FEUD: Betsy Braddock and the Shadow King

The tumultuous and deeply personal rivalry between Elizabeth 'Betsy' Braddock and the Shadow King has spanned decades, marked by a series of psychic battles that have tested both their powers and their psyches. From the moment the Shadow King first targeted Betsy Braddock, the two have been locked in a conflict that blends the astral and physical realms, with Farouk using every opportunity to twist Psylocke’s vulnerabilities while she continually overcomes his control. Their feud has seen betrayal, death, resurrection, and the manipulation of minds on a global scale, as the Shadow King sought to dominate reality itself and bend it to his will. Psylocke’s journey has been one of constant resistance, fighting both within her mind and on the battlefield, always striving to protect those around her and thwart Farouk’s schemes. This article explores the history of their conflict, the pivotal moments where their paths crossed, and the ultimate battles that defined their deadly rivalry, culminating in a final showdown that sought to restore reality itself.

Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #273

As Jean Grey attempted to use Cerebro to locate former X-Men on the Astral Plane, she was ambushed by the Shadow King. Psylocke entered the Astral Plane to intervene, ultimately using her psi-knife on Jean to break his hold. Upon returning to the real world, neither woman was certain of their enemy's identity or his true intentions.

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THE MUIR ISLAND SAGA

Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #278-280, X-Factor (Vol. 1) #69

After receiving warnings from Forge and Banshee, a team of X-Men—including Psylocke—set out to investigate Muir Island, where the inhabitants had fallen under the Shadow King's control. However, they were quickly captured, and Psylocke was among the many mutants he possessed. Forge managed to defeat Betsy and used her psychic knife on Polaris, who had been manipulated as a nexus between the physical world and the Astral Plane by Farouk. With his power source destroyed, the Shadow King was torn apart.

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PSI-WAR

X-Men (Vol. 2) #77-78

Years later, following the Onslaught incident, Farouk managed to return. Disguising himself as "Ananasi," the Shadow King took control of an African tribe that worshiped Storm. Psylocke entered the Astral Plane to confront him but fell into his trap. Inadvertently, she triggered a chain reaction that crippled the psionic plane itself, damaging the collective subconscious of all beings on Earth—especially those born with psionic abilities. As Farouk ascended to dominance, Psylocke’s astral form was destroyed. While the Shadow King began corrupting mankind, the Crimson Dawn intervened once more, granting Psylocke the ability to command the shadows of the Psionic Plane. Sensing her presence, Farouk expanded his power to infect every mind on Earth. However, Psylocke discovered that he had left his nexus exposed and used her shadows to contain it. Channeling her telepathy, she successfully trapped the Shadow King—though in doing so, she sacrificed her ability to use telepathy ever again.

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Wolverine (Vol. 2) #147

Some time afterward, Psylocke was compelled to use Cerebro to reach Wolverine and Archangel, cleansing them of the Death persona. The Shadow King seized the opportunity to manipulate Betsy, attempting to convince her that releasing him was the only way to save both men. Just as she was about to yield, Warren intervened, stopping her. Following the encounter, Betsy shut down Cerebro, once again imprisoning Farouk.

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X-Treme X-Men Annual 2001

The Shadow King was freed from his prison after Psylocke's death during a battle with the mutant hunter Vargas. Once released, he took control of the Reavers and launched an attack on the X-Men. However, Rogue harnessed her strength of will to stop the Shadow King and imprison him, just as Psylocke had done before.

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New Excalibur #8, #19

After Jamie Braddock resurrected Psylocke, she traveled to England to reunite with her twin brother, Captain Britain, and confront the Shadow King once again. Farouk revealed that when Psylocke died, her consciousness was pulled by the very threads of reality, and part of him managed to escape into another universe, where he took control of an alternate version of Charles Xavier. The Scarlet Witch's Decimation Wave allowed the Shadow King to return to Earth-616, where he sought revenge on Betsy. Immune to his influence, Psylocke used her telekinesis to induce a stroke in Xavier’s body. However, before she could finish him off, Betsy was unexpectedly transported to the Crystal Palace at the Nexus of All Realities. Farouk was eventually defeated by Lionheart, who killed Xavier's host body, sending the Shadow King back to the Astral Plane.

