The 50 X: It's Magik Time

 

 

The 50 X

 

It's Magik Time

Welcome to my first post on the my favorite top 50 X-Men, in this countdown I will be presenting the X-Men I like. I will include a short bio on each member, my best and worst moment of the character as well as the reason for their place among the rankings. Finally their top ten moments in chronological order, for some characters this will exceed till at least 20. My rankings are positioned according to biased favoritism and has nothing to do with how much of great characters they are or the fact of how far they are willing to follow in Professor Xavier's dream of co-existence between Mutants and Humans. So enjoy number 50 of my countdown.

50. Magik (Illiyana Rasputin)

Alias: Illyana Rasputin 

First Appearance: Giant Size X-Men (May 1975)

Creators: Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum

Species: Mutant/Human/Demon

Powers: Teleportation and Sorcery

Team Affiliations: X-Men, New Mutants, Hellions, Phoenix Five 

Current Status: After absorbing and losing the power of Phoenix, she is on the run with the mutant fugitives and revolutionaries Cyclops, Emma Frost and Magneto. Unlike her contemporaries, she has not lost any control over her powers, in fact the Phoenix bonding has caused her powers to increase in level. She can be found in Brian Michael Bendis's Uncanny X-Men Vol 3.

Number: 50, I really like Magik and it was hard for me to decide where to place her. The early characterization put me off, she was depicted as a shallow and boy crazy teen girl. Her time in Limbo changed her age but it did not mean that she had lost her moral values, then why eradicate her Russian upbringing and not bring that style to the comics. Her latter confrontation brought her against Pixie, who I felt is a much better character hence somehow depicting Magiks own flaws. Still she became 50 from a 1000 or so X-Men. Mostly for her longevity and presence.  

Top 10 Big Moments

 10. Illyana becomes Magik

 

During an excursion at a mysterious island with the X-Men, Illyana would be enticed by the demon Belasco. He would try to corrupt her soul in order to bring back his lords; the elder gods. During this time the X-Men would fight Belasco in his realm; Limbo.-Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 Issue.160

Due to Limbo's crooked essence of time, there would be two sets of X-Men; the one in the present trying to rescue her and one's dead or trying to stay alive. Magik would age during this tenure and be corrupted under Belasco while tortured by his pet Sym. With an escape, Illyana would learn white magic from the stuck version of Storm and fighting from Cat (Kitty). Their attempt to siege Belasco's fort would fail causing her capture and further corruption. Eventually Belasco would get close but Illyana producing her soul-sword (giving her demonic powers and appearance) would take over Limbo. -Storm and Illyana: Magik

Eventually the present X-Men searching for her would pull her through, she would have aged 10 years with no time having passed on Earth at all.-Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 Issue.160

9. New Mutant

 

Due to her aging, she would be able to join the X-Men in training; New Mutants, and also develop her friendship with Kitty from beforehand and the Limbo realm. She would go on numerous adventures with the young X-Men team.-New Mutants Vol.1 Issue.18-70

8. Inferno

 

 

Then came the Inferno, a complicated and first time X-Over (X-Men teams crossover), where a demon invasion took the might of the New Mutants, X-Men and X-Factor to repel. With the New Mutants, Illyana was front and center. Her powers were slowly growing erratic and the soul-sword kept on corrupting her body, gifting her with an enchanted but deadly armor. She eventually focuse herself and went on to defeat the demon Sym but in the process a time shift allowed her teammates to save the young uncorrupted Illyana. This Illyana still held Belasco's locket but her corruption went unfulfilled, though the New Mutants still remember their adventures with the older demonic version.-New Mutants Vol.1 Issue.71-73 (X-Men:Inferno)

7. The Legacy

 

 

 

Illyana would be free for months before her parents would be killed by the Russian operatives, in order to kidnap her and use her powers. She would be saved and would join Colossus at the school. Then unfortunately Illyana would contract the Legacy Virus. She would succumb to death, leaving Colossus broken and distant with the X-Men.-Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 Issue.303

She would remain in spirit, contacting Wolverine after Magneto pulled the adamantium out of his bones (yes! that happened) to save Jean Grey, while convincing Colossus to become the vessel for rescuing others from the Legacy virus by sacrificing himself.-Wolverine Vol.1 Issue.75 and Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 Issue.365  

6. Broken Soul

 

 

 

Belasco would return and usurp the realm of Limbo, once again becoming its master. His liking towards Illyana would help him create the half-demon form of Illyana known as the Darkchilde. He wasn't satisfied and banished her to outer Limbo. After this Illyana would come into contact with junior X-Men in training. She would bring magical powers for Pixie and try to corrupt her like she was to fill the same necklace Belasco gave her. Turning full Darkchilde, Illyana planned to ascend to god hood before being prevented by her brother (who was alive) Colossus and Kitty.-New X-Men Vol.2 Issue.40-41

5. Vengeance and Infernus

 

 

 

Illyana tel-porting to witness Xavier school destroyed, believed her hatred to give her strength. She would seek revenge on the demons that wronged her and ire the wrath of Marvel's demonic collectivity. Her path would lead to collision with Belascos daughter Witchfire.-X-Infernus Issue.1-4

4. Reunited

 

 

 

She would then go on to be reunited with her New Mutants team mates. The ordeal after X-Infernus changed her and she became more distant. She had alot of adventures eventually resulting in her face off against the elder gods and freeing of her and Pixie's souls. She confessed her time with the X-Men at this point was to get her revenge at the gods, to which Cyclops detained her.-New Mutants Vol.3 Complete

3. Extinction

Her imprisonment would be cancelled when she helped save Kitty and Colossus from a hammer powered Juggernaut.-Uncanny X-Men Vol.1 Issue.540  

During the schism events, she would join Cyclops extinction team. She would then eventually collide with the Avengers.-Uncanny X-Men Vol.2 Complete 

   

2. Phoenix Magik vs. The Avengers (and her Brother)

 

 

Avengers vs. X-Men would forever change her. She would be one of the five to gain powers of the Phoenix. Like the other four, her power would be used for good until it changed into a corrupt force. She would severe ties with Colossus (also under Phoenix), when both would reveal their inner hatred for each other. She would in the end become a fugitive.-Avenger vs. X-Men event

  

1. Magik is Might

 

 

Currently she is part of the new mutant revolution. She serves as tel-porter for the fugitive extinction team under Cyclops. Unlike her other veteran team-mates whose powers were broken after the Phoenix events, Magik's powers have been enhanced-Uncanny X-Men Vol.3 ongoing

Next time: Longshot, the man with the Mojo! 

Got it Bub!

Aneesh Raikundalia