Storm became Queen of Wakanda in "Black Panther" #15

As a young child, Ororo Munroe was orphaned when a plane crashed into her family's home in Cairo, Egypt. Years later, Munroe's mutant ability to manipulate the weather lead to her membership in another family, the X-Men, where she assumed the identity of Storm and became one of the team's most accomplished and respected members. Recently, Storm became part of yet another family when she married King T'Challa of Wakanda AKA the Black Panther.

Storm's new found duties as Queen of Wakanda and her responsibilities as an X-Men member have kept her very busy, but so far she has been able to do both without much conflict. This October, that may change because in Marvel Comics' four issue "X-Men: Storm-Worlds Apart" mini-series, by writer Christopher Yost and an as yet unnamed artist, the title character is forced to reexamine her life and make some tough choices. CBR News spoke with Yost about the series.

Before joining the X-Men, Storm had a quiet and peaceful life on the Serengeti Plain in Kenya where her mutant ability lead many people to believe she was a goddess. Storm's decision to leave that life and join the X-Men is just one of the reasons why Yost finds the character fascinating. "She went from worshippers to people who'd see her burn. That in an of itself is compelling enough, but then we got to see her journey from that Goddess, to a woman who found a family in the X-Men, and then became the leader," Yost told CBR News. "She's fiercely passionate - quite literally a force of nature. If she's got any flaw, it's forgetting that she's human, too. For so long she played the Goddess, or the leader - rarely do we see her softer side. Rarely does she allow any weakness to show. Although she did have that garden in the attic of the old X-Mansion. Storm's a softie."

Yost feels that Storm's new husband is someone she can show her softer side to. "With T'Challa, she is truly open. She lets him in," Yost said. "With the X-Men, especially recently, she's on the job. Mutantkind is in a crisis situation, and she's acting accordingly. She's always up for a little thrill seeking ala Yukio, and enjoys daring all, and the big win - but she's does have a very aloof persona that we see."

"Worlds Apart" opens with the choice between the X-Men and Wakanda weighing heavily on Storm's mind. "Storm is Queen of Wakanda. She's married the love of her life, T'Challa the Black Panther. But what did she give up? Kitty Pryde is gone, and she wasn't there (with the main team). It wasn't her fault, but does that matter?" Yost remarked. "The X-Men were her family, and her family is crumbling after M-Day."

Storm's adventures in "Worlds Apart" unfold over a short amount of time and take her to a number of locales including Wakanda and the X-Men's new home in San Francisco. "Right now there's also a significant bit in New York," Yost stated. "Well, under New York."

Yost couldn't give too many details as to what brings Storm to these locations. "It's still pretty early, but both Wakanda and the X-Men are threatened - with Storm as the common thread," the writer explained. "She has an impossible choice to make."

Confronting the threat against both her worlds pits Storm against a dangerous adversary. "It's a biggie," Yost said. "And not one Storm is really equipped to deal with."

The supporting cast of "Worlds Apart" includes several prominent characters from the X-books as well as Black Panther. "[Editor] Nick Lowe favorite Nezhno will be appearing, as will Black Panther and current X-Men leader Cyclops in a pretty big and surprising role. And I wouldn't be surprised to see the rest of the X- team in there," Yost said. "The Dora Milaje [The female order that serves as the Black Panther's bodyguards] play a role as well. They're fun. Deadly, but fun."

Yost envisions "Worlds Apart" as a big adventure story with the highest stakes imaginable. "Just the way every X-Fan likes it," the writer said. "I love the action, there's always a little fun in my stuff no matter how grim it gets. But the heart of the story is Storm, trying to find her place in the world.

"This is essential Storm reading, and the choice she makes here will impact both 'Astonishing X-Men' and 'Black Panther,'" Yost continued. "Assuming she's in both books afterwards."

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