I Missed the True Meaning Behind the X-Men's New Villains, And It Is Seriously Dark
WARNING: Spoilers for X-Men #16The X-Men will soon face a new evil team of mutants, and I just noticed the shocking implication behind their team name. While these mutant heroes have contended with a number of bigoted foes over the years in order to defend their right to exist, their next enemies are different in that they are directly linked to real-world bigots through the title of their organization.
Marvel has unveiled an early look at X-Men #16, including cover art by series artist Ryan Stegman that introduces the X-Men's villainous counterparts. However, this isn't an ordinary line-up of heroes, as they've been brought together by the cruel 3K organization to eliminate mutants and take their place - and I've only now realized what the name "3K" actually means.
X-MEN #16 (2025) | |
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Release Date: | May 7th, 2025 |
Writer: | Jed MacKay |
Artist: | Netho Diaz |
Cover Artist: | Ryan Stegman |
Variant Covers: | Alex Ross, Gerardo Sandoval, Russell Dauterman, Aka |
MEET THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT X-MEN? There are mutants who call themselves X-Men in Alaska and Louisiana and Chicago. But as Cyclops' team find themselves in more than one set of crosshairs dealing with a mutant crisis in Alaska, a new group of enemies make themselves known: They are the X-Men, who are sponsored by 3K in their bid for possession of the future of mutantkind! | |
The name "3K" is clearly inspired by the Ku Klux Klan, or KKK. I'm stunned by how dark Marvel is making the X-Men's latest threat by drawing a direct parallel to an actual racist organization, though it does align with this team's overall purpose.
Marvel's New X-Men Borrow Their Name From a Real-Life Hate Group
3K's Team Is The X-Men Equivalent of the Ku Klux Klan
Although 3K's X-Men won't officially debut until X-Men #16, they already made an appearance in the series' first issue. Cyclops led his team on a mission to rescue six young mutants, only to discover that they were all fully-grown and created by 3K. Rather than siding with their fellow mutants, these new additions fought on behalf of their organization while wearing matching red uniforms that concealed their faces - which, I now realize, could be another nod to their KKK influence. Their goal seems to be to take the X-Men's place, replacing the natural mutants with ones that are created from humans and thus deemed "superior" by 3K.
It's Been Years, But I'm Still Angry X-Men Flubbed Its Best Villain Reveal of All Time
About 20 years ago, X-Men had the chance to reintroduce characters fans already knew in interesting ways, and with one villain, it totally flubbed it.
The X-Men discovered that 3K is experimenting on humans to turn them into mutants in X-Men #5. Typically, a mutant arises during adolescence when their X-Gene activates, but 3K has found a way to transform humans into mutants later in life. Through this process, they intend to replace mutants with a new race, pursuing the Fourth School concept of a "fourth species" that combines human, A.I., and mutant. The name "3K" alludes to the inherent ties to white supremacy and general bigotry that fuel organizations like this, and it wouldn't be the first time that X-Men has called out the KKK and similar groups.
X-Men Hasn't Shied Away From Addressing Prejudice With Its Villains
Marvel's Mutant Metaphor Calls Out Real Examples of Bigotry
One of the core facets of X-Men lore is the "mutant metaphor", as mutants within the Marvel Universe are meant to represent minorities. The bigotry they face, and their constant struggle to be accepted by the world around them, is a reflection of the struggles undergone by oppressed groups in our own society. This is best depicted by the villains that the X-Men battle, since they reflect the actions and ideals of bigots more often than not. 3K's organization is far from the only one within X-Men lore to embody real-world hate groups by opposing minorities, though their name may be the most on-the-nose example.
3K's organization is far from the first within X-Men lore to embody real-world hate groups by opposing minorities.
The Friends of Humanity, for instance, are another group that targets the X-Men out of bigotry against mutants. As their name implies, they align with humanity alone and use that allegiance to their own kind as an excuse to persecute mutants. They support laws like the Mutant Registration Act, which would require all mutants to register themselves and thus put a target on their backs. Unfortunately, it can't be denied that groups advocating for harmful legislation to police minorities exist in both the fictional world and our own, and X-Men continues to portray various forms of prejudice through its villain roster.
3K's New X-Men Are Trying to Replace the Originals, But Will They Succeed?
Sorry, 3K: X-Men's Mutants Aren't Going Down Without a Fight
Unlike the so-called Friends of Humanity, 3K's X-Men aren't merely trying to eradicate mutants. Instead, they want to replace the original X-Men entirely with their own brand of experimental mutants, all of whom fight on behalf of their own warped ideals rather than the greater good. As troubling as it is to admit, the X-Men may meet their match in their upcoming clash against this new team, as they'll be mutants on par with them. Still, the real X-Men have the advantage of fighting for the noble cause of mutant liberation, whereas I doubt 3K's distastefully named version will ever fully replace them as the Marvel Universe's mutant heroes.
X-Men #16 will be available on May 7th, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
- Movie(s)
- X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- First Film
- X-Men (2000)
- TV Show(s)
- X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men '97 (2024)
- Video Game(s)
- X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine's Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994)
- Character(s)
- Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23
- Comic Release Date
- 213035,212968
