For the first time inX-Menlore, Charles Xavier’s daughter, Xandra, will meet her mother, the former Shi’ar Empress Lilandra. The stage is set for an interstellar family reunion, which willforce Xavier to reclaim his status as a Marvel hero, as he and his family navigate the precarious power struggle overcoming the wider Marvel Universe.
Imperial War: Exiles#1, by the creative team of Steve Foxe and Francesco Manna, will introduce Lilandra to her daughter, who, in a sci-fi quirk ofX-Mencontinuity, was conceived when Lilandra and Xavier were both dead.
Though Xavier quickly returned, it has taken nearly two decades for his wife to come back and finally meet Xandra.
Imperial War: Exiles#1, By The Creative Team Of Steve Foxe And Francesco Manna, Available September 2025 From Marvel Comics
Lilandra and Xavier’s “daughter” is, technically speaking, a clone created using both of their genetic material. Lilandra was killed off at the climax of the 2009 event seriesWar of Kings, one of Marvel’s last significant forays into its interstellar landscape, upuntil the currentImperialseries. Somewhat surprisingly, she was not used for fifteen years after that.
Now,X-Menhas finally resurrected Lilandra, sending her into space withXavier, who has fallen from grace in franchise lore, becoming a borderline villain.Imperial War: Exiles, a one-shot spinning off of the mainImperialseries, is a chance for Xavier to kickstart his redemption, but that will hinge on what Lilandra and Xandra’s first meeting is like.
Up until her death,Lilandra was the Majestrix, or Empress, of the Shi’ar, one of the most powerful alien civilizations in the Marvel Universe. She is a powerful, strong-willed character. Her return to the contemporary Marvel cosmic fold should have huge implications, butwhat those are will be grounded in her relationship with her daughter.
Charles Xavier’s Wife And Daughter Have A Chance To Assert Themselves As Part Of The X-Men Franchise
If They Don’t Turn On Each Other In A Shi’ar Civil War
Xandra succeeded her mother as the Shi’ar’s ruler, up until the events ofImperial, in which a coup displaced her from power. Now, Xandra is on the run, and it will seemingly be up to Xavier and Lilandra to save their daughter, and, presumably, help her retake the thrown from the usurpers.
That said, the return of the previous Majestrix suggests the potential for a different kind of succession crisis entirely, possiblyprecipitating a Shi’ar Civil War. Alternatively, Xandra could cede power back to her mother, freeing her up to join the X-Men, or forge her own heroic path. In any case,Lilandra and Xandra both being active in Marvel lore opens up many possibilities.
For many years, Lilandra played a secondary role in Marvel Comics, and her daughter has similarly been consigned to the background for much of her history. Now, both of them have an opportunity to take ona more prominent role in theX-Menfranchise, and the Marvel Universe in general, but first, they have to co-exist first.
Imperial War: Exiles#1will be available June 29, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
