X-Man with the best back story?

[Crimson]

A common criticism with the X-Men is that they lack substance to their back stories... which too be fair, the whole reason Stan Lee had them be mutants was because it was easier then creating an original origin story. Apparently M-Day was a way to stop writers using "They were born with powers" thing as a crutch.

However despite that alot of X-Characters have great back-stories.

So is which is your favourite back-story?

Mine would be Magneto. A tortured man who lost his family in the Holocaust. He tried to build a life for himself only to lose his family again for being different... this time because he was mutant. And he decided to fight back for survival of his species (This of course can change from writer to writer… sometimes he fights because he’s Evil and little else)

[_Jayme_]

I would say that Scott has a real good backstory. He lost complete control of his optic blasts and can never see true color again. Then he grew up in an orphanage with what would be his greatest nemisis, Mister Sinister.

[Karl H]

I actually really enjoyed Maggot's origin.

[Schuimend Mormel]

My favourite backstory, I think, is Storm's. Like Cyclops', she went through a whole lot of ordeals. Her parents get killed in an accident involving a bomber, the building collapses on her and she gets her claustrophobia, then she lives as a beggar-thief on the streets, and finally, reaching puberty, she is drawn south to the land where her mother was born. She almost gets raped hitch-hiking, but has to kill in order to prevent this. She walks through the desert and almost dies sometimes until she takes her place as Goddess of Life at Mt. Kilimanjaro.

It's almost like a fairytale. Plus, Chris Claremont wrote so much character development and ordeals for Ororo from 1975-1991, I always enjoy reading stories that center on her.

And I also much like Cyclops' backstory and Rachel's backstory.

[GoingGreen]

Polaris' story is quite an epic tale, and probably one of the most complex histories. In my opinion, she trumps Jean Grey in complexity, if you count the Phoenix as one big lump.

[Bulky Brent]

Polaris' story is quite an epic tale, and probably one of the most complex histories. In my opinion, she trumps Jean Grey in complexity, if you count the Phoenix as one big lump.
I agree her history is quite extensive and she has a lot of ties with key characters in X-Books

I find Emma frost's history quite extensive probably one of the most extensive histories IMO her mini was quite good actually OMG! I just admit to reading Emma's mini :o

[Brian M.]

Heros: Cyclops.

Losing his parents, bumping his head and losing control. Being reclusive, growing up in the orphanage.

Villians: Magneto.

Grew up to do the very thing that made him who he is.

[AdamYJ]

Most of them have pretty cool backstories. It's interesting how the meaning of the word "origin" has kind of changed thanks to the X-Men. It used to mean "how a hero got their powers". Mutants are essentially superheroes without origins. So, it's changed to something more like "how a character became who they are". It's to the extent where you can have a prominent mutant character like Wolverine have a miniseries entitled "Origin" and it's not a contradiction in terms.

Anyway, she's a favorite character of mine, so I use her as an example frequently. However, I just love Jubilee's backstory.

She was born the child of wealthy Chinese immigrants. Jubilee lived an easy life until her parents died in a car crash and all their money was lost in a stock market crash (probably originally the one in '88, but it could be rewritten as any number of minor economic downturns). Alone and impoverished, the authorities didn't know what to do with her. So, they (wrongly) sent her LA County Juvenile Hall. There she learned to defend herself and developed a knack for defying authority. At their wits' end, the people at the juvenile hall have her transferred to an orphanage. She runs away from the orphanage to the Hollywood Mall where she spends most of her time ducking the security guards. Her powers develop and she starts using them to put on shows to earn money from the passing shoppers. Then, one day the women of the X-Men are shopping there and . . . the rest, as they say, is history.

It's been tweaked by people in the Wolverine and Generation X title. They edited out stuff and tried to insert stuff about her parents being murdered. However, that's how it was as written in the '89 Marvel Handbook Update. It's pretty much the backstory at its best (the death of the Lees is sadder because of how senseless it was without the murder element that was retconned in, actually). I love the whole "riches to rags" aspect. And with how she was mistreated by authority, you can see how she developed her attitude and rebellious streak. Great backstory, in my opinion.

[Karl H]

Villians: Magneto.

Grew up to do the very thing that made him who he is.

You mean becoming a mass-murdering quasi Nazi? Yeah that's funny sh1t for a guy who was raised in a concentration camp

[rwsmith]

I'd say Magneto, though his origin story really dates him. I mean, at this point he'd have to be like 70 or 80. But it's a great origin.

I also liked Wolverine's before they started adding so much shite to it. Before the bone claws, before the pre-Weapon X conspiracy stuff, before the Lupine...back when he was just a mutant with a healing factor whom the government abducted and performed horrible experiements on in an attempt to turn him into a living weapon. Beautiful and friggin' tragic at the same time.

