LEHNSHERR, ERIK // MAGNETO

Magnus was raised to be a rather simple man. Even though his powers could make a gaudy necklace or dazzling bracelet, the beauty of it all seemed to diminish when he witnessed such horrors in front of his own eyes. Now he lives a life with very few pleasures. As a man who is constantly surrounds himself by metal, capable of making flawless works of art by mere thought, he rarely indulges, keeping his creations to a more simplistic form. However, it’s the lack of detail that brings a certain tranquil aura to Erik. It’s when he forms a more complicated piece that people should worry, as his mind has become more honed to a certain distain that someone is causing.

It can similarly be said about Erik’s choice of dress that he prefers the basics. When wanting to walk amongst civilians without causing a stir, which to be fair isn’t that often anymore, he dawns a casual suit. Typically its grey in color, not even with a tie around his collar, and formal, shined shoes. He also tends to wear a hat to conceal his face to the best of his ability, if he’s attempting to be subtle, the last thing he is desiring is to stir up the interest of anyone walking past him.

Most of the time, however, Magneto is certainly one to make an entrance. He wants everyone to know he is there to take a stand for what is right and what is just, and certainly the best way of utilizing such an opportunity is through fear. When interrupting a protest or meeting of politics of any sort, Magneto is sure to dress the part that his name grants him. In his youth he dawned a certain combination of reds and deep purples, but in his older age he has converted to darker colors, mostly black and maroon. He wears a very durable black body suit with matching boots that reach up to his knees. His entire outfit, though it may be hard to believe, is made of light weight, flexible metal which he crafted himself. Erik also wears a long, maroon cloak that wraps around his neck and drapes down to his ankles. Although it lacks any form of necessity, it is one of the few vanities he wears. Finally, Magneto is ironically known to wear a rather bizarre helmet that protects his mind from anyone, friend or foe, with telepathic powers. The helmet is of course made of metal, painted a matte maroon and only covers his head, leaving his facial features entirely revealed. For years the helmet has transformed in detail, Magnus toying with certain ideas, but again, in his older age, its sophistication has dwindled, merely having a few creased edges around his eyes and smoothing to the back of his head.

Magneto is viewed as a monster amongst the public, a thread to society that needs to be dealt with. That is, of course, how humans would view him, inferiors being a far more accurate term. Some would call him a radical lunatic and probably worse terms, but amongst his kind, he is a leader. Erik is a strong willed person, determined to make every possible effort to achieve what has been well overdue. He is so determined, he understands that sometimes sacrifices need to be made. While some might view such as cold hearted, Erik likes to believe he offers- some appreciation, but its questionable if he actually cares of loss of life, or even powers as his right hand woman, Mystique, learned.

Overall, Erik comes off as quiet emotionless, rarely revealing anger, sadness, or even joy. The only person who has ever seen his true emotions would be his very dear friend Charles Xavier. Outside of that, the only real form he shows is a rather cruel, eerie smile. Even then it is only revealed when the odds seem all in his favor, when things go just as he plans, and the last thing he wants his enemy to see is his amused smile.

Amongst followers of his, its rare to hear him talk about anything outside of orders, while he enjoys a battle of words, Erik finds it difficult to really discuss with anyone that doesn’t match his level. Charles Xavier was always someone that Magnus could spends hours playing chess with, all while holding some of the most detailed and extensive conversation with. Sadly, those days have passed since his dear friend passed away at the hands of one of his own students. Next to his parents, Xavier is one of few lost that Erik will mourn.

Magnetokinesis, more simply put, Magnetism. Erik is capable of control, molding, and forming even the most microscopic forms of metal. He has proven capable of moving whole submarines, stadiums, and even taking an increased amount of iron out of a man’s blood. Magnus is capable of utilizing the planets natural magnetic lines of force. Such a power can enable him to imitate flight, create magnetic force fields, and even generate magnetic shock waves. However, aside from flight, its rather rare Magneto gets to utilize his full potential when lesser beings find the solution to his demise to be bullets and even missiles, which he is easily capable of turning around onto his attack with a simple flick of his wrist.

For Erik’s old age, some would believe that the strain of such power, stress, what have you, would age him far more rapidly than the typical being. Fortunately for Eric, his powers have granted him what would be considered “superhuman” strength, stamina, and durability. This is all due to his capability to harness the power of vast magnetic energy to enhance his own abilities. As an example to his strength, Magneto is entirely capable of bending and tearing the adamantium off of Wolverine’s skeleton.

