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| “ | We were at a bar in Germany when he first mentioned his dream. I laughed at him. Was he sentimental or suicidal? Both earn an early grave. He did that smile of his, that annoying secret smile. ‘Magneto, any dream worth having is a dream worth dying for.’ We thought we’d perish before seeing the day when humanity accepted our people. Like Moses and the Promised Land, we would carry the dream, but never live it. | „ |
| ~ Magneto remembering Charles Xavier. |
Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, known more commonly as Magneto, is the main antagonist of the 1992-97 animated superhero television series X-Men and one of the titular main protagonists of its 2024 Disney+ sequel series X-Men ‘97.
He's a powerful mutant with the ability to control magnetic fields who's driven by his belief in mutant superiority and his desire to protect mutantkind from persecution by humans. Despite his antagonistic role as a violent extremist and revolutionary, there are moments where his motivations are portrayed with nuance, showcasing his tragic past as a Holocaust survivor and his genuine concern for mutantkind.
Following Professor Charles Xavier's departure, Magneto takes up the mantle of leader for the X-Men after it's revealed Charles left everything in his estate to Erik in his will.
He is voiced by the late David Hemblen in the original series. In its revival, he's voiced by Matthew Waterson.
Biography[]
Original Run[]
Throughout the series, Magneto's trajectory is marked by his evolving relationship with the X-Men and his complex motivations. Initially, he seeks to incite a war with humanity to ensure mutant safety but is thwarted by the X-Men. Despite this setback, he later becomes an uneasy ally of the X-Men, still holding respect for Professor Xavier.
In Season 2, Magneto and Xavier fall into a trap orchestrated by Mr. Sinister, losing their powers in the Savage Land. Xavier regains his ability to walk, but Magneto's fate takes a different turn when the X-Men rescue them, leading to his departure from the group.
Season 3 introduces Magneto's children, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, revealing his troubled past with their mother and his efforts for mutant freedom. Despite defeating the High Evolutionary, his children harbor negative feelings towards him.
During Season 4, Magneto creates Asteroid M as a haven for mutants but faces betrayal from Fabien Cortez. His plans to launch nuclear missiles are thwarted, and he reluctantly works with the X-Men to stop Apocalypse.
In the series finale, Magneto gathers an army to attack the world but ultimately saves Xavier upon learning of his impending death.
Revival[]
In the aftermath of Professor Xavier's death, Magneto unexpectedly inherits control of the X-Men and Xavier's school, ushering in a new era of leadership. As tensions between mutants and humans escalate, Magneto adopts a more diplomatic approach, advocating for coexistence while still facing opposition from anti-mutant forces. When confronted by the UN for his past actions, Magneto agrees to stand trial, only to be targeted by the FoH during proceedings. Despite the chaos, Magneto emerges as a symbol of unity, eventually securing a pardon and paving the way for Genosha's integration into the international community.
It was revealed that when Rogue first joined the Brotherhood of Mutants, she and Magneto started a romantic relationship, which was able to become physical since his control over magnetic fields was able to nullify her constant absorption powers. Upon his inheritance of Xavier's dream, Rogue confronts him, believing his sudden pacifist turn is merely a facade to "win" her back; Magneto admits that it is a factor, but claims his main goal is truly to respect Xavier's expectations and dream for mutant and human unity.
However, Magneto's newfound stability is short-lived as sinister forces emerge, including the creation of a clone of Jean Grey by the villainous Mister Sinister. The clone, manipulated into becoming the Goblin Queen, threatens the X-Men and their infant son, Nathan. Amidst the turmoil, Magneto grapples with personal revelations, including Rogue's past connection to him and his conflicted feelings towards Gambit.
As the X-Men face new challenges and betrayals, including an attack on Genosha and the resurgence of old enemies, Magneto must navigate treacherous waters to protect mutantkind and secure a future of peace.
