Magneto makes an unexpected gesture that changes the perception of the rest of the heroes

There are bad guys who never stop chasing their heroes, and then it is MagnetoSuch an iconic figure that his shadow always looms on X-Men. For decades it was the eternal antagonist, the relentless leader of the brotherhood of mutants who defended the genetic superiority over humanity. But in recent years, comics have played with an idea that seemed unthinkable in their first appearances: what if Erik Lehnsherr was no longer the enemy, but someone willing to demonstrate compassion?

An unexpected turning point

That dramatic turning point has just crystallized in anthology X-Men: tooth and clawwhere the story entitled “In dreams”Written by Alex Paknadel and illustrated by Neves Diogenes, he shows us an unrecognizable magnet, physically fragile but immense in his humanity. A villain turned into a hero, even without powers.

The plot is located in Merle, AlaskaA small town that acts as a base for the current mutant equipment, installed in an old sentinel factory. There, the neighbors challenge this group composed of unusual figures in heroic ranks, such as Juggernaut or Kid OmegaBoth with a past of crime and violence. However, it is nobody who steals the importance, but magnet, he weakened after the events of The fall of the house of X.

His cloned body suffers from degenerative disease and no longer dominates magnetism as before. The master of magnetism needs a wheelchair Move, which forces him to face life from an unprecedented vulnerability in it. In one of his visits to the local synagogue, an accident puts him in front of a crossroads that tests the little that remains of his strength … and how much his vision of the world has changed.

An accident that changes everything

On the cold frozen road, a car loses control and hits it with Remile. The impact is not serious for him, but soon he discovers that the vehicle collided and burns in the flames. Inside there is an unconscious driver and, on the rear seat, An trapped girl This starts screaming desperately.

In his best times, Magneto would have used his power to disassemble the piece by piece, releasing the baby in a few seconds. But that magnet no longer exists. The disease reduced its ability and what had been previously resolved with a simple hand gesture, now requires something simpler and more human: value.

And so, Erik strips in the flames, reassures the girl with soft words and the guide to free the belt. So, with a titanic effort for your weakened body, he manages to pull him out of there and put him safe.

A bad guy who is no longer

The gesture is not lower. For years, the master of magnetism despised humansConvinced not to deserve their compassion. For him, only the mutants represented the future of the earth. This now risks life for a human girl is an unequivocal proof of her transformation.

The most powerful thing about this scene is that it does not depend on the great powers of its powers, but on an act of pure humanity. The ancient enemy of the X-Men shows that being a hero has nothing to do with powers, but with decisions.

Erik Lehnsherr in the history of comics

Magneto’s path has always been complex. Unlike other bad guys, Erik Lehnsherr was modeled by the horror of the Holocaust, which led him to justify extreme methods to protect his own. That duality, between victim and executioner, made it one of the most fascinating antagonists of Marvel.

Over the years he has been an enemy, ally and even official member of the X-Men. His relationship with Charles Xavier, a mix of friendship and ideological clash, is the basis of his narrative. What we see Tooth and claw It is not an improvised change, but the logical evolution of a character who has been oscillating between darkness and light.

A mirror for readers

The act of Magneto in “in Dreams” goes beyond an heroic scene. It is also a reminder The redemption is even possible for those who seemed condemned. That a man who once rejected human life as useless now saves a girl in danger, tells us the second opportunity and the ability to change.

At a time when superheroes are generally defined by their power, this comic teaches us that true size is in empathy and courage without expecting anything in return. Perhaps this is why Magneto, more than any other reformed villain, is at the moment the most human character of the X-Men.

Tooth and claw n. 1 It is already available in comic stores and clarifies that The character continues to evolve. What has begun as a story of hatred and power has become a story of fragility, compassion and heroism. The master of magnetism may no longer have the strength before, but his decision to save a human life shows that, sometimes, the real victory is not to defeat an enemy, but to save what you have never believed important.