Magik (Illyana Nikolaievna Rasputina) (

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

: Ильяна Николаевна Распутина) is a fictional character appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

. The character is depicted most often in relation to the

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...

, and first appeared in the comic book ''

Giant-Size X-Men ''Giant-Size X-Men'' #1 was a special issue of the ''X-Men'' comic book series, published by Marvel Comics in 1975. It was written by Len Wein and illustrated by Dave Cockrum. Though not a regular issue, it contained the first new X-Men story i ...

'' #1 (May 1975). Magik is the younger sister of the

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

n X-Men member

Colossus Colossus, Colossos, or the plural Colossi or Colossuses, may refer to: Statues * Any exceptionally large statue ** List of tallest statues ** :Colossal statues * ''Colossus of Barletta'', a bronze statue of an unidentified Roman emperor * ''Col ...

. She is a member of a fictional species of humanity known as

mutants In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...

, who are born with superhuman abilities. Due to her time imprisoned in (and later ruling)

Limbo In Catholic theology, Limbo (Latin '' limbus'', edge or boundary, referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Medieval theologians of Western Euro ...

, she is a powerful sorceress. Her mutant power, which first manifested in that Limbo, is the ability to teleport via stepping discs utilizing that dimension's magic. Magik has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes.

Anya Taylor-Joy Anya-Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy ( ; born 16 April 1996) is an actress. She has won several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2021, she was featu ...

portrayed Illyana Rasputin in the 2020 film ''

The New Mutants ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

''.

Publication history

Illyana first appeared in ''

'' #1 (May 1975), though her first name was not given until ''

The Uncanny X-Men ''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X- ...

'' #145 (May 1981). For the first eight years of the character's existence, she was an infrequently appearing background character known as Colossus' little sister. The means of changing this was set in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #160 (August 1982), in which she ages seven years while in a paranormal dimension called

, becomes a sorceress, and develops the

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...

ability to create "

teleportation Teleportation is the hypothetical transfer of matter or energy from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them. It is a common subject in science fiction literature and in other popular culture. Teleportation is oft ...

discs." These changes were not immediately explored or explained, and for the next year she remained essentially a background character. In December 1983, the

limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...

Magik (Illyana and Storm) ''Magik'' was a four-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 1983–1984, starring the fictional characters Magik and Storm. The series title is consistently displayed on the covers as ''Storm and Illyana: Magik'', but ...

'' was launched, chronicling Illyana's years in Limbo, which is also her origin story. ''Magik'' #1 (Dec. 1983) is her first cover appearance as young Illyana, her second full appearance and the first time she get the name Magik. ''Magik'' #2 (Jan. 1984) is her first cover appearance as adult Magik. Immediately following the end of the series, she was added to the cast of the

New Mutants The New Mutants are a group of fictional mutant superheroes A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically us ...

,''The New Mutants'' #14 (April 1984) appearing regularly in that comic from ''The New Mutants'' #14 (April 1984), the first cover appearance of adult Magik in costume, to ''The New Mutants'' #77 (July 1989), in which she returns to her family in Russia after having reverted to childhood. As the younger sister of Colossus and a member of the New Mutants, she also sporadically appeared as a guest star in ''Uncanny X-Men''. In ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #303 (1993), she dies of the

Legacy Virus The Legacy Virus is a fictional plague (disease), plague appearing in American comic books featuring the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in an eponymous storyline running through Marvel Comics titles from 1993 to 2001, during w ...

. Other than flashbacks and alternate realities, she was absent from regular publication for most of the 1990s, though she does appear as a time-traveler in ''The New Mutants: Truth or Death'' #1-3 (1997). After being resurrected by Belasco, she returned to regular publication in 2007, in ''New X-Men'' #38-41 (2007), ''X-Infernus'' #1-4 (2009), ''X-Men: Hellbound'' #1-3 (2010) and ''New Mutants'' vol. 3 #1-29 (2009-2011). As a member of Cyclops' Extinction Team, she appears in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' vol. 2 #1-20 (2012), ''

Avengers vs. X-Men ''Avengers vs. X-Men'' (''AvX'' or ''AvsX'') is a 2012 crossover event that was featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The event, consisting of an eponymous limited series and numerous tie-in books, involves the return of the Phoen ...

'' #1-12 (2012), ''AVX: Versus'' #3 (2012), and ''AVX: Consequences'' #1-5 (2012). She appears in ''

All-New X-Men ''All-New X-Men'' was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in November 2012, with the launch of Marvel NOW! The series centers on the five original X-Men, brought from the past to the present to confront their future counter ...

'', ''The Uncanny X-Men'' vol. 3, ''

Extraordinary X-Men ''Extraordinary X-Men'' was a comic series from Marvel Comics and the flagship X-Men title under the All-New, All-Different Marvel re-branding. The story takes place following the conclusion of the Secret Wars crossover event. In this comic seri ...

'' and ''The

: Dead Souls'' (2018) as a regular character. She appears in Strange Academy #1 (2020) as a teacher in

Dr. Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...

's Sorcerer School.

Fictional character biography

Illyana Rasputin (born Illyana Nikolaievna Rasputina) was born in the Ust-Ordynski

Collective farm Collective farming and communal farming are various types of, "agricultural production in which multiple farmers run their holdings as a joint enterprise". There are two broad types of communal farms: agricultural cooperatives, in which member ...

, near

Lake Baikal Lake Baikal (, russian: Oзеро Байкал, Ozero Baykal ); mn, Байгал нуур, Baigal nuur) is a rift lake in Russia. It is situated in southern Siberia, between the federal subjects of Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Repu ...

