"Decimation" began with the self-titled one-shot Decimation: House of M: The Day After, and heralded the relaunch of the Excalibur team in New Excalibur, focusing on Pete Wisdom looking for Captain Britain to head up a new British super team, as well as the relaunch of X-Factor from the MadroX miniseries. It also includes several mini-series - Son of M starring a depowered Quicksilver, Generation M focusing on other depowered characters, Sentinel Squad O*N*E showing the latest iteration of the mutant-hunting Sentinels to be robots piloted by humans, X-Men: Deadly Genesis, and X-Men: The 198 - and continues throughout the Marvel Universe, particularly in the X-Men-related titles. One consequence is an upswing of anti-mutant sentiment, especially among certain religious groups, who consider M-Day to be God's judgment against mutant kind.
It has been confirmed by various sources that there are considerably more than 198 mutants remaining - the number has been referred to as "symbolic" rather than actual, and in The 198 Files is said to be the earliest confirmed number. Numbers for pre-Decimation mutants vary from "over a million" (House of M #8) to 14 million (New X-Men #115, where it is said that the 16 million mutants who died on Genosha was around "over half" of the estimated global mutant population of 30 million mutants), giving a population, if the commonly-used 90% depowered figure is true, of between one hundred thousand and one and a half million. Based on the mathematical comparisons of the oft-repeated 198 and several million, Marvel has recently reevaluated the 90% figure into "Over 99%". This is shown in Civil War: Battle Damage Report when Iron Man comments on the Post-CW world. The figure may be reevaluated again depending on future stories.
Both Hank Pym and Beast note shortly after the event that it is impossible for the energy that certain mutants controlled to simply have vanished, and that it must have been "sent" somewhere. As would later be revealed in New Avengers, most of this energy became a sentient entity called "The Collective", who has since come into violent conflict with the Avengers. In addition, a portion of the energy revived the body of Gabriel Summers, who had been trapped in space for many years following the defeat of Krakoa.
Criticism
According to Marvel Editor-In-Chief, Joe Quesada, the Decimation event was designed to reduce the number of mutant characters in the Marvel Universe as he felt the number of mutants had gotten out of hand after forty years of publishing.[1] Most criticisms by fans have been aimed at inconsistencies regarding the roster of mutants who retained their powers after the event. For example, in the Generation M mini-series, several characters were considered depowered, even though they retained their physical mutations. The Civil War Files one-shot revealed that the US government's assessment of the number of mutants on Earth may not be accurate, which allowed Marvel to change the number of depowered mutants. Additionally, characters such as Namor and the Great Lakes Avengers, who are described as mutants but not particularly tied to the X-Men series of books, have not been affected by the event.
Notable Depowered Mutants
Wizard Magazine published a speculative list of supposedly-decimated characters, which Marvel Comics dismissed as including a number of mutants who still have their powers[2] and also includes non-mutant characters. The list therefore should not be trusted.
Superhuman senses. Leader of the Morlocks. Temporarily repowered due to the Terrigen Mists but to the point where even rain harms her. Reappears in the pages of X-Factor.
Revealed in Generation-M #1; was on life support in hospital, now repowered from a transfusion of the blood of Apocalypse. New powers still unknown, so may or may not be same as before.
Ned Ralston
Ned Ralston
Revealed in Generation-M #1; dragon-like form killed when he crashed to the ground after the loss of his powers.
Gary Paterson
Gary Paterson
Revealed in Generation-M #1; drowned after loss of powers.
Inferno
Tony Romeo
Revealed in Generation-M #1; combusted after loss of powers.
Jeannie Martin
Jeannie Martin
Revealed in Generation-M #1; forty inch neck snapped after loss of powers.
Latonya Jefferson
Latonya Jefferson
Revealed in Generation-M #1; had impenetrable skin, killed in Generation-M #2 by the Ghoul.
John Mairs
John Mairs
Revealed in Generation-M #2; third telepathic eye, killed by the Ghoul.
Roach
Hubie Edge
Revealed in Generation-M #2; transforms into humanoid cockroach, killed by the Ghoul.
Dezmond Harris
Dezmond Harris
Revealed in Generation-M #2; had leaping ability.
Dynamite
Susan Svenson
Revealed in Generation-M #2; generates light from hands, killed by the Ghoul.
Member of Sentinel Squad O*N*E. Revealed in X-Men: The 198 Files (NB: The Sentinel Squad O*N*E miniseries takes place pre-M-Day, and shows how the squad was formed).
Revealed in X-Factor III #18; Shown as a member of the group of former mutants calling themselves "X-Cell", who believe the government is behind the massive loss of mutant powers.
Revealed in Marvel Legacy: The 1960s under the Factor Three entry. Was in Genosha when Pietro arrived with the Terrigen Mists. Killed by his new forcefield.
Sunfire, while depowered long before M-Day because of Rogue was listed among the energies in the Collective. Seeing that Rogue still has his powers how this is possible remains unknown. File:Sunfire decimation.pngSunfire, listed among other depowered mutants in New Avengers #19
It is not clear which powers Black Tom Cassidy has lost. While he has surely lost his tree form/plant control power, he may have only been mimicking his energy power against New Excalibur as it was said he used Black Air technology.
