Magneto... Villain or Hero? I used to watch the X-Men series when I was a little kid. Although I don't remember much about them, although I know that I sure did enjoy them. I've recently managed to get my hands on the old animated series of X-Men, as well as some old comic books, and am surprised at how in-depth and clever the storyline and characters are, even if they are intended for teens. I've also played both computer games, which seem far more faithful to the comics than the movies. Magneto strikes me as very complex character in the comic books, and the animated series (more so than in the movies). I always sympathized with Magneto and his ideals in X-Men 1 and 2 (In X-Men 3, Magneto was horribly out of character, IMHO), but he seems far more rational in the comics . What are other fans opinions on the matter? Is Magneto a villain, or a hero? Or is he more of a grey character, who engages in questionable acts for noble causes? Is extremism justified when it comes to revolutionary causes? Are pre-emptive strikes against a hostile majority ever justified? Should one co-exist with ones 'inferiors', rule over them, or be apart from them? I would be interested to hear from those who support Israel, as Magneto's reasoning is often quite similar to that of a Zionist. Not surprising, as he is a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust...
Magneto has been both villian and hero. The problem is even with his more noble cuases he partakes in actions that cannot be justified. A few of them aren't so horrific, but other like the experimentation with mutates are. Still with his level of power and abilities and a ton of work he could have had his dream of a mutant nation that existed seperate from the rest of the world. Instead he had to keep going the quick, easy, illegal, immoral, and unethical routes.
spurious: Must be why Magneto has teamed up with the X-Men on over a dozen occasions. Must be why Magneto has saved the lives of various X-Men on many occasions. Must be why Magneto wants a better future for the mutant race. He may be a villian to humankind, but he's a hero to the vast majority of mutants.
spurious: Not really. He's just delusional. But his intentions are noble. Mutant-human co-existance is a foolish dream.
You are not a hero just becuase of a few good deeds. Hell even his 'good deeds' came with a huge cost he could easily have avoided. Sorry his is a villian, a sympathetic villian like Bester from Babylon 5 but a villian none the less.
TW Scott: Not true. A number of 'heroes' are often villians who redeem themselves later on in the movie/series. The reason I pointed out that Magneto has helped the X-Men, and saved them on various occasions, is because... 1. It demonstrates that despite their difference in ideologies, Magneto still has great respect for the X-Men due to their mutant status. Ie. Magneto cares for all his mutant brothers. 2. It also demonstrates that Magneto is more concerned with the 'greater good' then petty rivalries, revenge, or personal power. The X-Men have foiled Magneto's plans time after time. However, if allying with the X-Men produces a net benefit to mutantkind, then Magneto will do so. He will put mutantkind's interests before his own. ??? One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Magneto is merely trying to protect his people from the same fate which he suffered as a child. The level of hatred shown towards mutants, the continuous restrictions of their rights, the violence, the inequality, is evidence that a genocide is coming. Magneto is justified in engaging in a pre-empitive strike against humanity. Co-existance between mutant and human is a foolish dream.
Magneto is what is termed as an "anti-hero". He and Xavier have some of the same lofty goals, and Magneto is protective of his peoples. Some of his holier-than-thou attitudes and unorthodox methods are uncharacteristic of a "hero" however, hence why he is always at loggerheads with the XMen. Magneto is also a proponent of the "greater good"; hence why he sometimes teams up with the XMen (eg to overcome Apocalypse)...his definition of the greater good is sometimes what qualifies him as the anti-hero.
I think this quote: "Some of the worst things imaginable have been done with the best of intentions" sums up the quandry of Magneto's position fairly well. He has good inentions, but he takes unethical means of meeting his ends.
Magneto is still the bomb anyways...he's my consistent team leader in Rise of Apocalypse (now playing it Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! )
"Magneto's reasoning is often quite similar to that of a Zionist" For an even better comparison, Magneto is Malcolm X
yeah, prof x is Martin Luther King jr. although the marvel comics have much more realistic storylines, you can tell that they just ripped off the human rights movement of the time. that is not really a bad thing, it makes them more interesting that superman beating up the same bad guys over and over.
Enterprise: I agree with this. While he is (IMHO) a good guy, he does not fit into the stereotypical mold of a 'hero'. Perhaps a more precise question to ask is whether Magneto is justified in his belief that the ends justify the means when it comes to the liberation of mutantkind. alain: Not really. Magneto reminds me of a Zionist for many reasons. 1. - Magneto believes that mutantkind is superior to humankind. - Zionists believe that Jews are superior to Goyim. 2. - Magneto believes that at the very least, mutants should have their own homeland, free of humankind. Even if this requires the ethnic cleansing of pre-existing inhabitants. - Zionists believe that Jews should have their own special homeland, free of non-Jews. Even if this involves the ethnic cleansing of pre-existing inhabitants. 3. - Magneto feels that due to rampant anti-mutant sentiment, he is justified in 'striking' first against a population which outnumbers and outguns them, before they have another chance to commit genocide against the Jewish people. - Zionists believe that due to rampant anti-semitism, they are justified in 'striking' first against hostile neighbours, before they have a chance to commit genocide. 4. - Magneto believes that the murder of civilians is justified, if it helps to liberate mutants, and protect them from persecution. - Zionists believe that the murder of civilians is justified, if it helps to defend their Jewish comrades in Israel, and all over the world.