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Uncanny X-Force (Vol. 1) #8, #10

The Shadow King later reappeared in Wakanda, where his plans were thwarted by Storm and the Panther God, Bast. Some time afterward, X-Force investigated a nuclear facility after Psylocke detected unusual psionic readings. Betsy quickly identified the source— the Shadow King— who confronted her in battle on the Astral Plane. In his attempt for revenge, Farouk freed the Archangel persona from the psychic prison within Warren's mind. The Shadow King intended to use Warren to launch nuclear missiles at Utopia, a sanctuary for mutantkind. However, Archangel defeated the Shadow King on the Astral Plane and killed a soldier at the military facility, despite the fact that the soldier was no longer under Farouk’s control. Later, the Shadow King provided a reporter with a USB drive containing images of Archangel and X-Force, hoping to expose the team as assassins working in secret.

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Uncanny X-Force (Vol. 1) #26-27, #32-35

The Shadow King later allied himself with Daken’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, plotting an attack on X-Force. Psylocke was psychically assaulted by Farouk, who exploited her weaknesses and insecurities. However, Fantomex used his psi-shielded mask to break Farouk's mind control over her. When X-Force clashed with the Brotherhood again, the Shadow King attacked Betsy on the Astral Plane, reminding her of his vow to destroy her life. Psylocke unleashed the full force of her psionic power, and the Shadow King was defeated. Despite this, Betsy chose not to kill him, which Farouk seized as an opportunity to fracture her psyche. In the physical world, Betsy used Omega White to drain the Shadow King’s psychic essence and trap him. Later, she asked her brother, Captain Britain, to imprison the Shadow King in Otherworld.

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Nightcrawler (Vol. 4) #8-10

Brian Braddock sealed the Shadow King’s host body in a tomb in the Gobi Desert, where it remained in stasis until it was accidentally discovered by the Crimson Pirates. The Pirates mistakenly trapped it inside Omega Black’s body, and their telepath, Bloody Bess, unintentionally released the Shadow King. Seeking help, Bess turned to Nightcrawler, and together, they battled the Pirates and the X-Men, who had fallen under the Shadow King's control— including Psylocke. After Bess broke the Shadow King's hold on Betsy, the two women sent Nightcrawler to confront Farouk on the Astral Plane, armed with Psylocke’s psi-blade. The attack stunned Farouk long enough for him to be sealed once again inside Omega Black's body.

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Astonishing X-Men (Vol. 4) #1-6

No prison could contain the Shadow King for long, and soon he found new ways to amuse himself. When Charles Xavier was killed, Farouk seized the opportunity to capture Xavier's psyche as his body perished, holding it in the Astral Plane for one final confrontation. To keep their conflict engaging, Xavier subtly guided the Shadow King into a game that unfolded in the real world. A series of attacks on psychics worldwide slowly escalated, and Psylocke became one of his first victims, assaulted by her old adversary. With a new source of psionic power, Farouk had the ability to control any psychic mind on Earth. Psylocke was transformed into a Mothra-like psychic construct, rampaging through the Spire, until her desperate mental cry for help reached the X-Men. Xavier ensured that select X-Men would respond, leading them to form a team to help him defeat the Shadow King once and for all. Psylocke guided this team into the Astral Plane, determined to stop Farouk from causing further damage. As the Shadow King began claiming minds in the real world, turning Old Man Logan and Gambit against their teammates, Psylocke found herself fighting on two fronts: battling physically on Earth while maintaining the psychic link with her team still locked in the Astral Plane. With Farouk distracted by the chaos he caused, Xavier seized the chance to finally defeat his longtime foe, ending their deadly game once and for all.

