Illyana Nikolievna Rasputina: MAGIK appreciation 2021

[sunofdarkchild]

Idk if they'd replace Strange with an X book

If they go that route it wouldn't be an X-book.

[Andru]

I am so completely bored with the X-line right now.

So I would be totally happy to see her branch out more, like she has been doing in Savage Avengers, Strange Academy, etc.

[gonnagiveittoya]

If they go that route it wouldn't be an X-book.

How do you mean?

[ZephyrSurf]

How do you mean?

Illyana being sorcerer supreme would not suddenly shove a bunch of X-people into the magic world.

She tends to not have her X-people cluttering up stuff when she goes to deal with Magic crisis'

If it's magic stuff that impacts the X-men it's usually magic coming to Magik and not the other way around

[gonnagiveittoya]

Illyana being sorcerer supreme would not suddenly shove a bunch of X-people into the magic world.

She tends to not have her X-people cluttering up stuff when she goes to deal with Magic crisis'

If it's magic stuff that impacts the X-men it's usually magic coming to Magik and not the other way around

Maybe, but I can't imagine a Magik solo that's written outside the X office

[RamaBird]

Maybe, but I can't imagine a Magik solo that's written outside the X office

I see it. Magik has Wolverine/Deadpool/Storm potential where she can exists out the X-office!

Also, the New Mutants finale claims the team will face a magical challenge going into the new relaunch. And the Dr. Strange finale does oddly include an X-tie in, so I do think it really might be Magik!

[sunofdarkchild]

I see it. Magik has Wolverine/Deadpool/Storm potential where she can exists out the X-office!

Also, the New Mutants finale claims the team will face a magical challenge going into the new relaunch. And the Dr. Strange finale does oddly include an X-tie in, so I do think it really might be Magik!

I suspect the 'magical' next arc for the New Mutants will be Roma calling in the favor Dani and Karma owe her.

As for Magik becoming the new sorcerer supreme, the main reason I think there is a legit chance it could happen is because Marvel has been hinting for years that Illyana's true destiny or calling is not with the X-Men but along those lines. Bendis had the Watcher state it explicitly in addition to showing a future where she was sorcerer supreme. And of course there was the What If.

As I've said before, before Krakoa Magik was the X-Man who had the most to gain by leaving the mutants and going to the mystic or Avengers side like Quicksilver and the Scarlett Witch did. She would have had an easier time fitting in and finding acceptance, whether in the 80s or in the late 2000s/early 2010s since they wouldn't have looked at her twice for being a witch the way the New Mutants did and since joining the Avengers is a get-out-of-jail-free card. She would have had more stability staying with Dr. Strange than she ever had with Xavier and Magneto. Plus, given her status as ruler of Limbo, she's a peer of the likes of Mephisto and Hela. Mutants/human problems should be beneath her notice, and it's astounding that a hell lord would identify so strongly with the mutant cause. She chose to stay where she was an 'outsider among outsiders' when there were other options that would have made her life easier.

Things are different now on Krakoa. As recently as Dead Souls her own team didn't trust her and wouldn't listen to her and talked about her behind her back. Before that, in the period after she came back, she was tolerated because people felt guilty over her death, because Cyclops decided her power made her a strategic asset in a fight, and because when Colossus took on the Juggernaut she was needed to keep him under control, but she wasn't truly accepted. Now she has a level of respect and authority she probably never dreamed of having outside of Limbo. No one is calling her names or shunning her for being a witch. When she gives orders people listen. She's happy in a way she's never been since either time she was 6.

So now, for the first time, moving away from the X-Men wouldn't make life easier for her. So if Marvel does finally pull the trigger on that 'true calling,' it will be because Illyana feels she has no choice, that it is more important that she take on the destiny of sorcerer supreme than to remain on Krakoa. It would mean actually giving something up for the first time, and it would mean her realizing that she can no longer afford to focus on the problems of mutants. It would mean no more training the youth of Krakoa, no more 'captain,' 'captain' plans with Cyclops. I think there's a real chance they do it, but I'd still put it at well under 50%.

Perhaps us Magik fans should ask the question of if we want to make that tradeoff. Illyana can't be both sorcerer supreme and keep her role on Krakoa without both her and marvel greatly disrespecting the mantle of sorcerer supreme. If it happens, it has to mean leaving the X-Men, at least for as long as it lasts.

[rcaguy]

Where do people think Illyana will end up with the line's relaunch and probable cancellation of New Mutants in January? Obviously she's not disappearing since she's too important to Krakoa and too many writers love her for that to happen.

Will New Mutants just be relaunched? There's a rumor going around that that'll happen - with Vita Ayala still in charge. Sales have been ok but not great for the current series, and a relaunch could temporarily pick them back up.

Will Illyana be put in a different X-Book? With the line being relaunched, there's plenty of room for cast shuffles and different team dynamics.

