Illyana Rasputina/Magik Appreciation 2024

[sunofdarkchild]

What WAS Illyana's Realms of X development (if any) ?
I did not follow through with that story and I've seen some folks drawl comparisons to that story and the horned art in the AIPT article


Also: Omfg, someone on my twitter time line pointed out that the image of Yana COULD be from the Dead X-Men mini series. So it could be her from somewhere else in the timestream. That's probably it.

Curse uses her power to give Illyana the power Saturnyne sought. Illyana gets all the power of the citadel and essentially becomes the universe. She decides to 'give the power back to the realm,' and rather than use it for herself heals and restores Vannenheim and gives up all that power. Since this causes all the plants and trees to come back, a reference is made to how she once failed to make an acron but can now make thousands of trees grow. Saturnyne admits defeat and calls Magik a fool for giving up so much power before leaving. So this is basically the payoff of her trying and failing to make an acorn like old Storm and showing how far she's come since then.

[JB]

What WAS Illyana's Realms of X development (if any) ?
I did not follow through with that story and I've seen some folks drawl comparisons to that story and the horned art in the AIPT article


Also: Omfg, someone on my twitter time line pointed out that the image of Yana COULD be from the Dead X-Men mini series. So it could be her from somewhere else in the timestream. That's probably it.

Now that you say that I'm getting Jonas Scharf vibes from the art which would indeed be from Dead X-Men.

[sunofdarkchild]

Illyana looks a lot calmer in the top right of this pic from Josh Cassara’s Twitter today. The bangs and hair spike are unmistakeable in 'Apoc and friends.'

[sunofdarkchild]

Ok. So I think I've figured out a way to have Illyana be the 'big bad' and not be absolutely terrible. Pull a 'Fat Karma Saga' and have her be possessed by the spirit of Grigory Rasputin, her ancestor. They already established the threat of his return through his descendants, so it would make sense that Illyana would be vulnerable to being possessed by him, and he'd be attracted to her power. This way they would get the threat of someone with her level of power going bad without ruining her character or undermining all of her character development over the last year and without undermining the threat the Dakrchild represents. The resolution would involve trying to free her from Rasputin's control instead of overpowering her. Plus it would have the benefit of ending the absurd situation of her being the only Rasputin sibling to never face Grigory despite her being the one who it makes the most sense for him to be a major villain for.

[wlfking]

Ok. So I think I've figured out a way to have Illyana be the 'big bad' and not be absolutely terrible. Pull a 'Fat Karma Saga' and have her be possessed by the spirit of Grigory Rasputin, her ancestor. They already established the threat of his return through his descendants, so it would make sense that Illyana would be vulnerable to being possessed by him, and he'd be attracted to her power. This way they would get the threat of someone with her level of power going bad without ruining her character or undermining all of her character development over the last year and without undermining the threat the Dakrchild represents. The resolution would involve trying to free her from Rasputin's control instead of overpowering her. Plus it would have the benefit of ending the absurd situation of her being the only Rasputin sibling to never face Grigory despite her being the one who it makes the most sense for him to be a major villain for.

That sounds like a really good way to handle it. Was it during the Empyre event where she went evil for half a second, hit on Nightcrawler and was like "I regret nothing" when she was cured?

[marhawkman]

they could say Grigory doesn't wanna possess girls. But by that token they could have her shift form if he does possess her.

[sunofdarkchild]

'Episode 2' my newest fic 'Magik and the New Mutants Season 1' is out and can be read here. https://www.fanfiction.net/s/1431338...tants-Season-1
https://archiveofourown.org/works/52...ters/133992469

Episode 3 will take longer since I am going on vacation soon. I wanted to get episode 2 out at least before then.

[sunofdarkchild]

Here's an excerpt from this second 'episode.'

"You must understand, the world is changing," Xavier explained. "More and more mutants are appearing every day. Humanity fears and hates what it does not understand. You and your family will always be in danger."

"Then I will protect them," Piotr declared.

"Of that I have no doubt," Xavier responded. "But you can do so much more. I'm putting together a team of mutants to become heroes, to show the world that they have nothing to fear from us, and I want you to join it."

"If nothing is done, mutants will be hounded, persecuted, even put into camps. Both humans and mutants will live in constant fear of each other. The most gifted will be turned into weapons, while the rest suffer."

"I do not know," Piotr said.

"If not for yourself, then for your sister," Xavier said. "Illyana too could have the X-gene that distinguishes mutants from regular humans. Please, help me create a world where children like her do not need to grow up in fear."

Piotr stiffened, this point of Xavier's resonating with him, and he looked at the toddler in his arms with the tenderness of a loving older brother. Before he could respond, he and all the other characters faded away. The fields disappeared, leaving only the Danger Room.

Illyana stood motionless in the middle of the room, just behind where the holographic recreation of her brother had been standing seconds earlier. Her eyes and mouth were as wide as could be. She had not understood a word of what had been said at the time and had completely forgotten the presence of the two who recruited her older brother.

"You shouldn't be in here alone," came the voice of Charlse Xavier. The X-Men's mentor was wheeling himself into the Danger Room.

Illyana trembled as he approached, her head not moving to face him.

"It's all your fault," she said softly. "You took Piotr away. You made me into a target."

