Erik Linisher aka Magneto. One of many, and probably this writer’s favorite marvel villain to have been imagined on the comic book page. When Stan Lee penned the X-Men title, he modeled Magneto’s motivations and philosophy off from Malcolm X; counter to Charles Xavier being modeled off Martin Luther King Jr. However, in the later years after Stan Lee left the book, Magneto has been more fleshed out and given more back-story that makes him one of the great villains possibly in literary canon. As his name implies, Magneto is the master of magnetism and I will be listing the top 10 uses of his abilities.
“But James!”
Yes, simple reader character I made up for this pointless and wasteful skit in means to prove my point?
“What more is there to Magneto’s powers other than levitating metal objects?”
Oh, your simple creature! I’m glad you asked that! Let’s begin with...
10. Electromagnetic Spectrum manipulation-
Magneto can manipulate, generate, or project any form of energy with the electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum includes, visible light, radio waves, ultraviolet light, gamma rays (watch out Hulk), and X-Rays. Magneto can use this control of the electromagnetic spectrum to bend the light around him and become invisible to his enemies. Magneto has in the comics used this ability against Dazzlers own luminary powers.
Not exactly sure the context, but yeah a panal of Magneto turning invisible....oooooohhhh...
9. Genius Intelligence-
The marvel universe is choked full of super-genius individuals as it is a universe steeped in science fiction from the 1960’s. Among all the geniuses of the marvel universe, Magneto is the least talked about of them. Granted, he is a genocidal super-villain so maybe that’s why he doesn’t get his super-geniuses award, but his intellect is still one of his best abilities. In the comics Magneto is skilled in various scientific fields, expert in genetic engineering and mutation, and an expert mechanic. Magneto has been able to create artificial living beings, mutated humans with super-powers, has created clones of humans, and has designed magnetically-powered aircrafts, space-stations, and an underground complex. In the movies, Magneto’s intellect is not as emphasized as his philosophy for the mutant race is, but in the first X-Men movie made in the year 2000, Magneto created a machine that would turn humans into mutants. And it worked!
8. Telepathic Resistance-
Magneto has trained extensively to fight off telepaths, mutant or otherwise. This is mainly a mental trick that Magneto had acquired to prevent his enemy/boyfriend Professor X, a very powerful telepath, from entering his mind and finding his location or making a telepathic attack on his brain. This ability is augmented by the helmet that Magneto is commonly seen with in the comics and in the movies. In the films, the original helmet was created by Sebastian Shaw; a mutant that tortured and killed Magneto’s mother. By the end of X-Men: First Class, Magneto takes it from Shaw after he kills him as a form of poetic justice, and to get Professor X out of his head.
7. Organic Iron Manipulation-
Magneto can control the traces of iron within organic matter and can even change and manipulate the iron-enriched blood in one’s brain. In the comics, Magneto has used this ability to extract the adamantium coded to Wolverine’s skeletal structure. In the movies, Magneto used the strong amount of iron in a body-guard's blood, extracted it, and used them to make metal balls and escape jail. It’s strangely brutal.
6. Metal Manipulation-
As any person reading his name tag will know, Magneto can manipulate and change metal on the atomic level, even being able to make them into different forms of metal. Magneto can also manipulate non-metallic objects through metal ores they contain.
5. Gravity Reduction-
Magneto can shut off gravity within a limited radius of himself. Magneto does this by reversing the polarity of earth’s own magnetic field. Magento has used this ability to in the ultimate marvel universe to cause a flood in the comic book event “Ultimatum”.
Magneto had used this ability to cause floods around the world in the Ultimate Marvel Universe.
4. Magnetic Rays-
Magneto can shoot powerful rays and electromagnetic pulses. Magneto has used this ability to seriously injure his enemies, including storm in the comics.
Did he coniser ramming people with the horns on his helmet?
3. Magnetic Flight-
Although not as majestic as Superman, Magneto has the well-known capability to fly. He does this by interfaces with magnetic field lines in his surroundings. It is a commonly used power in the comics and is always used in the X-men film series.
2. Magnetic Force-fields-
Magneto uses his magnetic force-fields to protect himself always and can even expand the field. Magento’s force fields has withstood the effects of multiple nuclear weapons, volcanic eruptions, and survive in space. In the films, Magento emphasizes the use of his force-field in the first X-Men movie in the statue of liberty.
What better image to display ths ability than the first ever from X-Men#1.
1. Magnokinesis-
Of course, the best ability would be his mutant ability. All the previous abilities, save for the intellect, derive from Magneto’s mastery of magnetism. In the comics Magneto can hold a headless celestial, is able to manipulate an entire planet’s electromagnetic field, he can assemble complicated machines back together, and even pulled Kitty Pryde out of a flying giant bullet that was light-years away from space (long-story short: just read Joss Whedon’s run on X-Men)
