The X-Men spent a long time operating out of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. However, the X-Men's enemies have targeted and destroyed the base with alarming frequency over the years, which has forced the mutant team to find new locations and bases across the world to contend with these threats.

On two separate occasions, the X-Men have taken refuge on island nations. But even though the X-Men's previous island residence, Utopia, was ultimately doomed, mutantkind's new island home, Krakoa, has some meaningful differences that could make it more sustainable in the long haul.

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UTOPIA

Following the decimation of the mutant population following House of M and a series of attacks during "Messiah Complex" that destroyed the Xavier Institute, the X-Men relocated from the East Coast of the United States to San Francisco in California. There, Cyclops and the X-Club were able to raise the remains of Magneto's old headquarters Asteroid M from the sea-floor, which allowed them to repurpose the former space station into a new base of operations for the X-Men. The base was named a sovereign nation off the coast of America and turned into a potential sanctuary for the few remaining mutants in the world.

However, the proximity to the mainland made it easy for enemies to target the base. The U-Men, Selene, Bastion, Norman Osborn, and even a horde of vampires led by Dracula's son Xarus all attacked the base at one time or another. In the end, though, it was another team of heroes that would help bring down Utopia: the island nation became a battleground during the events of Avengers vs. X-Men. After being lifted into the sky by the power of the Phoenix Five, he expanded Utopia fell and crashed into the sea after Cyclops' defeat, breaking apart and sinking deeper than before.

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WHY KRAKOA IS DIFFERENT

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The ideas behind Krakoa and Utopia are similar. Both are intended as a refugee for the mutants of the world, a place where nationality and alliances mean nothing. But Utopia was a far more desperate location. It was more of a military compound than anything, which served the team well during the many assaults made on the base. However, it never felt like a proper home for the team. It also required the team to largely abandon many of the edicts they'd placed on the students, forcing them into battle for their very lives. This is what ultimately led to the events of Schism, where a fed-up Wolverine turned on Cyclops for these actions and ended up splitting the X-Men into two teams.

Krakoa is much more of a grand experiment that takes some of the ideas behind Utopia and amplifies them as far as the X-Men can take it. Like Krakoa, it's designed to be a unique place that can stand autonomously from the rest of the world. However, the FAR more remote location of the island means that it's more difficult for attacks to actually take place. Meanwhile, the resurrection capabilities of the Five on Krakoa means that much of the mortal peril that was present in Krakoa has been reduced, even when attacks have occurred.

The tensions that led to Schism are also largely absent from Krakoa. While there is conflict between certain members of the team, the X-Men have largely found a state of peace amongst themselves. Cyclops and Wolverine, the two rival leaders of the X-Men during Schism, have now seemingly found peace in a casual relationship with Jean. Even many of the team's greatest enemies like Apocalypse have thrown their lot in with the team. There's genuine unity to Krakoa that was missing from Utopia. Although it plays an essential role in securing mutantkind's future, the island nation doesn't seem like it was created out of desperation, and the happy feelings on the island reflect that. It's a more hopeful and optimistic place, becoming a home to the X-Men in a way that Utopia never was. Krakoa feels like the future of the mutant race, whereas Utopia felt like the last stand.

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