After the success of last year's Hellfire Gala came momentous events for the mutants of both Arakko and Krakoa. Mutants were not only able to terraform Mars, but it gave S.W.O.R.D. leader Abigail Brand a chance to unveil a new creation to a crowd of intergalactic aliens. This creation was a metal known as mysterium, and it gave the X-Men another win in terms of becoming its own sovereign nation.
This mutant-made metal was created and harvested in the White Hot Room, which can only be accessed safely by former hosts of the Phoenix Force and by the Six, a group of mutants with specific teleportation and amplification powers. The Six, along with S.W.O.R.D, began stockpiling the metal in preparation for the Hellfire Gala.
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There are many unique properties of mysterium. For starters, it’s as strong as Secondary Adamantium, which has been known to be stronger than steel, but not as strong as the original metal itself. Mysterium conducts electricity with one hundred percent efficiency, but does not conduct or retain heat. It also has magnetic properties as well as magical capabilities. It resonates with magic, and therefore, can negate even the strongest of magic.
Brand used it to create a new form of currency in intergalactic space, and referred to it as “the Sol”. Small amounts of it were given as a gift to the galactic nations who agreed to recognize Arakko as the capital of the Sol System and Storm as the Regent of Mars and Voice of Sol. Everyone did except for the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda.
Mysterium has been used by many mutants as currency to pay for things. Emma Frost used mysterium to buy the Mercury from Eden Rixlo, and later, it was renamed The New Marauder and is used by the Marauders themselves. In X-Men #11 (by Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz, Marte Garcia, and VC's Clayton Cowles), Rogue used it as a down payment of sorts to get into Gameworld. All around the galaxy, "The Sol" has already become an informal term for the new form of credit, as news of its existence has spread far and wide across the universe.
However, mysterium is not only used as a form of money. In Marauders Volume 2, Kate Pryde found a puzzle box made of mysterium that contained clues to a secret regarding the first mutants and the Shi'ar Empire. But it’s not just the X-Men using the metal. In the series, Spider-Man 2099: Exodus (by Steve Orlando, Dave Wachter, Carlos Lopez and VC's Clayton Cowles), fans see this metal pop up in both issue one and issue two.
In Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #1, Miguel O'Hara called on the help of the Winter Soldier 13, and readers learn of her past through the panels of exposition. She confronted her former commander, Chief Woland, who tried to bargain with her using a damaged mysterium datadrive that contains memories of her past. Later, she was able to take it to The Celestial Garden, where she used the waters to repair it and regain her lost memories.
In Issue #2, Alchemax's Aesir Program proved to be a complete failure, and when they couldn't replace deities, they decided to use what the program had created to destroy gods. This was put to the test using an enormous serpent and lab-made versions of Valkyries to destroy Asgard, all infused with mysterium. Loki was the only survivor of this catastrophe, along with a Valkyrie created by Alchemax. Together, they set off on a quest to restore Asgard and absolve the guilt they each harbor for what they did that day.
Mysterium has also popped up in issues of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 6 #18 ( by Al Ewing, Juan Frigeri, Frederico Blee, and VC's Cory Petit) to conclude The Last Annihilation event. It was used to stop Dormammu and his army of Mindless Ones because of the metal's anti-magical properties
As proven in many comics, mysterium has many uses beyond just as currency in space. It can be used to create different objects and can even be bonded with organic matter. It poses the question: what else is this mutant-made metal capable of? Comic book writers can definitely explore more uses for this metal in future issues as it continues to make an impact on the Marvel Universe.