View source for Shadow-X

{{short description|Fictional comic book supervillain group}}
{{For|[[Green Goblin|Norman Osborn]]'s X-Men team from [[Utopia (comics)|Utopia]]|Dark X-Men}}
{{Infobox comics organization <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|image=Albion (Marvel Comics).png
|imagesize=
|caption=[[Lionheart (comics)|Lionheart]] and Shadow-X stand behind Albion<br>Art by [[Scot Eaton]]
|name=Shadow-X (Dark X-Men)
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|debut=''New Excalibur'' #1
|creators=[[Chris Claremont]], Michael Ryan
|base=Unknown
|members='''Former Members'''<br>[[Alternative versions of Jean Grey#Shadow-X|Dark Marvel Girl]]<br>[[Iceman (Marvel Comics)#Shadow-X|Dark Iceman]]<br>[[Alternative versions of Professor X#Shadow Xavier|Dark Professor Xavier]]<br>Dark Cyclops<br>Dark Beast<br>[[Warren Worthington III#Shadow-X|Dark Angel]]
|subcat=Marvel Comics
|hero=
|villain=y
}}

'''Shadow-X''' (also known as the '''Dark X-Men''') is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->[[supervillain]] group appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. The characters only appeared in ''[[Excalibur (comics)#New Excalibur (2005–2007)|New Excalibur]]''. All of their costumes are the colors of black and red.

They are not officially given a name until ''New Excalibur'' #19 where they are referred to as Shadow-X in the "Previously..." section and by Juggernaut on the final page of the issue. How this name came about is unexplained, and prior to this the team was called the Dark X-Men by fans, reviews, and even the Marvel preview descriptions. It refers to the fact that the team was created and controlled by the [[Shadow King]] - the Shadow King's "Shadow X"-Men.

==Fictional team biography==
They are from an alternate dimension and were brought to the mainstream Marvel dimension during the events of [[Decimation (comics)|Decimation]]. The [[Shadow King]] took control of the [[Professor Xavier]] of their reality and then was able to subvert all of the X-Men to serve him. When they were brought to [[Earth-616]] the Dark Professor Xavier tried to bring [[Nocturne (Talia Wagner)|Nocturne]], [[Rachel Summers|Marvel Girl]], and [[Kitty Pryde|Shadowcat]] under his control, but he was defeated by them, with help from [[Sage (comics)|Sage]], and later placed in [[Crossmore]] prison.

The rest of the team then ally themselves with [[Black Air]], Albion, and [[Lionheart (comics)|Lionheart]].<ref>''New Excalibur'' #18</ref> They then tried to take control of Lionheart during a mission to free Dark Professor X. However, as Dark Professor X tried to take control Lionheart revealed Albion knew of their treachery and placed a device to stop his mind control and then placed a collar on Dark Professor Xavier to trap the Shadow King in Professor X and killed them both.<ref>''New Excalibur'' #19</ref>

Lionheart then threatens the rest of Shadow-X, but this fight is interrupted by the immediate arrival of the New Excalibur team. New Excalibur is short-handed because of [[Nocturne (Talia Wagner)|Nocturne]]'s recent stroke and [[Sage (comics)|Sage]] infiltrating Albion's ranks, but they are able to effectively work as a team and successfully take down Shadow-X. New Excalibur and Shadow-X both try to stop Lionheart, but they are too busy with their opponent team to be successful and she escapes. Then New Excalibur start to interrogate the Shadow-X about what was happening between them and Lionheart.<ref>''New Excalibur'' #20</ref>

Shadow-X team up with New Excalibur to fight their common foe, Albion. It is revealed that the collar placed on the Dark Professor X actually killed him. When Dark Cyclops, Dark Angel, and [[Pete Wisdom]] attack Albion, Dark Cyclops is beheaded by [[Sage (comics)|Sage]] who is working undercover in Albion's Shadow Corps.<ref>''New Excalibur'' #21</ref> Dark Angel and Wisdom retreat after Dark Cyclops's death, but Sage (now called Britannia) and other members of the Shadow Corps follow. Dazzler, Juggernaut, and Dark Beast join the battle, and during it Sage kills Dark Beast by impaling him with her sword.<ref>''New Excalibur'' #22</ref> During a subsequent battle between Dark Marvel Girl and Dark Angel and the Shadow Captains, Dark Angel is killed and his wing severed by one of the Shadow Captains.<ref>''New Excalibur'' #23</ref>

In the final battle against Albion, Dark Marvel Girl is mortally wounded while saving Nocturne's life. Still, despite her injuries, Jean and Nocturne find the source of the technology blackout. Meanwhile, Lionheart helps Dark Iceman against the rest of the Shadow Captains before he dies and withers away into a skeleton. With his last breath, Dark Iceman banished the vast majority of the snow he’d created. Juggernaut, Dazzler, and Wisdom help Sage to overpower her Britannia personality. Sage then helps Cap against Albion. Together, they beat their foe as Dark Marvel Girl restores technology before she dies.

In the alternate future mini-series ''[[Genext]] United'', a group resembling Shadow-X appear to be alive and well in this continuity. The story is written by Chris Claremont, the very same writer who created them.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=October 2010}}

==Notes==
The Dark Beast that is a part of this group is not the same as [[Dark Beast (Marvel Comics)|the one]] from the [[Age of Apocalypse]]. Furthermore, this version is in human form, unlike the Age of Apocalypse and [[Earth-616]] versions.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix6/shadowxcalibur.htm|Shadow-X}}

{{X-Men characters}}

[[Category:Characters created by Chris Claremont]]
[[Category:X-Men supporting characters]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics supervillain teams]]