Something that is not attributed by Erik’s own powers is his telepathic immunity. That is solely caused by the helmet he constantly wears on his head which he stole from Sebastian Shaw before killing him. This leaves Magneto untraceable and un readable to any telepaths, even ones as strong as Emma Frost, Jean Grey, or Charles Xavier.

On his own, Erik is a very wise man. He prides himself on being well read as well as military trained- not for hand to hand combat but for his strategic and tactical skills for what he considers to be a far more important war. This also makes Magneto a superior leader amongst his group, The Brotherhood of Mutants. It was through his advanced knowledge and understanding of genetic engineering and mutation as well as great understanding of politics (and its uselessness) that Magneto was capable of getting such a gathering, on top of his rather manipulative speech. He cannot only communicate in English, but also French, Polish, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Ukrainian, and German.

However, like all men, Magneto does have his weaknesses. He is capable of being caught off guard of non-metal weapons and being wounded. His abilities rely greatly on his physical condition and he has no way of regenerating or healing himself through his powers. One of Magneto’s greatest weaknesses, is the utilization of plastic, which has become a popular material for weapons lately as the United States has decided to take action against him.

Max Eisenhardt was a Jewish boy born in Nazi occupied Germany. Regardless of the war approaching, Max was raised a happy child, doing well in school and in sports. However, fellow classmates and even faculty didn’t take too kindly to his success and even the medals he won in javelin. He was beaten constantly, but Erik continued to keep a smile on his face- especially for Magda. He continued to try to catch her eye, but nothing seemed to be enough.

The abuse continued, not only with Max but with his family members as well. His father finally took the point to say, “Fight back and they’ll stomp your head in”. Before they believed things could get worse (after Reichskristallnacht), they fled to Warsaw, Poland, but were immediately placed in a ghetto scheduled to be deported to an extermination camp. It was when they arrived at the camp that Max first displayed his powers. Men, women, and children were separated from each other; and Max, ill from a spread of hepatitis within the ghetto was surely being sent straight to the gas chambers. Max cried and screamed for his parents, reaching out at an iron gate that began to close, possibly separating them forever. Soldier had rushed to restrain the boy, more and more piling on top of him as he oddly pulled against all of their strength combined. It wasn’t until they knocked him unconscious with the butt of a gun did they realize the gate was bent and practically folded on top of itself.

Word spread quickly from camp to camp and Max was sent to Auschwitz to be further examined by a Doctor Klaus Schmidt. When Max entered his office, he knew not all was well, surrounded by devices that looked like those of torture. The doctor demanded Max to move a coin and when he couldn’t, it was revealed that Max’s mother had also come to Auschwitz. The risk became far greater, Max needing to move the coin, or else his mother would be killed. Try as he might he simply couldn’t recreate what he had done to an entire iron gate. His mother coaxed him up until a bullet was fired into her head by soldiers. Max was entirely consumed with rage, turning his anger and guns onto the soldiers, ending their lives to lie beside his fallen mother. Impressed, Schmidt kept Max alive, but still required him to work.

Max was forced to work the gas chambers, sending his own people to their death, and afterward dragged their bodies to mass graves. Max was forced to witness and even participate in a race laying waste to people who were considered inferior and all of its horror. Max grew into a young man within the death camp and eventually learned that his school sweetheart, Magda, was also in Auschwitz. Simply incapable of taking it anymore and still uncertain how to manage his powers, Max waited for a revolt (that of course ended horribly) to escape with Magda.

Max became Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, requiring a new identity to move on with his life with Magda. The two were madly in love, having to face such horrors together and finding strength in each other as they pressed on with their lives. They found jobs, made a home, and soon- a family. Magda gave birth to a baby girl whom they named Anya. She was the pride and joy of Erik’s life, making him strive to become an even better man. Erik, however, still had a temper, and one evening erupted on his boss when he learned how unfairly he was being paid, using his powers to throw a crowbar at him. When he returned home, he saw a flood of flames consuming the home he had made, his wife safe, but daughter trapped inside. Before Magnus could save Anya, the KGB was called by his boss and restrained him as his daughter burned. A familiar image was repeated, as guns were turned against the soldiers once more, and fired. Magda was terrified, unaware of the powers her beloved had hid from her. She fled while Erik pleaded for her to help him burry their daughter. Magda did not return to Erik, leaving him entirely unaware of her pregnancy with twins.

[- - -]

Erik was done trying to be a better man, his eyes turning to revenge on all the men who had done him wrong, especially Doctor Klaus Schmidt. One by one Erik hunted down Nazi soldiers that had enslaved him, villagers that beat and taunted him, but the Doctor still eluded him. His powers grew stronger, capable of stopping a bullet right before his skull. Eventually he would learn of a Sebastian Shaw, the real man behind the aliases he had accumulated. It all led to one faithful night he would meet Charles Xavier and his beautiful, blue friend Raven Darkholme.

