X-Men’s New Era Is Completely Reinventing Magneto’s Original Team In a Way We Never Expected

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Ultimate X-Men #13! The X-Men are going through a major metamorphosis, not in the original Marvel Comics universe of Earth-616, but in the new Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, and it’s reminiscent of Magneto’s original team: the Brotherhood of Mutants. So far in Ultimate X-Men, the series has been teasing the official formation of the classic team of mutant heroes. However, what the series has been doing instead is charting the origin of the Ultimate Universe’s own Brotherhood.

In Marvel Comics‘ solicitation for Ultimate X-Men #13 by Peach Momoko, fans are given a first-look at the main cover art for the issue (by artist Peach Momoko), as well as the comic’s official synopsis, where it’s revealed that everything fans think they know about the rise of the Ultimate X-Men is a lie.

THE MUTANT NEW WORLD ORDER? The start of the second year of ULTIMATE X-MEN! Chaos erupts as former Children of the Atom rise up against the society that used and abused them, just as tension between Armor and Maystorm comes to a head in an explosive confrontation!

It’s revealed that the mutants who were indoctrinated in the mutant cult known as the Children of the Atom are becoming mutant terrorists attacking human civilians. These mutants feel justified in their actions due to how they were mistreated by humans once their existence became known. So, they’re going to show the humans why mutants are superior, and they seem to be doing so in the most violent ways possible.

The Children of the Atom Were Set Up as the New X-Men, Not Brotherhood of Mutants

The Children of the Atom are Forming their Own Villainous Organization After Leaving One

Ultimate X-Men has been teasing the idea that the Children of the Atom would leave the cult (which is controlled by the Maker as a means to manipulate the mutant population) and form the X-Men under the leadership of the two main characters, Armor and Maystorm. Indeed, the name ‘X-Men’ has already been established by Armor and Maystorm as the name of their group, and their main focus is tearing down the Children of the Atom and saving the mutants controlled by the cult.

It would make sense that Armor and Maystorm would take in the younger generation of mutants from the Children of the Atom and make them X-Men. However, this doesn’t seem to be a story about the X-Men’s origin, but rather the origin of a group famously created by Magneto in Earth-616: the Brotherhood of Mutants. The mutants leaving the Children of the Atom have no interest in being heroes, they want to be seen as superior and are sick of human persecution. So, they’re becoming mutant terrorists, just like the Brotherhood.

The Ultimate Universe is Creating a Brotherhood of Mutants Without Magneto

Magneto Formed the Team of Mutant Terrorists, but Not in the New Ultimate Universe

It’s not unheard of for another universe within the Marvel multiverse to have its own Brotherhood of Mutants. Indeed, the original Ultimate Universe had a Brotherhood of its own, one that was just as much a terrorist organization as what’s being teased in the solicitation for Ultimate X-Men #13. However, what is entirely unexpected is that a version of the Brotherhood of Mutants is about to exist without Magneto. Magneto famously founded the team (in both Earth-616 and Earth-1610), so for it to be without him in the new Ultimate Universe is a decidedly shocking reinvention.

Even though the ex-Children of the Atom are about to form their own Brotherhood of Mutants without Magneto, it’s fair to say that this reinvented group will be every bit as villainous. They were raised in a cult that told them they were superior to humans, and while they’ve rejected the cult itself, it seems its teachings are still controlling their actions. Now, all that’s left is for fans to wait and see this new evil mutant group in action, and witness how these X-Men villains will fare without their own Magneto.

Ultimate X-Men #13 by Marvel Comics is available March 12, 2025.

Source: Marvel