Magneto (Earth-1610)
Magneto, born Erik Magnus Lensherr, is a mutant and the founder of the Brotherhood of Mutants. He has inherent control over metal and magnetism, able to move and bend metal with the slightest thought. He considers mutants to be "homo superior," the evolutionary betters of homo sapiens. He is constantly at odds with former associate Charles Xavier and his X-Men. Despite their differences, Magneto has a great respect for Xavier's powers.
Biography
Magneto was close associates with Charles Xavier, another mutant, and the two formed a sanctuary in the Savage Land for mutant refugees. But the two diverged philosophically, as Xavier did not agree with Magneto's homo-superior viewpoint. Magneto crippled Xavier and cast him out, remaining in the Savage Land to form the Brotherhood with Toad and Magneto's adopted children, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. In early 2001, he also recruited Wolverine, whom he sent to assassinate Xavier after the latter resurfaced in North America as the leader of the X-Men.[1] Unbeknownst to Wolverine, Magneto set up a trap for him at the airport when he arrived in New York, anonymously notifying government forces of his arrival. He believed the plan had a greater chance of success if Xavier sought Wolverine out rather than the other way around, recognizing the former's extraordinary intelligence. Magneto's scheme went exactly as planned, as Wolverine was taken into custody but freed by the X-Men and taken back to their homebase.[2] Magneto then arranged a kidnapping of the president's daughter, holding her captive in Croatia. He declared to the world that she would die if one more mutant was killed by a Sentinel. The X-Men, including Wolverine, arrived in Croatia and rescued her; Magneto confronted Cyclops, making him question the act of saving a human and putting mutant lives at risk. These words, along with other complicating factors in Cyclops' life, convinced him, as he flew to the Savage Land and joined the Brotherhood at Magneto's behest.[3][4]
Cyclops' defection proved an ill omen however. The presence of his jet allowed the U.S. government to track the location of the Savage Land for the first time, and they ordered a Sentinel invasion intended to wipe out the entirety of its mutant population. A large number of mutants were killed, but as soon as Magneto learned of the attack, he effortlessly disassembled the Sentinels with his magnetic powers. He reprogrammed and reassembled them, altering them such that they would target humans instead of mutants, and sending them back to Washington, D.C. where they came from.[5] Magneto spearheaded the invasion himself, and was confronted by his old friend Charles Xavier. Magneto's protective helmet prevented Xavier from penetrating his mind, but this advantage was neutralized by a pair of unexpected sources. Wolverine, who had become committed to the X-Men through his budding relationship with Marvel Girl, literally stabbed Magneto in the back. A horribly injured Magneto nonetheless fought him off, and the X-Men soon realized that they needed to remove his helmet but couldn't safely get close enough to do so. Magneto's second betrayer was his son, Quicksilver, who had grown tired of his father's disregard. He stole his helmet in the blink of an eye, allowing Xavier to torture Magneto's mind from within. The X-Men leader telekinetically lifted Magneto into the air, ratcheting his magnetism to his maximum power and seemingly crushing him to death between destroyed Sentinels and other discarded hunks of metal.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ Ultimate X-Men #1: "The Tomorrow People." (February 2001) Millar, Mark (w), Kubert, Adam (p), Thibert, Art (i), Isanove, Richard (col), Starkings, Richard and Wes Abbott (let), Powers, Mark and Pete Franco (ed).
- ↑ Ultimate X-Men #2: "The Enemy Within." (March 2001) Millar, Mark (w), Kubert, Adam (p), Thibert, Art (i), Isanove, Richard (col), Starkings, Richard and Wes Abbott (let), Powers, Mark and Pete Franco (ed).
- ↑ Ultimate X-Men #3: "Warzone." (April 2001) Millar, Mark (w), Kubert, Adam (p), Thibert, Art (i), Isanove, Richard (col), Starkings, Richard and Wes Abbott (let), Powers, Mark and Pete Franco (ed).
- ↑ Ultimate X-Men #4: "Betrayal." (May 2001) Millar, Mark (w), Kubert, Adam (p), Thibert, Art (i), Isanove, Richard (col), Starkings, Richard and Wes Abbott (let), Powers, Mark and Pete Franco (ed).
- ↑ Ultimate X-Men #5: "Killing Fields." (June 2001) Millar, Mark (w), Kubert, Adam (p), Thibert, Art (i), Isanove, Richard (col), Starkings, Richard and Wes Abbott (let), Powers, Mark and Pete Franco (ed).
- ↑ Ultimate X-Men #6: "Invasion." (July 2001) Millar, Mark (w), Kubert, Adam (p), Thibert, Art (i), Isanove, Richard (col), Starkings, Richard and Wes Abbott (let), Powers, Mark and Pete Franco (ed).