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Astonishing X-Men (Vol. 4) #8-12

The Shadow King resurfaced once more, this time with an even more dangerous power source— the energy mutant Proteus, who was once again able to manipulate reality itself. The X-Men reunited to track down Proteus, with Psylocke appointed as their team leader due to lingering doubts about Professor X’s involvement in the situation. Proteus sought to reshape all of reality to be as psycho-reactive as the Astral Plane, using the Scottish village of Fetters Hill as the epicenter for his “reality garden,” where he planted the seeds of chaos in the minds of the villagers. These seeds then spread globally, warping reality wherever they touched. In a desperate attempt to stabilize things, Psylocke and Professor X reconnected to the psychic network Farouk had used, tapping into the collective mental pathways of all psionics on Earth to maintain the current structure of reality. But the Shadow King had laid dormant within Professor X like a cuckoo's egg, emerging during this union to seize control of the network once again. Psylocke fought against Farouk's influence for a time, but the battle was relentless until Professor X broke free from the Shadow King’s grip. With their combined strength, they rejoined the psychic network to stabilize reality and banish Farouk from the physical plane once and for all, restoring order and ending the Shadow King's reign of chaos.

Self-Aware Mutants and The Shadow King – The Marvel ResurrXion Panel At C2E2

Comicon.com: The newest X-Men book, Astonishing X-Men, will be written by Charles Soule, coming out in July 2017, drawn by Jim Cheung on the first issue. Future artwork will be by Ron Garney, Phil Noto, Greg Land, and many more. Soule said that he’s worked with some of these folks before, and he asks himself what an artist needs in order to do well, script-wise, and he’s trying to do that. With Cheung, who excels at epic feeling and realism, the first issue heads that way. Set in London, intense real-world situations open the first issue, like a James Bond film, Soule said.

The first big villain of the series is The Shadow King, Soule announced, with some art shown. It was a “happy accident” that he also appeared in Legion, but in the comics he’s the first mutant Xavier encountered who was “mean”. Xavier engaged in a “mental battle” with him, and it was an eye-opener to Charles Xavier that bad guys existed, and prompted Charles to start his school to train mutants. But he’s also an “ancient force of darkness” and “chaos”. He resides on the Astral Plane. The Shadow King starts to “twist reality”. The book is “like a puzzle box” and you aren’t supposed to always know what’s happening. Issue one jumps around between locations and characters based on this.

Soule really wanted real cities to be involved, with human settlement, hence London. There’s a “giant purple psychic butterfly” on the Shard, for instance. Soule said that characters have to fight on the astral plane, and the way to “win” on the astral plane is odd–it’s about making “your version of reality” win out. Soule says that he uses “weaponized nostalgia” for fans, hitting on key elements from the past, but that’s not the only thing the story does, turning instead to new territory. The cast for the book are each “very different” in the way they approach conflicts so that enables him to “run the soap opera of the X-Men in different way”.

C2E2 2017: Marvel's RESURRXION Panel

In July, “Astonishing X-Men” arrives from Charles Soule and artist Jim Cheung for issue #1, though the panel said that each new issue will have a different artist including ACO, Phil Noto, Greg Land, Ramon Rosanas and Ron Garney on tap for the future.

Soule revealed that an upcoming issue will feature the return of TV star Amahl Farouk AKA the Shadow King as drawn by Dale Keown. The writer said he was enticed by the idea that the human form of the character was the first evil mutant Charles Xavier encountered and therefore his inspiration for the formation of the X-Men. “He’s this incredibly ancient force of darkness – kind of a dream demon,” the writer said of the Shadow King entity, which will attack the X-Men during their London-based adventure. “The book is a puzzle box, and you’re not supposed to know where everything is going.”

But before that story arrives, fans will get to meet the new team consisting of the likes of Old Man Logan, Mystique, Fantomex and Psylocke. “I can run the soap opera of the X-Men in different ways by looking at each of them as their archetype,” said Soule. He used the example of Bishop as a man who’s lived through several apocalypses. Guggenheim praised his fellow writer for introducing each of the characters by their core personalities in this new series. Soule said that his goal was to make this a book for people who didn’t want to know anything else about who these characters are before they meet them on the page.

