View source for X of Swords

{{Marvel Database:Event Template
| Image                   = X of Swords teaser 001.jpg
| Name                    = X of Swords
| Aliases                 = Contest of Swords{{r|Hellions Vol 1 5}}
| Reality                 = Earth-616
| Locations               = [[Krakoa (Earth-616)|Krakoa]], [[Otherworld]]
| Creators                = Jonathan Hickman; Tini Howard
| Protagonists            = [[Swordbearers of Krakoa (Earth-616)|Swordbearers of Krakoa]], [[X-Men (Earth-616)|X-Men]]
| Antagonists             = [[Swordbearers of Arakko (Earth-616)|Swordbearers of Arakko]]
| Others                  = 

| Synopsis                = The dark history of Arakko will soon be revealed, and when it is, the very future of mutantkind will be at stake. Now, witness the cataclysmic showdown between the sword bearers of Arakko and the ten mutants who will stand up to defend the new mutant nation of Krakoa in Pepe Larraz’s breathtaking key art for X OF SWORDS. This fateful clash and many others are what await readers in this crossover epic written by Jonathan Hickman, Tini Howard, and all the current writers of your favorite X-Men titles. The next chapter in Hickman’s bold reshaping of the X-Men that began in House of X, this story will stand alongside influential X-Men crossovers like The Mutant Massacre and Messiah CompleX. The victories will be legendary, the losses will be heartbreaking, and the revelations will send shockwaves throughout the Marvel Universe. This sprawling saga will have a lasting impact on the future of the X-Men, forever changing the fate of the franchise’s most prominent characters.

===List of Swordbearers===
====[[Swordbearers of Krakoa (Earth-616)|Swordbearers of Krakoa]]====
* [[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]] wielding the [[Soulsword]]{{r|X-Factor Vol 4 4}}
* [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]] wielding the [[Muramasa Blade]]{{r|Wolverine Vol 7 6}}{{r|X-Force Vol 6 13}}
* [[Ororo Munroe (Earth-616)|Storm]] wielding the [[Skybreaker (Sword)|Skybreaker]]{{r|Marauders Vol 1 13}}
* [[Douglas Ramsey (Earth-616)|Cypher]] wielding [[Warlock (Technarch) (Earth-616)|Warlock]]{{r|New Mutants Vol 4 13}}
* [[Nathan Summers (Earth-616)|Cable]] wielding the [[Light of Galador]]{{r|Cable Vol 4 5}}
* [[Elizabeth Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Britain]] wielding the [[Starlight Sword]]{{r|Excalibur Vol 4 13}}
* [[Brian Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Avalon]] wielding the [[Sword of Might]]{{r|Excalibur Vol 4 13}}
* [[En Sabah Nur (Earth-616)|<nowiki>Apocalypse</nowiki>]] wielding the [[Scarab (Sword)|Scarab]]{{r|X-Men Vol 5 13}}
* [[Tomi Shishido (Earth-616)|Gorgon]] wielding both [[Godkiller (Sword)|Godkiller]] and [[Grasscutter]]{{r|X-Men Vol 5 13}}

====[[Swordbearers of Arakko (Earth-616)|Swordbearers of Arakko]]====
* [[Solem (Earth-616)|Solem]] wielding the [[Muramasa Blade]]{{r|Wolverine Vol 7 6}}{{r|X-Force Vol 6 13}}
* [[White Sword (Earth-616)|The White Sword]] wielding [[Purity (Sword)|Purity]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]] wielding [[Vermilion]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Death (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|Death]] wielding the [[Black Bone of Amduat]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Isca (Earth-616)|Isca the Unbeaten]] wielding [[Mercy (Sword)|Mercy]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Earth-616)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]] wielding [[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Sword)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Redroot (Earth-616)|Redroot the Forest]] wielding [[Alluvium]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Summoner (Arakko) (Earth-616)|Summoner]] wielding [[Colony (Sword)|Colony]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Bei (Earth-616)|Bei the Blood Moon]] wielding [[Seducer]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}
* [[Genesis (Earth-616)|Annihilation]] wielding the [[Twilight Sword (Amenth)|Twilight Sword]]{{r|X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1}}

