A Former X-Men Villain is Descending Into Madness to Save the Mutants
The mutant nation of Krakoa is known for allowing all mutants to live there in peace, including the X-Men's former enemies such as Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, Exodus, and Pyro. One of the newly reformed villains is Black Tom Cassidy, who has become an integral part of the newest iteration of X-Force and in a tragic twist, is slowly sacrificing his sanity for the continued protection of Krakoa and the mutants.
The character Black Tom was first introduced in 1976's X-Men #101 as the cousin of popular Irish superhero Banshee, and was depicted as the black sheep of their family who descended into a life of petty crime. Black Tom, who is capable of controlling all manners of plant life as well as using «bio blasts,» became an incredibly close friend to the Juggernaut and has often been shown as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, battling against the X-Men and also (randomly) Deadpool. Now that Black Tom is a citizen of Krakoa he has been tasked with integrating his body and mind with the living island to protect it from outside invaders and threats, but the integration is also causing him to lose his grip on reality.
Related: X-Force is Under Attack By Plant Zombies
This is not the first time that Black Tom has become overwhelmed by his connection to plant life, or even lost his sanity, but this time it feels different… Since Tom is now a «hero» whose connection to the island is protecting the mutants' assets, there is less incentive for the Krakoans to attempt and heal him. One of the most explicit references to Tom's growing insanity comes in X-Force #9 — written by Benjamin Percy with art by Joshua Cassara — when he says to himself, «Black Tom can't be talking to Krakoa day and night and night and day, or he'll
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