• "The story open in London. Something really intense happens and the X-Men show up and try to fix it."

• The series will kick off with an issue of intense action before opening up.

• The mysterious returning villain is Shadow King.

• Soule talked about Shadow King's history as one of the first evil mutants Charles Xavier encountered.

• He called the character's inclusion in FX's Legion a "happy accident."

• Soule called the title a "puzzle box," saying the ever changing nature of the Shadow King's home realm of the Astral Plane means that reality will always be in question.

• "I think the best X-Men stories are the ones where they're not only saving the world, but trying to convince everyone that they ARE saving the world."

• Soule talked about Fantomex's role in the story, saying "it gets really weird," with Fantomex constantly questioning his reality.

• "It's super hard to write, I'm not gonna lie," Soule confessed.

• The story will visit many points in X-Men history via the Astral Plane. Soule called it "weaponized nostalgia," using the mechanic to convey emotions and ideas.

• Soule called the line up "incredibly badass," and "incredibly different."

• Soule talked about Bishop, with Guggenheim calling Soule's take on the character "incredibly poetic."

• Bishop is constantly looking for the signs of his future coming to pass, trying to prevent it.

• "I want it to feel like a big, massive X-book. We're swinging for the fences."

• Soule said Gambit and Fantomex will have a "buddy thieves" dynamic.

• "The last page is gonna break the internet," said Chris D'Lando from Marvel's marketing department.

Astonishing X-Men: Game Plans

Marvel.com: This July, Charles Soule joins a series of the industry’s best artists as they prepare to unleash ASTONISHING X-MEN! Last month, we spoke with the writer about his upcoming work on the series relaunch after its four-year hiatus, and now we return to try and pry some extra details from him about what he and his collaborators have in store for not only readers but also this brand new configuration of the X-Men.

Marvel.com: Charles, last month the news broke that you’d be spearheading the re-launch of ASTONISHING X-MEN. From those early news releases, we learned you’d be taking readers to “all corners of the X-Men mythology” according to Editor-in-Chief, Axel Alonso. Can you shed a little light on what this means for both new and long-time fans of mutantkind?

Charles Soule: I don’t want to give away too much of the story yet, because ASTONISHING X-MEN is designed to work as a series of reveals. Every time you think you know what’s happening, the script gets flipped a bit, usually around the last page of each issue. It’s like a puzzle box: part of the fun is figuring it all out. That said the book does do a lot with what I think of as X-Men touchstones—significant events in the lore, characters new and old—but rarely the way you think. I call it “weaponized nostalgia.” It’s all explained and laid out, though. Even if you’ve never read an X-Men comic before, it’ll just work as a fun adventure.

Marvel.com: I understand you’re looking to make this book just as much of an “entry-point” title for newer readers as it will be a satisfying experience for long-time fans of these characters. How do you strike that balance between seemingly opposite readerships?

Charles Soule: Not easily! But really, it’s about making sure that (a) each character’s powers are clearly noted or explained when they first appear, (b) writing them like real people who act towards each other the way they should based on their respective histories, and (c) having “nostalgia” or “homage” bits work in and of themselves. Like, if you see someone look at a photo of another character and get sad, that works for someone who knows exactly why they’re sad, but also someone who doesn’t, if it’s written correctly. I’m spending a lot of time on this specific aspect of the book. I don’t think you should need a degree in X-Men-ology to enjoy X-Men comics, but I think having that degree should enhance your enjoyment.

Marvel.com: If we don’t talk about the art, then we’re not talking comics! And this particular series will be taking a rather unique approach to the visuals. Can you walk us through the genesis behind the choice to introduce a new artist with each issue and why you and Marvel as a whole felt this was the strongest way to tell the story you’ll be sharing in ASTONISHING X-MEN?

