Decimation (comics)

Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.

This event, which occurred on November 2 according to X-Men (vol. 2) #191, is known as "M-Day" in the Marvel Universe.

Overview

"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 through 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 reevaluated the 90% figure into "Over 99%", as shown in Civil War: Battle Damage Report when Iron Man comments on the Post-CW world.^[1]

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, brother of both Alex (Havok) and Scott Summers (Cyclops), who had been trapped in space for many years following the defeat of Krakoa, as depicted in X-Men: Deadly Genesis limited series.

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.^[2] 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.

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^[3] and also includes non-mutant characters. The list therefore is just a guideline.

     Depowered

     Repowered

     Remutated

     Dead, depowered

     Dead after being repowered

     Dead after being remutated

Notes:

• Sunfire, while depowered long before M-Day because of Rogue was listed among the energies in the Collective. Seeing that Rogue retained his powers, how this is possible remains unknown.
• Many mutants still remain active although they are depowered, they include the New Warriors Blackwing, Tempest, Wondra and Wind Dancer, the X-Cell as well as Brass and El Aguila as reported in Civil War: Battle Damage Report
• It has been revealed in the "Endgangered Species" storyline that latent mutants, such as Charlotte Jones, have also lost their X-gene after M-Day.
• It appears that some characters, for an as of yet unexplained reason, have reverted to normal at a slower rate than others. This includes Beak, Stacy X, and Marrow (who still is not normal).
• 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, this may also be the case for Mulholland Black.
• Archangel only pretended to be depowered as seen in Generation M #4 and #5.
• As revealed in X-Factor #50, Layla Miller had powers before M-Day but not the ones she claimed. It appears she was unaffected by M-Day and just had different powers in the House Of M reality, or the only had those powers removed from the Decimation.
• View Below for further developments and clarifications on remaining mutants.

Confirmed remaining mutants

While it has been stated that there are at least 198 remaining mutants, according to Henry Peter Gyrich in Avengers: The Initiative, there are actually "around 300"; the 198 number is merely the number of mutants the US government has cataloged, with a 199th mutant (Mutant Zero) being off the record.^[7] Over 198 mutants have already been identified post M-Day with over 30 of said mutants have died since the mutant Decimation hit. The canonically confirmed post M-Day mutants are as follows:

Active mutants after M-Day

• In the Generation M series there was handful of unspecified powered mutants still contained at the Ravencroft Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
• The daughter of Hydra Commander, Tod Kaufam.
• Unnamed and unknown mutant citizens mentioned and seen in the background of UTOPIA.
• Damian Tryp and Layla Miller have been very vague and/or openly lied about their true nature. All evidence supports they are mutants. see below.
• The Five Lights: Idie Okonkwo (Oya), Gabriel Cohuelo (Velocidad), Teon Macik (Primal), Laurie Tromette (Transonic) and Kenji Uedo (Zero)
• The "Sixth Light", an unnamed German boy, 2nd mutant baby born after M-Day.
• The Final Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, only three of which are still alive: Decimus Furius (War), Jeb Lee (Famine), and Ichisumi (Pestilence)
• The 11 Inferno Babies, raised in Limbo under Project Purgatory: Scab(d), Trista(d), Shauna, Toko, Alex, Bob, Russell(d), Loca(d), Timothy(d), Maw(d). Not all members of PP can be confirmed as deceased. The mutant Face is currently living on Utopia under the charge of Karma.
• New official character profiles from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe in 2011 list Melter (Young Masters) and Klara Plast (Runaways) as genetic mutants.
• After Legion restored reality from Age of X, Dr. Kavita Rao reports that Chamber is once again a mutant with his original powers.
• In Age of X, it is revealed that Debrii is actually a genetic mutant.
• In Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade, the Scarlet Witch restores Rictor's mutant powers.
• In the 2011 Vengeance limited series, Stacy X mysteriously returns repowered.
• In Avengers Academy # 21, Wiz Kid returns mysteriously repowered.

