Okay, I Am Sold On the X-Men's New Big Villain And I Have Cyclops to Thank

Uncanny X-Men #8 - written by Gail Simone with art by Javier Garrón - marks the end of the mini-event Raid on Graymalkin, where both Rogue and Cyclops’ current X-teams find themselves at odds when finally facing off against their major new villain. When Dr. Ellis manages to threaten both the Alaska and Louisiana X-Men into submission, I find myself wildly entertained by her ruthlessness.

Cyclops is one of the mutants’ greatest leaders, and he’s been pretty aggressive since the X-Men rose From the Ashes after the Krakoa era, so Ellis being able to scare him off has certainly piqued my interest.

I Wasn’t Sure At First, But the X-Men’s Defeat in Graymalkin Sold Me on Dr. Corina Ellis As Their Next Major Villain

Uncanny X-Men #8 - Written by Gail Simone; Art by Javier Garrón; Colors by Matthew Wilson; Lettering by VC’s Clayton Cowles

When Dr. Corina Ellis debuted as the Warden at Graymalkin, I wasn’t excited about the X-Men’s new villain being another anti-mutant human without powers, but Uncanny X-Men #8 finally sold me. Though Ellis has been making some brutal power moves since her first appearance on Free Comic Book Day in 2024, I wasn’t convinced of the Warden’s power until she stared down the likes of Cyclops, Rogue, Wolverine, and more, and actually got them to blink. With the ability to send two of the X-Men’s strongest teams home defeated at this pivotal moment, Ellis is proven as a major threat.

Dr. Ellis leads a small army and holds a huge gun while at odds with the X-Men, but it still seemed to me that the combined efforts of so many iconic heroes would easily overpower the Warden. However, Corina is surprisingly able to take on so many superheroes by threatening their new home bases, other civilians, and ultimately making the X-Men feel unprepared to face her wrath. Flexing that she has other powerful threats under her control, like the mysterious group of Avian telepaths, and Sarah Gaunt aka The Hag, I see Ellis as a leader among current X-Men antagonists.

When Cyclops Backs Down at a Pivotal Moment, I’m Convinced of Ellis' True Power

The Villain Shows the X-Men Her Cards, But Leaves An Ace Up Her Sleeve

Another thing that’s intriguing to me about Dr. Ellis is her unique ability to manipulate the X-Men, and she’s using their most divisive figure to turn mutant allies against one another. Not only has she unfortunately made mutants like Blob and Siryn her prisoner, but she has control over Charles Xavier, and it’s not surprising that the controversial Professor has become the reason behind Cyclops and Rogue’s reinvigorated rivalry. Rogue and Cyclops have their falling out when Cyclops agrees to leave Xavier as Ellis’ prisoner, and although I understand the move, it’s wild to see Cyclops cowering to anti-mutant villains.

Cyclops has his own reasons for being alright with leaving Xavier behind, but I’m interested in the rift it causes between him and Rogue, and where their feud could possibly lead in the future. After Raid on Graymalkin, it seems the X-Men will have an even bigger comic crossover in X-Manhunt, which should directly follow up the devastating ending for the team and Xavier here. Dr. Ellis has teased that she still has her biggest gun to be revealed, the mysterious Inmate X hiding behind closed doors, and I’m excited to see what the manipulative strategist has planned going forward.

With Her Latest Win, I Think Dr. Corina Ellis Has The Chance to Become the Mutants’ Most Fearsome Human Foe

Her Strategic Ruthlessness Leaves the X-Men’s Powerhouses Defenseless

There’s still plenty of mystery surrounding Dr. Corina Ellis and her backstory, but Uncanny X-Men #8 teases more details surrounding the mutants’ new big bad that has me curious about the character and intrigued by her potential as the most important villain of the X-Men’s new era. I usually can’t stand Marvel’s anti-mutant antagonists, but Ellis’ fierce attitude and cruel, cutthroat demeanor make her a fascinating addition to the franchise’s villain lineup. With her brother’s death allegedly caused by mutants, I can’t wait to see more about how Corina went from being a podcaster to the terrifying foe she’s become.

Now I wouldn’t root for the character or anything, but after delivering a major blow to Cyclops and many other powerful X-Men heroes, Dr. Corina Ellis has become a villain that I love to hate. Since she’s also now getting control of the new version of the Sentinels, I’m finally seeing the vision for Corina to become an iconic nemesis for the mutants, if she’s given the opportunity to stick around long-term in Marvel Comics. With the ability to send Cyclops running scared, Dr. Ellis has officially leveled up as a major threat to the X-Men.

Uncanny X-Men #8 is available now from Marvel Comics.