X-Factor scribe Leah Williams recently laid out her entire plan for her run on the book, which was supposed to last at least thirty-six issues. Marvel Comics canceled the series after #10.

Per Bleeding Cool, Williams extensively took a class through her complete X-Factor story during the recent Uncanny Experience in Minnesota. Marvel launched the title in July 2020 as part of Dawn of X. Williams’ team had Northstar, Polaris, Rachel Summers, Prodigy, Daken, and Eye-Boy, who investigate mutant disappearances. They confirmed if the mutants were dead and, if so, the possibility of their resurrection. Williams had previously revealed she only learned about the cancelation before she penned #9, meaning she had to wrap six issues worth of story in just two.

Williams stated that X-Factor got the axe partly because her pitch for the Magneto/Wanda story for X-Factor, eventually Trial Of Magneto, became such a popular pitch at Marvel, who believed the readership numbers for X-Factor were not big enough for the story, so they wanted it as a separate comic.

The first of Williams’ five remaining arcs would have included X-Factor #7- 12. Titled “Rachel Grey’s Paradox/Pandora’s Box,” The arc explores what it means to be a Krakoan citizen. Rachel dies and gets resurrected at the beginning leading to questions regarding her status as a time and reality-displaced mutant. A conflict within Krakoan ensues and only ends when Prodigy comes to Rachel’s defense, arguing she deserves the resurrection benefits as a “naturalized” citizen of Krakoa would.

The arc also explores the basis of Article III, Article IV, Article VI, and Arlicle XA I, which Williams considers the next evolution of resurrection and identity problems the mutants encounter, with the focus again on solving them in a way that strengthens their society overall. The arc ends with Rachel asking Xavier to leave her inhibiting trauma-related PTSD out of her next Cerebro backup.

The third arc “Thunderbird’s Back!” would have run across X-Factor #13 – 18, introducing backup modification, hinted at in the preceding arc. Williams intended to explore the concept with a Thunderbird composite construction “from his family’s memories of him.” The arc also delves into Article IIC. Article VI.1, and Articles IX. With the previous arc’s main theme being citizen identity, the follow-up arc would seek to answer questions like “What’s deeper? What’s a soul? Does it carry over perfectly every time?”

In the fourth arc “Benevolence” (X-Factor #19 – 24), which spotlights Salene, Emplate, and Wither, Krakoa becomes more heavily populated with the extinction event quota’s establishment. The arc addresses the Krakoa annual mutant sacrifices, exploring several interesting permutations regarding how they are acquired. Could Wither be tainting husks intentionally so they are given to Emplate to feed on?

According to Williams, “Maybe to keep eating the psychic energy-feeding requirements Krakoa has, the Five starts making a Matrix-style battery chamber of dozens of Cuckoo-eggs. Maybe Proteus starts feeding Emplate and Selene at the end of his natural lifespan.” This arc reveals the formation of Article IIIV.B:1 and Article X A 2 limiting destructive forces and powers on Krakoa.

The penultimate installment of the storyline, “People Who Been Dead the Longest are F-cked Up!” (X-Factor #25 – 30), will see the first failed generation of long-dead mutants brought back without aid for their acclimation. The arc explores the need for dedicated groups of acclimation specialists.

Finally,in”I Want to Neuter the Phoenix Force,” (X-Factor #31 – 36) Rachel hosts the Phoenix Force. Williams teases she dies a few times before perfecting herself as a vessel for the force. “I think taking the Phoenix Force off the table as a future threat is a status quo change aligned with their new Krakoan life, anyway,” the writer said. The social repercussions of a deathless culture are also explored. Williams discussed using “combat salons” to achieve permanent death for mutants who desire it.

“Combat salons are a kind of civilized, fancy sport for anyone who needs to duel it out. It’s also where you can fight Apocalypse or Shatterstar to earn your removal from the resurrection cycle—permadeath. The combat salons are how I see Mojoverce being allowed access to Krakoan life,” she said. The arc shows how Article VII and Article XA 3 are established.

Source: Uncanny Experience via Bleeding Cool