The Phalanx Covenant is one of the few X-Men events that people don’t remember; it’s not as epic as The Dark Phoenix Saga or as ground breaking as Age of Apocalypse. Most people don’t even revisit it for various reasons. For one there are way too many anti-mutant groups in the franchise. Fortunately, there are ways around this.
The Phalanx Covenant: Original Model
The original crossover comic‘s primary importance is how it introduces mutant team, Generation X. Some of the most crucial characters to step up are Jubilee and Banshee. Prior to this they were mostly just background characters. So Scott Lobdell decides to have most of the main X-Men captured by the titular anti-mutant group. This Phalanx Covenant lead by Cameron Hodge bonds with the essence of the techno-organic alien Warlock. Not to be confused with Adam Warlock. This creates a hivemind mob mentality among anyone they assimilate into their ranks. If this was a metaphor for digital outrage mobs, Lobdell seems to be good at predicting the future.
With the main X-Men down, whatever mutants that are left have to take the fight against the Phalanx. From pre-Generation X to X-Force the Phalanx are unable to keep their hold on everyone. So some of the few that still are part of the hive try to get reinforcements from outer space. Fortunately the main X-Men do their part in sabotaging the process. Hodge not willing to give up his power ends up dying in his attempts to keep it. It’s a lot to adapt so how do people make it easier?
Adaptation Hurdles
One of the few mediums to make this work is in the 90s X-Men TV series. The Phalanx Covenant serves as the fifth season opening (unless you go by the Disney+ model), where the Phalanx are only aliens. Because again X-Men is filled with anti-mutant hate groups and Friends of Humanity are in the background now. This is actually a clever use of cosmic horror. The X-Men by this point have beaten every attempt at anti-mutant agendas; the Phalanx however cannot be reasoned with as per their directives, mutants are a threat to their way of life. A way of life that involves turning everything they find into one of them. Mutants just so happen to have a higher resistance to the assimilation.
This is where diplomacy as well as society cannot overcome a lifeform’s alien nature. An alien nature that fits well into Cameron Hodge’s ideals. To eliminate all genetic mutations from cancers to X-Genes and instead have everything under control of a hive mind. With the X-Men not being as big as the comics the Phalanx could have very well accomplished this. Unfortunately for Hodge, the brainiest mutants Beast and Forge work with Mr. Sinister to fight against the Phalanx. All with the help of Warlock who feels guilty that his actions led to the Phalanx showing up. He wanted to go start a new life with his wife but crash landed on Earth where his ship was found by Hodge.
Some Minor Flaws
Hodge wasn’t the only thorn in the X-Men’s side however. As the season opener to a kid’s show, it has to go big and end on a positive note. Those however seem to only go well based on a trifecta of: stakes, view of the world, and view of self. While the stake of a cosmic horror is as high as a premise gets, the stakes start to falter near the end. For example, there are no thoughts from the remaining X-Men and Magneto about retreating from Earth. Warlock’s act to use the cure on the Phalanx Core should be a great risk but no one brings it up. Not to mention when it is done, nothing seems ill seems to happen to him. Everything just works out and ends on a positive note except a pet peeve.
Hodge uses Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton to probe and assimilate some of the X-Men’s powers into the Phalanx. This is what allows him to use Gambit’s powers but no one else’s. Thankfully a video game takes full advantage of this concept.
The Phalanx Covenant: A Better Clone Wars
The game, X-Men 2: Clone Wars was released roughly around the same time as the comics and TV series. In it, the Phalanx returns for payback against the X-Men by first assimilating a Sentinel production factory. Sentinels being the giant robotic threat against the X-Men already present stakes to the X-Men. Later in the game, the Clone Wars earns its name by duplicating the appearance and powers of mutants. Even Apocalypse allows this virus to transpire since it fits his Social Darwinist views. When one of the X-Men’s most dangerous enemies willingly gives in that displays the greatest threat of the Phalanx Covenant.
Pay Attention to The Phalanx Covenant
That greatest threat translates to total domination over something greater than anything before. Jonathan Hickman arguably puts it best in Powers of X. Even the Phalanx are servants to a greater society. For such a predatory force, the fact there are other things beyond comprehension speaks loudly. Even when you win one or more battles against this force, the war can never be won. Something that loudly speaks about the X-Men, superhumans looking for tolerance/acceptance only for it to be ripped away from them. Fortunately there are also times when even worst enemies band together against this dread. Because that’s what the X-Men are, the fight against unrecognizable evil.
What thoughts do you have on this process? Leave them in the comments below. And as always, remember to look between the panels.