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The X-Men Green team has added a major villain to their ranks in X-Men Unlimited #10, and all of the mutants are out for blood.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for recent issues of X-Men: Unlimited, available now on Marvel Unlimited.
The X-Men’s deadly new team of Nature Girl and Curse have lacked allies during their crusade against polluters. The only non-mutant ally the duo had for much of their journey was a police dog named Saoirse that Nature Girl bonded with after committing her first murder.
That changed in X-Men Unlimited #8 (by Gerry Duggan, Emilio Laiso, Rachelle Rosenberg and VC’s Joe Sabino). “X-Men Green” gained a powerful ally, one who fits with the team’s nickname, in long-time X-Men villain Sauron.
Created by the legendary team of Roy Thomas and Neal Adams, Sauron first appeared in 1969’s X-Men #59. Originally envisioned as a bat-like energy vampire, Sauron became a were-pterodactyl to avoid the Comics Code Authority’s ban on vampires. Although he’s an odd-fit for their rogue’s gallery, he’s been a recurring X-Men antagonist for decades and is often depicted as a horrific figure.
Despite his menacing appearance, Sauron’s entrance in X-Men Unlimited is somewhat humorous. After a caption explains his status as a proud dinosaur-man, Sauron arrives at his mountain hideout. He’s greeted by a talking rabbit, who apologizes for not having a meal prepared for him. Not willing to pass up that kind of set-up, Sauron swallows the rabbit whole.
Sauron was unhappy with the taste of his meal. He finds something even more distasteful when he enters his hidden lab to perform an ultrasound. It’s been destroyed, complete with stillborn dinosaur-men in broken stasis tubes. Sauron initially suspects that the Avengers or X-Men might be responsible. A quick inspection reveals it’s not a superhero team, but instead shale oil runoff.
In true supervillain fashion, Sauron vows revenge on whoever ruined his lab. That gives him common cause with “X-Men Green.” The Cynadine Oil Company’s refinery is responsible for destroying Sauron’s work and is also in Nature Girl’s crosshairs, who plans to destroy the refinery as part of their mission to save the Earth from human pollution alongside the young mutant Curse.
The duo and their dog’s assault on Cynadine meets the first real resistance they’ve faced, given that they’ve found a way to keep Wolverine’s pursuit at bay. The refinery is defended by the super-powered mercenary and former Captain America villain Black Mamba, whose Darkforce powers and fighting prowess are a far cry from the humans the young mutants have dealt with so far.
Sauron helps to even the odds between the young mutants and Cynadine’s forces. While Nature Girl and Curse can’t keep up with Black Mamba physically, Sauron has no problem with physically engaging her. Beyond his vampiric abilities and hypnotism, he’s also a serious physical threat. In addition to his obvious gift of flight, Sauron possesses razor-sharp claws and fire breath. His threat to eat Mamba’s bones is enough to give even a seasoned mercenary pause.
Sauron may serve as another distraction for Wolverine, who arrives at Cynadine’s refinery at the end of issue #10. Although the villain may part ways with “X-Men Green” once their business with the oil company is concluded, it’s still possible that he’ll remain allied with the young mutants.
This logic might sway him into becoming a permanent member of the ad-hoc team of eco-warriors, making it more difficult for Wolverine to bring the young mutants back to Krakoa. It’s also possible that Nature Girl could use her powers to exert influence over Sauron’s animalistic nature, coercing him to her side. Either way, the already deadly group will become even more fearsome if they can fully convert a deadly mad scientist/dinosaur to their cause.
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