Electricity and magnetism generation and manipulation
Teleportation via Time-Space Wormholes
Gravity manipulation
Telepathy
Self-sustenance
Can cause his sun to turn into a black hole
(Shen)
Black Hole in his head
Healing powers
Teleportation (Time-Space Wormholes)
Gravity manipulation
Telepathy
Self-sustenance
Can cause his black hole to turn into a sun
Xorn is the alias of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New X-Men Annual 2001 (September 2001), he was created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. He is a mutant who has a miniature star residing in his head, that gives him the abilities of gravitational electromagnetism, self-sustenance, and healing. He is most commonly associated with the X-Men and Brotherhood of Mutants. Initially in the pages of New X-Men, he was revealed to be Magneto in disguise. However, Excalibur established him as a separate character named Kuan-Yin Xorn and his brother Shen Zorn.
Xorn first appeared in New X-Men Annual 2001 (September 2001), Xorn was created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely.[1] Originally depicted as a Chinesemutant with a "star for a brain," he is eventually revealed to be the X-Men's nemesis Magneto in disguise at the climax of Morrison's run. After Magneto is apparently killed during the "Planet X" story arc, he appears alive in 2004's Excalibur (vol. 3) #1, which established that Xorn never was Magneto. Marvel has presented several partial explanations, both in the comics pages and in the press as to the true nature, identity, and motives of Xorn.
Fictional character biography
New X-Men
Xorn debuts in New X-Men Annual 2001 imprisoned by the Chinese government, where a corrupt mutant official offers to sell him to John Sublime. While in the prison of Feng Tu, Xorn is forced to wear a skull-like mask designed to restrain his energy output as he has a "sun" for a brain in his head. The X-Men and Sublime's U-Men find Xorn just as he is attempting to commit suicide by removing his mask, which would destroy the Earth. Cyclops (with the help of Emma Frost) is able to establish contact with Xorn, convincing him not to kill himself, and offers him a position among the X-Men. Xorn is next seen in New X-Men #122, where Cyclops tracks him down to a monastery, where he is told by the monks that Xorn has demonstrated healing powers. The pair are captured by the Shi'ar but arrive at the X-Mansion in time for Xorn to heal the X-Men of a nano-Sentinel infection, restoring Professor Xavier's ability to walk in the process.
Despite the ordeals through which he had passed, Xorn is optimistic, open, and even somewhat naïve. Xorn keeps a diary to share his thoughts with Professor Xavier, since Xavier is "blinded by the sun beneath [his] mask" and cannot read his mind.[2] Here he details his interactions with Chinese immigrants and the residents of Mutant Town in New York City, in particular an incident where he failed to save a young mutant from being killed by frightened policemen. Xorn is soon put in charge of the "Special Class", a group of physical and social misfits attending the Xavier Institute. Though he hopes to befriend these students, he becomes disillusioned as they mock and insult him. He remains determined to help his Special Class, even saving their lives from a group of U-Men.
In the storyline "Planet X", Xorn removes his mask, revealing himself to be the X-Men's nemesis Magneto, who has been believed dead since the destruction of Genosha. Magneto explains the Xorn identity was an elaborate ruse crafted with the help of Chinese supporters.[3] Having returned Xavier to a crippled state (Xavier had not been healed; Magneto merely used the nano-Sentinels to "glue" his spine together), Magneto levels the X-Mansion and conquers New York City, where he enslaves the human population and destroys much of the city. He attempts to recreate the Brotherhood with Toad, the rebellious Stepford CuckooEsme, and the members of Xorn's Special Class.[4]
Magneto finds, however, that many of his recruits are unresponsive to his ideas and approach, with some asking for the return of the more humane Xorn, and others doubtful that Magneto has truly returned, much to his chagrin. Indecisive and relying heavily on the drug Kick to augment his power, he struggles to maintain the loyalty and respect of his followers. He announces a plan to invert the planet by reversing its magnetic poles, and employs increasingly fascistic methods (including the construction of a Nazi-esque crematorium in which he plans to eradicate the remaining human population of the city). He also appears to be experiencing a form of Dissociative identity disorder, as the "Xorn" persona begins to manifest itself as a voice within Magneto's head, claiming to be the embodiment of Magneto's wisdom, idealism, and nobility. After his defeat at the hands of the X-Men, but before his capture, he fatally wounds Jean Grey; Wolverine, in a berserk fury over Grey's death, kills him.
