Did Jonathan Hickman turn the X-Men into a cult?

[Mercury]

I found this AIPT piece by religious scholar David Canham fascinating.

Source: https://aiptcomics.com/2022/02/14/cu...avier-magneto/

The current Krakoan era of X-men has been filled with uncanny religious undertones and symbolism since its creation by Jonathan Hickman in the ground-breaking House of X/Powers of X series. Krakoa is a mutant Garden of Eden, Charles Xavier is backing up mutants’ souls in Cerebro, forgiveness has been granted to the worst sinners, Moira MacTaggert has the mutant power of reincarnation, the Five give the gift of resurrection, and the list goes on. One could easily interpret the mutant society on Krakoa as a religious group actually living out their hoped-for goal of eternal paradise here on Earth.

But a lot of these religious undertones felt subtly but unmistakably off. I couldn’t ignore the red flags signaling that the mutant community on Krakoa might be a form of religious cult, which just seemed puzzling. Why would Hickman turn the protagonists of his story, the super heroes we should be rooting for, into something like that?

But much has happened since House of X/Powers of X. So let’s look at four major telltale signs of religious cults, how Hickman’s Krakoa originally did or did not fit these criteria, and whether things have changed.

1. The charismatic and infallible cult leader

The first and most prominent warning sign of a religious cult is the adored charismatic leader who’s become the unquestioned source of all power. Sometimes he (cult leaders are most often men) claims to be a prophet, the sole recipient of God’s revelation. Sometimes he claims to be the returned Messiah or God himself. The problem lies in his absolute authority over everything, including all teachings and decisions. In the worst cases, he completely controls the lives of every cult member.

On Krakoa, it’s made abundantly clear that the new mutant paradise is the house that Xavier built. The creative team’s depiction of Xavier in House of X/Powers of X strays too far from benevolent head of state into the territory of disturbing cult-leader — a charismatic, seemingly good-natured, but secretly manipulative person who holds absolute, unquestioned authority over his followers, and is worshiped by them as a god-figure. Xavier’s depiction throughout House of X/Powers of X is disquieting, even creepy at times. He never takes off the Cerebro-helmet, which literally keeps him connected to the souls of every mutant on Krakoa.

After House of X/Powers of X, Xavier’s appearance and the extent of his authority were tempered a bit. But he still almost never takes off Cerebro and retains his role as father- or god-figure. Only with the recent Inferno series has Xavier lost a fair amount of his unquestioned authority, with certain secrets and manipulations coming to light, followed by the increasing political power of other Krakoan mutants. Xavier losing his absolute power on Krakoa might just be a good thing.

2. Unquestioned devotion enforced through manipulation

Again, the main goal of the cult-leader is maintaining absolute control over his followers. He normally achieves this through manipulation, most often emotional and psychological. A cult member must be completely devoted to the cult and is prohibited from leaving the fold.

This might be the one element of a cult that hasn’t appeared too strongly on Krakoa. Not much manipulation is needed to convince someone to live in paradise. And I can’t think of any mutants being forced to stay on Krakoa against their wishes.

At most, I see examples of normally strong-willed and independent characters who seem a little too passionately devoted to the goals of mutantdom (i.e. Xavier’s goals). Storm comes to mind, especially when she leads the very religious celebration of the X-Men’s resurrection in House of X #5, or how she talks about the mutant struggle against humanity in Hickman’s X-Men #1.


Also, I found Xavier’s practice of referring to all mutants as his sons and daughters a bit unsettling. Especially in House of X #3, Xavier uses the bond of family to emotionally manipulate Cyclops (an orphan) into the decision to lead the X-Men’s suicide mission against Orchis. Religious cults often use this kind of emotional manipulation as a means of control.

Once again, after House of X/Powers of X, scenes of obvious emotional or psychological manipulation used to directly control a mutant’s devotion to Krakoa disappear almost completely. But Xavier, Magneto, and Moira have continued to manipulate events occurring from behind the scenes, using lots of deception, which we’ll see shortly.

3. Exclusivism and isolationism

Cults generally screen very closely who exactly is allowed to join, what beliefs they hold, what they look like and how they act. They then isolate them from all others who do not share their views or practices. This strict controlling of who’s in and who’s not reinforces an “Us vs. Them” mentality, in order to fortify the devotion of the followers.

