Warning: contains spoilers for Sabretooth and the Exiles #5!Marvel has hinted that a major war is on the horizon–and it involves none other than Sabretooth. In Sabretooth and the Exiles #5, a text piece reveals that, at some point in the future, Sabretooth will become first a great hero–and then have a horrible fall from grace, eventually leading to a massive, bloody conflict that will come to be called “the Sabretooth War.” It will be this same war that guarantees Sabretooth’s place in history–as one of Marvel’s most evil mutants.
Sabretooth and the Exiles #5 is written by Victor LaValle, illustrated by Leonard Kirk, colored by Rain Beredo, and lettered by Cory Petit. In the present day, Sabretooth is being held captive by the X-Men's villains of Orchis, who have neutralized his healing factor thanks to a special implant. A text piece later in the issue, made up to resemble a briefing from an unknown source, chronicles Creed’s future history. He will, at some point, free thousands of mutants from captivity, which will lead to even more being liberated. But then, the text piece reveals, Creed turned on everyone. The text piece goes on to compare Sabretooth’s future actions with Professor Xavier’s time as Onslaught; it also reveals that Sabretooth’s actions will be on par with Orchis. Whatever Sabretooth is about to do will leave a deep scar on mutantkind, and will come to be called the “Sabretooth Wars.”
Sabretooth and the Exiles has followed Creed’s adventures since escaping from the Pit on Krakoa, where he was banished by the Quiet Council for breaking one of the nation’s foundational laws. He was soon after captured and imprisoned by the mutant-hating extremist group Orchis. Turning off his healing factor using a special implant, they began experimenting on Sabretooth, who was shocked to learn his son Graydon Creed was working with the group. He was liberated in this issue by a team of Sabretooth variants from across the multiverse beforeheading back to Earth, presumably to find Sabretooth's classic rival Wolverine and raise hell.
Sabretooth Cannot be Redeemed
The text piece makes a few mistaken assumptions about Sabretooth, namely that he can be redeemed. Since his first appearance over 45 years ago, the villain has resisted redemption. Sabretooth is the ultimate survivor (even better than Wolverine) who looks out for no one but himself; even when the rest of Earth’s mutants, many of whom used to hate each other, found peace on Krakoa, Sabretooth lashed out, killing a person and getting himself exiled. Even if Sabretooth liberated thousands of mutants, he was doing it for his own reasons, as “altruism” is not a word in his vocabulary. The text piece’s mysterious author failed to look at the patterns of death and chaos Sabretooth has left in his wake.
Sabretooth's Legacy Will Be One of Darkness and Evil
The author’s rose-tinted glasses came off soon enough, as Sabretooth betrayed everyone in apparently a grand fashion. Professor X’s time as Onslaught was devastating to mutants and Earth as a whole; likewise, Orchis has been responsible for much suffering and misery. For Sabretooth to be lumped in with such vile characters speaks volumes of just how bad a betrayal it was. The information in this issue made it clear that the “Sabretooth Wars” are on the horizon, and this war will be one of the worst in Marvel history.
Sabretooth and the Exiles #5 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
