Magneto (alias Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, born Max Eisenhardt) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963), and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. A powerful mutant with the ability to generate and control magnetism, Magneto has been the X-Men's most prominent enemy ever since his first appearance. In his early appearances, his motives were bent on megalomania, but writers have since fleshed out his character and origin, revealing him to be a Jewish Holocaust survivor whose actions are driven by the purpose of protecting the mutant race from suffering a similar fate. His role in comics have varied from supervillain to anti-hero to even hero. Ian McKellen portrayed Magneto throughout the entire X-Men film series. Magneto was ranked number 17 on Wizard Magazine's Top 100 Greatest Villains Ever list.
Fictional character biography
Born Max Eisenhardt in Germany in late 1925 or 1926, Magneto and his family are persecuted for being Jewish, and are shot by the Nazis and buried in a mass grave. Eisenhardt manages to survive, only to be captured and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where he eventually becomes a Sonderkommando. While in Auschwitz, Eisenhardt reunites with a Roma girl named Magda, with whom he had fallen in love and with whom he escapes the prison camp during the October 7th 1944 Sonderkommando revolt. At some point afterward he begins using the alias "Magnus". He and Magda marry several years later and a daughter, Anya, is born. After moving his family to the Soviet city of Vinnitsa, Magnus' daughter Anya is killed in a fire, while a mob of people prevents him from rescuing her. Enraged, the young Magneto's powers manifest uncontrollably, killing the mob and destroying a part of Vinnitsa. Magda is terrified and she flees, discovering months later she is pregnant again. Magda will give birth to the mutant twins Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Shortly after Magda's disappearance, Magnus is hunted for the deaths in Vinnitsa, while attempting to search for his former wife, thus forcing him to pay a renowned forger, Georg Odekirk, to create the cover identity of "Erik Lehnsherr the Sinte gypsy" for him.
Magnus meets Charles Xavier while working at a psychiatric hospital near Haifa, Israel. There, lengthy debates are held by the two regarding the consequences humanity faces with the rise of mutants, though neither reveals to the other that they both in fact possess mutant powers. However, they are forced to reveal their inherent abilities to one another, while facing Baron Von Strucker and HYDRA. Following the battle, Magneto leaves, realizing that his and Xavier's views are incompatible, with a cache of hidden Nazi gold, which provides initial financing for his various enterprises.
Rise of Magneto
Magneto and Xavier would eventually part ways because of the differences in their beliefs on how to help mutants. Art by Carlos Pacheco.
Magneto's experience in the Auschwitz concentration camp shapes his outlook on the situation that mutants face in the world. Determined to keep such atrocities from ever being committed against mutant-kind, he is willing to use deadly force to protect mutants. He believes that mutants ("Homo superior") will become the dominant life form on the planet. However, he constantly wavers between wanting peaceful existence with Homo sapiens and wanting to enforce his superiority over all humanity.
Magneto's first villainous act is to attack a United States military base called Cape Citadel. He is thwarted by Charles Xavier's mutant students, the X-Men. After forming the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Magneto briefly conquers the fictional South American nation of San Marco in the hopes of establishing a mutant homeland there, but is once again foiled by the X-Men. He later creates Asteroid M, an orbital base of operations in an asteroid he and his followers hollow out, but it is later destroyed in a battle with the X-Men. Magneto next attempted to recruit Namor into the Brotherhood. Next, the Blob joined the Brotherhood but quickly left. Magneto then sent Mastermind to make Unus the Unstoppable join the Brotherhood. In order for Unus to join he had to kill one of the X-men, which he failed to do. With the Brotherhood, he next battled Thor.
After several unsuccessful attempts at rallying more mutants to his cause, Magneto tries to force the allegiance of the Stranger. A powerful alien being, the Stranger encases Magneto in a special cocoon and spirits him away to another planet, the Stranger's laboratory world. Magneto's Brotherhood splinters, and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch desert him. Magneto escaped to Earth and battled the X-Men, but was then recaptured by the Stranger. Magneto remains on the Stranger's world for a long time. Magneto eventually escapes and makes his way back to Earth where he attempts to reenlist them to his cause. He created the brotherhood with the exception of Mastermind. He then captures the X-Men. Angel is the first to escape and goes to find the Avengers. Cyclops escapes next and fights Quicksilver until the Avengers arrive. Magneto then battled the Avengers and the X-Men. But his plans are foiled by his former minion Toad, who has grown tired of Magneto's cruel treatment.
