This week, Marvel Comics brought its epic X of Swords crossover event, the first such event of the post-House of X/Powers of X era, to a close in its final three chapters: X-Men #15, Excalibur #15, and X of Swords: Destruction #1 (read our review here). The climax to the event brought many ongoing narrative threads and themes from the X-Men line to a head and drew on some old X-Men lore, including some rooted in long out-of-print stories. If you want a better understanding of the X of Swords event’s ending, then we’re here to help you out, but you should know that SPOILERS for X-Men #15, Excalibur #15, and X of Swords: Destruction #1 follow.