According to the New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #12 Wild Child may have retained some of his powers since he gained some of them through genetic manipulation during his Alpha Flight and Weapon X days.
The only students at Xavier's who are still powered were shown in New X-Men vol. 2, #23. That means that despite not being shown on panel Kidogo, Flubber and Rain Boy are depowered. Any other student but the ones listed either here or in the powered section either died prior to M-Day or are depowered. The ones who died on the bus weren't shown before (Amber for instance) except for DJ, Dryad, Network, Rubbermaid, Tag.
Many mutants still remain active although they are depowered, they include the New WarriorsBeak and Wind Dancer, the X-Cell as well as Brass and El Aguila as reported in Civil War: Battle Damage Report
It has not been revealed whether latent mutants,such as Charlotte Jones, have also lost their X-Gene after Decimation.
Cloak & Dagger are listed as science/magic-based mutates in the Civil War: Battle Damage Report, but have otherwise long been established in the main Marvel continuity as latent mutants whose powers were activated by drugs developed by the demon D'Spayre, making their exact classification somewhat of a gray area. Their mutant nature was confirmed in the Age of Apocalypse limited series, where they were part of Sinister's Six.
The 616 version of Mimic was claimed to be a mutant by former head X-writer Scott Lobdell whose latent mutant powers were activated and enhanced by experimental gases which Calvin Rankin was exposed to in an accident as a young boy in his father's lab. He was most recently seen during the Civil War as a prisoner in the Negative Zone by the forces of Baron Zemo, and thus may still be powered.
The Purple Man, whose powers were also gained through accidental exposure to similar gases as an adult, may be a latent mutant as well. Support for this theory comes from the fact that the Purple Man introduced himself as a mutant when he met X-Man ( a particular point which he had no real reason to lie about and which was not disputed by Nate Grey when he read Zebediah Killgrave's memories ), and also by the fact that his daughter Purple Girl, who inherited the exact same powers from him, is also a confirmed genetic mutant. He was punished by Baron Zemo for his failures during the Civil War, and sent back to jail.
In Civil War: Battle Damage Report at first seems to conflict with New Avengers #18 regarding the status of Brass and El Aguila. The CW:BDR confirming that they're active, yet N.A. #18 confirming their depowerment. Since both men tended to rely more on athletic skill and fighting prowess than their mutant powers, it is possible that they simply continued being heroes without their powers. Michael Dorie and Threnody are revealed as Status Undetermined, which means it us unknown if they are alive or deceased. Statuses are unknown until future confirmation.
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe : Daredevil 2004 seems to imply that Owl was actually human and mutated further and further because of his serum (and it is possible that Mutant Growth Hormone can be extracted from mutates). However, this has not yet been conclusively confirmed, and since the X-Man Beast has a virtually identical origin for his powers, the Owl can thus be reasonably presumed to still be a genetic mutant for now. It should be noted though that in the Age of Apocalypse, Owl possesses the same avian powers as a Marauder for Apocalypse.
It is not clear which powers Black Tom Cassidy has lost. While he has lost his tree form/plant control powers, he may have only been mimicking his energy power against New Excalibur as it was said he used Black Air technology.
Cassandra Nova, as Professor Xavier's dark twin belongs to the Mummudrai species, thus is not a mutant. In the Here Comes Tomorrow storyline, it was revealed that she was eventually rehabilitated by being transformed into Ernst. Later editorial retcons have placed this in doubt, so for now she can still be considered a mutant.
Black Cat may have been a latent mutant or just given powers through other means. All her powers were taken away long before M-Day however.
Scarlet Witch has not been shown or confirmed maintaining her mutant powers or X-gene.
Franklin Richards and Cable were depowered before M-Day but remain genetic mutants. Cable has since found a way to mimic his powers through technological means.
While Asp was never explicitly stated as a mutant, in Act of Vengeance she personally fears the repercussion of the Mutant Registration Act, and it is only logical that mutants would be the first to fear the MRA as they were specifically targetted and thus would have the most to lose. In the absence then of any current evidence to the contrary, such as an alternative explanation of how she acquired her powers, she can still be considered a mutant for the moment.
Doug & Jerry and Irving may have just merely retained their physical mutation.
Unconfirmed Mutants
Mutants whose official mutant status has not been confirmed since M-Day. Current Marvel policy is to suspect the following mutants powered until official confirmation, especially the ones who were listed in an Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z and not stated as depowered.
Claims to have lost her original mutant powers (having horns and breathing fire) on M-Day but received omniscience by an unrevealed source.[74] (It should be noted she was possibly lying about the former powers)
Became Pestilence in X-Men #181 and was revealed to have her original powers back in #187. Apocalypse hardwired alien technology into Lorna's nervous system to replicate her magnetic abilities.
Used the Terrigen Mists to regain his powers.[76] His powers have evolved to timetravel, giving the appearance of superspeed and has demonstrated the ability to reempower depowered mutants, although the effects are temporary.
