X-Men Unveils the Ultimate Anti-Mutant Weapon (& It’s Not a Sentinel)

Warning: Contains spoilers for New Mutants #32The beloved New X-Men (2001) series written by acclaimed storyteller Grant Morrison introduced the bacterial drug “Kick” to the world of the X-Men, and in the pages of New Mutants #32 the drug is making a huge return, with a deadly, horrifying upgrade.

The Destiny of X era of the X-Men’s current Krakoan Age has seen a huge return of one of mutantkind’s most horrifying and deranged enemies. The sentient bacterium that calls itself Sublime has recently reappeared in many different stories, featured most prominently in the ongoing Marauders (2022) and New Mutants (2019). Sublime, who sometimes goes by John Sublime, was the key protagonist of Grant Morrison’s seminal New X-Men run, and his return to Marvel bodes horribly for the future of the X-Men.

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New Mutants #32 – written by Charlie Jane Anders with primary art by Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque – follows Krakoan newcomer Escapade after she is kidnapped by the despicable U-Men alongside the youngest group of New Mutants and their mentor Wolfsbane. Using her impressive “life swapping” mutant ability, Escapade is able to escape from the U-Men, where she discovers an imprisoned Cerebella – who was previously kidnapped and traumatized by the U-Men in New X-Men – about to have her brain surgically removed again by the disgusting John Sublime. After Escapade uses her ability to swap places with Cerebella, allowing the brave young mutant to go free, Cerebella helps to free Wolfsbane and the other New Mutants. In their rescue and escape Wolfsbane stumbles across a U-Men lab, where she hears the U-Men’s organ-stealing scientists discussing that they have created a new, more powerful iteration of the drug Kick, which leaves Wolfsbane truly terrified after the X-Men’s horrific history with the “drug.” Kick was first introduced in Morrison’s New X-Men #134 and at first appeared to be an ability-enhancing drug, used by Quintin Quire and his Omega Gang to terrorize humans and eventually the Xavier School, with it quickly becoming apparent that Kick led to mental instability as well as uncontrollable powers.

Kick Destroyed The Entire World In One Alternate Future

It was soon revealed that the new teacher “Xorn” was actually Magneto in disguise – though confusingly, it was later retconned to actually be Xorn in disguise as Magneto. Xorn/Magneto had gone insane from using Kick and started a human genocide in New York City. The last arc of New X-Men, “Here Comes Tomorrow,” showed a terrible alternate future timeline where it was revealed that John Sublime was actually a billion-year-old sentient bacteria and that Kick is an aerosol version of Sublime. The drug would first enhance a mutant’s powers, but would then quickly give Sublime total mental control over them.

New Mutants #32 has unveiled a new version of Kick, apparently first developed by the Dr. Barrington, who is now tormenting Sabretooth and the Exiles. This new form skips the “feral” part of the drug where a mutant’s powers and mind go out of control, instead immediately giving control of their mind to Sublime. This is obviously a terrifying prospect, and Wolfsbane will surely attempt to warn the Quiet Council about this new iteration of Kick. The situation is made even more dangerous because Sublime has now captured Escapade and could potentially use her ability to easily sneak onto Krakoa and distribute the Kick. Additionally, Kate Pryde’s team of mutant rescuers is currently battling an ancient version of Sublime and his twin sister Arkea a billion years ago in Threshhold, which could cause even more issues with Sublime in present day.

Kick was a terrifying drug when it was first revealed to the X-Men in New X-Men, and now that the New Mutants have discovered that it has been upgraded and improved, they will need to do anything they can to stop the ultimate anti-mutant weapon from being released on Krakoa.

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New Mutants #32 from Marvel Comics is available now in stores.