Will she become more involved with the mystical side of Marvel and less involved in the X-side? Death of Dr. Strange #4 will supposedly reveal the new sorcerer supreme in late December, so if it is Illyana the timing would line up perfectly with the end of New Mutants and relaunching of the X-line.

Could we finally get that Magik solo? The most unlikely scenario of all, but line relaunches tend to be the best times to launch new solos. Though thinking about it if she does become sorcerer supreme then she should at least get a mini out of it before Strange comes back, if not an actual ongoing. So this may be more likely than it seems, but still very unlikely it would happen if she stays on Krakoa.

This is really quite laughable. Illyana as sorcerer supreme? Not a chance in hell. Quite literally it won't work, if anyone says it will, is some one who doesn't know what the title sorcerer supreme is or what it represents.

It's not about tossing a bunch of spells around, which is why Illyana really isn't qualified for the position,just as her Ororo wasn't suited for it either.

[Spiderfan001]

Isn't magik already Sorcerer Supreme thing of Limbo, and why she could only be SS on Earth in that What If when she wasn't anymore?You can't be SS of more than 1 IIRC
Maybe I'm dead wrong, don't know her in depth.Can someone clarify

[ZephyrSurf]

Isn't magik already Sorcerer Supreme thing of Limbo, and why she could only be SS on Earth in that What If when she wasn't anymore?You can't be SS of more than 1 IIRC
Maybe I'm dead wrong, don't know her in depth.Can someone clarify

She didn't give up being Lord of Limbo in the What If? She never actually managed to be it due to feeling before confronting Belasco.

It's up in the air if she takes on the mantle after the fact. But she does become the Sorcerer Supreme proper of the Universe in the Sequel Dr. Strange The End

[sunofdarkchild]

Being sorcerer supreme of multiple dimensions is not something I've seen brought up in the comics. The Hell Lords occasionally try to take control of other dimensions, and Cable just gave Illyana an entire new Limbo to rule assuming she takes him up on the offer.

There are a few similarities between being sorcerer supreme of earth and of limbo. The title is to some extent tied to a certain magical object. On earth its the Eye of Aggamoto. In Limbo it's been both the soul sword and the Beatrix Medallion. From Illyana's first battle with the Magus-infected demon hord in New Mutants 50 until Amanda Sefton was deposed the sword was the primary source of rulership of Limbo with whoever holding it becoming the ruler automatically. In Quest for Magik rulership of Limbo changed hands twice without anyone having the sword or the medallion, by virtue simply of defeating the previous ruler. Witchfire then took control of Limbo with the medallion even though Illyana had regained her sword, but control went back to Illyana when Witchfire was defeated, seemingly before Withfire lost the amulet.

In terms of knowledge, power, and experience there's no reason Illyana couldn't be sorcerer supreme of earth. She can use the Eye of Aggamoto just fine, she's been trained by Dr. Strange and can do pretty much everything he can. Defending the world from extradimensional magical threats is nothing new for her. Channeling energies from other dimensions and controlling ambient magic wouldn't be an issue. She's way more qualified in every way than Dr. Voodoo was a decade ago. And again, Marvel has depicted being sorcerer supreme as her true destiny and has shown her doing well in the role in multiple timelines. The only reason it wouldn't work or rather last is because the cyclical nature of comics means Strange would come back sooner rather than later. But story-wise, in-universe, Marvel's already done the set-up to make her sorcerer supreme whenever they want. They have no obligation to follow through on that. Making that commitment to sever her from the X-line shouldn't be done lightly. The story has to acknowledge what she's giving up by doing so, but if it does it can work very well.

[rcaguy]

She didn't give up being Lord of Limbo in the What If? She never actually managed to be it due to feeling before confronting Belasco.

It's up in the air if she takes on the mantle after the fact. But she does become the Sorcerer Supreme proper of the Universe in the Sequel Dr. Strange The End

Go back and reread that story and the one that led up to it. That Illyana wasn't the Magik we know from the New Mutants. It takes place in a alternate reality where things transpired quite differently from the New Mutants Reality.

You really can't compare the two realities. They diverged from each other too much.

[ZephyrSurf]

Go back and reread that story and the one that led up to it. That Illyana wasn't the Magik we know from the New Mutants. It takes place in a alternate reality where things transpired quite differently from the New Mutants Reality.

You really can't compare the two realities. They diverged from each other too much.

... I know that?

I dunno why the you're telling me things I never hinted the contrary to. Spiderfan001 asked if the magik in the what if gave up her limbo title and I explained that didn't happen.

[RamaBird]

Cable just gave Illyana an entire new Limbo to rule assuming she takes him up on the offer.

Where did that happen?

It'd be sad to see Magik distance herself from the X-Men (for the reasons listed by you) but her character does have potential to do well outside the X-titles and carry her own solo.

[rcaguy]

... I know that?

I dunno why the you're telling me things I never hinted the contrary to. Spiderfan001 asked if the magik in the what if gave up her limbo title and I explained that didn't happen.

No, you and others are just implying that both Illyana's are the same when they are not.