Charles Soule: Well, again, there’s a story conceit I don’t really want to spoil yet, but I think it will work really well, in part because Marvel is staffing the series with an incredible batch of artists. We start off with Jim Cheung and just go from there, all amazing—or…astonishing, even. I’m tailoring each script to each artist’s strengths, to the extent I can. It’s pretty exciting for me, sort of a high-wire act, to make sure each artist gets what they need to draw a great issue but the overarching story gets served as well. Again, not easy, but fun.

Marvel.com: Although this is a series that you’re structuring to appeal to both new and old readers, I understand you’re dipping deep into the archives of the X-Men’s rogues’ gallery in raising The Shadow King to the forefront as the initial “Big Bad,” and someone who fans could even credit as being the original inspiration for Xavier’s creation of the team. What made him the right choice for you when it came to launching this new series?

Charles Soule: The Shadow King was the first “evil” mutant Charles Xavier ever encountered, and as we saw way back in UNCANNY X-MEN #117 in 1979, he’s essentially the reason Xavier decided to train up other mutants to fight emerging threats in the world. The nice thing about The Shadow King is that he resides in a place called the astral plane, which is sort of a dream dimension where anything anyone imagines can become real. So, battles there tend to be about willpower; the person who can impose their reality on their opponents, force them to believe in whatever situation they’re projecting onto them, tends to win. In ASTONISHING, we’ll see some fantastic set pieces built around that idea, some of which will tie into signature past events from X-Men history. It’s not all backwards-looking, though. This is a story that moves the X-Men forward in a huge way.

Marvel.com: Although you’ve certainly worked with your fair share of mutants in your time at Marvel, Charles, I believe your time with this particular group is more limited, no? What aspects of these characters made them the right ones to engage in this journey?

Charles Soule: That’s correct. Except for Mystique, I’ve never really written any of this group to any real degree, unless you count Old Man Logan and Wolverine as the same character; they’re not, although of course there are similarities. I like this cast because it gives me an immense amount to work with as far as their interpersonal relationships. Rogue and Gambit have a long history together, romantic and otherwise. Mystique raised Rogue for a while. Fantomex and Angel have both been linked with Psylocke. Old Man Logan probably killed all of these folks back in his own universe. And on and on it goes. The power set is varied, they’re all super cool in different ways—it’s a rich stew, and I feel like I can do a ton with it. I should also say that the eight characters on the cover of ASTONISHING X-MEN #1 are not the only X-Men that will appear in the series, but they’re definitely the leads.

Marvel.com: Before we wrap up, I want to lob one “fastball special” your way. There’s always a concern among comic book fans about consequences. With a new series launch, we expect a certain amount of bombast, but what sort of consequences have you baked into the story you’re preparing to launch? In what ways does this story not only matter, but why is it one that’s going to be a “must read” for X-Men fans of all kinds and varieties?

Charles Soule: I think that will all be made clear on the last page of ASTONISHING X-MEN #1. I think I’m known for writing a certain kind of X-book, after DEATH OF WOLVERINE, DEATH OF X and IVX. ASTONISHING X-MEN is no exception. If people want consequences, they’ll get ‘em.

Charles Soule and the top artistic talent in the comics industry bring you ASTONISHING X-MEN, beginning in July!