Krakoa has been isolationist and exclusive from the outset. The very purpose of Krakoa in the Hickman era is to be an island nation for mutants and only mutants. Magneto explains this to the human ambassadors in House of X #1. “The island, you see, is ours. And ours alone,” he says. “Man is not welcome there.” On Krakoa, mutants have founded a mutant society with a mutant culture, mutant laws, mutant language, mutant teachings, etc. Anything “human” is generally looked down upon.

As the X-line of comics has developed since House of X/Powers of X, not much has changed in this regard. A few humans, mostly the romantic partners or family members of mutants, have been allowed to live on Krakoa. Otherwise, the mutant paradise is still unyieldingly exclusive to mutants, and is isolated from humanity. That’s its purpose. And recent changes in the power structure of Krakoa make me think that the “Us vs. Them” or “mutant vs. human” mentality will only take a stronger hold.

4. Deception and secrets

On the one hand, the religious teachings are often considered to be “secret knowledge” exclusive to the cult. But in a more sinister way, the cult-leadership must also maintain a level of secrecy and deception. After all, there normally is no truth behind their teachings, their claims of visions or messages from God, nor in their promises of paradise and salvation. Either the cult leader himself is insane, actually believing his own fantasies, or (as is most often the case) he’s actively manipulating his followers with lies.

Unfortunately, the establishment of the sovereign mutant nation of Krakoa is similarly built upon a foundation of lies and manipulation. Moira, Xavier, and Magneto all withhold important truths from everyone else, including Moira being a mutant, her power of reincarnation, what’s happened in her previous lives, her fake death, and her current integral involvement in Krakoa’s development.

Furthermore, even while he was one of their worst enemies, Xavier and Magneto made a secret pact with Mr. Sinister, helping him collect the DNA of every mutant. In other important scenes, Xavier and Magneto scheme with Mystique in secret, even as they scheme against her behind her back. As Magneto says in Powers of X #6, “We’re all up to something, Moira …”

For most of the Krakoa-era of X-Men, the inner circle of Moira, Xavier, and Magneto have been able to keep their deceptions secret, until the aforementioned Inferno story. Bringing a cult leader’s lies and deceptions into the open almost always leads to a huge upheaval, if not a complete dismantling of the religious cult. We’re still waiting to see how the events of Inferno will affect the future of Krakoa.

Conclusion

So, did Hickman turn the X-Men into a cult? Probably not. But he definitely included enough unsettling religious symbolism and imagery at the beginning of his run in House of X/Powers of X that the comparison feels justified. Xavier especially, always wearing that creepy Cerebro helmet, continues to give off serious cult leader vibes.

I think Hickman included these elements while building the mutants’ new world on Krakoa in order to seed doubts in the readers mind. I’m just still not sure what, if anything, has grown from these seeds. With Hickman’s exit (or pause) from the X-Men books, maybe we’ll never see a return of these cult undertones.

To conclude this essay, an appeal: if you have doubts about the religious group you belong to, pursue your questions to the end. Be patient; don’t feel the need to give up on your faith completely as soon as worries arise. But do ask difficult questions and demand satisfying answers. Look into your belief systems and read the scriptures yourself. Seek counsel from multiple sources.

Be wary if you encounter a religious leader who holds absolute authority and requires unfaltering and unquestioning trust. Be especially wary if those you seek advice from attempt to discipline or otherwise manipulate you into ignoring your doubts. The truth will stand up under scrutiny. Lies will unravel when challenged. Most importantly, come to your own conclusions and make your own choices.

[LordUltimus]

Kinda. But it's already getting its edge filed down.

[justanotherclassic]

The Crucible, itself, was one of the more fucked up aspect of the Hickman era -- the expectation that you allow yourself to be completely brutalized in order to accept the "gifts" and promise of the Krakoan nation. The relatively small lack of pushback added a cultish element to it.

But the darker, more sinister, aspects of the Krakoan age will likely fade away because Hickman was clearly planting seeds something wasn't *right*, but unfortunately he's gone so we likely won't see it through.

[Devaishwarya]

While it can be (mis)construed that way...no. No, he didn't.

