WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Force #8 by Benjamin Percy, Oscar Bazaldua, Guru-eFX, and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
Just as we've seen the rise of the new mutant nation on Krakoa, we've also seen other parts of the Marvel Universe rise up to oppose them. In the pages of X-Force, the mysterious face of those mutant-hating groups has been Xeno. This shadowy cabal is led by the mysterious Man with the Peacock Tattoo, and it could reasonably be described as Marvel's answer to Batman's Court of Owls.
Xeno operates as an anti-mutant group that uses its power and leverage around the globe to counteract pro-mutant legislation as well as carry out hits on the population's most important figures and supporters. And now, it seems like the group may be about to get even more dangerous with a mysterious new figure taking the reins at the end of X-Force #8, and that figure could be one of Marvel's most hateful villains: the Red Skull.
After Colossus and Domino teamed up to take out a train that was being used as a mobile laboratory for the development of an army of cloned Domino assassins. At a secret Xeno summit, the Man with the Peacock Tattoo argues that setback is different from failure in an effort to save face, before he's interrupted by someone from outside of the panel.
Xeno's leader sends his bodyguard to silence this person who has spoken out of turn. But after an unseen crunch, the eyes of the Man with the Peacock Tattoo and the other members of Xeno grow wide as the hulking Finnegan is thrown backward, with his arm twisted awkwardly and his face contorted in agony. In a calm voice, this unseen figure asserts that Xeno is weakened by the clandestine nature of its operations and pledges that it will take the lead and use Xeno's various assets to make a show of strength, a declaration of war. At this time we are shown the silhouette of this mysterious, and at the very least incredibly strong, speaker.
Given all of that and Red Skull's history with the X-Men, Captain America's Nazi nemesis seems like the most likely candidate behind Xeno. In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men, the Red Skull formed the S-Men and used this group to steal the brain of Charles Xavier in a plot to wipe out the mutant population, which he has an intense hatred for. In the ensuing Axis storyline, the Red Skull uses his new powers to psychically mess with Marvel's biggest heroes and turn Genosha into a mutant concentration camp.
The second big connection between Red Skull and Xeno's plans concerns their attempts to create a new breed of super-soldiers using Domino's DNA. This shadowy figure was a big backer of Xeno's works, and the Red Skull is a well-documented proponent of super-soldier programs. Additionally, he has never been one to operate in the shadows for too long, which means that the use of Xeno's assets for a direct assault on the mutant population would be well within his character.
Whether this new foe is Red Skull or someone else, Xeno is a serious threat to Krakoam, and it has considerable firepower. Considering that they already effectively killed Xavier, Xeno is a serious threat to Krakoa's continued prosperity, and this mysterious figure will almost certainly have a hand to play in its upcoming troubles.