MCU Magneto: Response to a younger, potentially non-Caucasian portrayal?

[TooFlyToFail]

Just wondering, considering how the internet reacts to racebent character portrayals. Personally, I'm generally indifferent to this kinda stuff. I see it like this:

"What is this race debate?

Outrage culture is getting annoying, on both sides. Either it's a PC agenda, or someone is a bigot for having an opinion. In regards to these race bending casting, to make it neutral, how about this:

1) Is the character from a real place, with real ethnic population numbers?

2) Is the race of the character important to plot?

3) Is the race critical to their characterization and development?

4) Does race play a part in their interactions with other characters?

If the answers to all those questions are "No.", then an open casting call it is. The the role can go to anyone, as long as they earned it or are talented enough for the role."

However, Erik checks all those boxes.

On the other hand, I don't want an old Magneto. I want one that's physically in his late-30s to mid-50s. So I wouldn't mind them changing which genocide he's a survivor of. I thought it would be interesting to see a 5-6 year old Erik saved from the Cambodian Killing Fields, or see a teenage, Tutsi Erik have to survive the 100 day Rwandan genocide being hunted by former friends. The Balkan Wars work just as well, if we want to keep him white.

This all about keeping him young(er), which adds in other potential character elements (like Erik being one of Xavier's first students, and the leader of the first generation of X-Men, for example).

So yeah, how would you react to a potentially Cambodian or Rwandan Magneto? Does it make sense, or not?

[numberthirty]

If you are going to change the character's background and place in the property that much, what's the point?

It's essentially a different character by the time you change that much.

[AHRNIHAL]

Holucast survivor is not gonna work in MCU.

[wano]

Say no to Jewish erasure

[AHRNIHAL]

Holucast survivor is not gonna work in MCU.

I mean age wise.

[TooFlyToFail]

If you are going to change the character's background and place in the property that much, what's the point?

It's essentially a different character by the time you change that much.

It is an elseworld anyway, so changing his background for the sake of the story is fine. Especially in this case, as his personality and motivators would pretty much be the same with some tweaks due to his age.

He was an oppressed minority that was the target of a genocide. He experienced that at a young age, which shaped his world view.

Nothing I suggested changes that; only which genocide and minority he is.

[TooFlyToFail]

Say no to Jewish erasure

It has to be if he's to be younger.

[Luckystar.]

Holocaust survivor is what makes Magneto for me.

[Abbz_A]

Being a holocaust survivor is a major part of Eriks identity... changing that would just be disappointing.

And abt the age, they can really work it out. Either deage, or some hormon injections .. they can just come out with some bs.

[AbnormallyNormal]

Interesting ideas. I mean I think if they did this it would be controversial and in a way it might remove a lot of the uniqueness of Mags

And at a certain point it's a philsophical question like "how much can X change before it's no longer really X" yknow?

Why not change all the XMen at that point why stop with Mags

[TooFlyToFail]

Holocaust survivor is what makes Magneto for me.

What about that can't be replicated by another genocide?

[TooFlyToFail]

Interesting ideas. I mean I think if they did this it would be controversial and in a way it might remove a lot of the uniqueness of Mags

And at a certain point it's a philsophical question like "how much can X change before it's no longer really X" yknow?

Why not change all the XMen at that point why stop with Mags

I mean that's going to happen anyway. In order to make their existence make sense, things will be changed for the X-Men. Potentially how their mutations even work.

I don't remember people having a problem with the Ultimate universe changing the story behind the mutant gene.

[WallStreeter]

Due to the nature of him being a MUTANT he has an extended lifespan or ages slowly. Holocaust survivor works fine. Plus Magneto has children, and you can't change his race without changing the race of his children. Plus since he has the villain role, I'd really not rather seen a non white person get placed in this kind of villain role. I wouldn't mind if Selene's race were changed and she were made a person of color (because her character is not rooted in any culture or tradition, she's an immortal mutant witch). But Magneto's a Holocaust survivor and I would never like to see that erased.

[WallStreeter]

What about that can't be replicated by another genocide?

The Holocaust was the last Jewish genocide, and as horrible as it was it reshaped the world politically.

[yogaflame]

Holocaust survivor is what makes Magneto for me.

To be fair, Magneto existed for many years before his Holocaust origin was added by Claremont, not until Uncanny 150 I think. And in the Ultimate X-Men version, he wasn't a Holocaust survivor at all.