Contains possible spoilers for X-Men (2024) #4!As part of theX-Menfranchise’s new era,Magnetohas received a fresh redesign, but his latest look isn’t just a change in fashion, it’s now a bleak portent of a threat that could be coming for all mutantkind. It’s also a new evolution for Magneto himself, as his changing circumstances have him confront not just physical frailty, but seeing the world potentially move on without him.
The preview for the upcomingX-Men#4 – written by Jed MacKay, with art by Netho Diaz – features the revelation, coming from resident scientist Beast, thatwhatever has put Magneto in a wheelchair and physically weakened him has the potential to effect everyone on the X-Men.
Magneto has been wheelchair-bound since the beginning of the series, but it’s been unclear why. Beast describes the X-Men as “time bombs” in the preview, meaning that whatever happened to Magneto is likely dangerous or uncontrollable.
Magneto’s Mystery Condition Holds Clues To A Threat To All The X-Men
X-Men#4 – Written By Jed MacKay; Art By Ryan Stegman; Ink By Sean Parsons; Color By Marte Gracia; Lettering By Clayton Cowles
This likely ties into one of the central mysteries of the book so far,the fact that random adults are spontaneously gaining mutant powers.X-Men#1 and #2both involve surprise adult manifestations, while the first issue featured a secretive shadowy council funding the remnants ofanti-mutant coalition ORCHIS, whose conversation suggested that they’re at least partially behind this. If this mystery council can potentially create mutant powers, then maybe they can also alter existing powers like Magnetos – and, as the team fears,the rest of the X-Men’s.
“Mutants Need Heroes”: Magneto’s Daughter Polaris Just Replaced Him in X-Men Lore
Magneto started his Marvel Comics career as an X-Men villain, and it seems his daughter, Polaris, is going to follow in his footsteps and replace him.
Another question is the scale of this problem. Whether Magneto is “patient zero” for some kind of new anti-mutant disease, or one of many afflicted, remains unknow. The X-Men may only be affected because of their exposure to Magneto, or something that contaminated their whole team, or this might be way bigger than them. If there is some force seeking to sabotage mutant powers, then their goals are likely a lot larger in scope. The end goal might be to artificially make mutants, or it might be to control the entire population through their DNA.
Magneto Is Having Trouble Adjusting To His Role As Professor X’s Replacement
X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic#13 – Written By Alex Paknadel; Art By Diogenes Neves; Color By Arthur Hesli; Lettering By Clayton Cowles
In practical terms, what this does for Magneto is make him even more of an obviousparallel to Professor Xthan ever. It’s Magneto who stays at base, bound to a wheelchair, as the team go out into the field. Like Xavier, he’s also watching other mutants step up to be his ideological successors,including his teammates Cyclopsand Temper, leaving him feeling somewhat redundant and outdated.What’s interesting is how Magneto deals with his condition in concert with his new role in mutant politicsor, more accurately, how he’s failing to deal with it so far.
Magneto’s mystery condition is clearly step one toward a new emotional arc for the character, and how he deals with it, even as it now threatens the rest of the X-Men.
The recentX-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic#13 shows thatMagneto’s powers either aren’t workingor he’s deliberately not using them.The issue has Magneto refusing to admit that the next generation might not need him as the figurehead he once was. For a character who’s been de-aged multiple times, the character is now grappling with aging.Magneto’smystery condition is clearly step one toward a new emotional arc for the character, and how he deals with it, even as it now threatens the rest of theX-Men, will determine exactly what becomes ofthe former Master of Magnetism.
X-Men#4will be available July 17, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
