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Leah Williams' Original X-Factor Plans Before It Was Cancelled

The immersive Uncanny Experience saw former X-Factor writer Leah Williams take a class through her original plans for X-Factor.



Article Summary

  • Leah Williams details her original X-Factor plans from Krakoan identity crises to combat salons.
  • Explore untold storylines featuring Rachel Grey, including her fight for Krakoan citizenship.
  • Delve into Thunderbird's return, Phoenix Force saga, and ethically-sourced mutant solutions.
  • Uncover Leah Williams' ambitious vision for a 36-issue X-Factor series before cancellation.

The immersive Uncanny Experience in New York this weekend saw former X-Factor writer Leah Williams take a class through her original plans for X-Factor; before Polaris was whisked away to the X-Men, the Magneto story expanded, and the series was cancelled with issue #10. Previously, Williams says she only learned about the cancellation of X-Factor when she was writing #9, so she had to finish the series quickly, squeezing six issues worth of story into those last two issues, calling it "cramped and rushed".

Now you get to see more of what was originally planned up to X-Factor #36.

Leah Williams' Original X-Factor Plans Before It Was Cancelled
X-Factor #10

X-FACTOR #7- 12 (ARC 2); RACHEL GREY'S PARADOX/PANDORA's BOX — This arc will explore Krakoan citizen identity. The biggest overall beat is that Rachel dies and gets resurrected at the beginning of this are, prompting come (uhhh Arakko individuals, maybe? Or Laura Kinney, who's mad bc Gabby's not there?) to question Rachel's proper status as a time and reality-displaced mutant. This sets off a mild Intra-Krakoan conflict that is something like their version of a birther movement, which ends when Prodigy successfully argues on behalf of Rachel's status with a kind of Hail Mary loophole of why she deserves the resurrection benefits as a "naturalized" citizen of Krakoa would. In this arc, we show how we come to form Article III, Article IV, Article VI, and Arlicle XA I. — These represent what I consider to be the next evolution of resurrection and identity problems they'd encounter, but obviously, the focus will again be on solving it in a way that strengthens their society overall. I want to end this arc with Rachel asking Xavier to leave her inhibiting trauma-related PTSD out of her next Cerebro backup — I think towards the end of this arc is a good place to introduce the prospect of backup modification, considering…

X-FACTOR #13 – 18 (ARC 3): THUNDERBIRD's BACK! Aftwr we introduce just the prospect of backup modification. It makes sense to me that the next logical progression is exploration of that with the construction of a Thunderbird composite from his family's memories of him. Obviously this doesn't create a perfect Thunderbird: instead he is an amalgamation and someone new. In this arc we show now we come to form Article IIC. Article VI.1, and Articles IX:1-3 are 2's big theme was citizen identity, this arc's theme would be what's deeper—*what's a soul? Does it carry over perfectly every time?" Lots of interesting stuff to explore here with the X-factor team and the Five.

X-Factor #19 – 24 (ARO 4): Let's GET WEIRDER WITH THE "BENEVOLENCE" ARC! This one is about Salene, Emplate, and now—Wither. After the establishment of that extinction event quota, Krakoa is getting more heavily populated. There's something to be explored with how Selene, Emplate, and Wither figure into this; along with who's feeding Krakoa his annual mutant sacrifices. There's a lot of batshit but fun exploration to be had here. Maybe Wither is deliberately tainting husks (From HoX #4- "any product of temporal growth is susceptible to change agents/variations* — soooo much fun to have with that variable factor, when the time is right') so they get tossed out for Emplate to feed on, or to be made into the annual two sacrifices to Krakoa. 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. (I mean… they're probably used to it by now, right?) Maybe Proteus starts feeding Emplate and Selene at the end of his natural lifespan. Either way! There's something nutso yet ethically-sourced and sustainable to find as our solution here. This arc will show how we come to form the rules that cover destructive forces and/or powers on Krakoa: Article IIIV.B:1 and Article X A 2.

X-FACTOR #25 – 30  PEOPLE WHO BEEN DEAD THE LONGEST ARE F-CKED! UP! —I'd love to see our first failed generation of mutants who've been dead the longest and brought back without aid for their acclimation. This arc will explore how we come to need the dedicated groups of acclimation specialists—Article II B 1., Article V.B.

X-Factor #31 – 36 (ARC 6) I WANT TO NEUTER THE PHOENIX FORCE ~ Krakoa hosts the Phoenix Force, but Rachel steps up to host. She's the only one the Phoenix has ever liked, anyway. Let's maybe see her emergency-dying a few times to perfect herself as a vessel. mad scientist-ing her back-up. She likes hosting the Phoenix Force, as well, and has never struggled with it unlike some other redheads who shall remain—Jean. 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. (I would do this sooner if I thought I could!) This arc is also where I think it might be a good time to explore the social repercussions of a deathless culture — maybe the first failed generation from the previous arc find themselves addicted to experiencing different modes of death, like adrenaline chasers. Cue the "combat salons" which is what I imagine to be what you're doing with Apocalypse making someone earn death in X-Men #7 or #8, Jon. Combat salons are a kind of civilized, fancy sport for anyone who needs to duel it aut. It's also the place where you can fight Apocalypse or Shatterstar to earn your removal from the resurrection cyole—permadeath. The combat salons are how I see Mojoverce being allowed a form of access to Krakoan life. This arc shows how we establish Article VII and Article XA 3.

If you have those articles on hand, bring them on…

 


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from The Union Club on Greek Street, shops at Gosh, Piranha and FP. Father of two daughters. Political cartoonist.
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