Marvel Teases Major Betrayal in X of Swords

Marvel's "Dawn of X" relaunch has been shaking up the comic industry for a year now, and it's left the publisher's ensemble of mutant characters in a completely new status quo. Over the past year, fans have seen mutantkind join forces to face off against all kinds of unimaginable threats, but it sounds like the next one might come from inside the world of Krakoa. The seeds are beginning to be planted for the upcoming "X of Swords" crossover event, which will throw Krakoa into a conflict that fans definitely weren't expecting. And if the event's name - and the details teased in the recent Free Comic Book Day special - are any indication, a betrayal is definitely on the way. Spoilers for X-Men Free Comic Book Day 2020 below! Only look if you want to know!

The story largely revolved around Opal Luna Saturnyne in the Omniverse, who decided to do a tarot reading of what the future held for the X-Men. She drew a surprising deck of cards, which culminated in the ominous "Ten of Swords". The card showed a group of mutants - including Apocalypse, Cable, Wolverine, Magik, and Captain Britain - wielding various blades, while standing over a fiery scene. As Opal puts it, the card signifies betrayal at the hands of "those you would show your back".

Anyone familiar with the world of tarot probably guessed that the "X of Swords" event would involve a betrayal, as the card largely symbolizes that, as well as drama, and even rebounding from a traumatic circumstance.

"This is going to be a big crossover, and Tini Howard and I are writing the big chunks of it together, and then all the other X-Men books are going to filter in and out of it," X-Men writer Jonathan Hickman explained to ComicBook.com back in February. "The tarot stuff came from Tini. There's a scene in [the] Free Comic Book Day [special], and it's in the first issue as well, that ties into all that and pulls it all together. That's where it comes from."

Of course, the question of who will end up being betrayed remains a mystery, although the significance of Apocalypse in nearly all of the tarot cards certainly makes him a candidate in one way or another. And to an extent, nearly every X-Men who will wield a sword in the upcoming event remains a possibility.

"Think of an X-Men character that has had or used the sword at some point in the history in the Marvel characters, and there might be a chance that that character will make an appearance with a sword," Hickman teased. "There may be more than 10 swords, but there will at least be 10 swords. It feels like it'd be wrong if there weren't."

Who do you think will be betrayed in the upcoming "X of Swords" crossover event? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

"X of Swords" will officially begin this September.