The storyline focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.

Based on the mathematical comparisons of the oft-repeated 198 and several million, Marvel re-evaluated the 90% figure into "over 99%", as shown in Civil War: Battle Damage Report when Iron Man comments on the Post-CW world.

Additionally, characters such as Namor and the Great Lakes Avengers, who are described as mutants but not particularly tied to the X-Men series of books, have not been affected by the event.

Wizard magazine published a speculative list of supposedly decimated characters, which Marvel Comics dismissed as including a number of mutants who still have their powers.

The reanimated army appeared in the "Necrosha" story arc, consisting of thousands of inhabitants of Genosha, as well a number of notable deceased mutants associated with the X-Men.