Deceased mutants after M-Day

• Unnamed and unknown American rodent-like mutant murdered and eaten by Predator X in New X-Men vol. 2 #43
• Unnamed and unknown mutant, a fire-breathing Canadian male mutant murdered and eaten by Predator X in New X-Men vol. 2 #44.
• The Neo are in fact a branch of mutants, who register mutant genes and were subject to the Scarlet Witch's Decimation also. Any remaining clans of Neo have been wiped out of existence by the Evolutionaries.
• The 7th Light, a college student from the UK, who killed himself after his physical mutation was outed on the internet.
• Two unnamed and unknown teenage mutants hunted by a Predator X underneath Manhattan. The female is deceased. The male's current location is unknown.
• One of Apocalypse's Final Horsemen, Sanjar Javeed (Death), was killed by Deathlok in Uncanny X-Force #15, since his powers failed to work on him as he was an undead cyborg.
• A TV news report in the NYX series mentions a female mutant artist from Wyoming who was killed in her apartment for being a mutant. It's possible the news anchor was not distinguishing between powered and depowered mutants.

Notes:

• The six mutants of the Shadow-X group all entered the Marvel 616-universe post-Decimation, and thus were unaffected and retained their powers. All six are now dead.
• Obituary of O-Force is mentioned as being a potential recruit for the Initiative, the implication is that he still maintains his mutant abilities, but this has not been made officially clear. The same is true for Neurotap, Threnody, Esperanza Ling, Crimson Daffodil, Timeslip, Firebolt, Base, Link and Poltergeist, and Michael Dorie the Mutant Shaman.
• All of the mutants from alternate timelines who entered the 616-universe pre-Decimation are powered according to X-Men: Endangered Species. This includes Bishop, Blaquesmith, Dark Beast, Gaia, Marvel Girl, Mountjoy, Nocturne, Sugar Man, Sunpyre, Major Victory and The Witness (deceased). It is unknown if Archer and Fixx retained their mutant abilities after M-Day, or if they even currently are still operating in the 616 universe timeline. Nocturne has left Marvel-616. It appears, as she is no longer with Big Hero 6, Sunpyre has also returned to her dimension. Gaia and Mountjoy have not been seen or heard from since long before M-Day, so it is possible they are no longer in 616 either. While still a mutant, Cable does not belong to that list as he was born on Earth 616 as the son of Madelyne Pryor and Scott Summers and only raised in an alternate timeline.
• All five Tao-Yu brothers are confirmed as living as of Civil War: X-Men #1.
• It's unclear if the Marauders who died during the Messiah Complex (i.e. Blockbuster, Scrambler, Prism) will return, as technically they may still be cloned.
• The Gorgon was killed before M-Day, and resurrected by The Hand post M-Day, apparently negating him from any effects of the spell. X-Man restructured himself post M-Day. Toro was revitalized by Bucky Barnes wishing for his return to life on the Cosmic Cube post M-Day.
• Psylocke's psyche was briefly placed back into her resurrected, original body, which had died before M-Day (see Revanche); this body demonstrated active powers, but was destroyed in a confrontation with Dazzler. Psylocke's psyche was then transferred back to into her Asian body.
• It is uncertain if Paradigm was killed before or after M-Day, all that is for certain is that he was a mutant when he died.
• Wallflower was never actually reanimated. Her body was used as a vessel to house a bio-sentinel, which the X-Men destroyed.

Necrosha

Selene and her servant Eli Bard have used the Transmode Virus to reanimate the mutant Caliban so that he may track down and reanimate deceased mutants (to both form an army and an energy source for Selene). The reanimated army appeared in the "Necrosha" story arc, consisting of thousands of inhabitants of Genosha, as well a number of notable deceased mutants associated with the X-Men. See the main Necrosha article to view the full list of those resurrected during the story arc.