Having said that, his movie origin might end up being even better if it turns out that he actually volunteered for the experiment because he was so screwed up over the horrible things he'd done as a black ops agent for the military or CIA (as was implied by Stryker in X2). IMO this would be a great route to go for Ultimate Wolverine's origin as well, though I think it's already been established that he did not voluntarily work for Weapon X. Still, perhaps he could've volunteered for the actual adamantium-bonding experiment, but then had his memory wiped and was forced to kill for the program against his will. Regardless, that angle has a lot of potential IMO, as it's even more tragic!

[Omega Alpha]

Mags easily among the villains (even if it dates him too much). Cyclops among the heroes.

[Karl H]

Mags easily among the villains (even if it dates him too much). Cyclops among the heroes.

Yeah unfortunately, the fact that Charles now served in Vietnam and not WWII really makes his history with Mags complicated.

[Ice_Cold_Emma_Frost]

I would say that Scott has a real good backstory. He lost complete control of his optic blasts and can never see true color again. Then he grew up in an orphanage with what would be his greatest nemisis, Mister Sinister.

Traitor:p

Polaris I think has the best backstory. She grew up thinking her parents were dead, became an X person, fought the man that was really her father, fell for a hot blonde guy, then somewhere went insane and discovered her real father was a lunatic, lost her powers and became the minion of disease for an insane mutant, then went off into space and saw her father in law killed by her recently undeceased brother in law-ish

[Pach!]

Sage has an interesting background. And I'm not kidding.. I like her backstory even though it is a huge retcon and she pulls power out of her ass and has the personality range of a small rock.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

oh he didnt even fight in Vietnam now

now its just some nameless middle east thing

[Karl H]

oh he didnt even fight in Vietnam now

now its just some nameless middle east thing

really?

Gah... I was going from Lobdell's run pre-Morrison he wrote that "The Good Shepherd" issue.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

yeah but its been bumped back since xavier is like 42 now. You can see it in that finding sage stuff.


Although oddly enough he is still shown in 'Nam in that Pre House of M issue by claremont.


Marvel really needs to do something to address all the whaky time stuff

even if its a joke comic

[Omega Alpha]

Yeah unfortunately, the fact that Charles now served in Vietnam and not WWII really makes his history with Mags complicated.

Charles originally served on Korea, not WWII. But yeah, right now Xavier is either over 60 now (at least) or he's much, much younger than Magneto. And that makes Juggernaut a, what, 70 year old thug?

That's why i think sooner or later Magneto's backstory involving the Holocaust will have to change, and he will have to be made a victim of another genocide, like characters who went to Vietnam often have their stories changed to another war.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

actually considering he was a mossad/cia double agent, they should just go Winter Soldier Route and have Magneto be frozen in between missions


Thus, problem solved

[Omega Alpha]

actually considering he was a mossad/cia double agent, they should just go Winter Soldier Route and have Magneto be frozen in between missions


Thus, problem solved

Not a bad idea, actually.

[Volk1]

Polaris' story is quite an epic tale, and probably one of the most complex histories. In my opinion, she trumps Jean Grey in complexity, if you count the Phoenix as one big lump.

Hey I agree. Polaris' backstory is stacked with total confusion -but the thing is, none all of it has been told. Who is her mother? Why did Magneto leave her?

Why does she have horrible taste in men?

These are the ?'s that need to be answered.

Also, I think PULSE could have the BEST backstory ever if the right writer came along. How did he get to know Mystique? Why did his mother get sent to the "looney-farm"? Was he always a little cowardly? What's his favorite type of wine and does he kiss on the first date?

???

Pulse!:)

[Christopher O]

For my money, it's Magneto and Storm.

[Pach!]

Hey I agree. Polaris' backstory is stacked with total confusion -but the thing is, none all of it has been told. Who is her mother? Why did Magneto leave her?

Why does she have horrible taste in men?

These are the ?'s that need to be answered.

Also, I think PULSE could have the BEST backstory ever if the right writer came along. How did he get to know Mystique? Why did his mother get sent to the "looney-farm"? Was he always a little cowardly? What's his favorite type of wine and does he kiss on the first date?

???

Pulse!:)

Pulse is awesome.

[PatchMadripoor]

Kurt Wagner's before the whole entire demon lord / father debacle.

[We R. Venom]

What? Your gonna tell me no one so far has mentioned Vulcan as the best backstory?;)

[Mikl C]

Wolverine!
for srs!

[Toboe]

For my money, it's Magneto and Storm.

