WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Force #11, by Benjamin Percy, Bazaldua, GURU-eFX and VC's Joe Caramagna, and Empyre: X-Men #3, by Vita Ayala, Zeb Wells, Ed Brisson, Andrea Broccardo, Nolan Woodard and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
The X-Men have mastered resurrection, allowing the mutant heroes to be restored no matter what kind of injuries they suffer. But that doesn't mean death has no meaning. In fact, it's left a very big impression on at least one mutant.
In X-Force #11, Quentin Quire just got himself killed again, cementing his current role as the Kenny McCormick of the X-Men.
Since coming to Krakoa, the X-Men have gotten used to sacrificing their lives, comforted by the knowledge that even if they do die, they'll simply be resurrected by the Five. But no mutant has taken that idea for granted more than Quentin Quire. Otherwise known as Kid Omega, Quire is one of the most powerful telepaths in the world. He's also become an incredibly cocky and cavalier soldier for mutantkind, using his powers to help with missions while still finding plenty of room to snark at and mock his allies.
This attitude has resulted in Quire's teammates giving him a decent amount of grief and multiple deaths. In X-Force #4, Quire was beheaded when a Krakoa Gate he and Wolverine were trying to pass through was destroyed by a XENO strike team mid-teleport. One of Quire's next missions alongside Wolverine resulted in the Pale Girl taking control of Logan and using him to slaughter his teammates -- including Quire. Later, Quire joined Wolverine and Domino on a trip to Terra Verde, where they encountered the out of control teleflornics that had wiped out the population of the island. Quire was captured by the newly created plant/human hybrids and used as fertilizer for their plantlife -- with a sea of flowers and roots being pulled from Quire's corpse.
Quire's most recent death comes during one of his happiest moments in recent memory. While examining the bodies of the assassins who attacked Krakoa in X-Force #11, it's revealed that the soldiers have the ability to create miniature skinless versions of themselves from their own corpses. Described by Beast as their own "filthy version of a Russian nesting doll," the creatures soon spread across Krakoa and deal a solid amount of damage to a number of mutants. Cecilia Reyes is struck down before she can realize what's happening, and Sage is also apparently killed by one of the creatures. Elsewhere on Krakoa, unaware of the chaos taking place on the island, it's revealed that Quire has begun a sexual relationship with Phoebe of the Stepford Cuckoos.
But almost as soon as Phoebe leaves to rejoin her sisters -- noting that she just wants Quire to herself -- the Omega-level mutant is stabbed from behind by one of the creatures using the Cerebro Sword that Magneto made for Xavier after his resurrection. As Quire collapses to the ground, he asks the universe why he can't just be happy, just for a while. And while you can certainly feel for the young man, there are other moments that highlight why he's proven so killable recently. In Empyre: X-Men #3, Quire is among the psychic reinforcements who arrive on Genosha to battle the risen Marvel Zombies and the invading Cotati army.
But while the other psychics recognize the potential danger they're in and use the living Krakoan armor to protect themselves from their enemies, Quire just runs headlong into battle without any additional protection. No wonder he gets himself taken out constantly. So far, Quire hasn't been bitten by one of those zombies, but at this point it wouldn't be surprising if that's how he dies again. Quire is quickly becoming the Kenny of Krakoa, dying multiple times much like the South Park character, and seemingly incapable of avoiding similar fates no matter how many times he comes back to life.