I haven't been a serial fan of the X-Men, but hasn't Darkness and Death been their bread and butter since, well, at least Claremont? I'm not disagreeing, the story of the mutants NEEDS hope because it is pretty much comic's longest running metaphors for racial/sexual acceptance (whether they have actually succeeded is something entirely different). Considering how many genocides and such that mutants have gone through, one would hope that Hope is the enduring message. Nothing makes hope burn the brighter than conflict, and that's something the X-books have always provided...especially considering how many cosmic threats they've faced.
Side point: I've always wondered why X-Men seem to be the most cosmic of the Marvel heroes, on par with the Fantastic Four. It just seems like a strange idea, when really I think it should focus more on the more domestic...because they already have enough on their plates.