I think I love you.

[Christopher O]

I think I love you.
It just seems obvious. Magneto's origin resonates in such a real way, and Storm's origin is just epic and fabulous! Also, you should know you love me.

[Rivka]

You mean becoming a mass-murdering quasi Nazi? Yeah that's funny sh1t for a guy who was raised in a concentration camp

Well, the thread asks us to name our favorite X-Men backstory. He didn't say it was funny, but that it is his favorite backstory. Are we supposed to criticize the choice of someone else's favorite backstory?

In any case, young Magnus was in the Auschwitz Sonderkommando, one of the crematoria ravens, who helped their Nazi masters keep the machinery of death running day by day in order to survive. Not quite "raised in a concentration camp."

See:

The Auschwitz Sonderkommando and Magnus (http://cyberhellfireclub.myfreeforum.org/about242.html)

Magneto's story is one of my favorites as well.

Mags grew up to be a very troubled man who tried to do the right thing for many years. For a number of different reasons -- including seeing his little daughter Anya burned to death in front of his eyes -- he became more and more unstable, violent, and unable to stop his downward spiral.

He also became convinced by evidence that a "genetic war" was coming -- long before he put on the helmet and costume -- because he found out that governments were already abducting and experimenting on mutants.

He also was aging, misusing his powers, and did enormous damage to his body and mind.

He also is filled with rage and dread about what happened to his family during the Holocaust, trying to prevent that from happening to mutants, something that he has now FAILED to do. More great character development potential for Magneto!

He is also a man who has constantly struggled with his own violent rages, and who has tried alternate ways to further the mutant cause. At the moment, he is powerless, thanks to his daughter, his own daughter, who has done more to set back the mutant cause than anyone. More great potential for further character development.

I happen to think Xavier is partly responsible for making him into the "villain" Magneto in the early days, setting him up as a foil for his little paramilitary force of teenage kids.

Anyway, Magneto's background is complex, and he is a complex character, and his backstory is one of the best, and most significant, in the history of comic books, and one of the best in science fiction as well.

As for the X-Men, I like several of the origins. I think the most underused, and most fascinating regarding characterization, has to be Scott Summers' story. He was the loner, the orphan, growing up in an institution, that later we found out was run by Essex. His father was a military man, he was a military "brat" before the Shi'ar abducted his parents. He thought he was alone all those years. Essex even stole some of his life as a boy -- putting him in some kind of suspended animation for a year (if I remember correctly). He literally had to escape, run away from that orphanage in Nebraska. Then he finds another strong male figure to look after him (Xavier, if you don't count Jack of Diamonds, which I think is still in continuity). It's very interesting, how strong Scott Summers is, how self-reliant yet his history is filled with being obedient to these strong, manipulative men.

[Rivka]

actually considering he was a mossad/cia double agent, they should just go Winter Soldier Route and have Magneto be frozen in between missions


Thus, problem solved

The problem was already solved. Magneto was de-aged by Mutant Alpha, and re-aged to a man in his early 30s at the time of his trial, and would be around 38 years old now. He met Xavier in Israel some 25+ years ago, Marvel time, or the early 1980s. He was a man in his late 40s or around 50 at the time, chronologically; but his powers also have served to age him more slowly, when he wasn't overusing them.

The problem is the attempt to de-age Xavier during Grant Morrison's run (which was apparently mandated by Bill Jemas, and not Morrison's idea). We can (I think) totally ignore any notion that Xavier is only 40, as he is shown very clearly to have met Magnus in Israel at least 25 years ago, and that was after he earned two Ph.D.s, (following the usual undergraduate and post graduate degrees), served two tours of combat duty in SouthEast Asia, got dumped by Moira and wandered the world for a while, encountering the Shadow King before he met Magnus. He came to Israel near the end of his "world tour" -- fighting Lucifer in (was it Afghanistan?) not long after. Then he went back to school in New York, with Amelia Voght at his side, earning either another doctorate and/or a medical degree, it's not clear, and then he found Scott Summers, and that would be 12 years ago, or so, Marvel Time.

Xavier would be chronologically between 50 and 55 years old now, except he has a clone body that the Shi'ar gave him, after his original body was corrupted by the Brood.

At no point in the story of the first meeting of Magnus and Charles Xavier did it ever say they were the same age. In fact, it seemed fairly obvious even in UNCANNY #161, that Magnus was older than Xavier. Gabby Haller, now there is an interesting case. And there is a ready-made explanation for her youth, given that Baron von Strucker is responsible for her condition when Xavier first met her.

