Summary

• Mutants face their mortality as Krakoa falls and Resurrection Protocols are destroyed by Hope Summers's sacrifice in X-Men: Forever #4.
• The Five remain trapped in the White Hot Room, unable to utilize their powers to resurrect mutants, signaling an end to immortality.
• Hope Summers fulfills her destiny as Mutant Messiah by sacrificing herself to bring back the Phoenix, saving mutantkind but ending mutant immortality.

Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men: Forever #4The mutants' reign is coming to an end, as Krakoa falls and the X-Men are forced to fight for their survival against the threat of Orchis and Enigma. To make deadly matters much worse, X-Men: Forever #4 sees Krakoa's powerful Resurrection Protocols destroyed, ending mutant immortality, as Hope Summers sacrifices her life and the Five stay trapped in the White Hot Room.

Mutankind's ability to resurrect was a cornerstone of the X-Men's Krakoan Era, as mutant heroes could die as often as necessary to achieve their goals, brought back to life by the circuit of mutant power known as the Five.

X-Men: Forever #4, the capstone of writer Kieron Gillen's run on Immortal X-Men with art from Luca Maresca and Federico Blee, sees the mutant messiah Hope Summers sacrifice her life to rebirth the Phoenix, while the rest of the Five are stuck in the White Hot Room with hundreds of other Krakoan mutants.

The Five Are Tragically Lost In The White Hot Room

Without the Five, Krakoa's Resurrection Protocols cannot work

When Orchis attacked Krakoa during their 3rd annual Hellfire Gala, Doctor Stasis forced Xavier to send thousands of mutants through Krakoan Gateways. Unbeknownst to Stasis or Xavier, Mother Righteous had tied many of the Gateways to Atlantic Krakoa, which she stowed away in the White Hot Room, a nexus of all realities that houses the hosts of the Phoenix Force. Since then, many of the Krakoan mutants have been stranded in the White Hot Room unable to return to Earth-616, including all of the Five; Hope, Eva Bell, Proteus, Elixir, and Egg.

Rise of the Powers of X #4 saw a resurrected Mister Sinister, still imbued with Cypher's abilities, use his power to send a strike force of mutant heroes back to Earth. Unfortunately, Sinister could only send a select group of heroes, and apparently, that crew did not include the Five. Logically, it would have made a lot of sense to transport the Five back to Earth, so that mutant immortality could continue, but it seems that Marvel editorial wants the Resurrection Protocols to end with the fall of Krakoa. Mutant resurrection was key to what set Krakoa apart from past X-Men eras, so the ending of Krakoa will only truly be complete when mutants are mortal once again.

Hope's Sacrifice Will Save The X-Men But End Their Immortality

The Mutant Messiah finally fulfills her destiny

Hope Summers, the supposed "Mutant Messiah" and a key member of Krakoa's Quiet Council, was the most integral member of the Five. For years now Hope has rejected her status as a messiah, but X-Men: Forever #4 finally allows the fierce hero to sacrifice herself for mutantkind, fulfilling her destiny. Hope is able to rebirth the Phoenix Force, bringing Jean Grey fully back to life, and revealing that Jean Grey and the Phoenix are one and the same, and the Phoenix is one of Hope's mothers. While Hope's sacrifice will give the X-Men the power they need to defeat Enigma, her death means that mutant resurrection is officially over, and may never be possible again.

Since House of X/Powers of X, the X-Men have not needed to fear death. With most of the Five stranded in the White Hot Room, and Hope Summers sacrificing herself for the greater good of mutantkind, mutant immortality is no more, and every second of mutant survival is more precious than ever.

X-Men: Forever #4 from Marvel Comics is available now in stores.