WARNING! Spoilers for X-Men #13

In a surprising shake-up to X-Men lore, Marvel has redefined the meaning of "Omega level" in regard to mutant powers. The true definition of what an Omega mutant's power entails has varied over the years, and this latest change offers a new explanation to clear up any confusion. Now, the X-Men's Omega level powerhouses have gone from having a higher limit to having none at all.

X-Men #13 by Jed MacKay, Netho Diaz, Sean Parsons, Fernando Sifuentes, and Clayton Cowles continues the X-Manhunt event as Professor Xavier faces off against the X-Men's telepath, Quentin Quire. The two appear to be evenly matched throughout their psychic battle, until Xavier turns the tide unexpectedly.

Xavier explains that Omega level mutants have "no upper limit to their power", changing the definition of the term and revealing the full scale of what they're capable of. While X-Men with Omega status were once held back by a limit - albeit a very high one - they are now recognized as being limitless.

It's Official: X-Men's Omega Level Mutants Have No Upper Limit

Krakoa's Definition of "Omega Level" Just Got Overruled by Professor X

Professor Xavier's reveal about the nature of an Omega level mutant's power contradicts a definition that was provided during the recent Krakoa Era, which similarly redefined what it means to be Omega in X-Men lore. In House of X #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Pepe Larraz, it is explicitly stated that the term "Omega" can be used to refer to "a mutant whose dominant power is deemed to - or reach - an undefinable upper limit of that power's specific classification." In simple , Omega level mutants do have an upper limit, but there's no way to actually determine what that limit is.

According to Hickman's definition of the classification, Omega level power can't be measured, but it also can't be sured despite the inability to fathom the hypothetical limit. Now, in the wake of the Krakoa Era, Xavier has suggested that there is no limit at all to Omega level power. Rather than having a limit that's beyond what anyone can quantify, there is no end to these mutants' power, though that doesn't necessarily mean that they are unrivaled. Professor Xavier's fight with Kid Omega exemplifies this, as Xavier finds a way to overpower Quentin despite their shared Omega level status.

X-Men's Omega Level Mutants May Be Limitless, But They Aren't Invincible

Professor Xavier Proves That Experience Can Settle the Stronger Omega

Because Xavier and Quentin are both Omega level telepaths - with Xavier's Omega status now confirmed as of this issue - they find themselves at a stalemate because they are both unsured powerhouses. However, Xavier says that Omega mutants with the same unmatched ability can rely on "other variables" to dictate who wins. In this case, his experience gives him an advantage over Quentin. The meaning of "Omega level" is never truly set in stone, as Marvel is always willing to shake things up when the story calls for it, but this upheaval to X-Men lore nonetheless provides much-needed clarification for how these mutants operate.

X-Men #13 is available now from Marvel Comics!