===Tournaments===
* '''[[Isca (Earth-616)|Isca the Unbeaten]]''' vs. [[Elizabeth Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Britain]] in [[Avalon (Otherworld)|Avalon]]. Battle to first kill. Apparent death of Captain Britain. Victory for Arakko.{{r|Excalibur Vol 4 14}}
* '''[[Bei (Earth-616)|Bei the Blood Moon]]''' vs. '''[[Douglas Ramsey (Earth-616)|Cypher]]''' at the [[Starlight Citadel]]. Trial by wedding. Victory for both Krakoa and Arakko.{{r|Excalibur Vol 4 14}}
* '''[[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Earth-616)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]]''' vs. [[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]] in the [[Floating Kingdom of Roma Regina]]. Contest of arms. Victory for Arakko.{{r|Wolverine Vol 7 7}}
* '''[[Summoner (Arakko) (Earth-616)|Summoner]]''' vs. [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]] in [[Blightspoke]]. Race to Death. Death of the Summoner. Victory for Arakko.{{r|Wolverine Vol 7 7}}
* '''[[Ororo Munroe (Earth-616)|Storm]]''' vs. '''[[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]]''' in the [[Crooked Market]]. Contest of cups. Victory for Krakoa. {{r|Wolverine Vol 7 7}}
* '''[[Solem (Earth-616)|Solem]]''' vs. [[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]] at the [[Starlight Citadel]]. Amputation. Victory for Arakko.{{r|Wolverine Vol 7 7}}
** [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]] was substitute in for [[Solem (Earth-616)|Solem]] during this round{{r|Wolverine Vol 7 7}}
* [[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Earth-616)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]] vs. '''[[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]]''' in the [[Floating Kingdom of Roma Regina]]. Unarmed combat. Victory for Krakoa.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]]''' vs. [[Nathan Summers (Earth-616)|Cable]], [[Brian Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Avalon]] & [[Tomi Shishido (Earth-616)|Gorgon]]. Torture Endurance. Victory for Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Death (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|Death]]''', '''[[Isca (Earth-616)|Isca the Unbeaten]]''' & '''[[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Earth-616)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]]''' vs. [[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]]. Contest of Boulders. Victory for Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Isca (Earth-616)|Isca the Unbeaten]]''' & the '''[[White Sword (Earth-616)|White Sword]]''' vs. [[Tomi Shishido (Earth-616)|Gorgon]]. Battle beneath the waves. Victory for Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* [[Redroot (Earth-616)|Redroot the Forest]] vs. '''[[Nathan Summers (Earth-616)|Cable]]''', '''[[Brian Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Avalon]]''' & '''[[Douglas Ramsey (Earth-616)|Cypher]]'''. Contest of plates. Victory for Krakoa.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Bei (Earth-616)|Bei the Blood Moon]]''' & '''[[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]]''' vs. [[Douglas Ramsey (Earth-616)|Cypher]] & [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]]. Lord of the dance. Victory for Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Redroot (Earth-616)|Redroot the Forest]]''' & '''[[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Earth-616)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]]''' vs. [[Brian Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Avalon]] & [[Ororo Munroe (Earth-616)|Storm]]. Labyrinth escape. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* [[Death (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|Death]] & [[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]] vs. '''[[Tomi Shishido (Earth-616)|Gorgon]]''' & '''[[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]]'''. Jigsaw battle. Victory to Krakoa.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Redroot (Earth-616)|Redroot the Forest]]''' & '''[[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]]''' vs. [[Ororo Munroe (Earth-616)|Storm]] & [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]]. Contest of Couture. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Isca (Earth-616)|Isca the Unbeaten]]''' vs. [[Nathan Summers (Earth-616)|Cable]] & [[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]] in [[Blightspoke]]. Blightspoke navigation. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Redroot (Earth-616)|Redroot the Forest]]''' vs. [[Brian Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Avalon]] in the [[Crooked Market]]. Foot race. Redroot accrues a debt due to the destruction of a crystal idol of Bombu and can no longer participate. Victory to Arrako.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Bei (Earth-616)|Bei the Blood Moon]]''', '''[[Death (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|Death]]''' & '''[[Pogg Ur-Pogg (Earth-616)|Pogg Ur-Pogg]]''' vs. [[Douglas Ramsey (Earth-616)|Cypher]] & [[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]] in the [[Floating Kingdom of Roma Regina]]. Contest of letters. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* The '''[[White Sword (Earth-616)|White Sword]]''' vs. [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]]. Rumination endurance. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Isca (Earth-616)|Isca the Unbeaten]]''' & '''[[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]]''' vs. [[Tomi Shishido (Earth-616)|Gorgon]], [[Illyana Rasputina (Earth-616)|Magik]] & [[James Howlett (Earth-616)|Wolverine]]. Resist temptation. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* [[Brian Braddock (Earth-616)|Captain Avalon]] vs. '''[[War (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|War]]''' in the [[Holy Republic of Fae]]. Kitten killing. Victory to Arakko.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* [[Death (First Horsemen) (Earth-616)|Death]] vs. '''[[Ororo Munroe (Earth-616)|Storm]]''' in [[Sevalith]]. Drawing first blood. Death incapacitated and held by Sevalith, can no longer participate. Victory to Krakoa.{{r|X-Force Vol 6 14}}
* '''[[Bei (Earth-616)|Bei the Blood Moon]]''' vs. [[Nathan Summers (Earth-616)|Cable]] in the [[Dryador|Fiefdom of Amenth]]. Battle to the death. Victory to Arakko.{{r|Cable Vol 4 6}}
* The '''[[White Sword (Earth-616)|White Sword]]''' vs. '''[[Tomi Shishido (Earth-616)|Gorgon]]''' in the [[Dryador|Fiefdom of Amenth]]. One hundred to one. Death of 13 of the [[One Hundred Champions (Earth-616)|One Hundred Champions]] & Gorgon. 1 point to Arrako & 13 points to Krakoa.{{r|Cable Vol 4 6}}
* [[Annihilation (Earth-616)|Annihilation]] vs. '''[[En Sabah Nur (Earth-616)|<nowiki>• --|A|-- •</nowiki>]]'''. Final challenge.{{r|Cable Vol 4 6}} Victory to Krakoa through En Sabah Nur claiming Arrako as his champion.{{r|X-Men Vol 5 15}}{{r|X of Swords: Destruction Vol 1 1}}