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...

Russian SFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

to Nikolai Rasputin and his wife Alexandra Natalya Rasputina. Illyana's two older brothers,

Mikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin Mikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is the older brother of Colossus (comics), Colossus of the X-Men and Magik (Illyana Rasputin), Magik of the New ...

and

(Piotr "Peter" Nikolaievitch Rasputin) are also

. Colossus' superhuman powers manifest while saving Illyana from a runaway tractor. At six years old, Illyana is abducted and brought to the United States by

Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...

, who uses her and several other hostages to coerce the X-Men into opposing

Doctor Doom Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...

. She is rescued and brought back to the X-Mansion. Shortly thereafter, Illyana is called to the

dimension by Belasco, who seeks to bring forth the Elder Gods to rule Earth.Claremont, Chris (w). ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #160. Marvel Comics. She is raised there, frequently bullied and tormented by Belasco's underling

S'ym Sabra Sabreclaw Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine. The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enh ...

. To free himself, Belasco needs to fill the Beatrix Medallion with five bloodstones. The bloodstones are created by corrupting Illyana's soul, with a new stone appearing as her corruption deepens. She is rescued and tutored in the practice of

white magic White magic has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for selfless purposes. Practitioners of white magic have been given titles such as wise men or women, healers, white witches or wizards. Many of these people claim ...

by that dimension's version of

Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmos ...

(who turned to magic when her mutant powers waned). Finding the use of magic abhorrent, Limbo's version of

Shadowcat Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (January 1980) and was co-created by wri ...

, known as Cat, kidnaps and trains Illyana in hand to hand and sword combat. Cat, along with Illyana, storms Belasco's citadel. They are overwhelmed by Belasco who further transforms Cat into a feline demonic creature. With Illyana back under his control, Belasco instructs her in the art of black magic in the hopes that it will further corrupt her soul. However, Illyana plots Belasco's defeat and continues to resist the dark influence on her soul. Illyana forms a mystical bond between both Storm and Cat, who were also tutored by Belasco. Belasco succeeds in creating three parts of Illyana's bloodstone pendant. Illyana creates the Soulsword and takes over Limbo as its new ruler. While wielding the Soulsword she manifests horns, a tail and fangs. She banishes Belasco from Limbo''Magik'' #4. Marvel Comics. and claims S'ym as her servant. She then returns to Earth a decade older, although no time has passed on Earth since her kidnapping. She subsequently joins the

. Magik misguides one of her teleportation discs through the space-time continuum and strands herself and

Mirage A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', meanin ...

in ancient Egypt. There, Illyana meets Storm's ancestor Ashake, an Egyptian priestess. Together, they defeat an evil sorcerer, Heka-Nut, who sought an ancient mystical sword called the Sword of Bone using Magik's Soulsword. Ashake helps Illyana and Mirage return to the present, with Mirage's memory of the incident erased in the process.''Mystic Arcanna'' #1. Marvel Comics. A strange armor begins to appear on her body each time she wields the Soulsword. The armor appears only on one of her shoulders and arms at first, but appears on more of her body each time that she wields the sword. Illyana's skill as a sorceress grows, and she battles other beings with mystical powers such as

Baba Yaga In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga, also spelled Baba Jaga (from Polish), is a supernatural being (or one of a trio of sisters of the same name) who appears as a deformed and/or ferocious-looking woman. In fairy tales Baba Yaga flies around in a ...

, the Enchantress,

Forge A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature at which it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to th ...

,''The New Mutants'' #66. Marvel Comics.

Spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point. Helices Two major definitions of "spiral" in the American Heritage Dictionary are: A routine trip through Limbo goes awry, leaving the New Mutants stuck in Limbo. To open an escape route for her teammates, Illyana embraces her demonic nature and opens a colossal teleportation disc between Earth and Limbo, which

N'astirh N'astirh is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created as a demonic inhabitant of Otherplace. Publication history N'astirh first appeared in ''X-Factor'' #32 and was created by ...

holds open, triggering an invasion of Earth by demons from Limbo. Ashamed of herself, she flees into Limbo, and decides to end the demonic invasion by assuming rule of Limbo. However, her teammate

Rahne Sinclair Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is commonly associated with the X-Men. A Scottish Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutant, Wolfsbane can transform into a wolf ...

persuades her against this, and she instead gives up her demonic powers by creating a massive stepping disc that banishes the demons back to Limbo, then throws her Soulsword in after them to seal the portal shut. Afterwards, the New Mutants find a seven-year-old Illyana inside the husk of her eldritch armor. She still possesses the bloodstone locket.''The New Mutants'' #73. Marvel Comics. Because of the mystic bond she shares with the Shadowcat from the Limbo dimension, the Soulsword passes on to Earth's Shadowcat in England. It embeds itself in a stone near

Excalibur Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in th ...

's lighthouse headquarters, waiting for Shadowcat to claim it and become its new wielder. After a conflict with the necromancer Gravemoss, the Soulsword is acquired by

Amanda Sefton Amanda Sefton (real name Jimaine Szardos) (also known as Daytripper and the second Magik) is a fictional character and a witch appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Her lover is Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler of the X-Men. ...

, who would claim Illyana's mantle as Magik, ruler of Limbo and wielder of the Soulsword. Illyana returns to Russia where she lives with her parents for some months until they are murdered by the Russian government to secure Illyana's abilities to defeat a psionic being known as the

Soul Skinner Sabra Sabreclaw Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine. The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enh ...

