Warning: Contains spoilers for Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #4!

The next chapter of Marvel Zombies has just been teased, as Dawn of Decay’s spine-chilling zombie outbreak has officially reached the mutant heroes of the X-Men. Though the latest iteration of the horror-tinged superhero series heavily featured Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers characters, the infection is spreading to other corners of the Marvel Universe, as it is revealed several iconic X-Men members have already succumbed to the plague.

Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #4 – written by Thomas Krajewski, with art by Jason Muhr – picks up after Groot and Hulk team-up to stop the epidemic, as they cure the infected Avengers before it’s too late. However, the outbreak has already spread to the zombified X-Men, depicted terrorizing Xavier’s School at the end of the issue.

Four key mutant heroes break down X-Mansion doors in the issue’s final moment, as the gross-out zombie virus claims new, powerful victims. Though a Dawn of Decay follow-up hasn’t been officially announced yet, a sequel involving the X-Men appears to be on the way.

“Dawn Of Decay: Officially Reaches Xavier’s School, As Marvel Teases A Mutant-Zombie Outbreak

Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #4 – Written By Thomas Krajewski; Art By Jason Muhr; Color By Rachelle Rosenberg; Lettering By VC’s Travis Lanham

After several major Avengers heroes like Thor, Captain Marvel, and Scarlet Witch have already had to contend with the gross plant-based zombie infection, the virus will now be corrupting some of the most powerful mutants of the Marvel Universe. As featured at the end of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #4, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, and Colossus have already undergone a monstrous transformation and are now trying to spread their sickening infection throughout Xavier’s School. In a brief yet frightening cliffhanger scene, Professor X hides out in Cerebro with a few young mutant students while the powerful zombified X-Men heroes attack.

When formidable mutant abilities mix with the zombie virus, there’s no telling just how destructive the plague’s next wave could become when it infects and takes over Marvel’s mutants.

With four iconic X-Men already down for the count and unleashed at the end of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay, a potential follow-up still has a few legendary mutant heroes on the board to combat the impending infection. Since they’re mentioned in the final moments of the limited series, it’s all but confirmed that Storm and Charles Xavier will play a pivotal role in the battle against the mutant zombies. When formidable mutant abilities mix with the zombie virus, there’s no telling just how destructive the plague’s next wave could become when it infects and takes over Marvel’s mutants.

Somebody Is Secretly Behind Marvel Zombies’ Latest Apocalypse-Threatening Disaster

Could An X-Men Villain Be Pulling The Strings?

As creepy The Last of Us-style zombie creatures continue to wreak havoc on the world, its origins are still a mystery to be unraveled at the end of the Dawn of Decay limited series. Though initially thought to be caused by a cosmic virus accidentally spread by Groot, it’s revealed that the zombie apocalypse was intentionally started by an unknown character with nefarious purposes. Back in Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #1, General Ross hands Captain America a leaky pen with poisoned ink that was the true cause of the latest outbreak.

At the end of the limited series, Steve Rogers’ Captain America claims that Ross could not have been the one to have started the outbreak and that the General must have actually been an imposter back in issue #1. With mutants now taking the spotlight at the same time, it seems that a shapeshifting X-Men villain like Mystique could be the culprit who secretly infected Captain America and kicked off the zombie apocalypse. Whether she’s working alone or with another character like Magneto, it should be interesting to see what the grand plan behind the zombie outbreak could be.

Storm Could Be The Marvel Universe’s Last Hope In This Zombie-Infested Alternate Continuity

Ororo Monroe’s Potential Pivotal Role In A Sequel, Explained

Even though Groot helped Bruce Banner find a cure for the botanical infection by the end of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay, the universe’s heroes must still find a way to spread this cure worldwide. They manage to stop the zombified Avengers by shocking them, but Bruce Banner says he can have an inhalable antidote ready to disperse soon. To get the antidote to as many of the infected as possible, they’ll need to harness the power of the X-Men’s greatest hero, Storm. However, the mutant leader could have her hands full with her fellow X-Men zombified and running rampant.

Since this iteration of Marvel Zombies focused on the Hulk and Groot representing both the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, respectively, Storm could round out their unexpected trio as a representative of the X-Men in the war against the creepy creatures. In Captain America’s teased plan, Storm’s Omega-level mutant abilities are the key to saving the entire world from the plant-based zombie virus, but Banner will have to deliver the antidote for the plan to be successful. Even though they’ve found the cure, Dawn of Decay’s story is far from over with the X-Mansion filled with zombified mutants.

An Undead X-Men Invasion is On the Horizon at the End of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay

The MCU-Inspired Comic Breaks New Ground with Zombified Mutant Heroes

Krajewski and Muhr’s series featured many of the same characters as the MCU and even remade popular movie moments with a zombified twist, like a new version of the Hulk and Thor fight or a virus-infected Captain Marvel recreating her entrance from the climax of Avengers: Endgame. Since the X-Men aren’t really in the MCU yet, it will be fun to see what versions of the mutants could be used for inspiration in a possible Dawn of Decay sequel. The brief scene at the end of the limited series could signify some X-Men: The Animated Series influence on the comics.

It would make sense for Marvel to continue this story, coinciding with the release of the upcoming Marvel Zombies streaming series.

No formal announcement of a sequel has been made yet after the release of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #4, but the cliffhanger ending perfectly sets up the X-Men Zombies story and leaves many unanswered questions. With the perpetrator behind the zombie outbreak still on the loose, and some powerful mutant heroes taken over by the infection, it would make sense for Marvel to continue this story, coinciding with the release of the upcoming Marvel Zombies streaming series. Though Groot and Hulk’s initial Marvel Zombies team-up was a great time, it’s time for the zombified X-Men to officially take over.

Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.