Oh, and I wish Marvel would remember that Magnus was a Mossad agent -- that's another part of his story that is so fascinating.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

The problem was already solved. Magneto was de-aged by Mutant Alpha, and re-aged to a man in his early 30s at the time of his trial, and would be around 38 years old now. He met Xavier in Israel some 25+ years ago, Marvel time, or the early 1980s. He was a man in his late 40s or around 50 at the time, chronologically; but his powers also have served to age him more slowly, when he wasn't overusing them.


No the problem hasnt been solved.


Because in like 10 years time or something magneto will have attacked Cape whatever when he was 100 years old before the deaging.

Thats ridiculous


As for xavier being 40, thats canon and i dont really see anything negating it. He could just as easily got all his degrees pretty quick considering he was so smart. And i always thought it was a mistaken notion to put him a generation ahead of the x-men, when he always seemed to be . like a teacher, just 10 or so years older than the x-men.


Going back to the original comics that seems to make the most sense, since he fought in Korea around 1952 or whatever, and the x-men were teenagers at 1963.

[Karl H]

I bet Bean has a kick-ass origin.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

I bet Bean has a kick-ass origin.

i hope it involves female masturbation

[Nyssane]

Joanna Cargill.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

Joanna Cargill.

Because she has the same first name as Jojo, i find that i have to like her now

[Rivka]

No the problem hasnt been solved.


Because in like 10 years time or something magneto will have attacked Cape whatever when he was 100 years old before the deaging.

Thats ridiculous


As for xavier being 40, thats canon and i dont really see anything negating it. He could just as easily got all his degrees pretty quick considering he was so smart. And i always thought it was a mistaken notion to put him a generation ahead of the x-men, when he always seemed to be . like a teacher, just 10 or so years older than the x-men.


Going back to the original comics that seems to make the most sense, since he fought in Korea around 1952 or whatever, and the x-men were teenagers at 1963.

I see what you're saying, and even with the fact that his powers (when he's not abusing them) prevent him from aging at the same rate as normal people and even mutants (magnetic energy is shown to have beneficial effects, to cure, and some say retard aging when low, steady levels are used) even with his powers, in about twenty years or so, the explanation will be strained.

At the moment, I don't see a problem though. Magnus was born around 1930.

I still say that it was mistake to say Xavier is 40, as it was a mistake when Kitty Pryde was de-aged to 16 again after being established as 18. Xavier is clearly not 40 years old; he could not have been 15 years old when he met Magnus in Israel, which was 25 or so years ago Marvel Time. Xavier's age will be corrected in some future X-book. Because he ain't 40.

In any case, I see your point. And Magnus was an agent for Mossad, it can be strongly argued, before he met Xavier in Israel. We also know he was known to both the High Evolutionary and Sinister. And we can also presume he was hunting Hydra and von Strucker (hence his showing up as a "volunteer" orderly at that Haifa hospital where Gabrielle Haller was sitting catatonic). Haller clearly was given Strucker's chemicals to retard her aging process, and keep her in a catatonic state, until he was revived himself in the future, in order for him to retrieve his gold.

By the way, Marvel has gone to great lengths to preserve the World War II Nazi origins of some of their great Nazi villains, (and I completely agree they should be preserved). It's funny that over the last 10 years, some who work for Marvel have been so eager to remove Magneto's Jewish Holocaust and Auschwitz roots, when his history is so vital and important to the character, and the X-Men mythos.

Anyway, your idea is a good one!

With your idea, Magnus has a parallel mission to that of the Nazis and Hydra, whom he's tracking for Mossad. And Israeli intelligence would have found a way to retard Magneto's aging, or keep him active, to track the von Struckers of the Marvel Universe for years to come.

[HellFrost]

I agree about Magneto and Storm. But since I'm a huge Emma fan, I find her backstory incredibly interesting. The original and the updated one.

[Mitteloss]

It's so difficult to choose...but I'll have to say, Magneto's and Emma's stories. But Lorna's will be once it's explored more.

[HellFrost]

It's so difficult to choose...but I'll have to say, Magneto's and Emma's stories. But Lorna's will be once it's explored more.

Agreed. And Hopefully Zaladane will have nothing to do with it. I love Lorna too much for her to be related to that wannabe.:mad:

[Mitteloss]

Agreed. And Hopefully Zaladane will have nothing to do with it. I love Lorna too much for her to be related to that wannabe.:mad:

I'm sure whoever's going to write it is going to forget all about Zaladane, not that they'll really need to remember her for Lorna's backstory.

[Kalen O.]