. Illyana then returns to the

X-Mansion The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the private estate of Charles Francis Xavier, a character in X-Me ...

to live with her brother and the other X-Men. Not long afterwards, Illyana contracts the

, and dies in the X-Mansion, despite all efforts to save her made by

Charles Xavier Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...

and

Moira MacTaggert Dr. Moira MacTaggert (sometimes spelled ''MacTaggart'', ''McTaggart'', ''McTaggert''), 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 ...

. Illyana's spirit returns''The Uncanny X-Men'' #365. Marvel Comics. to Colossus, who had recently returned to the United States with Shadowcat and Nightcrawler following the disbanding of Excalibur. When investigating odd occurrences inside the Mansion, Colossus locates one of the stepping disks that Illyana had magically bound to the school. He is transported to a pocket world, which holds a memory imprint of Illyana. Illyana's memory convinces him to make one final sacrifice. When the cure for the Legacy Virus turned out to need the death of one mutant, he secretly gave his life, so nobody else would have to die like Illyana did. Colossus is later resurrected by an alien race. Belasco eventually deposes Amanda Sefton and, after seeing Illyana reappear during the 2005 "

House of M "House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a core eight-issue comic book limited series written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel and a number of crossover tie-in books. Its fir ...

" and realizing he carries a torch for her, creates a powerful spell to return her to him. The spell pulls forth the remaining essence of Illyana still held within Limbo's dimension, taking shape as the Darkchilde, the semi-demonic version of Illyana corrupted and transformed by dark magic. Belasco is not satisfied with his creation, claiming that it is not the true Illyana Rasputin (due to her lack of Illyana's soul) and banishes her to the outer parts of Limbo.''New X-Men'' vol. 2 #41. Marvel Comics. Illyana, now with her Darkchilde persona, discovers some of the teenage New X-Men being attacked by a horde of demons. After aiding the mutants against the demons, she uses a spell to immobilize them and steal a portion of

Pixie A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas arou ...

's soul, in the hopes of creating both a bloodstone and a new Soulsword, as Illyana felt Pixie had the most innocent of souls present.

Anole Dactyloidae are a family of lizards commonly known as anoles () and native to warmer parts of the Americas, ranging from southeastern United States to Paraguay. Instead of treating it as a family, some authorities prefer to treat it as a subfami ...

breaks free from Illyana's confinement and dispatches her. Pixie's soul extraction is partially successful however, creating one part of a bloodstone pendant and a soul dagger. Illyana attempts to complete the process and destroy those who wished to interfere, but

Rockslide A rockslide is a type of landslide caused by rock failure in which part of the bedding plane of failure passes through compacted rock and material collapses ''en masse'' and not in individual blocks. Note that a rockslide is similar to an avalanc ...

thwarts her, and causes Illyana's human memories of her friends and life among the X-Men to return to her. Although only a part of Pixie's soul was taken, Pixie is now capable of performing magic, the hole in her soul having been filled with

black magic Black magic, also known as dark magic, has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes, specifically the seven magical arts prohibited by canon law, as expounded by Johannes Hartlieb in 145 ...

. Since Belasco had sealed his castle from her own magic and powers, Illyana teaches Pixie a

spell, with which the New X-Men attack and defeat Belasco. Illyana succumbs to her Darkchilde persona and announces her desire to create several more bloodstones to become god-like in power. She is interrupted by the arrival of Colossus, investigating Illyana's apparent return to life. A pained Illyana rejects her brother's offers of help, and sends everyone back to Earth, before reclaiming Limbo's throne and informing S'ym and N'astirh, now once more her servants, that her next move is to reclaim her soul. Motivated by her friendship with Shadowcat and love for Colossus, Illyana tries to reclaim her soul through love and teleports to the Xavier Institute, only to find it destroyed and abandoned. While in Limbo, Illyana attacks various demons in her search for the Bloodstone amulet. Her activities are noticed by

Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...

Blackheart Blackheart is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary to the superhero Ghost Rider. Created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist John Romita Jr., Blackhear ...

Satannish Satannish is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Satannish first appeared in '' Doctor Strange'' #174 and was created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan. Fictional character biograp ...

Dormammu Dormammu () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #126 (Nov. 1964), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Debuting in the Silver Age of Comi ...

and

Hela HeLa (; also Hela or hela) is an immortalized cell line used in scientific research. It is the oldest and most commonly used human cell line. The line is derived from cervical cancer cells taken on February 8, 1951, named after Henrietta La ...

. Belasco's daughter, Witchfire appears during the meeting and reveals she is the current owner of Illyana's Bloodstone amulet and vows to take her father's place as ruler of Limbo. Back at the X-Men's base in San Francisco, Pixie accidentally discovers Magik's Soulsword is hidden inside Nightcrawler. Sensing its presence, Illyana teleports in and reclaims her sword, transforming from the Darkchilde into her Magik persona. She strikes Colossus when he enters the Danger Room and calls out to her, realizing that something is wrong when she does not feel any emotions, and returns to Limbo. Witchfire has conquered Limbo and Magik's armies during her absence.''X-Infernus'' #2. Marvel Comics. Claiming everything that Belasco ever owned, Witchfire captures Magik, takes her bloodstone and adds it to the amulet. The X-Men arrive at the castle; Nightcrawler finds Illyana chained to a pillar. At her direction, he stabs her with Pixie's soul dagger, re-releasing the Soulsword inside of her. Witchfire completes the set of Bloodstones via another portion of Pixie's soul and releases the Elder Gods. Illyana and the other mutants hold back Witchfire and the Elder Gods. Using a combination of magic and the powers of the Soulsword and Souldagger, Illyana and Pixie remove one of Pixie's bloodstones. The Elder Gods are swept back to their dimension, along with Witchfire and the remaining bloodstones. Pixie's Souldagger merges with the bloodstone that was pried loose by Ilyana. Saddened by the loss of her and Pixie's remaining bloodstones, Illyana teleports the mutants back to the X-Base, and they convince her to stay with them.''X-Infernus'' #4. Marvel Comics. However, the younger mutants are still very distrustful of her. Illyana seems to have undergone a personality change since her return from the future, becoming more detached emotionally in most cases, possibly due to the further loss of most of her soul. Later, Cyclops sends Illyana to team up (unknowingly) with X-Force to locate Wolverine and teleport them to Alcatraz to rescue any mutants taken prisoner by Norman Osborn's forces. Along with Pixie, they teleport all the X-Men from San Francisco to their new home, Utopia. When

