The X-Men's Mistreatment of Colossus Just Cost Them Big
Warning: this article contains minor spoilers for Cable: Reloaded #1!
Longtime X-Men member Colossus has been mistreated a lot lately, especially by X-Force, and the dire consequences of not prioritizing the metal mutant were just reinforced in Cable: Reloaded #1, by Al Ewing and Robert Quinn. The issue deals with Cable and the All-New X-Terminators invading Breakworld with the intention of stealing a planet-sized gun to take on Ego the Living Planet, who has been possessed by Dormammu. While on Breakworld, Cable gains some insights on what has happened to the world in Colossus' absence.
In classic X-Men fashion, Piotr Rasputin’s life has recently been fraught with disaster. Not long ago, he was discouraged by some disastrous missions with the X-Men and had to face the (temporary) deaths of some of his friends. He made the decision to retire from hero life to farm in the Savage Land, but this period of peace was interrupted not only when the organization XENO attacked Krakoa, but also when his friend Beast arrested and interrogated him for his brother’s connections to XENO.
However, now, his pacifist lifestyle is having dire consequences on things he considers his responsibility, such as Breakworld. Breakworld is a warlike planet that was prophesied to be destroyed by Colossus, only to be saved by him, with their tradition of dominance crowning him the planet's new leader. Colossus was feared and respected by the Breakworldians, and his de facto leadership was used to enforce a better way of living for them. However, in his absence, it seems his power has been lost. When Cable goes to Breakworld for his giant gun, he finds that in the absence of Colossus, a power vacuum has opened up and been filled by a new ruler called Powerlord Varrn, who echoes the brutal leadership from before Colossus took over.
It goes without saying that this was a terrible decision on Colossus' part, considering he genuinely wanted a better life for the Breakworld, but that also goes for the X-Men. Krakoa has actively been courting galactic opinion in order to secure the mutant-led nation's legitimacy and security, so to let Colossus lose his hold on an existing allied civilization is a major oversight, especially since it made acquiring the gun to stop Dormammu that much harder. What started with the heartbreak of being left at the altar by his love Kate Pryde has spiraled into a trend of defeat for Piotr, and in failing to provide the help he needs then marginalizing him further, the X-Men have lost the exact kind of ally they're fighting tooth and nail to acquire, and made it necessary to take Breakworldian lives to prevent Dormammu's attack.
Tragedy is an important part of life and everyone makes mistakes, but the X-Men now have a full-fledged government who could have worked to maintain ties to Breakworld even with Colossus as just a figurehead leader. Piotr's negligence in allowing Varrn to take control can't be ignored, but as the mutant nation actively courts multiple alien empires, it was a huge step to ignore a planet that has already shown it has the will and technology to destroy Earth itself. Breakworld is now a hostile enemy to mutankind, where even basic steps could have kept it as an ally.
The good news is that it seems like Colossus will finally return to a more active role in fighting for mutantkind in upcoming comics. It truly has been a while since Colossus has done anything but lose, but in Benjamin Percy and Martin Coccolo's upcoming X-Force #24, to be released October 13, Piotr be taking a stand against his brother, Mikhail, to aid the ongoing effort to protect Krakoa. Cable may have to deal with Breakworld on his own, but hopefully, Colossus can overcome his past with X-Force and find his inner strength - perhaps he’ll even find some happiness for himself with the X-Men once again.