below!

Billed as the biggest X-Men story since last year's landmark House of X, X of Swords was being set up in the pages of Jonathan Hickman's relaunch of the X franchise. At the heart of this crossover are the inhabitants of Arakko, the lost sibling of the mutant nation of Krakoa who were previously one being in Okkara. Further involved in the dispute is Saturnyne, the Omniversal Majestrix, who has decided that a tournament must be held between the champions of both lands to determine a winner. The ten champions will gather their own mythical swords to wield in the duels which will "determine the very future of mutantkind."

The X-Men that will act as champions for Krakoa include Magik, Cable, Cypher, Storm, Wolverine, Betsy and Brian Braddock, Gorgon, and Apocalypse. The tenth champion isn't completely clear just yet but our own Jamie Lovett speculates it could be Magneto. On the flipside of the X-Men and Krakoa are the ten champions of Arakko including a host of new villains like Solem, The White Sword, Pogg Ur-Pogg, Isca the Unbeaten, Redroot the Forest, Bei the Blood Moon, Summoner, War, Death, and Annihilation.

"The swordbearers had to look as dangerous as possible. They had to tell a story of fighting for survival over a millennia; a story of ancient times, deadly violence and a brutal kind of beauty," artist Pepe Larraz said about his designs for the X-Men's deadly new enemies. "In designing them, I mixed elements inspired by Egyptian culture, Laamb (Senegalese fighting), Donga (Ethiopian spear fighting), Nuba body-paint, postmodern minimal fashion, Thierry Le Goues' photography, Maori weaponry, and biomimicry, among other things. Well, and a giant crocodile with four arms…"

The characters will no doubt be seen throughout the crossover, but Marvel promises "more unbelievable revelations" about them in X of Swords: Stasis #1 which publishes on October 28th, Chapter 11 of the series.

The crossover continues on from now through November though, with the next six chapters all being released over the next two weeks. Wolverine #6, X-Force #13. and Marauders #13 will be released on October 7th, functioning as chapters 3, 4, and 5 respectively; while Hellions #5, New Mutants #13, and Cable #5 all arriving on October 14th. You can find the full checklist for the 22 part event below.