Hope Summers Sarah Hope Summers (June 7, 1902 – June 22, 1979) was an American character actress known for her work on CBS's ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and ''Mayberry RFD'', portraying Clara Edwards. Early life Hope Summers was born in Mattoon, Illinois ...

and

Cable Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...

return to the present during the 2010 " X-Men: Second Coming" storyline,

Bastion A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...

begins eliminating all mutant teleporters to trap the mutant population on Utopia. While trying to bring Hope and Cable to Utopia, Illyana is fired upon by one of the Purifiers with a supernatural weapon that opens a portal to Limbo that she cannot control; she is drawn into the portal by a cluster of demonic tentacles. She is eventually freed from her restraints by

, and Illyana and her rescue team return to Earth. In a reversal of fortune, Pixie is kidnapped by Project Purgatory, and Magik returns to Limbo with the New Mutants to rescue her. While in Limbo, the New Mutants encounter the ''Inferno Babies'' - mutants who were taken as infants by the government and raised and trained in Limbo. This now-adult team attacks and overwhelms the New Mutants. While the rest of the team is captured, Magik escapes to Earth with

Karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

and Pixie. After hiding the Soulsword inside Karma, Magik teleports the rest of the X-Men to Portal Epsilon, Project Purgatory's gateway to Limbo, for what the X-Men believe to be a rescue mission. They arrive just as Limbo's Elder Gods breach the gateway to Earth. Karma releases

Legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...

's mind with the soulsword, freeing him to use his powers to destroy the Elder Gods and return the bloodstones belonging to Magik and Pixie, thus restoring their souls. Confronted by Cyclops afterward, Magik admits to putting the world in danger and manipulating the X-Men for the sake of a personal vendetta against the Elder Gods. Cyclops decides that she must be restrained. While she remains unrepentant, she accepts his decision. Magik is placed in the X-Brig 2, a newly constructed, ultra-high security prison 500 ft. below sea level. She is controlled by devices that detect and prevent the use of teleportation and magic. During a visit Magik accepts the blame for her incarceration when Colossus tries to comfort her. Magik is temporarily released by Colossus and Kitty to get her help in defeating

Juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath. ...

. Following the events of

Schism A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had previously been a single religious body, suc ...

, Magik is selected to be a member of Cyclops' "Extinction Team." Despite this status, she remains a prisoner. She is only released from the X-Brig for missions, and while in the field, her suit contains lethal fail-safes that prevent her escape. Illyana is chosen as one of the "Phoenix Five," a group of X-Men granted additional powers by the Phoenix Force. After

Ms. Marvel Ms. Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was originally conceived as a female counterpart to Captain Marvel. Like Captain Marvel, most of the bearers of the Ms. M ...

is defeated by Rogue, Magik appears and gags the Avenger before teleporting her into Limbo, trapping her and terrifying Rogue. Following the defeat of Cyclops, Magik and the other former members of the Phoenix Five are reported to have fled. Magik joins Cyclops' team of X-Men at the New Xavier School at the old Weapon X facility. The Phoenix apparently has damaged Magik's powers, like it apparently did to the other five; Illyana initially thinks her ability to channel increased energies from Limbo is a power upgrade, but Dormmamu pulls her into Limbo, and demonstrates that her newfound ability to effortlessly summon Limbo energies is destroying Limbo. Dormmamu later pulls the entire Uncanny team into Limbo, intending to kill them in front of Magik before he kills her. They fight back and Illyana absorbs all of Limbo's mystic energy, causing it and its creatures to disappear. She sends the X-Men back to Earth, and travels back through time to become the protégé of a past version of

Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...

, explaining that she needs a greater understanding of magic, so as to better control her mutant powers. It is eventually discovered that Magik along with Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto and Colossus were actually infected with nano-sentinels by Dark Beast, after the incident with the Phoenix Force, and that was the real cause for their broken powers or sudden upgrade. She has since regained total control over her powers and was able to recreate Limbo. She later helps Doctor Strange defeat the Empirikul, a science cult focused on destroying magic in every dimension. Magik is employed by Karma to lead a new New Mutants team along with Wolfsbane,

Rictor Rapamycin-insensitive companion of mammalian target of rapamycin (RICTOR) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''RICTOR'' gene. RICTOR and mTOR are components of a protein complex that integrates nutrient- and growth factor-derived si ...

Strong Guy Strong Guy is the alias of Guido Carosella, a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz and first appeared in '' The New Mutants'' #29 (July 1985). Pu ...

Prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and ...

and Boom-Boom.