Xavier winced at her words. He tried to reach for her hand. "Illyana, I-"

"Stay away from me!" she snapped, finally moving as she pulled her hand away. Xavier recoiled, not just from her accusation. There was a growly rasp underneath her voice he had never heard before. Something about it made what few hairs he had on the back of his neck stand up, and for a moment he understood what Logan had meant when he spoke of a 'primal fear.'

Illyana stormed out of the Danger Room, leaving Xavier to stare sadly after her.

[sunofdarkchild]

Excerpt 2.

The door to Illyana's room was locked when Xavier approached it. Inside, she lay on her bed, covering her head with her pillow.

Xavier knocked on the door. "Illyana?" He tried to stand up, but his legs failed him again and he collapsed back into his wheelchair.

He turned the wheelchair ninety degrees so he could lean against the door as he spoke. "I know you're upset right now."

Illyana pulled the pillow tighter over her ear.

"The truth is," Xavier continued, "you're right to blame me for what happened to you."

At these words, Illyana opened her eyes in surprise.

"What happened to you, that was my greatest failure." Xavier's voice cracked a little during the second half of that sentence, and trembled as he continued. "Jean Grey and John Proudstar, they were adults. They understood the risks they took and made their own decisions."

"You never had that chance. You were just a child. You still are just a child. You had every right to trust that I would keep you safe, and I didn't. Nothing I do can ever make up for the fact that you've suffered so much just because your brother is an X-Man.

He fought back tears. "Now, I want to help you get through this, but in order to do that, you have to want my help."

Illyana lowered the pillow and raised her head to look at the door. Her face had morphed from furious to sad.

"So please, when you calm down, just talk to me. You don't have to suffer alone."

Xavier looked down. His cell phone was vibrating in his pocket. He took it out, and saw that Stevie Hunter was calling him.

[sunofdarkchild]

And the last excerpt from 'episode 2.'

As the New Mutants left the office, they passed a figure who stood unseen in the shadows. Xavier was aware of her presence not through his telepathy, but through a strange chill he felt.

"Come in, Illyana. I was hoping you'd be ready to talk."

The young Russian entered the office with a sheepish expression, holding her arm like she was ashamed.

"I just wanted to apologize … for my outburst earlier."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Xavier assured her, "besides using the Danger Room without permission."

"I just … I guess I'm just looking to find some kind of meaning in what happened," she said. "But the truth is there is no meaning. A bad man just did a very bad thing, and that's all there is to it."

She looked down and her voice dropped to a whisper. "And that's so hard to accept."

Xavier moved his wheelchair closer to her. "Meaning in such tragedies isn't something you find by searching. It's something you create for yourself, by looking in here," he said, touching his heart.

Illyana looked at him, and her expression was so pained he was certain she was about to cry. But her eyes remained dry.

"I'm so scared, all the time," she said. "I'm afraid to open my eyes in the morning, because I don't know where I'll be. I'm scared every time I open a door and see what's on the other side … because I know he's still out there."

Xavier started and his eyebrows jumped up. A lump formed in his throat, forcing him to fight it down before he could respond.

"There is no shame in being afraid. Given what you've been through you have every right to be scared. Admitting your fears is a brave act, and it is the first and hardest step in overcoming those fears."

He took her hand. Unlike earlier, she did not pull away. "And if he does return, we'll be ready. This time, we will protect you, I promise."

Illyana gave him a weak smile and shook her head sadly, and Xavier felt his heart break.

[sunofdarkchild]

Here are 2 entries in my 'characters like Magik' series on Twitter. The first is Anakin and Luke Skywalker, the second is Gohan from Dragonball Z.


https://twitter.com/sunofdarkchild/s...21130498122078
https://twitter.com/sunofdarkchild/s...78320271127022

[I'm a Fish]

Where did this rumor come from about Magik turning evil?

Preview image from the latest X-Men Monday, possibly of the Illyana-Kitty teamup issue, though I hope it's from a sooner issue because I'd rather not wait until March for Illyana to start reacting to everything going on with Orchis when she's been back on earth since December.

Doubt it's from X-Men #32 since Noto is penciling that issue and that looks nothing like his art style.

My first exposure to Bill Sienkiewicz, Limbo and Darkchilde. Love at first sight NEW MUTANTS #30

I think that was the first time she got goat legs too, if I'm not mistaken. The Darkchilde persona was kinda bland in the New Mutants until Sienkiewicz stepped in IMO. Although, Buscema laid some nice groundwork by giving her the devil horns and tail.

[ZephyrSurf]

Where did this rumor come from about Magik turning evil?



Doubt it's from X-Men #32 since Noto is penciling that issue and that looks nothing like his art style.



I think that was the first time she got goat legs too, if I'm not mistaken. The Darkchilde persona was kinda bland in the New Mutants until Sienkiewicz stepped in IMO. Although, Buscema laid some nice groundwork by giving her the devil horns and tail.

Evil Magik is a Combo of two things

1. Immortal X-men Destiny Prophecy

2. Editor Breevort's well documented hatred of Magik

[I'm a Fish]

Evil Magik is a Combo of two things

1. Immortal X-men Destiny Prophecy

2. Editor Breevort's well documented hatred of Magik

A Destiny prophecy? I just got New Mutants: Inferno flashbacks, lol.

[sunofdarkchild]

Dead X-Men 1 preview. It's an alternate timeline.