After many long years of fighting, the mutants of Marvel finally have, not one, but two places to call home. The first is the sentient island of Krakoa and the other is the recently terraformed Mars, now called Arrako. These two homelands, while different in many ways, have provided hope to all mutants who no longer need to run, hide, or fight in order to survive.
Arakko and Krakoa are sister islands once part of a larger island called Okkara. It was located in the South Pacific and ruled by Apocalypse and his wife, Genesis. However, a thousand years before the modern age, it's attacked by a horde of daemons from a place called Amenth. In the horde’s possession was a twilight sword, which is used to split the island in half, thus creating the two nations readers see today.
Apocalypse, Genesis, and their Four Horsemen are able to stop the daemons from destroying the Earth by sealing them away on Arrako along with Genesis, her children, and the mutants of Okkara. This would only buy them time, so Apocalypse could stay behind and prepare the Earth for the daemon’s inevitable return.
After many struggles and conflicts, the two islands were allowed to become unified. Unfortunately, time had changed both inhabitants. While most Krakoans were able to resort to peaceful means, the Arrakii were deemed too aggressive and hostile to coexist with the rest of the mutants. So, Magneto proposed a plan to terraform Mars and relocate Arrako there. This plan worked and Mars became a hospitable planet for these mutants.
How could two mutant nations become different from one another if their goals were the same? The answer to this question lies within the history of each after they were separated. While Arakko was sealed away for many years, Krakoa remained a part of the earth, mourning for the loss of its other half. It's located within the South Pacific. In one story, Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos witness a crash on the island during World War II. Soon after they crashed on the island, Fury arranged for a peaceful leave in exchange for keeping Krakoa a secret.
The X-Men fought on the island before, and it took several tries to take it down. After Charles Xavier gave up co-existing alongside humans, he sought to create a nation for mutants. Seeking the help of Warrior and Cypher, they were able to make the island a paradise for mutants to be free from humanity's oppression. Beast even creates a pharmaceutical export for the nation that adds five years onto the average human lifespan. It's also able to cure human diseases of the mind. Many mutants whom fans have come to know and love can be found here.
While Krakoa's history as a mutant nation is new, the same cannot be said for Arakko. While Arakko was sealed away, its mutant inhabitants were at war with the Amenthi daemons. For over a thousand years, many were forced to breed with the daemons, thrown into prisons, and had to fight for a chance to survive. Their entire culture is built on violence and war. Only the strong were able to survive the harsh conditions.
Coexisting alongside mutants who did not share the same struggles was extremely problematic. The Arakki believe in fair fighting, honor, and welcoming new challenges. Their "savage" ways did not clash well with the Krakoans, which is why they were relocated to Mars. This is ideal for mutants who have only known war and violence. After the events of X-Men Red #1, readers learn that the Arakki also exhibit empathy and are not the savage warriors everyone makes them out to be.
Despite the views of each mutant and their respective cultures, both of these nations have provided a safe haven for mutants. Krakoa is a place where mutants no longer have to hide who they are.
In contrast, Arrako has become a place for mutants to rest and heal from the shared trauma they have been through. With the future of mutant-kind at stake, fans can count on seeing these two nations defended until the very end.