X-Solicits for July 2017

	Astonishing X-Men #1 Charles Soule (W) • Jim Cheung (A/C) Variant Cover by: Artgerm Variant Cover by: John Cassaday Character Variant Cover by: Terry Dodson Villain Variant Cover by: Dale Keown Remastered Variant Cover by: Jim Lee Action Figure Variant Cover by: John Tyler Christopher ONLY THE X-MEN CAN SAVE US! An ancient evil is attacking the world’s most powerful minds. It will have them by: the time you finish this sentence, and a moment later, it will have us all. A band of X-MEN discovers the truth behind the threat, but there is no time left. PSYLOCKE, OLD MAN LOGAN, BISHOP, ARCHANGEL, FANTOMEX, ROGUE and GAMBIT will attempt to save a world that hates and fears them. Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE THE X-MEN. From blockbuster writer CHARLES SOULE and joined by: a roster of superstar artists beginning with JIM CHEUNG. ASTONISHING X-MEN. It’s the X-book you need.
	X-Men Blue #7 Cullen Bunn (W) • Cory T. Smith (A) Cover by: Arthur Adams Variant Cover by: David Lopez X-Men Trading Card Variant Cover by: Jim Lee Secret Empire Tie-In! How will our intrepid heroes react to this new world order? Will MARVEL GIRL, CYCLOPS, ANGEL, ICEMAN and BEAST be overwhelmed by: HYDRA? I really hope not!
	X-Men Blue #8 Cullen Bunn (W) • Cory T. Smith (A) Cover by: Arthur Adams Secret Empire Tie-In! EMMA FROST! She’s back…and badder than ever.
	X-Men Gold #7 Marc Guggenheim (W) • Ken Lashley (A/C) X-Men Trading Card Variant Cover by: Jim Lee Secret Empire Tie-In! When Manhattan is besieged, the X-Men open their doors and repurpose their school as a safe haven for any human or mutant in need of sanctuary. But little do they know that one of the humans they’ve welcomed in is the all-new X-CUTIONER! And he’s about to make the Xavier Institute the last place mutants want to be…
	X-Men Gold #8 Marc Guggenheim (W) • Ken Lashley (A) Cover by: Ardian Syaf Secret Empire Tie-In! The Xavier Institute is on lockdown. But the X-Men haven’t succeeded in keeping danger out. Instead, they’ve just locked themselves inside with it. Can the X-Men stop the all-new X-CUTIONER before he claims any more of their number?

Marvel Turns Jim Lee’s Old X-Men Trading Cards Into Variant Covers For July

CBR: To celebrate the upcoming “Astonishing X-Men” series, Marvel Comics is releasing X-Men trading card-style variant covers, featuring the artwork of Jim Lee. For the month of July, you’ll be able to get your hands on updated versions of classic Jim Lee/X- Men artwork.

“Remastered and recolored from the original trading cards, relive this iconic era of the Children of the Atom with a series of eye-popping covers,” an official press release reads. “Originally penciled by legendary X-Men artist Jim Lee with inker Scott Williams, colorists such as Jesus Aburtov, Israel Silva & Chris Sotomayor apply modern coloring techniques to these classic masterpieces!”

Take a look at the Psylocke Variant Cover on the right, which will grace the cover to Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #2 next July.

#tbt: X-Men Annual #2 – The Revanche Saga, Chapter 7

#tbt: X-Men Annual #2 – Pyro explains that the island is going to be a haven, a refuge for the dying - and then reveals that is why he has come here, because he has contracted the Legacy Virus. The Beast points out that Chambers is an energy vampire, and argues with Toad. Pyro makes it clear that he wants to stay on the island and let Chambers use his powers on him, as it alleviates his pain, before Revanche tells the X-Men that they should leave, as it is not their place to get involved in the decisions of Pyro and Chambers - and she knows best because, like Pyro, she reveals that she also has the Legacy Virus. Chambers assures the X-Men that he merely wants to offer afflicted mutants comfort, and as the X-Men prepare to leave, Gyrich reveals his presence, announcing that they believe illegal activities are being perpetrated on people against their will. Cyclops hesitates, before confirming that nothing illegal is taking place on the island. Chambers has some harsh words for Gyrich, before Chambers invites Revanche to stay on the island. She declines his offer, and the X-Men warn Chambers to practice what he preaches. The X-Men then depart the island, leaving the Brotherhood behind. Written by Fabian Nicieza and Art by Aron Wiensenfeld. Read full summary here.

New Psylocke Collectible To Be Released

X-Men Psylocke 4-Inch Diecast Metal Figure Diecast by Jada Toys is expected to go on sale Apr-May 2017. This item is an adult collectible designed for use by persons 14 years of age and older.

Astonishing X-Men #1 Art Preview