Depowered by Rogue long before M-Day, yet his signature was found within the Collective. Turned into Famine by Apocalypse and now probably a member of the soon to be returning Marauders
Appeared repowered in Wolverine (3rd series) #53. Joe Quesada has implied it might have something to do with Weapon X. [75]
Notes:
Callisto, Freakshow, Hub, Hack, Purge, Shola Inkosi, Wicked, Unus have all been repowered by the Terrigen Mists in the Son of M limited series but the effects were temporary. Unus was suffocated by his own powers while Callisto was in a coma. She has since recovered.
Iceman is not repowered, since he never lost his powers in the first place. After the events of M-Day he developed a mental block, which suppressed his secondary mutation and blocked his powers.
It has been confirmed by Joe Quesada that with Jubilee's upcoming return in 2007, she too will regain her powers in some form.
Archangel only pretended to be depowered as seen in Generation M #4 and #5.
Doc Samson's statement in X-Factor vol. 3, #13 about Quicksilver's way of repowering makes Reaper's repowerement's permanency more than dubious.
Consequences/Repercussions/Lasting Effects
The Xavier Institute is no longer just a school for mutants, but a haven for all remaining mutants. This changed after the Civil War as they were all set free by the US president.
Sentinel Squad O*N*E: In the aftermath of the House of M, resulting in the depowering of 90% of the world's mutant population, the Office of National Emergency (aka O*N*E), a splinter from the Department of Homeland Security, had Sentinels instituted at the X-Mansion to protect the mutants in case any enemies used this low point as an opportunity to attack them at their weakest, and also to stop the mutants in the event of a revolution.
Apocalypse: Due to the events of M-Day, Apocalypse was revived by Cable to force the remaining mutants to band together to expel the threat, as a way to bring the mutant community together after M-Day. (In the pages of X-Men and Cable and Deadpool)
He turned Sunfire, Gambit, Polaris and Gazer into his horsemen although the latter was killed by Ozymandias resulting in Polaris, Gazer and Sunfire regaining powers and Gambit being turned Black and having a lethal gas power. The latter 2 then joined Sinister's forces. As did Exodus's forces after discoveing that no new mutant had appeared since M-Day.
The flying energy : It reawakened Vulcan who was a member of a secret team of X-Men sent to help Scott's team on Krakoa and left to die there. He returned from his space exile to begin a vendetta against Xavier and then the Shi'ar empire(In the pages of Deadly Genesis and Uncanny X-Men). The rest of the energy ended up forming The Collective by merging with a mutant postal worker, Michael Pointer who then apparently killed the then members of Alpha Flightand went on to Genosha, repowering Magneto, who recognizes the intelligence controlling it as "Xorn who explains his action by the fact that the mutants needed him as a leader. The New Avengers arrive and blast the Collective into the sun. Magneto is then taken away in an helicopter which blows up right after it takes off (In the pages of New Avengers)
Children of the Vault: The reduction of mutants also accidentally awakens The Children of the Vault. (In the pages of X-Men)
William Stryker: Deeming the sudden massive reduction in number of the mutant population a sign of God, saying "He made the first step and now we have to take the next", basically rallying for genocide on TV. (In the pages of New X-Men)
Onslaught: Onslaught Reborn will see Onslaught return; as the mutant energies of both Professor X and Magneto meet once again, they reform the monster. (This takes place before the Civil War event.)
Both Professor X and Reaper have been healed by the event. The first can now walk again and the latter is no longer brain dead.
After the Civil War, X-Factor Investigations will be dealing with a siege in Mutant Town when a group of depowered mutants, calling themselves X-Cell become terrorists thinking the Government is responsible for their depowerment. The members are Callisto, Blob, Marrow, Fatale, Reaper, and Abyss.
Wolverine discovers a half-way home for depowered mutants who are fearing for their lives. Both Jubilee and Maverick are there.
Collected editions
Trade paperbacks
Decimation: X-Men - The Day After
(ISBN 0-7851-1984-1)
collects Decimation: House of M - The Day After and X-Men #177-181.
Decimation: Generation M
(ISBN 0-7851-1958-2)
collects Generation M #1-5.
Decimation: Son of M
(ISBN 0-7851-1970-1)
collects Son of M #1-6.
Decimation: Sentinel Squad O*N*E
(ISBN 0-7851-1997-3)
collects Sentinel Squad O*N*E #1-5.
Decimation: X-Men - 198
(ISBN 0-7851-1994-9)
collects X-Men: The 198 #1-5 and X-Men: The 198 Files (one-shot).
^ abcdChris Claremont (w), Chris Bachalo (p), Bachalo, Holdredge, Irwin, Mendoza, Olazaba, Parsons, Townsend & Fey (i). "The First FourSaken" Uncanny X-Men, no. 472 (June 2006). Marvel Comics.
^Brian K. Vaughan (w), Adrian Alphona (p), Craig Yeung (i). "East Coast, West Coast Part Four" Runaways, volume 2, no. 12 (January 2006). Marvel Comics.
^ abcChris Claremont (w), Chris Bachalo (p), Holdridge, Mendoza, Parsons, Olazaba, Rapmund, Townsend & Vey (i). "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream" Uncanny X-Men, no. 466 (January 2006). Marvel Comics.