Necrosha Notes:

• The majority of these mutants were used as a sacrifice for Selene to reach her godhood, and have since gone back to being deceased. Those who were not sacrificed likely perished with Selene and the energy she used to keep them alive, as was implied by Destiny at the end of the X-Men: Legacy tie-in.^[121]
• Tarot was reanimated mysteriously before M-Day and implied to be alive and depowered afterward. During her return in "Necrosha" she claims to be dead like her fellow Hellions and exhibiting her mutant abilities. It is possible that Tarot was not actually depowered by M-Day, nor was she actually "alive" again beforehand. King Bedlam had used his abilities to inexplicably bring her back, and it was unquestionably stated her life was linked to his powers. It can be assumed she was returned to death in the fallout of the "House of M" reality and with King Bedlam's depowerment.
• Unus and Feral are reanimated but should still be depowered as they were not mutants after M-day. Feral had her feline appearance restored prior to her death, and Unus was temporarily repowered by the Terrigen Mists, resulting in his death.
• Cypher, using his power and assistance from Warlock and Magik, eradicated the techno-organic virus (effectively resurrecting himself).
• Due to his nature, Proteus was able to separate himself from Destiny but was seemingly destroyed in a confrontation with Rogue and Magneto. Magneto doubts if the effects of dispersing Proteus' energy are permanent.

Mutants or not

Those characters have all had the origin of their powers put in question at some point. Here is some clarification.

Mutants, confirmed

• • Jamie Braddock (Deceased) gained his powers as a result of being tortured by Doctor Crocodile; this has been explained as releasing his latent mutant abilities.
  • Madame Web (Deceased) has never actually been referred to as a mutant, but several canonical references has listed her as such.
  • The Stepford Cuckoos, in the X-Men: Phoenix - Warsong limited series, it was revealed that they were actually Weapon XIV of the Weapon Plus Project. With this information also came the revelation that the girls were clones of each other, and also genetic daughters of Emma Frost. They were harvested from 1000 of her ova, and they had 995 other mutant siblings (most of which were identical to them, some however deformed). Ultimately at the climax of the story all but the 3 of the original Cuckoos perished.
  • Mulholland Black (Deceased) was said to be a depowered mutant in The Order #8, but her mutant powers reemerged after losing her artificially granted abilities, in a way that resembles Iceman's powerloss and return, the point as moot as she sacrificed her life as her power reemergence was happening.
  • The original Cyber's body died long ago and only his spirit now exists. He is classified as a mutant because he currently lives in the body of the mutant Milo Gunderson.
  • Shatterstar, inhabits the body of a mutant, Benjamin Russell (they are physically identical though the exact nature of their connection -whether they be twins, clones, or split-personalities-has yet to be revealed) was listed as a mutant in X-Men: The 198 Files
  • Stryfe is seen as powered in the near-future of 616. He and Bishop then travel into the distant future which may or may not be alternative to 616. It is implied he will be the new host for Apocalypse, though what effect this will have on present 616 continuity is unclear.
  • Franklin Richards and Cable had their abilities suppressed before M-Day, but remains genetic mutants. Cable has since found a way to mimic his powers through technological means and Franklin has since recovered his powers.
  • Living Monolith, though thought to be a mutate whose DNA was artificially spliced with the mutant genomes of Havok by Apocalypse's then servant Mister Sinister on his master's orders, was actually already a mutant with energy absorbing abilities.

Mutants, status unknown

• • Irving and Doug & Jerry have been shown as retaining their physical mutation but showed no sign of their former mutant abilities.
  • Dark Mother (Presumed deceased), Timeslip, Puff Adder, Quiet Bill (Deceased), Orphan-Maker, Nanny, Famine (Deceased) and Belladonna have all appeared on panel but did not demonstrate whether they still had their powers.
  • The nine members of Clan Akkaba.
  • Professor Xavier, Magneto and Quicksilver were all depowered, but have since regained their abilities through various methods. It is unclear what their official genetic status is, although they're all defined as mutants in successive stories.
  • Darkstar was killed. The Russian government replaced her (multiple times) with woman imbued with her genetic material and her brioche (which is inexplicably linked to the dark dimension). The latest of these woman was over taken by a Dire Wraith, and then seemingly the original Laynia Petrovna then over came the Dire Wraith. It is unclear if this is Laynia Petrovna, or if that is even possible, or if Laynia Petrovna's DNA is the template form of the Dire Wraith.

