X-Men Officially Announces New Species of Mutant, Unique Powers Explained

Published Oct 10, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words. Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II. Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Marvel's X-Men lore just introduced a powerful new type of mutant, possessing a range of unique powers and weaknesses. Here's everything you need to know about this impressive new faction, and every one of the new mutants we know about so far. Across X-Men lore, there are a range of ways to categorize mutants, from 'Alpha' and 'Omega' power levels, to Earth and Arakko nationalities, to subspecies like the Neyaphem and Neo. All these different mutant types pale in importance to the newly introduced 'Empyres,' debuting as part of Marvel's 'Midnight' imprint. X-Men Introduces 'Empyre' Mutants Recently, Marvel published Midnight: X-Men #1, from Jonathan Hickman, Matteo Della Fonte, Arthur Hesli and Cory Petit. The new comic is part of the 'Midnight' imprint, taking place in a new, horror-inspired continuity. While fans have only learned select details about this world and new canon so far, what they DO know is already fascinating. The issue reveals the existence of 'Empyre' mutants - mutants who have been turned undead by vampires. The name comes from 'vampire' combined with 'em' for mutant. However, the difference isn't just in their mutant powers - Empyre mutants are a distinct faction with no loyalty to regular vampires, and unique qualities the 'human' undead don't have. Empyre mutants have their own powers, distinct from regular vampires. As well as their allegiances, Empyres possess unique powers compared to both human mutants and regular vampires. Empyres' Unique Powers In X-Men Lore Crucially, Empyres appear to keep their regular mutant powers when turned, with each being a superhuman powerhouse. However, they also have the advantages of being vampires, including enhanced strength, agility and near-invulnerability. Empyres are shown to have enhanced senses, with the ability to sense other mutants with ease, making it as easy as possible to hunt and turn them. Like vampires, Empyres are vulnerable to decapitation, adamantium and sunlight, but are immune to being 'staked' like their undead kin. Midnight X-Men #1 states that Empyres differ most from vampires in "areas relating to enthrallment, progenitorial kinship and generational control chains." In regular Marvel lore, vampires can exert control over anyone they turn, however this doesn't appear to be the case for Empyres, allowing them to break away from the traditional vampiric power structure. Ominously, the comic warns that the older a vampire or Empyre is, the more sunlight they're able to withstand. Given the existence of incredibly long-lived mutants such as Wolverine, Apocalypse, Selene, Mystique, Exodus and Graymalkin, this could mean that select Empyres have a serious resistance to their biggest weakness. The Different 'Houses' of Empyre Mutants Midnight: X-Men #1 teases different "houses and clans" that have ruled traditional vampires for eons. This pre-existing power structure is made up of allied groups of vampires strictly controlled by those who turned them, with some houses considered more dangerous than others. So far, the named houses are: Toriac Surio Ellium The issue reveals that Empyres are actively deconstructing existing vampiric power structures by striking at their hidden bases. So far, it's unknown whether the Empyres are simply destroying the vampiric houses, or whether it's a takeover with different Empyres seizing control of different vampiric clans. Given Jonathan Hickman's fondness for multiple factions in his work, it's likely the latter. All Known Empyre Mutants In Marvel Lore That's how Empyres work, but who are the Empyres of Midnight: X-Men lore? So far, it seems that very few regular mutants remain, with Empyres prioritizing hunting and turning as many more members of their unique species as possible. With Cyclops branded 'the last X-Man,' it appears that almost all notable X-Men have either been turned into Empyres or killed. So far, fans have only seen a few, with teaser art for upcoming issues implying a handful more. Empyre Mutants in Midnight: X-Men #1 Confirmed Hero Powers Status Gambit (aka Remy LeBeau) Can charge inanimate objects with kinetic energy Leader of faction, pursuing bounty on Cyclops Empath (Manuel de la Rocha) Can control emotions of others Killed by Cyclops Psylocke (Betsy Braddock) Telepathy and telekinesis, 'psychic knife' Killed by Cyclops Glob (Robert Herman) Paraffin-wax body Killed by Cyclops Storm (Ororo Munroe) Control over weather systems (Omega-level) Leader of unknown faction Potential Iceman (Bobby Drake) Temperature subtraction and control over ice (Omega-level) Shown in 'blood form' on Skan Srisuwan's variant cover for Midnight: X-Men #2 Phoenix (Jean Grey) Telepathy and telekinesis (Omega-level) Confirmed to have been bitten by Storm, implied dead but present in Juann Cabal's and Lucas Werneck's variant covers for Midnight: X-Men #2 Beast (Hank McCoy) Hyper-agile physiology, enhanced senses Shown as a vampire on Lucas Werneck's variant cover for Midnight: X-Men #2 Angel (Warren Worthington III) Wings, healing Shown as a vampire on Lucas Werneck's and Marco Mastrazzo's variant covers for Midnight: X-Men #2 Wolverine (Logan) Healing factor, enhanced senses, bone claws Shown as a vampire on Lucas Werneck's variant cover for Midnight: X-Men #2 Surviving mutants include Nightcrawler, Magma and Hope Summers, as well as Magneto's faction, each acting against the Empyres in their own ways... Empyre Enemies In Midnight: X-Men Lore When Midnight: X-Men #1 was announced, fans speculated it would be a simple mutants vs vampires conflict. However, Midnight: X-Men #1 has proved the exact opposite is true. Taking place after a massive conflict, Midnight: X-Men is set in a world with multiple factions, some allied, some at odds, and some under an uneasy truce known as 'the compact.' However, whatever their overt alliances, each group is also working behind the scenes. For instance, while Magneto is forbidden to move against Toriac vampires because of the compact, he seemingly passes their location on to Cyclops, knowing he can act freely. Factions in Midnight: X-Men Faction Notable Figures Context The House of X Led by Magneto, with followers including Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Polaris and more Part of a 'compact' preventing them from moving against vampires (and potentially Empyres.) The Catholic Church Cardinal Stryker and Bishop Nightcrawler Stryker's Purifiers are actively hunting Empyres in New York. Nightcrawler has a secret friendship with Empyre Storm, who has declared him off-limits to the undead due to an unstated favor. The X-Men Cyclops only As 'the last X-Man,' Cyclops protects innocent mutants from Empyres, freely killing his former allies. There is a bounty on his head among Empyres. Vampires Unknown Vampires are engaged in a war with Empyres, with Empyres actively raiding vampire nests. The relationships between factions is being set up as one of Midnight: X-Men's most thrilling aspects, especially since many of the Empyres used to be friends with the series' heroes. Characters like Magneto and Nightcrawler have unique relationships with the vampiric mutants, with Cyclops taking a hard line against his former friends and slaughtering them without hesitation. Marvel's new 'Midnight' imprint has shaken up X-Men lore by introducing Empyre mutants - a unique combination of superhuman and vampire, engaged in a 'Cold War' against humanity, regular mutants and traditional vampires. Midnight: X-Men #1 is available now from Marvel Comics. Movie(s) X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) TV Show(s) X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men '97 (2024) Video Game(s) X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine's Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994) First Film X-Men (2000) Character(s) Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23 Comic Release Date 213035,212968