Powers and abilities

Teleportation

Magik has the

ability to teleport herself and others through time and space from one location to another. She initially did this by summoning what she calls "stepping discs," which were part of a dimension known as

. Claremont wrote dialogue for Kitty Pryde that identified Magik's powers with science fiction author

Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven (; born April 30, 1938) is an American science fiction writer. His best-known works are ''Ringworld'' (1970), which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards, and, with Jerry Pournelle, ''The Mote in God's Eye'' ...

's stepping disks, a concept that first appeared in his 1970 novel ''

Ringworld ''Ringworld'' is a 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. ''Ringworld'' tells the story of Louis Wu and his companions on a mission to the Ringworld, a ...

''. When Illyana called for a stepping disc she had to use Limbo as a midway point before she could teleport to an alternate location. Magik has succeeded in teleporting herself across continents, from one continent to another, and even interplanetary and intergalactic distances on occasion. Unlike most teleporters in the Marvel Universe, Magik can teleport through time as well as space. She has teleported moments, days or centuries into the past or future. Especially early on, she had difficulty modulating this ability and would often inadvertently travel through time and space when intending to teleport only through space.''The New Mutants Special Edition'' #1 The greater the distance over which she teleported, the greater the possible margin of error in terms of her arriving at the point of time she intended. After Illyana absorbed all of Limbo, the stepping discs ceased to exist; now when Illyana teleports, hellish images of ghosts, dragons, or other supernatural creatures appear.

Sorcery

Magik is the sorceress supreme of her Limbo dimension. In Limbo, Magik is able to cast any magic spell that Belasco could, having had access to his store of sorcerous knowledge. Her sorcery is a unique mix of black magic that she learned from Belasco and white magic she was taught by an alternative-reality

Ororo Munroe Storm is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, first appearing in ''Giant-Size X-Men'' #1 (May 1975). Descended from a long line of African ...

. On Earth, her magic was limited to

astral projection Astral projection (also known as astral travel) is a term used in esotericism to describe an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an " astral body" through which consciousness can functio ...

, sensing mystical presences,

scrying Scrying, also known by various names such as "seeing" or "peeping", is the practice of looking into a suitable medium in the hope of detecting significant messages or visions. The objective might be personal guidance, prophecy, revelation, or in ...

, and casting very simple spells. In ''X-Infernus'', she uses magic of a seemingly greater strength than she could previously use in Earth's dimension. Since absorbing Limbo and becoming Doctor Strange's disciple, Illyana's magic on Earth has been considerably stronger, such as when she used spells she learned from Doctor Strange to destroy advanced Sentinels.

Eldritch armor

The more Magik uses her magical power, the more mystical armor appears on her body, in addition to demonic features such as horns and hooves. The armor deflects or limits attacks, both physical and magical. Illyana's armor also provides protection from the Transmode Virus. The armor also provides Illyana with super-strength, which she displayed by being able to toss the giant demon S'ym off of her several feet.

Soulsword

The Soulsword was created by Illyana Rasputin during her imprisonment in Limbo. Illyana magically caused her own life force energy to manifest before her. Once this happened she cast her hand into a pool of eldritch energy and imagined a weapon in her mind. When she withdrew her hand she was holding the Soulsword, created from her own soul. A simple looking blade upon its origin, it develops intricate designs and forms upon itself the more Illyana uses it, becoming more powerful with each use.''The New Mutants'' #50 Magik's Soulsword disrupts magical energies, constructs, and creatures. It also augments the power level of any magic user who holds it. The Soulsword generally has no physical effect, but disrupts even the most powerful magic as it passes through. Since Illyana's resurrection, the Soulsword seems to affect psychic beings like Legion's personalities,''New Mutants'' vol. 4 #3 whereas in the past the sword only affected magical creatures and spells. The only exception to this has been

Kitty Pryde Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (January 1980) and was ...

, who can still be cut by the Soulsword even when Pryde is using her phasing power to become intangible. Illyana can make her Soulsword appear and vanish at will. After ''

'', Illyana has used her Soulsword against physical beings, including a Sentinel.

Other abilities

Illyana has formidable psionic shields, which block anyone from reading her mind, even such powerful

telepath Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W ...

s as

Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...

, the

Shadow King The Shadow King (Amahl Farouk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is particularly associated with the X-Men family of comics. His nemesis is the X-Men's leader, Professor X, while he also ...

, and

Rachel Summers Rachel Anne Summers (also known as Rachel Grey) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-plotter John Byrne (comics), John Byrne. In h ...

.''The Uncanny X-Men'' Annual #9 (1985) Since her revival, Illyana is able to lower her psionic shields. Due to Belasco creating the magical bloodstones with their souls, Illyana has a psychic bond with X-Man

. Because of this, a similar connection could be considered between Illyana and

Reception

Critical reception

Sara Century of ''

Syfy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...

'' referred to Magik as "one of the X-Men's most surprisingly popular characters," asserting, "Illyana's story often involves her teetering on the edge between good and evil. She is a character who has been forced to make no-win choices since her early childhood, and those decisions have gone on to define much of her arc. However, Illyana is also a brave, dynamic character whose hope was crushed out of her by a much older man when she was only a child. The trauma she underwent is extreme, even by X-Men standards. Though she finds her ability to hope has been crushed, Illyana's saving grace is that she does everything in her power to keep her friends safe from harm. No longer trusting herself, she surrounds herself with good people and puts her faith in them, instead. For anyone who has been made to feel like a lesser person for the abuse they've undergone, Illyana is a surprisingly poignant character. Her continuous struggle against her evil impulses might not always work out to everyone's advantage, but the fact that she continues to try even when all hope seems to be lost is still inspirational." David Harth of ''

CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...

