WARNING: The following contains spoilers for New Mutants #20, on sale now
A number of veteran mutants have found themselves teaching the next generation of mutants, with some -- like Magik -- proving to be surprisingly skilled at it. But perhaps nobody has adjusted better to being an educator than James Proudstar -- aka Warpath.
The former X-Force member has found himself at peace with his new position, serving as a mentor to young mutants, training them to use their powers as well as being a friendly advisor. He's become the next potential Charles Xavier by bringing hope and purpose to young mutants across the world.
In New Mutants #20 by Vita Ayala, Alex Lins, Matt Milla and VC's Travis Lanham, Krakoa receives a warning that a young mutant has manifested her powers on the small island of Tristan da Cunha. This caused a massive seismic event on the island, and all other forms of assistance are at least a day away. Sage recommends Warpath and Magik lead a team of their students to the island to help rescue anyone injured in the event while also finding and recovering the young mutant. Quickly working to save lives, Warpath is able to save the young girl who began the entire event. Warpath offers the girl, named Abby, a place on Krakoa. But the locals, led by Abby's mother, are fiercely protective of their own and accuse the mutants of stealing children.
Listening to Lucy instead of letting the tensions of the humans and mutants escalate any further into an actual riot, Warpath instead returns the young girl to her mother. He then explains to the crowd of humans that they only arrived to help and that they went on the defensive because they're so used to humans attacking them. Warpath argues that Abby should stay with her people AND train with the mutants of Krakoa. To make this amiable for everyone involved, the New Mutants plant a Krakoa Gate on the island so mutants may visit them and train Abby at her own home. This way, everyone feels more comfortable about the matter. The New Mutants also get to work repairing the damage to the island, and offer Abby sanctuary if she ever needs it.
This earns the thanks of her mother and sets up the island to develop a better view of Krakoa and mutants as a whole. Considering how many pockets of humanity have become wary of the X-Men -- including many of their nominal allies within the hero community -- it's refreshing to see the New Mutants make peace with the humans rather than beat them down. Warpath's calm but strong demeanor makes him more than just the heir to Charles Xavier's dream of human/mutant coexistence, but proof that it can still work even in the times of Krakoa.
Warpath is increasingly growing his authority and importance on the island thanks to his stint as a teacher, suggesting that Xavier's ideal may still yet have hope of becoming a global reality. In many ways, Warpath is proof that even mutants who've resorted to violence in the past can become the very best teachers for a new generation -- and that there's still hope for a better world where humans and mutants actually work together for the common good.