Honestly no joke, but I liked Sway's origin and backstory the best. Her parents were murdered, and intsead of wallowing in self pity, she went and tracked down their murderers herself, and then didnt go the vengeance route, instead letting the justice system take over. And then the whole Deadly Genesis as well. Cool backstory all around.

Hope to see more of her somewhere. Whether in a story set in past continuity, as a resurrected character, or an alternate reality version in say, Exiles.

[HellFrost]

I'm sure whoever's going to write it is going to forget all about Zaladane, not that they'll really need to remember her for Lorna's backstory.
True enough. Thank god.
Honestly no joke, but I liked Sway's origin and backstory the best. Her parents were murdered, and intsead of wallowing in self pity, she went and tracked down their murderers herself, and then didnt go the vengeance route, instead letting the justice system take over. And then the whole Deadly Genesis as well. Cool backstory all around.

Hope to see more of her somewhere. Whether in a story set in past continuity, as a resurrected character, or an alternate reality version in say, Exiles.

Actually I agree. I think that while her powers were a little convoluted, her back story id make up for it. I liked Petra's a lot though. I still think she had the coolest powers out of the "second" teams roster.

Anyone with the power to create(or become) Diamonds is cool in my book.:cool:

[Onslaught Reborn]

Magneto will probably never have a rival for "best villain backstory", but as far as the X-Men go, Nightcrawler and Wolverine OWN this. One's the son of The Devil, and the other is a member of a man-wolf race descended from the immortal founder of Rome.

[Diablito]

Sunfire and Maggott!

[We R. Venom]

For X-men I would say that Wolverine has the best back story since it has been so major in the x-books for so long. But right up there, because of his family and their influence on X-books: Cyclops.:cool:

[Tobias March]

Magneto will probably never have a rival for "best villain backstory", but as far as the X-Men go, Nightcrawler and Wolverine OWN this. One's the son of The Devil, and the other is a member of a man-wolf race descended from the immortal founder of Rome.


Both candidates for worst X-storylines ever.

I loved Wisdom's first appearance, as a mutant special agent who'd sworn off his powers after wiping out an entire town.

[Pyro]

Hmm. I was trying to think who has the least convoluted or ridiculous back story, and I realized how few characters fit that description.

I decided to pick Jean Grey. A normal kid from a normal family who grew up to become a force of the universe. The first student of Xavier. Now, her history after that gets a little messed up, but for the most part I just ignore the stuff I don't like.

[brundlefly]

Magneto will probably never have a rival for "best villain backstory", but as far as the X-Men go, Nightcrawler and Wolverine OWN this. One's the son of The Devil, and the other is a member of a man-wolf race descended from the immortal founder of Rome.

Both candidates for worst X-storylines ever.


Onslaught was being sarcastic, right? At least that's how I took those nominations (and hence thought them hilarious).

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

as stupid as Wolverine Origins origin sounds, i would almost say on laughs alone it would be better than Orgin

[Erik Lehnsherr]

No the problem hasnt been solved.


Because in like 10 years time or something magneto will have attacked Cape whatever when he was 100 years old before the deaging.

Thats ridiculous

As for xavier being 40, thats canon and i dont really see anything negating it. He could just as easily got all his degrees pretty quick considering he was so smart. And i always thought it was a mistaken notion to put him a generation ahead of the x-men, when he always seemed to be . like a teacher, just 10 or so years older than the x-men.


Going back to the original comics that seems to make the most sense, since he fought in Korea around 1952 or whatever, and the x-men were teenagers at 1963.

Well...Magneto has the best backstory/origin of anyone in the X-Universe and of any villian possibly in comic history.

As for that? He had to be like in his late 20s or early 30s in Isarel when he met Gabrielle Haller and Xavier. The he started his work for "Control" and thus becoming what he is.

About 20 years later, he started his crusade for mutantkind. When the Alpha mutant project went awry, he was deaged to a infant and was regained his strength of a man in his prime which is from 27-33 years old. The prime of youth and life. He's probably late 30s at most these days.

Mags easily among the villains (even if it dates him too much). Cyclops among the heroes.

LOL. Dates him too much? Perhaps no one told you how old Wolverine, Nick Fury, or Juggernaut really are? Theorectically Magneto was born in 1928. You can do the math on that but thanks to deaging, he's physically not even 40 yet. Which explains why he's always so muscular, fit, and can recover from physical strain quicker than the average mutant.

[Monty_Cristo]

Shortpack ..................

[Bart Simpson]

Simple, effective, powerful and tragic. Experiencing first hand death and loss at that young an age...and living through it.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/NosDos/bizarre27_11.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f72/NosDos/bizarre27_12.jpg


And everyone knows Jean's story of becoming Phoenix in Uncanny 100-101. That's great too.