The return of Magneto and the second Xorn
Grant Morrison intended Xorn to be Magneto from his first appearance. As Morrison stated in an interview after they left New X-Men, "In my opinion, there really should not have been an actual Xorn - he had to be fake, that was the cruel point of him".[5] In fact, soon after the revelation of Xorn's identity in New X-Men #146, readers pointed out that clues that Xorn was actually Magneto had been hidden throughout Morrison's run.[6][7] According to then-X-Men writer Chuck Austen, the X-Men editors liked the Xorn character and hoped Morrison would change their mind about the revelation; when they did not, they asked Austen to bring Xorn back as a separate character. Morrison has expressed criticism of this subsequent retcon in interviews.[8][9] Marvel also wanted to continue using Magneto; Austen stated that "Marvel saw value in Magneto not being a mass-murderer of New Yorkers."[10]
Marvel retconned the Xorn/Magneto revelation and brought back Xorn and Magneto after Morrison's departure. In Uncanny X-Men #442 and 443, Xavier takes the body of Magneto to Genosha where they hold a funeral for the deceased mutant leader. However, in the last page of Excalibur (vol. 3) #1, Xavier meets Magneto alive and well on Genosha. In subsequent issues of Excalibur, Xavier and Magneto debate the true identity and motives of Xorn, the individual whose bandage-wrapped body they brought to Genosha. In the same month Magneto returned in Chris Claremont's new Excalibur book, Austen's X-Men (vol. 2) #157 introduced a new Xorn named Shen Xorn. Shen Xorn claims to be the twin brother of the original Xorn (now referred to as Kuan-Yin Xorn) who, under the influence of the entity known as Sublime, had pretended to be Magneto. This claim is supported when Emma Frost conducts a thorough mind scan of Shen. Not too long after, Shen Xorn disappears after he unleashes the gravitational forces of his "black hole" for a brain from his head (in direct contrast to his twin brother) in the course of helping the X-Men defeat an attack by a Brotherhood of Mutants led by Exodus.
During the events of the House of M miniseries, millions of mutants find themselves suddenly depowered after Scarlet Witch speaks the phrase "No More Mutants". Among them are Magneto and Shen Xorn.[11]
The true identity of Xorn, and his relationship to the character Magneto, became a subject of confusion for fans. Marvel refrained from giving any complete explanation, eventually hinting the summer 2005 crossover House of M would clear up the situation.[12] The Xorn entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men 2005 stated that "Kuan-Yin eventually revealed himself to be a duplicate of the X-Men's nemesis Magneto, a transformation believed to have been caused by Magneto's daughter, the Scarlet Witch." This explanation was based on a suggestion in House of M #7 wherein Doctor Strange speculates Wanda has been 'playing with the world' for far longer than even she knows, and may have been responsible for her father's puzzling rebirth. An alternative explanation has since been given in the pages of New Avengers since, according to Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, "nobody was satisfied with that offhanded non-explanation, and it didn't make a heck of a lot of sense by itself even as a throwaway".[13]
The Collective
Later, an Alaskan postal worker named Michael Pointer, suddenly becomes a vessel of the collective power signatures of the depowered mutants, primarily due to he himself unknowingly being a mutant. Disoriented and wielding the power of at least fifty mutants, he starts making his way at high speed across rural Canada, almost immediately and instantly killing S.H.I.E.L.D. forces and every member of Alpha Flight except Sasquatch, and then upon crossing Lake Erie, he goes on a rampage, destroying downtown Cleveland. While Iron Man assists the Sentry in a battle with him that ranges between the orbits of Earth and Mars, Spider-Man and the Vision discover that his body's energy signatures match those previously possessed by the depowered mutants, revealing his powers consist of said depowered mutants' powers.[14] At that point, having determined it to be the best option, S.H.I.E.L.D. has Iron Man let Michael go, and as he learned to fly during the fight, he is able to travel without endangering any more civilians to what is revealed to be his destination, Genosha.
Once there, the collective of energy, now revealed to be sentient and responsible for Michael's actions since he merged with it, transfers itself to and repowers Magneto, who recognizes the intelligence controlling it as Xorn just as the New Avengers arrive. Xorn explains he took the image of Magneto because he knew mutants would follow him, and they needed the real Magneto again. Reference is made to Xorn's confusing history as Vision comments his files on Xorn are incomplete and Wolverine comments, "Xorn's files on Xorn are incomplete", demonstrating of how not even Xorn seems to know who he is. Quake, Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, and the Sentry combine their powers to separate the Collective/Xorn from Magneto and send it into the sun; despite being separated from the Collective, Pointer still has some of its powers,[15] and, as of the end of the Civil War miniseries, is coerced into joining the newly formed Omega Flight, using a suit designed to harness his powers.
Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada in a 2006 Newsarama interview reiterated the Shen Xorn/Kuan-Yin Xorn explanation, but added that "because Xorn's powers were psychokinetic, and his personality was so strong, it basically remained an almost disembodied sentient thing among the big ball of mutant energy. When that energy got sucked down to Earth by Michael and all absorbed by him, Xorn was the dominant personality in the mix, and that's what drove him towards Genosha and Magneto."[16]
All-New, All-Different Marvel
When the Terrigen Mists were released around the globe, whittling down mutantkind's number and suppressing any new mutant manifestation, a militant band composed of Inhumans and Mutants known as the Dark Riders, who long believed in "survival of the fittest", began gunning down all mutant healers, one such mutant is Shen Xorn, who's revealed to have been repowered somehow (it can be assumed that he was repowered by his own twin brother off-panel during the Collective arc) and has now secluded himself somewhere in Tibet. He is able to kill Barrage and make quick work of the rest of the Riders after they chose to battle instead of have tea.[17]
During HYDRA's overthrow of the United States government as seen in the Secret Empire storyline, Shen Xorn is chosen to lead New Tian, a sovereign nation created for mutants somewhere in California.[18] It is later revealed that Emma Frost is the true leader of New Tian and Xorn is the puppet ruler that she controls with her telepathy.[19]
House of X
Following the consolidation of Mutant peoples on Krakoa during the House of X storyline, Kuan-Yin Xorn was resurrected through Krakoa's Resurrection Protocols, and was seen meditating with his brother Shen in a mountainous region while Magneto demonstrated Krakoa's transportation capabilities to various human diplomats.[20] The Xorn brothers (now calling themselves Xorn and Zorn) remain on Krakoa and occasionally lend their powers to other Mutants' causes - such as David Haller's work as a community healer.
In the 10th anniversary of the Age of Apocalypse which takes place right after the nuclear attack by the Human High Council, Xorn is found by the X-Men in the Breeding Pens following the fall of Apocalypse. In this reality Xorn is female and claimed that her mutant abilities manifested while she and her family were workers in the Seattle Core during the riots that killed the members of Generation Next. Magneto immediately offered her a place with the X-Men.[22]
During her time with the team, Xorn never removed her helmet causing some to believe it contained her energy powers while others in the X-Men whispered that the helmet truly concealed hideous scars from her time in the Core.[23] However the truth was that Xorn was actually the thought deceased Husk who had been manipulated by Mister Sinister and assumed the identity of Xorn and used her husking abilities to enable herself to demonstrate many different powers, in order to infiltrate the X-Men and kill Magneto and Rogue's son, Charles.[24]
Battle of the Atom
A new, female version called Lady Xorn later appears as part of a future team of X-Men that travels back to the present during the Battle of the Atom event.[25] This Xorn is later revealed to be an adult version of the "young" time-displaced Jean Grey, who needed the Xorn mask to control her powers.[26] The team of X-Men she was with was actually the Brotherhood of Mutants from the future, the nemesis of the true X-Men, and she died when her powers went out of control in a battle between the X-Men and the future Brotherhood at Cape Citadel.[27] Xorn later returns alive, and once again battles the X-Men with the rest of the future Brotherhood.[28] However, it is subsequently revealed that this Xorn was just a puppet figure created by Charles Xavier II's mind powers after the real Xorn died during her final confrontation with her younger self. The former Brotherhood are freed from Charles Xavier II's influence and are returned to their timeline.[29]
Ultimate Marvel
The Ultimate Marvel version of Xorn (Kuan-Yi) and his twin brother Zorn (Shen-Yi) first appeared in the miniseries Ultimate Comics: Hawkeye and spread out to be included in other titles like Ultimate Comics: Ultimates[30] and Ultimate Comics: X-Men.[31] The Twins become the leaders of "The People", a genetically altered species of superhumans that were produced by the Southeast Asian Republic/SEAR as super-soldiers, but later rebelled. The People are in possession of a Super-Soldier Serum that Hawkeye is tasked by SHIELD with retrieving. This led to Shen forming the Eternals, while Kuan formed the Celestials.[32] Hawkeye later leads Nick Fury, the Falcon, and Black Widow to the twin capital cities of SEAR in order to meet with Xorn and Zorn. The two brothers agree to help Fury fight off the Maker's invasion.[33]
Earth-71202
On an alternate Earth, Xorn and his brother Zorn were members of the X-Men. They were killed by Terrax during the Cabal's attack on Earth-71202.[34]
Powers of X
In one of the timelines experienced by Moira MacTaggert during the Powers of X storyline, Kuan-Yin Xorn becomes one of the final Horsemen of Apocalypse, representing Death. In this timeline he has become a dour nihilist whose powers have been reversed, sucking away life from creatures rather than restoring it, and his helmet is now a mostly-open mask from which blue flame spouts.[35] This version of Kuan-Yin Xorn is responsible for ending his home timeline when the hybrid mutant Rasputin removes his mask, exposing the singularity at the centre of his brain. This final act is done at Xorn's urging: "this is the ending I have always wanted."[36]
Professor X is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The X-Men #1. The character is depicted as the founder and occasional leader of the X-Men.
