20 Of Our Favorite X-Men Characters

Magik and Colossus (Image via Marvel)

12. Magik

Magik is often cursed with a straight up stupid costume. Why, comics artists, did you feel the need to dress a teenage girl in form-fitting armor? Can she maybe have a shirt that covers more than half of her torso, every once in awhile?

Silly clothing aside, Magik (Illyana Rasputin) is a formidable member of the team. She’s the younger sister of Piotr Rasputin, later to be known as the X-Man Colossus. Her first appearance is as a near-victim of a tractor accident, narrowly saved by her brother Piotr. Thereafter, the first eight years of her comics existence were thoroughly unremarkable. She was little more than a background character.

That all changed with Uncanny X-Men #160, published in August 1982. In that issue, Illyana is taken to Limbo, a strange dimension. She’s been abducted by Belasco, an ancient sorcerer who wishes to summon the Elder Ones. To achieve his goals, he needs to obtain bloodstones, which are created through corrupting young Illyana’s soul.

However, Illyana is rescued by Limbo’s version of Storm, a powerful but aged sorceress. Along with the dimension’s version of Kitty Pryde, Illyana prevails against Belasco. However, when she returns to her normal dimension, Illyana has aged ten years while no apparent time has passed on Earth.

Aside from her natural mutant ability to teleport, Magik is a master sorceress. She gains mystical armor the more she uses her powers. In addition, she wields an intense weapon, known as the Soulsword, created from her own soul. While it doesn’t necessarily have a physical effect, the Soulsword can be devastating against magic attacks.

Sometimes, it feels as if Magik’s backstory is one of the most egregiously tragic. Kidnapped by an evil sorceror? Sudden aging? The possibility of evil dwelling within her soul? The distance between Illyana and her teammates seems almost impossible to cross. And yet, she is at heart a compelling character. Seriously, go find yourself a copy of Uncanny X-Men #160 and tell me you weren’t bowled over.