'' labelled Magik as "Marvel's best magic user," stating, "Some Marvel heroes are vastly underrated and are deserving of more attention and time in the spotlight. Marvel's heroes run the gamut from the amazingly powerful to non-superpowered vigilantes. For years, the A-list heroes have fronted books and teams, their names becoming a part of the pantheon of greatest superheroes of all times. However, there are plenty of heroes out there who never got the chance to shine. These underrated heroes have vocal fans and are always on the cusp of stardom. ..Magik has a long and storied history. A member of the powerful Rasputin family, Magik's teleportational abilities allow her to travel through space and time, but it's her magic powers that have made her so formidable. She's conquered the magical realm of Limbo and is a fearless combatant. She looks great, with her anime-inspired costume and giant swords making her a memorable visual. The magic side of Marvel is pretty much just her, Doctor Strange, and Scarlet Witch, and she's a more fun character than either of them. Magik has got it all: she's powerful, entertaining, looks cool, and can handle herself in battles against supervillains, demons, and dark gods." Alex Schlesinger of ''

Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...

'' wrote, "The powerful mutant Magik, sister of the long time X-Men member Colossus, has not only seen a meteoric rise to fame over the past decade, but also has the best long-term character arc of any hero in Marvel Comics. First introduced in 1975's ''Giant-Size X-Men #1'' as the young, unnamed sister of Piotr Rasputin, Illyana was eventually kidnapped and brought to America by the villain Arcade before she was taken to the realm of Limbo by the evil demon lord Belasco. Since then Magik has dealt with the trauma she experienced at the hands of Belasco and his henchman S'ym in Limbo, losing her soul, and becoming the Queen of Limbo. ..Magik's story powerfully shows that trauma is not necessary for growth or empowerment, but one can also not undo the trauma of their past. Instead, the path forward is to reconcile your past with your present and gain strength from the freedom you have desperately fought for. Magik's story of heroic redemption, escape from abuse, and acceptance of one's identity has given this X-Men fan-favorite the best character arc in Marvel Comics." Michileen Martin of ''

Looper Looper may refer to: Animals * Cabbage looper (''Trichoplusia ni''), a member of the moth family Noctuidae * Inchworm, of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies People * Looper (surname), a Dutch-language surname with the meanin ...

'' said, "Illyana Rasputin, aka Magik, isn't quite like her New Mutants teammates. Yeah, she's a mutant, but her teleportation powers are just the beginning of her extraordinary abilities. Illyana is the earliest New Mutant to appear in the X-Men comics, showing up seven years before the New Mutants original graphic novel that introduced the team to readers. She's part-demon queen, a powerful sorceress, sister to a classic X-Men hero, and a star of 2020's superhero/horror hybrid The New Mutants. Plus, of the classic New Mutants line-up, she's proven the most willing to commit the kind of dark acts most superheroes shun. Over the years, Illyana has become a staple of the New Mutants. While not a founding member, once she joins, she's one of its most powerful assets and later proves an equally irreplaceable member of the X-Men. Unfortunately, the mystical origins of Illyana's powers occasionally threaten to make her a liability, as she's got a demonic dark half that's dangerously easy to corrupt. With both mutant and magical abilities, Illyana is a fascinating character."

Accolades

* In 2014, ''

BuzzFeed BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. Ken ...

'' ranked Magik 12th in their "95 X-Men Members Ranked From Worst To Best" list. * In 2015, ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' ranked Magik 33rd in their "Let's rank every X-Man ever" list. * In 2019, ''

'' ranked Magik 1st in their "10 Best New Mutants Who Graduated To Become X-Men" list and included her in their "Marvel's Most Powerful New Mutants" list. * In 2019, ''

Sideshow In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair, or other such attraction. Types There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions: *The Ten-in-One offers a program of ten seq ...

'' included Magik in their "Marvel's Most Masterful Witches" list. * In 2020, ''

Scary Mommy Scary Mommy is a website that produces content targeting mothers, which generally focuses on parenting, motherhood, current events and pop culture. The site is owned by Bustle Digital Group and is based in New York City. History Scary Mommy ...

'' included Magik in their "Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic" list. * In 2020, ''

'' ranked Magik 1st in their "New Mutants: Every Member Of The Original Team" list and 7th in their "Marvel Comics: The Strongest Magic Users" list and 4th in their "10 Most Powerful Teleporters In The Marvel Universe" list. * In 2021, ''

'' ranked Magik 1st in their "10 Most Powerful Members Of The New Mutants" list. * In 2021, ''

'' included Magik in their "Marvel's Most Powerful Magic Users" list. * In 2022, ''

Sportskeeda Sportskeeda is an Indian sports and esports news website, founded in 2009. It is operated by Absolute Sports Private Limited and owned by Indian video game company Nazara Technologies. The website has news, features, commentary and videos on spo ...

'' ranked Magik 3rd in their "5 most powerful comic characters with magic abilities" list. * In 2022, ''

'' included Magik in their "10 Most Powerful X-Men" list and in their "15 Most Powerful Marvel Magic Users (Who Aren't Doctor Strange)" list. * In 2022, ''

'' ranked Magik 3rd in their "10 Greatest X-Men, Ranked By Courage" list.

Literary reception

Volumes

''X-Men: Return of Magik'' - 2008

According to Marvel Comics, ''X-Men: Return of Magik'' #1 sold out in September 2008. According to

Diamond Comic Distributors Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (often called Diamond Comics, DCD, or casually Diamond) is an American comic book distributor serving retailers in North America and worldwide. They transport comic books and graphic novels, as well as other po ...