Genosha is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in the Marvel Universe and a prominent location in the X-Men comics. The fictional nation served as an allegory for slavery and later for South African apartheid before becoming a mutant homeland and subsequently a disaster zone. The island is located off the southeastern African coast northwest from Seychelles and northeast of Madagascar. Its capital city was Hammer Bay.
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in The X-Men #1. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to low sales, following its 1975 revival and subsequent direction under writer Chris Claremont, it became one of Marvel's most recognizable and successful franchises. They have appeared in numerous books, television shows, 20th Century Studios's X-Men films, and video games. The X-Men title may refer to the superhero team itself, the eponymous comic series, or the broader franchise including various solo titles and team books such as the New Mutants, Excalibur, and X-Force.
Dr. Moira MacTaggert, more recently known as Moira X, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #96 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum. She works as a geneticist and is an expert in mutant affairs. She is most commonly in association with the X-Men and has been a member of the Muir Island X-Men team and Excalibur.
The Brotherhood of Mutants is a fictional group of mutants appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Brotherhood are among the chief adversaries of the X-Men.
Excalibur is a fictional superhero group appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are depicted as an offshoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, they first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition #1 (1987), also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn. Stories involving this team have featured elements of both the X-Men and Captain Britain franchises, frequently involving cross-dimensional travel.
Magneto is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The X-Men #1 as an adversary of the X-Men.
Toad is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The X-Men #4.
Unus the Untouchable is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Unus is a mutant, and is named for his ability to consciously project an invisible force field which protects him from harm.
Morlocks are a group of mutant characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters are usually depicted as being associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine, but unlike in the Wells book, they are not a faceless, threatening mass of villains. They first appeared as a group in The Uncanny X-Men #169. Caliban appeared prior to that, but he was not yet a member of the Morlocks.
Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series, which was published by Marvel Comics, from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of the Ultimate Marvel imprint. The Ultimate X-Men exist alongside other revamped Marvel characters in Ultimate Marvel titles including Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four and The Ultimates.
Callisto is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is associated with the X-Men. She is the leader of New York City's subterranean mutant settlement the Morlocks, until losing that post in a duel against Storm. Storm subsequently leaves the group in Callisto's care as her representative, and the two eventually form an uneasy alliance.
"House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of an eight-issue comic book limited series with a number of crossover tie-in books written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel. Its first issue appeared in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled storylines. The Scarlet Witch, her twin brother Quicksilver, and Magneto play major roles in the series. Like the Age of Apocalypse (1995–1996) storyline, House of M replaced the Earth-616 as the main reality for a brief time until Scarlet Witch reverted it to normal. The events of the storyline were later indicated to have occurred on Earth-58163.
Exodus is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Joe Quesada, he first appeared in X-Factor #92. His real name was initially given as Paris Bennett, but this was uncovered as an alias when he was revealed to have been born in 12th-century France under the name of Bennet Du Paris.
"Planet X" is a 2004 storyline published by Marvel Comics that ran from New X-Men #146–150. The story is the penultimate arc of Grant Morrison's run as writer on the X-Men, and features the return of Magneto and the death of Jean Grey again.
"Decimation" is a storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005, spinning out of the events of the House of M limited series. The event started with a one-shot issue and took place in a number of various series all carrying the "Decimation" logo on the cover. The 2005 miniseries Generation M, Sentinel Squad O*N*E, X-Men: Deadly Genesis and X-Men: The 198 were all launched specifically for the "Decimation" storyline. The various stories were collected in five trade paper backs.
"Eve of Destruction" is an X-Men crossover storyline in the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. The storyline was written by Scott Lobdell and features artwork from Leinil Francis Yu, Salvador Larroca, and Tom Raney.
Magneto, a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, has been included in almost every media adaptation of the X-Men franchise, including films, television series and video games.
New X-Men is an American comic book ongoing series, written by Grant Morrison and featuring the mutant superhero team, the X-Men. It was a retitling of the then-ongoing second volume of the main X-Men series, and shares the series' numbering, as opposed to creating a different ongoing series with a new number one issue. During a revamp of the entire X-Men franchise, newly appointed Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada spoke of his idea for flagship titles like X-Men to regain some of their "former glory," as well as regaining critical acclaim.
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