Mutants, depowered

• • Brass, El Aguila and Razorback. The Civil War: Battle Damage Report made no mention of if any mutant referenced remained powered, although several were listed as potential recruits for The Initiative. All are well-trained to fight crime without mutant powers. El Aguila was confirmed depowered in the entry for The Collective in volume 2 of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe hardcovers. Razorback's entry in Volume 9 confirms he's depowered, while Brass' entry in Volume 14 also lists him as depowered.
  • Artie Maddicks, like Marrow, is a "REM" (someone who has remnant physical mutation)
  • Harpoon was confirmed depowered in New Avengers #18, but has since reappeared as a member of the Marauders. It is confirmed in X-Men #205 that he is using a technological weapon as Storm is seen using it.
  • Black Tom Cassidy was using Black Air technology to mimic his powers in New Excalibur
  • Gazer (Deceased), Wild Child (Deceased), Sunfire and Polaris were all depowered, but were repowered permanently through technological means.
  • Feral (Deceased) and Thornn were not actually repowered, they merely had their physical mutations restored, but not their X-gene, as shown in Wolverine #55.

Non-mutants

• • Cloak & Dagger are listed as science/magic-based mutates in Civil War: Battle Damage Report . Though they 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, this appears to now have been retconned. When they joined the Dark X-Men, a mutant group, it was assumed Norman Osborn recruited them for their mutant status, however the partners and Osborn both affirm they are not mutants, and that they are joining the team for appearances. Later, Doctor Nemesis confirmed that were not genetic mutants, and both of them left the team to be on their own again.
  • Chimera is an extradimensional mutate as revealed in Steve Rogers' "X-Men Files".
  • Deadpool got his powers from the Weapon X program.
  • All of Darkstar's replacements are women who have become mutates by infusing Laynia Petrovna's DNA with their own, and given access to the darkforce by use of Laynia's amulet which is inexplicably linked to the Dark Dimension.
  • Juggernaut got his powers from the mystical Gem of Cyttorak.
  • Spiral's superhuman abilities are the product of extradimensional magic, bio-engineering, and cybernetics.
  • Lady Deathstrike is a cybernetically enhanced human.
  • Longshot is a synthezoid from the Mojoverse.
  • Mastermind Excello is simply one of the eight smartest men.
  • Mister Sinister was initially transformed into the servant of Apocalypse using Celestial technology, and he later experimented on himself for further mutation.
  • Vertigo is a Savage Land mutate.
  • Mimic, thought to be a possible latent mutant, Marvel's "Steve Rogers' Villain Files" designates him as Mutate.
  • The Owl, has been called both a mutant and mutate. He has genetically manipulated himself so many times, as well as augmented his abilities using equipment it is difficult to determine if any of his abilities are innate or not. Previously he was long assumed to be an animal-spliced mutate (like many other Marvel characters such as Spider-Man and Spider-Woman). He was producing the drug MGH (the Daredevil story arc which reintroduced him stated him as mutant) from his own genetic material, however there have been mutates who have also managed to so do so as well. In Steve Rogers' Villain Files, he is designated as Mutate.
  • The Purple Man had long been assumed to be a human mutate, but has referred to himself on occasion as a human mutant. It is possible he is a latent mutant, whose powers were triggered during the chemical accident in his origin story, just like Mimic, but this has yet to be officially confirmed. In Steve Rogers' Villain Files, he is designated as Mutate.
  • The Folding Circle
  • Sauron gained his powers when bitten by a pterodactyl.
  • Andreas Strucker and Andrea Strucker (both deceased) got their powers injected "in vitro" as fetuses during gestation. As such, they were mutates, not genetic mutants.
  • Daisy Johnson a.k.a. Quake is the daughter of the super-criminal mutate known as Mr. Hyde. Her power, though genetically derived, are not the result of genetic mutation.
  • Yo-Yo Rodriguez a.k.a. Slingshot is the daughter of the super-criminal mutate known as the Griffin.
  • The original members of Psionex are not mutants, but genetically modified human mutates
  • Cassandra Nova, as Professor Xavier's dark twin, belongs to the Mummudrai species.
  • Agent Brand is confirmed to be a human-alien hybrid.
  • Ink has been confirmed as not being a mutant, but gained his abilities from his tattoo artist, who is a mutant.
  • Moses Magnum has reappeared in Dark Wolverine #78. In this issue he is directly stated to be a mutant, a fact that he does not dispute when mentioned in his presence. Previously however, Moses Magnum's history showed his powers were bestowed upon him by Apocalypse, though it is possible that they could merely have been either awakened and/or enhanced by Apocalypse, who has done similar things to his followers. This sudden designation of Moses Magnum as a mutant appears to either be a continuity error or a direct retcon. However in Marvel's "Steve Rogers' Villain Files", he is designated at Mutate.
  • Fantomex was stated to be a mutant (by both himself and the X-editors) in Uncanny X-Men and Uncanny X-Force. However his origin story originally stated that he is a human-mutate-cyborg created by the Weapon Plus program. Steve Rogers' "X-Men Files" designate him as a cyborg/mutate