Magneto then created the Savage Land Mutates. With the Savage Land Mutates, he clashed with the X-Men and Ka-Zar. With Namor, Magneto later attacked New York City. He later fought the Inhumans Royal Family. He later battled the Avengers once more.
Magneto later reorganized the Brotherhood, and fought Professor X and the Defenders. Using ancient and advanced alien technology he finds near the core of the earth, Magneto creates an artificial humanoid he names "Alpha the Ultimate Mutant." Alpha rebels against his creator and reduces Magneto to infancy. Magneto is then placed in the care of Xavier's former love interest, Professor Moira MacTaggert at Muir Island. At Muir Island, MacTaggert tinkers with the infant Magneto's genetic code in an attempt to prevent him from becoming "evil" in adulthood. However, her genetic tampering loses its effect when Magneto activates his powers again. Magneto is eventually restored to adulthood when he is found at Muir Island by the alien Shi'ar agent Erik the Red.
Magneto later gathered a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and with them battled Captain America. He then opposed Doctor Doom's conquest of Earth.
Magnus meets Charles Xavier while working at a psychiatric hospital near Haifa, Israel. There, lengthy debates are held by the two regarding the consequences humanity faces with the rise of mutants, though neither reveals to the other that they both in fact possess mutant powers. However, they are forced to reveal their inherent abilities to one another, while facing Baron Von Strucker and HYDRA. Following the battle, Magneto leaves, realizing that his and Xavier's views are incompatible, with a cache of hidden Nazi gold, which provides initial financing for his various enterprises.
Rise of Magneto
Magneto and Xavier would eventually part ways because of the differences in their beliefs on how to help mutants. Art by Carlos Pacheco.
Magneto's experience in the Auschwitz concentration camp shapes his outlook on the situation that mutants face in the world. Determined to keep such atrocities from ever being committed against mutant-kind, he is willing to use deadly force to protect mutants. He believes that mutants ("Homo superior") will become the dominant life form on the planet. However, he constantly wavers between wanting peaceful existence with Homo sapiens and wanting to enforce his superiority over all humanity.
Magneto's first villainous act is to attack a United States military base called Cape Citadel. He is thwarted by Charles Xavier's mutant students, the X-Men. After forming the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Magneto briefly conquers the fictional South American nation of San Marco in the hopes of establishing a mutant homeland there, but is once again foiled by the X-Men. He later creates Asteroid M, an orbital base of operations in an asteroid he and his followers hollow out, but it is later destroyed in a battle with the X-Men. Magneto next attempted to recruit Namor into the Brotherhood. Next, the Blob joined the Brotherhood but quickly left. Magneto then sent Mastermind to make Unus the Unstoppable join the Brotherhood. In order for Unus to join he had to kill one of the X-men, which he failed to do. With the Brotherhood, he next battled Thor.
After several unsuccessful attempts at rallying more mutants to his cause, Magneto tries to force the allegiance of the Stranger. A powerful alien being, the Stranger encases Magneto in a special cocoon and spirits him away to another planet, the Stranger's laboratory world. Magneto's Brotherhood splinters, and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch desert him. Magneto escaped to Earth and battled the X-Men, but was then recaptured by the Stranger. Magneto remains on the Stranger's world for a long time. Magneto eventually escapes and makes his way back to Earth where he attempts to reenlist them to his cause. He created the brotherhood with the exception of Mastermind. He then captures the X-Men. Angel is the first to escape and goes to find the Avengers. Cyclops escapes next and fights Quicksilver until the Avengers arrive. Magneto then battled the Avengers and the X-Men. But his plans are foiled by his former minion Toad, who has grown tired of Magneto's cruel treatment.
Magneto then created the Savage Land Mutates. With the Savage Land Mutates, he clashed with the X-Men and Ka-Zar. With Namor, Magneto later attacked New York City. He later fought the Inhumans Royal Family. He later battled the Avengers once more.