[sunofdarkchild]

If Krakoa is a cult then the X-Men have always been a cult.

Xavier as the charismatic, infallible, manipulative leader at whose feet everyone worships has been a thing from day 1, as has been the concept that the X-Men are all his 'children.' He gathered a group of easily manipulated child soldiers- multiple times, and even as his actions ruined their lives or got innocent children killed his followers continued to defend him, or when he violated his own stated ideals for the sake of expediency.

[Baron of Faltine]

While it can be (mis)construed that way...no. No, he didn't.

Of course he didn't. What he did was plant some hint that not everything's fine in Krakoa and there is some "troubles" boiling underground. But alas, whatever his final plan was is not going tk happen now, at least not how he would have done.(admit it not unusual event in X-men publishing history)

[jwatson]

Well based on this i think almost everything is a cult. Group of friends, one charismatic, sometimes lies, does what he wants? cult. I mean now i'm starting to wonder if marriage is a cult. Is there a number prerequisite before you can be like a cult cult? Can you be your own cult?

[Omega Alpha]

The X-men are much less of a cult now than they were when they were created: group of teenagers in secret location following blindly the orders of a creepy guy is certainly way more cultish than anything in Krakoa

[sunofdarkchild]

I prefer the idea that some mutants notice the problems or limitations of Krakoa and are working to fix them to everyone has 'drunk the cool aid' and so eventually the ground will literally fall out from under them.

[jwatson]

The X-men are much less of a cult now than they were when they were created: group of teenagers in secret location following blindly the orders of a creepy guy is certainly way more cultish than anything in Krakoa

This reminds me of when i was watching an episode of the lucy show and mr mooney was taking jerry and the other kid camping and none of the females were suppose to go and though a product of a different time i remember thinking, "this feels kind of cult-ish" lol.

Krakoa just doesn't give that off to me. I feel you have to completely ignore why it exists to even begin to get to the cult part.

[TheRealWashout]

Yes he did, and I think we're better off because of it. The story potential is limitless and can go in a thousand different directions at any moment.

[Confuzzled]

Umm, the whole point of Inferno ending with Mystique, Destiny and Emma overthrowing the Moira/Charles/Erik deceptions and democratizing TRUE leadership amongst the entire Quiet Council was to refute the idea of Krakoan X-Men being a cult.

[Gray Lensman]

If Krakoa is a cult then the X-Men have always been a cult.

Xavier as the charismatic, infallible, manipulative leader at whose feet everyone worships has been a thing from day 1, as has been the concept that the X-Men are all his 'children.' He gathered a group of easily manipulated child soldiers- multiple times, and even as his actions ruined their lives or got innocent children killed his followers continued to defend him, or when he violated his own stated ideals for the sake of expediency.

Pretty much this. Krakoa did dial it up a couple of notches though.

[LordUltimus]

Umm, the whole point of Inferno ending with Mystique, Destiny and Emma overthrowing the Moira/Charles/Erik deceptions and democratizing TRUE leadership amongst the entire Quiet Council was to refute the idea of Krakoan X-Men being a cult.

The Quiet Council is an oligarchy, there is zero "democratizing" involved.

[Grunty]

I feel it was much in his intention, since the whole setup seemed designed for self destruction in mind (either by their own hands or by the whole house of cards comming crumbling down), using pre-existing elements as basis to drive them into the extreme.

Hence also him playing fast and lose with characters being written as if brainwashed and incapable of free or critical thought, except maybe Wolverine and Cyclops who were allowed to so much as question how reasonable, believable or right everything was to a minimal degree.

Now that he is off and his story more or less comming appart at the ends of the rope, we will have to wait and see how the current and upcomming writers will handle all the initial dark and creepy undertones. If they will ignore them, white wash them or actualy try to adress them and make something more reasonable out of it.

The Quiet Council is an oligarchy, there is zero "democratizing" involved.

It's also largely nepotistic, with more than half of the members chosen primarily because they hold personal connections to the leader figures. With the rest of the governing elements of the nation chosen for the same connections, rather than posessing any actual quality to run a nation, society or even a kindergarten.

The whole thing is only held together by the power of plot and what ever illusion the writers try to uphold in the face of a nation seemingly designed by it's creator to crumble under it's own weight eventualy.