, ''X-Men: Return of Magik'' #1 was the 128th best selling comic book in September 2008.

''What If? Magik'' - 2018

According to

, ''What If Magik'' #1 was the 115th best selling comic book in October 2018. Matt Lune of ''

'' asserted, "Sometimes there are issues of ''What If'' that are so outrageous, they'd never be possible in the regular canon. Other stories, however, take already established plotlines and give them a little tweak, then show us the Butterfly Effect that this small change causes. ''What If Magik'' #1 definitely falls into the latter category, giving us a look at the life of Illyana Rasputin had she walked away from the New Mutants at a pivotal moment. ..There's so much to enjoy in this issue that it's a shame that it's out of continuity. Williams does an excellent job of using the somewhat reluctant pairing to enrich and deepen both central characters in a way that seems almost wasted in this one-off issue. If it weren't for the fact that this early time in Magik's life was already fully explored by Claremont, this would make a perfect retcon flashback that could set up a future relationship between Illyana and Strange. As it stands, this is an effective examination of the two characters in a way that manages to find new things to say about both of them." Jamie Lovett of ''

Comicbook.com The following is a list of major assets that are owned by Paramount Global. Paramount Pictures Corporation (Film) * Paramount Pictures ** Paramount Home Entertainment ** Paramount Television Studios ** Paramount Pictures International ** Para ...

'' gave ''What If? Magik'' #1 a grade of 5 out of 5, saying, "''What If? Magik'' packs a novel's worth of story into a single comic book. Leah Williams and Felipe Andrade use Magik's history to tell a story of trauma, abusive relationships, and the road to recovery and reclamation and it is exquisitely told. Williams knows exactly when to zoom into a moment with personal dialogue and when to zoom out to let the narration carry the reader. Andrade does a great job of building his layouts around the dialogue and narration. Both Williams writing and Andrade's artwork present strong characterizations of Magik and Doctor Strange. There are two small quibbles, however. Andrade's expressive faces sometimes verge on the cartoonish, which is at odds with the tone of the story. The issue also begs for one last splash page to really drive home just how far Illyanna has come by the end. Regardless, this is an expertly crafted single-issue tale." Alan Kistler of ''

Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...

'' included ''What If Magik'' #1 in their "The greatest What If...? stories in Marvel history" list.

Other versions

Age of Apocalypse

In the ''

Age of Apocalypse "Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 comic book crossover storyline mostly published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The ''Age of Apocalypse'' briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616 and had ramifications in the main Marvel Comic ...

'' timeline, after Apocalypse's attacks on Russia, her friends and family believed that Illyana had died when in fact she was taken to the slave camp known as the Core located in Seattle, which provides energy for Apocalypse's empire. Colossus, Shadowcat and Generation NeXt rescue her, at the cost of the lives of every single member of Generation NeXt. Illyana then helps Bishop go back in time to prevent the Age of Apocalypse from occurring in the mainstream Earth-616 timeline. In the 2000 ''Blink'' limited series, it is revealed via flashback that

Sugar Man Sabra Sabreclaw Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine. The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enh ...

was at one point the abusive jailer in charge of cellmates Illyana Rasputin and Blink (before she was rescued as a young girl by Weapon-X and Sabretooth) in a prison facility.

Excalibur

During ''

s "Cross-Time Caper" storyline, the team encounters a childlike version of Illyana, clothed in the regalia of Doctor Strange, who runs an organized crime cartel in partnership with her friend Shadowcat. When Alistaire Stuart and a near comatose Rachel Summers are threatened by the authorities, Illyana grants them sanctuary; however, she merely intends to use her guests in a bid for dominance over the world. When the authorities once more attempt to search Illyana's apartment, an altercation occurs and she is shot dead but merely resurrects into her fully demonic form. That world's

Captain Britain Captain Britain is a title used by various superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Excalibur. The moniker was first used in publication by Brian Braddock in ''Captain Britain Weekly'' #1 by writer Ch ...

and

Psylocke Psylocke is the name of two connected fictional Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutant superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The first character to use the Psylocke moniker, Betsy Braddoc ...

arrive on the scene to help stop Illyana. Psylocke psychically restores

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

, who performs an exorcism on Illyana and restores her to her human state.

Exiles

Illyana from Earth-4210 is also a member of The Exiles. Illyana replaces

Blink Blinking is a bodily function; it is a semi-autonomic rapid closing of the eyelid. A single blink is determined by the forceful closing of the eyelid or inactivation of the levator palpebrae superioris and the activation of the palpebral portio ...

when the

Timebroker The Timebroker is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Judd Winick for the comic book ''Exiles''; a psychic construct created by the Timebreakers, a race of alien bug-peo ...

sends her home. She is led to believe that had she not become an Exile, she would murder her family. This universe's Magik is much more temperamental and ruthless than the

Earth-616 In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place. History of the term The term was first used in "Rough Justice", a story credited to both Alan Moore and Alan Davis p ...

Magik and clashes with the team from the beginning. Shortly after the Timebroker returns Blink to the team, he decrees that half the members of the combined Exiles and

Weapon X Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are conducted by List of government agencies in Marvel Comics, Department K, which turns willing ...

group have to die. Fearing for her life, Magik tries to join King Hyperion and tells him of the mission Exiles and Weapon X were given. To corroborate her claims, Hyperion snaps Magik's neck to see if a replacement Exile is sent.

