After 60 years, the X-Men have finally made a major change that fixes one of the most hated problems from their classic era. This bold shift not only resolves a long-standing issue but also allows the mutants to embody modern-day values like never before, launching them into an exciting new era.
A common criticism among X-Men fans was that the team, especially in its classic era, was often led by a single voice that spoke for everyone. For decades, that voice was Charles Xavier, and even when he stepped back, leadership rotated between Storm, Wolverine, and Cyclops.
Many fans disliked how this often felt more like a dictatorship and longed for something more democratic, where every member’s voice carried equal weight. That’s exactly what they now get in Jed MacKay and Carlos Fabian Villa’s X-Men #22, as the team officially becomes a democracy.
Cyclops Officially Declares the X-Men a Democracy
Comic Page Comes from Jed MacKay’s X-Men #22 (2025) – Art by Carlos Fabian Villa
X-Men #22 teases the mutants’ next dark chapter beginning in October: The Age of Revelation. Set 10 years in the future, this apocalyptic arc sees Apocalypse’s heir, Doug “Revelation” Ramsey, establish a mutant nation by using his powers to control the world. At the same time, the X-Virus, a deadly mutant disease, spreads across America, threatening humanity and mutant-kind’s survival.
In this present-day issue, Doug Ramsey, already claiming the title of Heir of Apocalypse, approaches the X-Men with a bold request. He asks to join the team alongside his allies Bel and Warlock, even calling Cyclops the Heir of Charles Xavier. Normally, this decision would rest with Scott as the team’s leader, but instead, he chooses to take a different approach.
Cyclops responds by saying, “The X-Men aren’t a democracy. They never have been. But maybe it’s time we were.” Acknowledging that this isn’t his choice alone, Scott puts the decision to a team vote. His fellow X-Men vote to accept Doug, Bel, and Warlock, marking an epic transition for the team as they move from sole leadership to true democracy.
The X-Men’s New Democracy Just Voted in the Apocalypse
Comic Page Comes from Jed MacKay’s X-Men #22 (2025) – Art by Carlos Fabian Villa
This moment in X-Men #22 is especially striking, as it calls back to the Hellfire Gala votes and sets up a promising direction for the team to operate more as a democracy rather than under sole leadership. Still, it’s a shame that the X-Men’s first democratic decision is destined to trigger the potential downfall of the entire planet.
Thanks to what’s already been revealed about The Age of Revelation, fans know that accepting Doug Ramsey into the X-Men is essentially the first step toward global catastrophe. As the story makes clear, Doug is the main antagonist of the upcoming crisis event. In other words, the X-Men’s inaugural democratic choice has inadvertently set the stage for the apocalypse… not exactly a great start.
X-MEN #22 is available now from Marvel Comics!
- Movie(s)
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X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- First Film
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X-Men (2000)