Warning: Spoilers for Uncanny X-Men #3!The X-Men’s new "From the Ashes" status quo has seen the mutants grapple with the legacy of Professor X, but only now have the comics revealed exactly what happened to Charles Xavier. A prisoner in his own former home, Xavier’s legacy is being fought over without him, even as Marvel's teases about the future promise that he’ll be back soon enough.

Uncanny X-Men #3 by Gail Simone, David Marquez, Matt Wilson, and Clayton Cowles just confirmed what’s become of Professor X, revealing that he’s the until-now unnamed Prisoner X trapped in Greymalkin Prison, formerly the X-Mansion.

Since the tease of the mansion containing "Prisoner X" in the first trailer for the current "From the Ashes" status quo, Xavier has been the obvious number one candidate. However, Marvel have insisted on playing its cards relatively close to the chest until now, keeping Xavier’s fate a relative mystery - even though fans already knew he was locked up somewhere.

Professor X Is Trapped in the Former X-Mansion as "Prisoner X"

Readers Finally Know Where Xavier Has Been

Xavier’s reappearance coincides with growing questions about his past. hunting the Outliers, the new group of mutant teens being sheltered by the titular X-Men team, and Sarah wants to know why she can’t find them. It’s possible that Xavier himself might have something to do with that. Sarah is working alongside the human bigots who’ve co-opted the X-Mansion as a "necessary evil," a mutant-hunting bloodhound of mysterious origins.

The fate of both Xavier and the Mansion is set to play out in the Raid on Graymalkin crossover between Uncanny X-Men and X-Men. The teams, under the respective leadership of Rogue and Cyclops, will clash over their different approaches to both the X-Men and the wider legacy of Xavier and his ideology as they look to rescue the trapped mutants being held in the former mansion. How Xavier’s actual presence, which wasn’t spoiled by the crossover’s solicitations, will affect this conflict over his own ideals won’t be obvious until it actually begins with December 4th’s X-Men #8 by Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman.

Do the X-Men Even Need Professor X Anymore?

What Is Xavier's Role in Contemporary X-Men Lore?

The big question is what role Professor X even plays in this new X-Men era. So many Xavier stories are about how the generations of mutants he taught have sured him and his ideology. His view of peaceful human/mutant relations often feels like it’s more about appeasing humans than making sure that mutants have a place to call their own. It’s an assimilationist viewpoint, and one that other Mutants like Cyclops and Magneto have often rejected. Xavier always seems to be almost gone for good - before a story inevitably brings him and his ideas back.

Professor X is among the oldest X-Men in characters in Marvel's history - along with core characters like Cyclops, Jean Grey, and more, Xavier debuted in 1963's The X-Men #1 by comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

The new X-Men book in particular feels like a post-Xavierism book. The titular team is packed full of ideologically complex characters who disagree with his teachings, from Cyclops to Magneto to Idie Okonkwo. This set of ideals is presumably in contrast to Rogue's leadership style/ Rogue, in the early stages of Uncanny X-Men, is discovering her own ideological bent and what Xavier’s dream means to her. Hopefully, Xavier’s reappearance isn’t a sign that he’ll be back in a leadership position soon. He doesn’t need to be stepping on everyone else’s toes just as his former students are striking out on their own without him.

Xavier's Actions in the Krakoan Era Loom Large

Krakoa May Be Gone, But It's Not Forgotten

Xavier’s legacy is only complicated by his role in the recently-ended Krakoan era, which saw his classic attitude flip on its head. The Krakoan era started with Xavier claiming that he’d placated humanity long enough and declaring Krakoa its own sovereign mutant state that didn’t care what humanity thought. While his radical bent lost some of its fervor throughout the era, it still marked a concerted change in Xavier’s philosophy, even as he itted that he still clung to his prior philosophy and didn't really think Krakoa could work.

Professor X’s actions made him a pariah with both humans and mutants alike.

The Krakoan Era ended on a decidedly darker note for Professor X. In Fall of the House of X by Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneck, Xavier pretended to side with the villainous Orchis in order to guarantee the safety of mutants. As part of this overly complicated ruse, Xavier supposedly killed the human crew of a nuclear submarine, though this was immediately clarified in the subsequent X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #6 by Alex Paknadel, Diógenes Neves, Arthur Hesli, and Cowles, revealing Xavier had replaced the crew with clones. Professor X’s actions made him a pariah with both humans and mutants alike, with Xavier last seen turning himself in to the authorities.

The Future of Xavierism Is Now in Question

What Will Become of Professor X?

The success of Raid on Graymalkin will likely depend on how it navigates the question of Xavier, his legacy, and his ideology. It’s a difficult line to walk, no matter whether the story chooses to take an actual ideological stance or not. If the story either reaffirms or outright rejects Xavierism, then different fans will be upset. However, if the two X-Teams agree to disagree in the end, affirming the value of each side, it could easily feel like a cop out, a manufactured conflict that was never going to get an answer.

Looking for more post-Krakoa X-Men comics to read? Along with Uncanny X-Men, Marvel has launched a number of brand-new X-Men comics, including X-Men, Exceptional X-Men, NYX, and more - all available now from Marvel Comics.

Of the options available, the best by far is moving beyond Xavierism. If his ideology is reaffirmed, then it would feel like a regression in the broader mutant politics of the X-Men, and a refutation of the Krakoan era, which would only confirm the worst fears of many fans who are already cynically expecting something of the sort. It’s also the most interesting option for future stories. The world’s always changing, and the X-Men’s understanding of how to fit into it should change with it, even if it’s not what Professor X might have done.

Uncanny X-Men #3 is available now from Marvel Comics.