WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Excalibur #21 by Tini Howard, Marcus To, Erick Arciniega & VC’s Ariana Maher, on sale now.
One of the chief purposes of the X-Men’s Hellfire Gala was to showcase Krakoan culture to the world and make it clear that the mutant nation is strong enough to defend its claims and is willing to work with allies and enemies alike towards a brighter future.
Although the latter falls apart in regards to the United Kingdom due to the actions of Coven Akkaba, Rictor just proved that the X-Men and their allies are willing to do what it takes to protect their lands — including the Braddock Lighthouse on the coast of England, which was just broken off and turned into Braddock Isle, an impressive add-on to Krakoa.
The Braddock Lighthouse has long been a place of major importance in the Marvel Universe. Located on the southern shores of England, the Lighthouse is connected to a dimensional nexus that allows it to reach across the multiverse and work alongside the Captain Britain Corps. Previously serving as the base of operations for Merlyn and Roma, the Lighthouse became the main hub for the original incarnation of Excalibur, serving as the home for Captain Britain, Meggan, Phoenix, Shadowcat, and Nightcrawler. Although the Lighthouse was destroyed over the years, it was eventually rebuilt and recently fortified by Rogue and the Krakoan Flowers to create a Krakoan Habitat for the newest incarnation of Excalibur.
The Lighthouse has served as the primary base for the current version of the team, giving Krakoa a base in the United Kingdom and effectively serving as the Krakoan Embassay in Britain. But with relations between Krakoa and the United Kingdom falling apart due to the machinations of Coven Akkaba, the Lighthouse was placed in jeopardy. During the Hellfire Gala, Reuben Brousseau — one of the current heads of the Coven and the newly appointed UK ambassador to the UN — revealed that the United Kingdom would be effectively turning away from any deal between themselves and Krakoa, cutting off diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Betsy Braddock — the current Captain Britain — defends her right to call the Lighthouse her home, as part of her duty to protect Avalon (which is accessible through the Lighthouse). But Brousseau threatens to wrestle control of the Lighthouse from her, arguing that it is located on UK land. This prompts Rictor to ally with the druids he and the rest of Excalibur encountered lately and use their abilities in conjunction to separate the plot of land the lighthouse is situated on from the rest of the British Isles, effectively creating Braddock Isle. Although it’s still accessible by the UK (especially during low tide), it’s now nominally a Krakoan-connected location. This is a major step for Excalibur and Krakoa, effectively adding a new island to their overall holdings. It could be seen as a show of force from Krakoa, and a reminder of what the mutant nation is capable of achieving.
But it could also be seen as a major act of aggression towards one of the world’s most powerful nations, effectively stealing an important landmark from the British coast and turning it into a new off-shoot of Krakoa. It’s a huge step for Krakoa and a sign that they’re willing to use their powers to ensure their place in the world. But this action could also set off a whole new global conflict with Krakoa and the United Kingdom at the center, something that the constantly targeted mutant nation would likely prefer to avoid.