Warning: Spoilers for X-Force #44!
For years, Colossus has proven himself as one of the strongest members of the X-Men, but there is one unexpected mutant who has the power to destroy him. The previous issue of X-Force revealed to the team years’ worth of deceit on behalf of Colossus, orchestrated by his brother Mikhail, who controls the metallic hero’s mind, and actions, with the help of the unassuming Chronicler.
X-Force #44 – by Benjamin Percy, Robert Gill, GURU-eFX, and Jay Caramagna – reveals just how dangerous the Chronicler can be.
While readers have known for some time that the Chronicler’s narrative powers allow him to exert influence over Colossus, X-Force #44 makes it clear that his abilities have life and death implications for those he writes about.
Related: Marvel Finally Delivers The Colossus Fight X-Men Fans Waited Years For
The Chronicler Is More Powerful Than Previously Believed
In X-Force #44, Mikhail offers information to the Chronicler regarding X-Force’s members, to add to his writings. The Chronicler urges against this, as changing the “story’s” focus away from Colossus could cost Piotr his life. For years, Mikhail has had his brother brainwashed, using the Chronicler as his main accomplice. The Chronicler is capable of bending reality using his pen, as anything he writes in his chronicles is destined to happen in reality. Forced to work under Mikhail’s every whim, the Chronicler has quietly influenced Colossus’ actions – and as a member of Krakoa’s Quiet Council, his orders. While there are limitations to the Chronicler’s powers, there are also dangers implications.
The Chronicler has never been portrayed as a very powerful mutant, at least in terms of stature or presence. That’s one of the reasons why he’s so easily bullied by Mikhail. The Chronicler is the furthest from a fighter, but with powers like his, he doesn’t have to be one, especially thanks to X-Force #44’s latest revelation. It is a powerful feat in itself to control someone’s mind and actions through writing, but the Chronicler can kill someone just by deciding to stop writing about them. In that sense, he’s deceptively, disarmingly powerful. Without having to lift a finger, the Chronicler just has to stop lifting his pen to undo his subjects.
It seems that once the Chronicler has begun writing about someone, ceasing to continue their narrative could send them in a coma, or worse, kill the subject. Colossus is one of Marvel’s strongest mutants, but he can be brought to his knees through the Chronicler’s words, or rather the lack of them. Readers would assume from the end of the last issue, where X-Force learned of Colossus’ secret crimes, that the team is one step closer to breaking Mikhail’s and the Chronicler’s control over their leader. However, now it is clear Chronicler to stop chronicling risks doing more harm to Colossus than good, putting his future in greater jeopardy.
X-Force #44 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Colossus’ story is in someone else’s hands. Read More