| Part1                   = X of Swords: Creation Vol 1 1
| Part2                   = X-Factor Vol 4 4
| Part3                   = Wolverine Vol 7 6
| Part4                   = X-Force Vol 6 13
| Part5                   = Marauders Vol 1 13
| Part6                   = Hellions Vol 1 5
| Part7                   = New Mutants Vol 4 13
| Part8                   = Cable Vol 4 5
| Part9                   = Excalibur Vol 4 13
| Part10                  = X-Men Vol 5 13
| Part11                  = X of Swords: Stasis Vol 1 1
| Part12                  = X-Men Vol 5 14
| Part13                  = Marauders Vol 1 14
| Part14                  = Marauders Vol 1 15
| Part15                  = Excalibur Vol 4 14
| Part16                  = Wolverine Vol 7 7
| Part17                  = X-Force Vol 6 14
| Part18                  = Hellions Vol 1 6
| Part19                  = Cable Vol 4 6
| Part20                  = X-Men Vol 5 15
| Part21                  = Excalibur Vol 4 15
| Part22                  = X of Swords: Destruction Vol 1 1

| TieIns                  = 
===Path to X of Swords===
* {{cl|Cable Vol 4 4}}
* {{cl|Marauders Vol 1 11}}-[[Marauders Vol 1 12|12]]
* {{cl|X-Force Vol 6 11}}-[[X-Force Vol 6 12|12]]
* {{cl|X-Men Vol 5 11}}

==Prelude==
* {{cl|Excalibur Vol 4 12}}
* {{cl|X-Men Vol 5 12}}

==Recommended Reading==
* {{cl|Captain Britain Vol 1 1}}-[[Captain Britain Vol 1 2|2]]
* {{cl|Marvel Team-Up Vol 1 65}}-[[Marvel Team-Up Vol 1 66|66]]
* {{cl|Excalibur Vol 1 1}}
* {{cl|Marvel Super-Heroes (UK) Vol 1 380}}-[[Marvel Super-Heroes (UK) Vol 1 383|383]]
* {{cl|Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 171}}

| Notes                   = * The event was first hinted at in a roundtable discussion with the X-Men editors on January 13, 2020,{{r|{{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/a-roundtable-discussion-with-the-x-men-editorial-team|title=A Roundtable Discussion with the X-Men Editorial Team|work=Marvel.com|first=Ben|last=Morse|date=January 13, 2020|accessdate=March 14, 2020}}}} and further teased with a mysterious image on February 27.{{r|{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Marvel/status/1233129639943528459|title=Friday 2/28 – 2:30PM CT – Room S401 – C2E2 #MarvelComics|work=Twitter|first=|last=Marvel Eintertainment|date=February 27, 2020|accessdate=March 14, 2020}}}} It was then officially announced on February 28, during [[Wikipedia:Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo|C2E2]].{{r|{{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/the-next-great-x-men-crossover-arrives-this-summer|title=The Next Great X-Men Crossover Arrives This Summer|work=Marvel.com|first=|last=|date=February 28, 2020|accessdate=March 14, 2020}}}}
* A prologue for this event was featured in [[Free Comic Book Day Vol 2020 (X-Men/Dark Ages)|''Free Comic Book Day 2020 (X-Men/Dark Ages)'']].{{r|{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/2020/03/04/x-of-swords-marvel-comics-dawn-of-x-jonathan-hickman-cb-cebulski-interview/|title=Jonathan Hickman and C.B. Cebulski Talk "X of Swords" and Dawn of X's Future|work=ComicBook.com|first=Jenna|last=Anderson|date=March 5, 2020|accessdate=March 14, 2020}}}}
* Marvel reprinted the recommended issues leading to the event in {{cl|Marvel Tales: Captain Britain Vol 1 1}}, {{cl|True Believers: X-Men - Saturnyne Vol 1 1}}, and {{cl|True Believers: X-Men - Soulsword Vol 1 1}}.
* {{cl|X of Swords Handbook Vol 1 1}} was set to be released as a complement to the event.
| Trivia                  = * The title is derived from the tarot card [[wikipedia:Ten of Swords|Ten of Swords]].
* Despite appearing in promotional material for the event, [[Charles Xavier (Earth-616)|Charles Xavier]] and [[Rachel Summers (Earth-811)|Rachel Summers]] don't wield the [[Cerebro Sword]] and the [[Blade of the Phoenix]] respectively.
| Links                   = * [[wikipedia:X of Swords|X of Swords at Wikipedia.org]]
}}
[[es:X of Swords]]
[[Category:X-Men Events]]