Magneto
From Marvel Movies
| Magneto | |
 | |
| Alias(es) | Erik Lehnsherr |
| Appeared in | X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Magneto |
| Actor | Ian McKellen |
Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, the man known as Magneto, is one of the world's most powerful mutants and the X-Men's most dangerous foe. His incredible ability to manipulate the earth's magnetic fields allows him to control all forms of metal by using his mind. Unlike Professor Xavier who dreams of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants, Magneto believes the only way he can protect his fellow mutants from persecution is by conquering the earth. Magneto has formed a Brotherhood of Mutants that he now leads in his quest for world domination for homo superior. The only ones that can stand in their way are the X-Men.
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Biography
X-Men Origins: Magneto
X-Men
At the start of the film, a preteen Magneto was separated from his parents by Nazi soldiers, and it was during this moment that his powers begin to manifest (twisting open a metal fence separating him and his parents). In the present time, Magneto attempts to mutate the world leaders with a high-tech machine, though he is unaware of its lethality (nor did he expect the machine to nearly kill him). Little did he know that the machine would cause humans to be killed by losing their molecular structure (as seen in Senator Robert Kelly). Even when warned of the dangers of the machine by Jean Grey and Storm, Magneto does not believe them. The X-Men foil his plans and he is locked up in a plastic prison.
X2: X-Men United
In the second film, he escapes from prison with some help from Mystique (who had injected a suspension of iron particles into a security guard) and makes a temporary alliance with the X-Men to defeat William Stryker's plan to kill all the mutants. Stryker has captured Xavier and builds his own version of Cerebro at Alkali Lake. He uses his son Jason to make Xavier focus to kill all the mutants. Magneto foils this plan and instead has Xavier try to kill all the humans before leaving the location in a helicopter. The X-Men intervene in time and prevent Xavier from killing the humans.
X-Men: The Last Stand
In the third film, he has expanded the Brotherhood of Mutants and recruited many mutants to join. After learning that a major company has produced a cure for the mutant gene from a young mutant known as Leech, he and his Brotherhood attack the facility as the X-Men defend it. Wolverine and Beast work together and inject Magneto with the "cure," which strips him of his powers. In the final scene, he extends his hand toward a metal chess piece and is able to move it a tiny bit, suggesting that the cure may not be permanent and/or may not have rendered him completely powerless. At one point in the film, after Xavier's apparent demise, Magneto shows genuine grief over his foe's death, speaking severely to Pyro when the latter states that he would have killed Xavier himself had Magneto asked it of him ("Charles Xavier did more for mutants than you'll ever know. My single greatest regret is that he had to die for our dream to live.").
Remarks
Believed to be Polish in origin, during the subject's adolescence, he and his family were sent to the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz. Records show that at war's end, the subject was the only member of his family to survive. Following the war, Lehnsherr traveled through Europe before arriving in Israel where he met and befriended Charles Xavier. It is possible that Lehnsherr might have fathered as many as three children. Lehnsherr has been linked to and is believed to be directly responsible for the attacks on the the Statue of Liberty and Westchester Train Station. He is also linked to the destruction at Alkali Lake. The subject was captured and held in a specially created plastic prison by the Federal Government before escaping. His current whereabouts are unknown. The subject has demonstrated sophisticated knowledge in matters of genetic manipulation and engineering and has used radiation to mutate humans. He has very little interest in or value for non-mutant human life.
Relationships
Magneto's most trusted soldier, Mystique has a very close relationship as well as a deep history with the Brotherhood's leader.
Behind the scenes
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Trivia
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Images
 Playing chess with his old friend Professor X in X-Men (2000). |
 With Mystique In X2 (2003). |
 Making terrorist style threats in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). |
 Magneto as he appears in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). |