House of M

Not a true alternate earth as such,

is a temporary recreation of Earth-616 by the

Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...

in which mutants are dominant on Earth. Magik is a member of a

S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...

squadron of young mutants called the Hellions. Like most of the other Hellions, she eventually joins the side of the New Mutants, a team being groomed as future leaders, in fighting the establishment of the House of M in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. This version of Magik teleports to Limbo before the Scarlet Witch restores reality to its former state. This results in Belasco's resurrection of Illyana in Earth-616. In this reality, she can speak Japanese.

Shattershot

In the Shattershot crossover, a reality was shown in which Illyana was regressed in the same way as in

but never succumbs to the Legacy Virus. She grows up to master her mutant and mystical powers, calls herself Darkchild and joins

X-Force X-Force is a fictional team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team first appeared in ''New Mutants#New Muta ...

alongside

Sunspot Sunspots are phenomena on the Sun's photosphere that appear as temporary spots that are darker than the surrounding areas. They are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic flux that inhibit convection. Sun ...

and

Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...

Other

In another reality in which Illyana is an adult, her son is trapped in an incorporeal form. She makes a deal with Mephisto to provide him with a body, at the cost of all mutants' lives, but her son ultimately rejects the offer.

What If?

* In " What If? the X-Men Had Stayed In Asgard?" Illyana is one of the

who chooses to remain in the Realm Eternal. She eventually replaces the Enchantress as Asgard's supreme sorceress and assumes a secondary role as liaison between her teammate

Danielle Moonstar Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, originally codenamed Psyche and later Mirage, is a fictional Northern Cheyenne superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in the graphic novel ''The New Mutants'' (Sept. ...

, the new ruler of Hel, and Asgard. * In a 2006 issue of ''What If...?'', Magik is a member of a Soviet version of the Fantastic Four known as "The Ultimate Federalist Freedom Fighters." * In a 2018 issue of ''What If? Magik Became Sorcerer Supreme?'' envisions Illyana as recently freed from Limbo seven years older and wanting nothing to do with the X-Men and runs away before coming to the attention of Doctor Strange.

In other media

Television

* Illyana Rasputin makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the ''

X-Men: The Animated Series ''X-Men'', also known as ''X-Men: The Animated Series'', is an animated superhero television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Kids Network. ''X-Men'' was Marvel Comics' second attempt at an animated X-Men ...

'' episode "Red Dawn". Additionally, a possible future version appears in the episode "Time Fugitives" as part of a vision that

has. * At

Comic Con A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at con ...

2009, Magik was one of several character design sketches shown for '' Wolverine and the X-Men''.

Film

Illyana Rasputin / Magik appears in ''

'', portrayed by

as a young adult and Colbi Gannett as a child. This version was sold into child slavery, is at odds with terrifying creatures called the Smiling Men, and is accompanied by Lockheed.

Video games

* Illyana Rasputin appears as a non-playable character (NPC) in ''

X-Men Legends ''X-Men Legends'' is an action role-playing video game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. It was released on the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles in 2004. Barking Lizards Technologies developed the N-Gage port of ...

'', voiced by Jeannie Elias. * Magik appears as an unlockable character in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance''. * Magik appears as a playable character in '' Marvel Heroes'', voiced by

Tara Strong Tara Lyn Strong (née Charendoff; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian-American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as ''The New Batman Adventures ...

. * Magik appears as a playable character in ''

Marvel Contest of Champions ''Marvel Contest of Champions'' is a 2014 fighting video game developed and published by Kabam. It was released on December 10, 2014, for iOS and Android. The fighting game is primarily set in the Marvel Universe. The game is strongly based o ...

''. * Magik appears as a playable character in ''

Marvel Future Fight ''Marvel: Future Fight'' is a 2015 superhero-themed mobile video game developed by Netmarble Games. Gameplay Plot The collapse of several dimensions prompts investigations from Thor, Black Bolt, and Black Panther. After battling alternat ...

''. * Magik appears as a playable character in ''

Marvel Puzzle Quest ''Marvel Puzzle Quest'' is a video game released by D3 Publisher and Marvel Entertainment on October 3, 2013, and developed by Demiurge Studios. The fourth installment in the '' Puzzle Quest'' series, it is a free-to-play, match-three ''Bejeweled ...

''. * Magik appears as a playable character in ''

Marvel Future Revolution ''Marvel Future Revolution'' is an action RPG video game developed and published by Netmarble Games. It was released for iOS and Android on August 25, 2021. The game's storyline is based on the Secret Wars series and is set on the Primary Earth, ...

''. * Magik appears as a playable character in ''

Marvel's Midnight Suns ''Marvel's Midnight Suns'' is a tactical role-playing game developed by Firaxis Games in collaboration with Marvel Games. It features comic book characters from multiple Marvel Comics properties, such as Midnight Sons, Avengers, X-Men, and Run ...

''. This version is the ruler of Limbo and a member of the titular Midnight Suns. * Magik appears in ''

Marvel Snap ''Marvel Snap'' is a digital collectible card game developed by Second Dinner and published by Nuverse for Microsoft Windows, Android and iOS. The game features a collection of different Marvel characters from the Marvel Universe. The game was ...

''.

References

External links

*
UncannyXmen.net spotlight on Illyana Nikolievna Rasputin

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Magik (Illyana Rasputin) Characters created by Dave Cockrum Characters created by Len Wein Comics characters introduced in 1975 Fictional Russian people Fictional Soviet people Fictional swordfighters in comics Marvel Comics characters who can teleport Marvel Comics characters who use magic Marvel Comics demons Marvel Comics female superheroes Marvel Comics mutants Marvel Comics superheroes Marvel Comics witches New Mutants Superhero film characters X-Men supporting characters