Extraterrestrial-mutants

• • Ultra Girl is a Kree mutant.
  • Ariel (Deceased) is an extraterrestrial mutant who identifies herself with the human mutant community.

Species undetermined

• • The Shadow King was either an astral-plane creature, or the remnant incorporeal essence of a telepathic mutant. Whether the powerful mutant telepath, "Amahl Farouk", was the actual identity or simply a hosting avatar of the Shadow King is unknown.
  • Ernst, in the Here Comes Tomorrow storyline, was implied to be Cassandra Nova, reeducated and transformed into Ernst. Despite later retcons, this has not yet been conclusively disproven. As such, her status is unknown.
  • Layla Miller has both confirmed and denied she is a mutant.
  • Damian Tryp has claimed to really be of a race of proto-mutants he calls changelings, who stand apart for having superhuman attributes apparent at birth. He is either lying or something else entirely. He also claimed that Multiple Man is of the same species.
  • Asp only feared the Superhuman Registration Act, not the Mutant Registration act. No source has been given to her powers.
  • Boulder, Geldoff / Proton (Deceased), Sunstreak, Eden Fesi and some of the secondary Secret Warriors, NYX sniper, Raptor, the unnamed tattooed Russian mobster tied to Colossus' past, among many others, have all had no source given to their powers
  • Members of the 6th Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club
  • Claudine Renko / Miss Sinister
  • Red Queen / Madelyne Pryor was described (only in an interview with the scripter of Uncanny X-Men at the time^[122]) to have been something else—and even "someone else" (supposedly not Pryor)—entirely. However, neither has been confirmed in-comics as of yet.
  • Speed, and Wiccan might be reincarnated children from the Scarlet Witch and as such mutants or mystical creatures created by Mephisto, or not. They both seem to think they are mutants.
  • Hollow, It is unknown what it exactly is. Originally explained a prisoner of Emplate, the creature was retconned into being M imprisoned by Emplate who attacked her and created the Penance shell around her. M was freed from the Penance shell, and the St. Croix twins went inside it, becoming Penance, in order to make up the wrong that was done to their sister. When they later were freed from the Penance shell, it was discovered that the shell was autonomous. It remains to be seen whether Hollow is a living creature, some mystic device, a magical creation, etc. More recent rhetoric by Emplate has implied that the being may in fact be some sort of mutant, but Emplate only refers to "Penance" as a mutant. The relationship between the Penance identity and shell is still very unclear.
  • Shriek has conflicting power sources.
  • Cloud 9, no source has been given for her powers, but she has been confirmed to not be a mutant.
  • The Isolationist has been described as not being a mutant, but something else entirely.^[123]
  • The Profile had been confirmed by his creator as not being a mutant but a "...brilliant on-the-spot psychologist who can profile anyone he looks at...". However, in the Heroic Age: Villains special, he was implied to perhaps be a mutant with the ability "...to see anyone's needs, wants, and desires...". His true status has yet to be confirmed at this time.
  • Romulus is originally said to be the leader of the Lupine, a human looking species who, through convergent evolution, would have evolved from canines instead of primates. He is said to have been heavily invested in the lives of various feral mutants (most notably Sabretooth and Wolverine). Despite sharing many physical characteristics and abilities with the feral mutants, he has never been confirmed to be a mutant himself.

