The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Is Back, But It’s Not the Team Fans Remember

The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants has long been a thorn in the side of the X-Men. The team was brought together by Magneto to help him fulfill his dreams of mutant supremacy. The first roster of the Brotherhood introduced readers to Marvel legends like Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Mastermind, and Toad, a formidable team for the young X-Men. This was merely the first roster of the team; over the coming years all of the X-Men’s greatest villains have been in the group – Mystique, Destiny, Sabretooth, Juggernaut, Avalanche, Pyro, Omega Red, Selene, Black Tom, Daken, Silver Samurai, the Shadow King, Exodus, and a legion of B and C-list baddies. The team has had quite a history over the years, with one of the watch words of the Brotherhood being change.

The group has evolved in numerous directions; Mystique and Destiny took their version of the group and made it into the Freedom Force, working for the US government and going after the X-Men. There’s been a Sisterhood of Evil Mutants, Professor X has led the team at least once, and it served as the secret protectors of Arakko during the Krakoa Era. It’s a team with a rich history, one that ties into every corner of the mutant Marvel Universe. That history looks to get a rather large expansion, thanks to X-Men: The Hellfire Murder #1. This one-shot pays homage to the Hellfire Galas of the past, with one of the X-Men’s most important villains ending up dead. The mystery surrounding his death will reveal a new version of the classic team, but with some rather interesting changes.

SPOILERS FOR X-Men: The Hellfire Murders #1

The Death of Sebastian Shaw Led to the New Brotherhood

Sebastian Shaw is a character with his own long history with the X-Men and numerous members of the Brotherhood. Shaw is the Black King of the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle, a mutant who absorbs kinetic energy and converts it to strength. He’s also a genius, creating an electronics empire that would go on to supply the US government with Sentinels. He played a big role in the Krakoa Era, feuding with Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde over the Hellfire Trading Corporation. He ended up betraying Krakoa to Orchis and this Gala was ostensibly his way of ingratiating himself with everyone.

Shaw being found dead isn’t exactly a shock; he’s among the most hated mutants on the planet. Not only did he arm the bigots who had been killing mutants for years, but he’s constantly betraying everyone so that no one trusts him. He has no allies whatsoever and a list of people who would want him dead. Wolverine ends up investigating while Jubilee keeps the peace, following the trail to the murderers, learning that Shaw was killed by the nerve gas traps he had created as part of his own security. However, after he died, there was still a Shaw on the dance floor for a little bit.

Logan was able to track the nerve gas agent and found the ersatz Shaw and their conspirators – Mystique, Destiny, Toad, Empath, and Lady Mastermind. The group had learned that Shaw had replicated Forge’s tech that took away mutant powers and planned to use it to prune the mutant tree, re-creating the remnants of the mutant race in his image. This is Shaw to his core; he’s sold out mutants numerous times in the past, so him having this technology was a clear threat to the mutant race. Someone needed to stop him and it was the Brotherhood, but not of evil mutants.

Instead, Mystique says that the group’s name is the Hellfire Brotherhood and their job was to look out for the mutant race. In recent years, the Brotherhood hasn’t really been a villainous team. Storm, Magneto, Sunspot, and the Fisher King started their own Brotherhood to help keep the Arakkii safe, doing what they wouldn’t do behind the scenes. Even before this, the team had mostly dropped the “of Evil Mutants” part of its name (although one of the last groups did exist merely to kill Wolverine), instead acting as a group of mutants willing to do what it took to save their race from any threats. Taking the Hellfire name is also a big change; much like the Brotherhood, the meaning of the Hellfire Club has changed. It’s also become more of an altruistic organization, one with connections all over the world. With access to that network, taken from Shaw, the Brotherhood can become a new kind of rival to the X-Men.

The Hellfire Brotherhood Can Become an Entirely New Entity in the Marvel Universe

The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants has changed a lot since Magneto used them as his muscle. They’ve been a government team and the power behind a planet, going to lengths that the X-Men wouldn’t. The Hellfire Club, under Shaw at least, has long been all about using its power and prestige to gain even more for itself. Melding the two together under Mystique, Destiny, Empath, Lady Mastermind, and Toad is a group that can play a huge role in the future. Mystique and Destiny have long been about using the Brotherhood to safeguard mutants; their main problems have often been resources. Taking over the Hellfire Club fixes that, giving the two everything they need to save their people.

Look at the team they’ve assembled; Empath can control the emotions of anyone, allowing the group to influence the enemies of mutants. Lady Mastermind can make her foes see anything she wants, which is another power that allows the group to control the situation, even against powerful telepaths. While Toad might not seem like much, he’s been at the highest level of the mutant community for years; plenty of mutants respect him. In fact, going back to the Krakoa Era Sabretooth miniseries, mutants were willing to fight the Krakoan government for him. This group fits the way that Mystique and Destiny operate to a tee. They can be clandestine, getting into anywhere with a plan from someone who has seen the future, and get anyone to do or see anything they want. This team should be a major player in the years to come; they have all the tools to take the Brotherhood to the next level.

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