In Immortal X-Men, the faith-based mutant Exodus believes himself to be the most religious X-Man (while subtly throwing shade at Nightcrawler).
Spoilers ahead for Immortal X-Men #5
In the latest issue of Marvel Comics’ Immortal X-Men, Nightcrawler was just outclassed in a weirdly specific way. While Kurt Wagner had long been a devout Catholic in the pages of Marvel Comics, the recent evolution of mutant society and culture has led him to adopt and encourage a new way of living and thinking for mutantkind. However, it turns out that the faith-based mutant Exodus may be building his own mutant church and belief system (while also throwing subtle shade at Kurt along the way).
As seen in the past Way of X and current Legion of X series, Nightcrawler has developed a quasi-religion/lifestyle for mutantkind. Needing a new philosophy in the face of the X-Men’s new resurrection protocols where death is a concept of the past, Nightcrawler has been at the forefront of the conversation. Facilitating the way in which life can still be seen as sacred, Kurt has also been leading a group of like-minded mutants as a peacekeeping team known as the Legionaries. While Nightcrawler’s work fills a void in Krakoa’s new culture that had been missing, it’s being teased that a new mutant religion may soon rise to rival it.
As seen in the new Immortal X-Men #5 from Kieron Gillen and Michele Bandini, Exodus prepares for battle against the Eternals who’ve launched their attack on Krakoa (tying into Marvel’s Judgment Day crossover event). The issue also looks back at his own past and belief in a mutant messiah that will rise to save mutantkind. While he had put misplaced faith in both Apocalypse and Magneto, he’s now come to believe that the former Phoenix host Hope Summers is the messiah, seeing as how she was the first child born after M-Day and the one who eventually ended its devastating effect on mutantkind. Hinting multiple times that he will be the rock upon which a new mutant church will be built, Exodus will likely take a more orthodox and traditional approach as he forges a new mutant religion when compared to Nightcrawler’s methods. Likewise, Exodus does seem to be talking about Kurt when he’s talking about false anti-popes.
It certainly seems as though Exodus is positioning himself as the true religious leader of Krakoa when and if he can motivate enough mutants to see him as the true “pope”. Building his entire faith (and powers) around the idea that Hope and the Phoenix are mutantkind’s saviors, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Exodus building an actual church and path to be followed (one that may even surpass what Nightcrawler has recently created).
In any case, the odds that Exodus is setting the table to form his own brand of mutant religion seems very high. Although he’s certainly had followers in the past, it does seem as though Exodus may go bigger than he ever has. While Hope can’t stand Exodus’s devotion and belief that she’s a messiah, it’s never stopped his worship and reverence before. Following this new issue, it certainly seems as though Exodus will be looking to prove he’s the more faithful mutant that should be followed over Nightcrawler. Immortal X-Men #5 is on sale now.