Before the gala on Genosha - a celebration with mutants and representatives of humanity from the UN - Magneto asks Rogue to be his proverbial queen in leadership of Genosha; Rogue is reluctant because of her love for and relationship with Gambit, however, she concedes that she will consider it. At the gala, Magneto and Rogue have an intimate dance. The merriment is interrupted, however, by an attack by a massive new machine, the Tri-Sentinel. Magneto tries to protect every mutant he can, but appears to perish from the monstrous Sentinel's energy blast.
Magneto survived, however, most didn't know this fact, since Bastion had arranged for him to be kidnapped under the chaos. Magneto is held prisoner in one of Bastion's factories, where he is tortured for information; while Magneto doesn't break, Bastion continues the torture nonetheless out of his hatred for mutants. A representative from the UN, Valerie Cooper, had appeared to be an ally to mutantkind, however, she was actually a co-conspirator in Bastion's Operation: Zero Tolerance; despite this, after the attempted genocide on Genosha, Valerie had come to immensely regret her fear of mutants and felt guilt for the attack. Valerie deactivates the power nullification, thus allowing Magneto to escape.
Magneto flew to the North Pole, where he generated a planetary electromagnetic pulse, which shutdown everything electrical, unless it was specially shielded; most technology wasn't shielded, however, thus sending humanity back to the dark ages, as well as freezing Bastion's legions of human-Sentinels. After Genosha's destruction, Magneto abandoned Xavier's peaceful methods, and once again aimed to wage war against humanity, planning to force humans beneath mutants.
While returning to his violent methods, Magneto did develop affection and respect for the X-Men he had lead, thereby took Asteroid M to X-Manor in an attempt to recruit them. Dr. Charles Xavier, revealed to be alive, had returned to Earth from the Shi'ar Empire, and he attempts to reason with Magneto, however, the latter cites the latest events of human-Sentinels and the Genosha assault as proof that humanity will never overcome their inherent bigotry, thus only mutant supremacy will end the persecution. While most of the X-Men refuse to side with Magneto, the recent addition and Jubilee's boyfriend, Roberto da Costa, joins out of resentment about his own mother surrendering him to human-Sentinels, and Rogue joins due to her heartbreak and grief because of Gambit's death in the Genosha attack. Before leaving, Magneto offers an ultimatum to the remaining X-Men: simply do nothing as he completes his work, or defy him and face the consequences.
Magneto takes Asteroid M into orbit, in preparation for his next retaliation against humans, as well as defense against the X-Men, as in spite of his threat, he does expect them to try to stop him.fter Magneto dons his old costume and helmet again, he raises Asteroid M out of the ocean and visits the X-Men declaring they join him to migrate away from the dying earth as well as scolding the recently returned Professor X for how his dream was shortsighted following what happened on Genosha and witnessing Leech's death after promising him that there is no need to fear. He is joined by Sunspot and Rogue who leave with him to Asteroid M. The X-Men's blue team comprised of Professor X, Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Jubilee fly to Asteroid M demanding Magneto reverses the damage he did to earth. During the skirmish, Charles grabs a hold of Magneto's mind to reverse his damage after Logan removes his helmet but is interrupted by Cyclops who uses his optic blasts on Xavier explaining that gold team needs more time to shut down Bastion's control of the sentinels. In rage Magneto subdues everyone on the ship calling Charles a traitor to mutant kind before he is impaled in the back by Wolverine. Enraged Magneto rips the adamantium out of Wolverine's skeleton severely injuring him but gives Charles the upper hand to grab hold of him and undo the damage to earth. The deed fractures Magneto's mind, requiring Xavier to guide him back.
President Kelly initiates the Magneto Protocols firing a barrage of missiles towards Asteroid M which is a failure as it leads to the asteroid losing it's gravitation and thus hurdling towards earth. After Magneto regains consciousness he helps stop Asteroid M from crashing into earth when somehow the entire asteroid and the X-Men are time-displaced into two different time periods. Magneto, Professor X, Beast, Rogue and Nightcrawler are transported to Egypt in 3000BC where they meet a man named En Sabah Nur.
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