Homo mermanus vs Homo sapiens superior

One of the reasons Namor and Namora were not officially recognized as mutants for so long was due to the hybrid nature of their powers. As Atlanteans they are far more powerful than the average "human"—they stand capable of swimming speeds up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), breathe perfectly underwater (and as hybrids breathe air as well), have a life-span of approximately 150 years, and are far more physically durable and stronger than the average human, as a side effect of living in such a high-pressure environment. Even as hybrids Namor, Namora and Namorita have powers beyond those of either Homo sapiens sapiens or Homo mermanus. There are several other Human/Atlantean hybrids in marvel history including Llyra, Llyron and Nia Noble. All of confirmed hybrids seem to also classify as Homo sapiens superior (whether this is always the case of mixing genes, or just a fluke that all hybrids introduced developed powers beyond the normal ones exhibited by either races is unclear and further complicates identifying Atlantean mutants). It is unclear what the "mutant" status of hybrid individuals is post M-Day.

• • Llyra possesses normal Atleantean traits as well as shape changing abilities. Was magical transformed into a sea-hag by the god Set before M-Day.
  • Llyron, like Namor, possesses enhanced strength and flight through reptilian foot wings. His whereabouts are unknown.
  • Nia Noble possesses normal Atlantean traits as well as telepathy. Her mother, was a human telepath who gained her abilities through mystic learning. Nia's inherited telepathy seems to be innate (though its possible it is also learned, making her not a mutant at all).

There have been four confirmed purebred Atlantean mutants and one possible purebred Atlantean mutant.

• • Tyrak has the ability to augment his physical size. Though his abilities appear innate, he could possibly using mystic or technological means to achieve this, however no evidence has ever been given for this.
  • Crosta, a young Atlantean who developed a physical mutation and shockwave abilities during puberty, was sent to the X-Men by Namor to be taught how to be a mutant and control his powers.
  • Eel, Sharkskin, and Undertow are mutant Atlanteans from the Maritania settlement who were born mutated as a result of human nuclear tests in the region. Outcasts from their own people, they formed SURF.^[124]

It is unclear whether Llyra, Llyron, and Nia Noble still have their mutant abilities, and whether Atlantean mutants count toward the global mutant population or not.

Consequences, repercussions

• 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. The Squad was later destroyed in the events of Messiah Complex.
• Children of the Vault: The reduction of mutants also accidentally awakens The Children of the Vault. (In the pages of X-Men)
• Exodus reforms the Acolytes with Frenzy, Random, Tempo and Carmella Unuscione
• 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. Gazer was killed by Ozymandias, however, resulting in Polaris and Sunfire regaining powers and Gambit being turned black and having a lethal gas power. The latter two then joined Sinister's forces as did Exodus's forces after discovering 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 Flight and 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)

• 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 saw 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 former can now walk again and the latter is no longer brain dead. Although Professor Xavier is one of the depowered, his telepathy is later restored and enhanced to a more powerful level when Vulcan throws him into the M'Kraan Crystal.
• 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 Elijah Cross, 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.
• Dr. Kavita Rao's work is ruined, as there's no more need for a mutant cure and all of her mutant DNA samples were turned to dust on M-Day.
• As a side effect, no new mutants are born. This leads into the "Endangered Species" storyline, and later, the "Messiah Complex", that deals with the birth of Hope Summers, the only new mutant born since the Decimation, Messiah War and the "Second Coming" storyline, in which Cerebra detects the activation of the X-Gene in five as-yet unknown individuals, leading into the upcoming "The Five Lights" storyline in Uncanny X-Men.
• Several de-powered mutants seek to return to heroing, and are recruited into the post-Civil War New Warriors.
• Quicksilver ends up in the care of the Inhumans where he starts the Silent War by stealing the crystals of the Terrigen Mists. He then attempts to repower mutants, resulting in many of their injuries and some deaths. See "Son of M"
• Several characters returned from the dead, including Magik, Legion, and Hawkeye.
• The Russian black ops group, the Red Room, had lost all their mutant operatives' powers, resulting in them being ordered to patriotically kill themselves. This made the Red Room suspicious as to why their operatives lost their powers and the X-Men were left unscathed, leading them to think that the latter was somewhat responsible and captured Colossus, Wolverine and Nightcrawler for interrogation.

Collected editions

Trade paperbacks

Hardcovers

References

External links

• Decimation at the Comic Book DB
• Marvel.com - Official Decimation webpage
• UXN's "Generation M" issue summaries
• Comixfan's list of Marvel's mutants' whereabouts after DeciMation and beyond