Marvel has revealed Magneto's new place in the X-Men franchise, having retired him as the franchise's main villain for a more complex role. However, while he may not be fighting the mutant heroes any longer, he's still playing a vital part in the fate of all mutantkind.
Marvel retired Magneto as a villain around 2009, when - following the events of House of M - he admitted his philosophy of mutant supremacy had been flawed, and acknowledged that Cyclops had become the mutant leader he should have been. Since then, Magneto has been a reliable ally to the X-Men, often following Cyclops' orders as a member of the team.
Now, as a new villain steps into his shoes as the X-Men's greatest threat, Magneto has a specific new role outside of just being the team's elder, antihero mentor.
In a recent interview with AIPT, X-Men writer Jed Mackay shared new information and preview/cover art (below) about the upcoming DNX crossover. The event will see the villainous Chairman attempting to create a virus that turns humans into mutants, with Magneto acting as a "genetic prophet" who will decide mutantkind's fate.
Since the franchise's 2024 reboot, Magneto has been suffering from a mysterious disease that is limiting his magnetic powers. Recently, he discovered it wasn't a natural illness, but an attack on him projected back from the future. Now, it turns out that this disease holds the key to the Chairman's plan, leading him to capture Magneto to get it, as revealed in solicit information for the upcoming X-Men #36 and #38.
DNX PROLOGUE! 3K works toward a viable build of the X-Virus, brought back from the Age of Revelation. Until now they have been frustrated - but when the Chairman realizes that the missing piece of the puzzle lies within Magneto, 3K moves on the X-Men's home base in Alaska.
DNX TIE-IN! Terrorist, warrior, father, teacher, killer. Magneto has been all of these things. Now he unconsciously assumes a new role: genetic prophet, with a message from the future written in his very blood. But will that message spell deliverance…or doom?
Fascinatingly, X-Men #38's summary describes Magneto as a "genetic prophet," with his blood deciding whether the Chariman's plan will come to fruition. What's more, fans will be happy to hear that even after this role, Magneto won't be returning to villainy.
During the Krakoan Era, Magneto died and was reborn, confronting his legacy of both heroism and evil. He swore off the idea of mutant supremacy, deciding instead to fight on behalf of all oppressed people against the systems of power that disenfranchise and kill them. It was an epic journey, and fans were saddened to see it seemingly abandoned following the 2024 revamp.
However, McKay reveals that Magneto's new mission isn't so much forgotten as deferred, telling AIPT:
I think the work Al Ewing did with Magneto is extremely interesting, and we’ve touched on it a bit - that Magneto has transcended the limitations of his initial philosophy of gene war and instead looks at disassembling structures of oppression, regardless of who the oppressed are. Of course, before he can get back to any such pursuits, he has a great deal of difficulty ahead of him first.
However long Magneto's "genetic prophet" role lasts, it's good news for fans that there are plans to explore the character's radical new philosophy as an ongoing hero afterwards.
Of course, while Magneto isn't X-Men's big bad anymore, the franchise still needs a supreme villain. That role has been filled by the Chairman of 3K, aka Hank McCoy, the former Beast and founding member of the X-Men.
Corrupted by power during the Krakoan Era, Beast has taken up the baton of Magneto's supremacist rhetoric, and is trying to make humanity extinct so mutants can take over the world. It's appropriate that he can only do so by stealing Magneto's blood - a grisly passing of the torch from X-Men's original mega-villain to the former hero who's taken the crown.
X-Men #38 is coming September 23 from Marvel Comics.