Magneto later reorganized the Brotherhood, and fought Professor X and the Defenders. Using ancient and advanced alien technology he finds near the core of the earth, Magneto creates an artificial humanoid he names "Alpha the Ultimate Mutant." Alpha rebels against his creator and reduces Magneto to infancy. Magneto is then placed in the care of Xavier's former love interest, Professor Moira MacTaggert at Muir Island. At Muir Island, MacTaggert tinkers with the infant Magneto's genetic code in an attempt to prevent him from becoming "evil" in adulthood. However, her genetic tampering loses its effect when Magneto activates his powers again. Magneto is eventually restored to adulthood when he is found at Muir Island by the alien Shi'ar agent Erik the Red.
Magneto later gathered a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and with them battled Captain America. He then opposed Doctor Doom's conquest of Earth.
Powers and abilities
Magneto has the ability to generate tremendously potent magnetic fields and to manipulate existing magnetic fields. He is thus able to levitate/control/move ferrous metals (iron, steel, etc.) and to achieve a wide range of other effects.
Because his personal magnetic field (i.e., the magnetic forces surrounding his own body) repels projectiles and absorbs energy attacks, Magneto is invulnerable to most harm when his personal field is active. His protective field has withstood forces as significant as the detonation of a nuclear warhead. He is also capable of personal levitation and sustained flight at high speeds, and can survive in the vacuum of deep space. He can also channel his magnetic powers through his own body so as to temporarily increase his strength, stamina, and agility to superhuman levels. Magneto has been depicted using his powers to levitate objects as heavy as a nuclear submarine; the maximum quantity of mass that he can levitate at one time is unknown.
Magneto is able to perceive the world around him as patterns of electromagnetic energy, and can perceive the electrical auras given off by living beings. He has demonstrated the ability to produce electricity as well as electromagnetic radiation. A few times Magneto has demonstrated the capacity to produce a wormhole, and to safely teleport himself and others by means of the wormhole. Magneto's ability to wield his powers effectively is dependent upon his physical condition; when severely injured, his body is unable to withstand the strain of generating strong magnetic fields.
Magneto has been consistently and frequently depicted as possessing the ability to resist all but the strongest or most unexpected telepathic attacks. During the Secret Wars Charles Xavier described Magneto as a latent telepath, and Magneto assisted Xavier in a joint act of telepathy. In his early appearances, Magneto was able to engage in astral projection.
Magneto is also a genius with competence in various fields of advanced science, especially in genetic manipulation, engineering, and other fields of technology. He has invented advanced weaponry, space stations, and intelligent superhuman lifeforms. Magneto is also a master strategist and has had extensive combat training, though he prefers to use his powers in combat situations.
Because his personal magnetic field (i.e., the magnetic forces surrounding his own body) repels projectiles and absorbs energy attacks, Magneto is invulnerable to most harm when his personal field is active. His protective field has withstood forces as significant as the detonation of a nuclear warhead. He is also capable of personal levitation and sustained flight at high speeds, and can survive in the vacuum of deep space. He can also channel his magnetic powers through his own body so as to temporarily increase his strength, stamina, and agility to superhuman levels. Magneto has been depicted using his powers to levitate objects as heavy as a nuclear submarine; the maximum quantity of mass that he can levitate at one time is unknown.
Magneto is able to perceive the world around him as patterns of electromagnetic energy, and can perceive the electrical auras given off by living beings. He has demonstrated the ability to produce electricity as well as electromagnetic radiation. A few times Magneto has demonstrated the capacity to produce a wormhole, and to safely teleport himself and others by means of the wormhole. Magneto's ability to wield his powers effectively is dependent upon his physical condition; when severely injured, his body is unable to withstand the strain of generating strong magnetic fields.
Magneto has been consistently and frequently depicted as possessing the ability to resist all but the strongest or most unexpected telepathic attacks. During the Secret Wars Charles Xavier described Magneto as a latent telepath, and Magneto assisted Xavier in a joint act of telepathy. In his early appearances, Magneto was able to engage in astral projection.
Magneto is also a genius with competence in various fields of advanced science, especially in genetic manipulation, engineering, and other fields of technology. He has invented advanced weaponry, space stations, and intelligent superhuman lifeforms. Magneto is also a master strategist and has had extensive combat training, though he prefers to use his powers in combat situations.
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