WARNING: The following contains spoilers for MODOK: Head Games #3 by Jordan Blum, Patton Oswalt, Scott Hepburn, Carlos Lopez & VC's Travis Lanham, on sale now
Krakoa has presented the opportunity for plenty of underutilized mutants and X-Men to get the chance to shine in ways they might never have otherwise. It's also been the perfect way for previous incarnations of the New Mutants to find exciting new ways to utilize their potential for the betterment of themselves and their fellow mutants -- with their personal experience being just as important as their mutant abilities.
One such mutant is Skids, who is using her experience as both a hero and a villain to become something of a Krakoan mediator. Who is Skids -- and how is her current position as a liaison between Krakoa and the mutants living atop of the island the perfect job for the former Morlock?
Sally Blevins -- aka Skids -- was introduced early in the original X-Factor series. After escaping her abusive father and discovering she was a mutant capable of creating a protective force-field around herself and others, Skids found a home with the Morlocks. Alongside Rusty Collins, Skids avoided the chaos of the Mutant Massacre after she was taken in by the original X-Factor, who at the time were the original X-Men posing as a mutant-hunting group. The experienced heroes trained her in the use of her powers and helped her discover her true potential while she also developed romantic feelings for Rusty.
Over the years, Skids has worked with many different groups -- including heroic forces like the New Mutants and the X-Terminators, along with more villainous forces like the Mutant Liberation Front and the Acolytes. She was one of the few mutants to retain her powers following the events of House of M and even became an ally of Black Widow and SHIELD. Like all mutants, Skids has been offered a home on Krakoa, although she hasn't had a prominent role in the current era outside of a brief mention as a possible substitute for Armor's role in the Six with S.W.O.R.D. As it turns out, she already has a fairly important job on Krakoa.
Finding Gwenpool arguing with Krakoa over her need to be teleported across the planet, Skids reveals that she's become a "mutant/island relations ambassador." This means Skids is essentially a mediator between the more active mutants who live on Krakoa and the living island itself. While Cypher may be the only one who can fully communicate with Krakoa, it appears that Skids has enough of a good relationship with Krakoa to help soothe conflicts between mutants and the island itself. She proves clever enough to see through Gwenpool and suggests just speaking to Krakoa in Krakoan -- allowing Gwen to finally make her way through the portal to her destination.
This is a big revelation for the young mutant. Skids now has a rather important position on the island, as her expertise and experience working with all kinds of mutants (both good and bad) give her a particular insight into how to communicate with all of them. She's a good pick for the position because her own powers could allow her to protect herself in case of attack or outburst. It also means she's capable of protecting others (or even Krakoa) from anyone who does so.
Considering how dangerous Krakoa has been in the past, and how easily it could turn against the mutants with little warning, it's important that there are people dedicated to keeping conflict between the mutant population and their new homeland from escalating to any dangerous point. It also gives Skids a role within Krakoa -- something the relatively minor mutant had otherwise lacked in the modern-day. It's a nice development for Skids, who has gone through a rough life since discovering her mutant powers and being dragged into the non-stop drama that being an ally to the X-Men brings. This role should bring a bit of stability to the character.
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