You May Not Like X-Men's New Era, But It Is Finally Doing One of Our Favorite Heroes Justice

The X-Men 's “From the Ashes” era has only just begun, and while the current narrative has fans divided on the direction and quality of the line as a whole, there is some good being done that has helped make this story worthwhile, especially for one character, in particular, Cain Marko aka Juggernaut . Benefitting from this new initiative in surprising ways, Juggernaut’s portrayal in From the Ashes may finally do justice to this villain-turned-hero and is something fans of the character need to take note of.

Following in the footsteps of the X-Men’s well-received “Krakoan Age,” a storyline that focused on the rise and fall of the sovereign mutant nation of Krakoa, From the Ashes sees mutantkind once again back to being feared and hated around the world, with most of the comic arcs spinning from this familiar idea feeling inconsequential and derivative at best.

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When discussing some of the less popular aspects of X-Men’s From the Ashes relaunch, a user on Reddit’s r/xmen channel brings up how this era, despite its valid flaws, has been “consistently great for Cain Marko,” a sentiment that’s easily provable based on Juggernaut’s inclusion on the latest incarnation of the X-Men and his heroic work in the time since.

X-Men’s From the Ashes Relaunch Is Divisive but Juggernaut Has Been Handled Well

Cain Marko Is Trying His Hand at Being a Real Hero

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Recently, Juggernaut has appeared in at least three different ongoing Marvel books — X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, and Amazing Spider-Man — with Cain’s positive character development being on the upswing for some time now, accelerated by the events of the Krakoan Age, where Juggernaut was integral in beating back Orchis and Nimrod’s forces. Accepting a role on the current roster of Cyclops’ X-Men, Cain fights to reestablish himself as a good guy and has even outright refused to hurt his “friends” when conveyed to by his cosmic boss, Cyttorak, a defiance that shows how far Juggernaut has come from being Cyttorak's faithful minion.

Related Juggernaut Is Down, Revealing the One Mutant He's Not Strong Enough to Beat The Juggernaut is known for being unstoppable, but one character just brought this X-Men powerhouse to a screeching halt without breaking a sweat.

Juggernaut has gone from outright despising the X-Men and his mutant half-brother, Professor X, to actively helping them further their collective dream by facing his villainous past head-on and admitting how he’s been manipulated by Cyttorak and other misguided individuals before. Not wanting to slide back to being the person he once was, Juggernaut now proudly brandishes an “X” on his helmet and has declared that he’ll “go down fighting for his friends,” i.e. the X-Men, whether as the Unstoppable Juggernaut or simply as the non-mutant man known as Cain Marko, giving Juggy a redemption arc worth cheering for.

Juggernaut Has Also Been Featured in Non-X-Men-Related Books Lately

Juggernaut Recently Popped up in the Amazing Spider-Man

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Juggernaut has been settling more into his role as a hero lately, with this positive mindset put on full display in Amazing Spider-Man’s current “8 Deaths of Spider-Man” arc where Juggernaut’s new direction in life culminates with an emotionally intelligent speech filled with self-reflecting sentiments that the old Juggernaut would never be able to express or comprehend. The simple fact that Juggernaut can be referred to as a member of the X-Men at all speaks volumes to how far he’s come, to say nothing of what he’s willing to lay on the line to protect those he now calls “friends.”

Juggernaut Created By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby First Appearance The X-Men (1963) Alias Cain Marko Alliance Brotherhood of Mutants, All-New Exiles, New Excalibur, Lethal Legion, X-Men, Thunderbolts Franchise Marvel