For the first time in X-Men lore, Charles Xavier’s daughter, Xandra, will meet her mother, the former Shi’ar Empress Lilandra. The stage is set for an interstellar family reunion, which will force Xavier to reclaim his status as a Marvel hero, as he and his family navigate the precarious power struggle overcoming the wider Marvel Universe.

Imperial War: Exiles #1, by the creative team of Steve Foxe and Francesco Manna, will introduce Lilandra to her daughter, who, in a sci-fi quirk of X-Men continuity, was conceived when Lilandra and Xavier were both dead.

Though Xavier quickly returned, it has taken nearly two decades for his wife to come back and finally meet Xandra.

After Over A Decade Of Being Dead In Marvel Lore, Xavier’s Wife Lilandra Will Meet Their Daughter For The First Time

Imperial War: Exiles #1, By The Creative Team Of Steve Foxe And Francesco Manna, Available September 2025 From Marvel Comics

Lilandra and Xavier’s “daughter” is, technically speaking, a clone created using both of their genetic material. Lilandra was killed off at the climax of the 2009 event series War of Kings, one of Marvel’s last significant forays into its interstellar landscape, up until the current Imperial series. Somewhat surprisingly, she was not used for fifteen years after that.

Now, X-Men has finally resurrected Lilandra, sending her into space with Xavier, who has fallen from grace in franchise lore, becoming a borderline villain. Imperial War: Exiles, a one-shot spinning off of the main Imperial series, is a chance for Xavier to kickstart his redemption, but that will hinge on what Lilandra and Xandra’s first meeting is like.

Up until her death, Lilandra was the Majestrix, or Empress, of the Shi’ar, one of the most powerful alien civilizations in the Marvel Universe. She is a powerful, strong-willed character. Her return to the contemporary Marvel cosmic fold should have huge implications, but what those are will be grounded in her relationship with her daughter.

Charles Xavier’s Wife And Daughter Have A Chance To Assert Themselves As Part Of The X-Men Franchise

If They Don’t Turn On Each Other In A Shi’ar Civil War

Xandra succeeded her mother as the Shi’ar’s ruler, up until the events of Imperial, in which a coup displaced her from power. Now, Xandra is on the run, and it will seemingly be up to Xavier and Lilandra to save their daughter, and, presumably, help her retake the thrown from the usurpers.

That said, the return of the previous Majestrix suggests the potential for a different kind of succession crisis entirely, possibly precipitating a Shi’ar Civil War. Alternatively, Xandra could cede power back to her mother, freeing her up to join the X-Men, or forge her own heroic path. In any case, Lilandra and Xandra both being active in Marvel lore opens up many possibilities.

For many years, Lilandra played a secondary role in Marvel Comics, and her daughter has similarly been consigned to the background for much of her history. Now, both of them have an opportunity to take on a more prominent role in the X-Men franchise, and the Marvel Universe in general, but first, they have to co-exist first.

Imperial War: Exiles #1 will be available September 3, 2025 from Marvel Comics.

Movie(s)

X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

First Film

X-Men (2000)

TV Show(s)

X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men ’97 (2024)

Video Game(s)

X-Men: Children of the Atom (1994), Marvel Super Heroes (1995), X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom (1998), X-Men: Mutant Academy (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 (2001), X-Men: Next Dimension (2002), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), X-Men Legends (2005), X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse (2005), X2: Wolverine’s Revenge (2003), X-Men (1993), X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995), X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse (1994)

Character(s)

Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23

Comic Release Date

213035,212968