Although Erik’s attempt at murdering Shaw was entirely thwarted by his own weaknesses, he pressed on with the telepath, Charles. He had been assembling a team of sorts, of people similar to Erik, people with powers. Fascinated and determined to find Shaw again, he helped find and train the newly found mutants with the assistance of a machine named Cerebro. It was with this team that Erik harnessed his powers, a balance of serenity and rage, to a strength that allowed him to move an entire satellite- miles away from the mansion.

The team of extraordinary people worked together to end an onslaught of missile threats, but Erik’s eyes were set on his own mission, to finally end Shaw. Though Charles pleaded for Erik to stop, it didn’t stop him from sending a very familiar coin right through his head, and claiming Shaw’s prized helmet for himself to keep Charles at bay. When reunited with the team, Erik ready to turn the missiles on waiting marines, Erik made it clear he must continue on his own path. A particular Moira McTaggert began firing at Erik, easily waving away the bullets, he lacked the realization that his dear friend Charles was behind him, and sent a bullet right into his spine.

Refusing to except the blame of his friend’s condition, Erik fled with Shaw’s former crew and Raven Darkholme, who took on the name Mystique.

[- - -]

Now going under the name Magneto, Erik moved onto be a leader for mutant rights. Erik didn’t ask for fair treatment, he planned to take it and eliminate those he saw as inferior- the entire non-mutant race. He formed a group he named the Brotherhood, including members like Sabretooth, Toad, and even Pyro; a former X-man. They entirely opposed all that the X-Men represented, especially that of peace. Erik had planned an attack on New York, using Rogue as a battery for a device that had turned their mayor, Robert Kelly, into nothing more than a puddle of water. Thwarted by the X-men, Erik continued to strengthen the Brotherhood.

Occasionally, the two joined forces to prevent the annihilation of the mutant race by sentinels or orders of William Stryker. It was all still reluctant on Erik’s part, even though he continued to admire Charles’ hope of peace.

When a cure was publicize, Magneto took it personally, and planned an all-out war against humanity. He added Juggernaut, Multiple Man, and a group of Morlocks into the Brotherhood, but Erik knew he didn’t stand a chance if he didn’t obtain the newly found Jean Grey onto his side. She was corrupted by some other force, but fortunately for Erik she did not want to be control. He promised her she would know no such chains, even speaking against Charles so she would despise her mentor. Another fatal error. Jean, or whatever was within Jean, killed Charles Xavier right before Erik’s eyes. Distraught, Erik once again fled the scene, leaving the X-Men to mourn the loss of their leader.

With Jean at his side Erik moved the attack forward to Alcatraz Island, where the cure was being created. With soldiers armed with plastic weapons, there was little Erik could do, but little needed to be done when he had an entire army fighting for him…

Chaos had entirely consumed the island of Alcatraz. What was once known to isolate the worst of criminals now housed a particular cure the sparked controversy around the world. A cure to help poor, tormented mutants to be rid of their powers. Certainly people took to the streets to protest the very idea, however Magneto desired a more forward approach, by eliminating its source. Weeks of planning and cautious approach, Erik discovered the cure derived from a mutant child, whose power was to cancel out other superior’s abilities. A child, but none the less a threat that was detrimental from homosuperiors reigning over the pathetic race of humans that felt they held any control.

Gun firing rang in the air, but they weren’t firing bullets, but syringes loaded with the cure Erik had hoped to destroy. It certainly didn’t assist that those gun were made of plastic. Still, Erik strolled without even flinching between mutant and man’s attacks with Jean Grey at his side. A remarkably talented and strong woman she was and although Erik was quiet pleased to have such power at his side, he still held a bit of distain for the red haired woman; the woman that killed his dear friend, Charles Xavier. Although beloved in every way, Erik knew that Charles would do anything in his power to stop him and now was not the time to deal with such a threat. Of course the X-men had come to fight their leader’s battle, but they were blinded with ignorance and compassion.

However, odds seemed to not be within Erik’s favor. Magneto watched as mutants fall helpless- not dead, but powerless. “Destroy them,” Erik hissed in Jean’s direction, but her cold stare didn’t leave the dropping bodies. “Jean listen to me!” Snapping, temper getting the better of Erik, Jean only mocked a smile, “You sound just like him.” Referring to Charles, Erik clenched his jaw. He needed to end this quickly. The lives were meaningless to the future they were contributing towards, but this opportunity would never occur again, not in his life time. Nodding to Juggernaut, Erik sent him into the laboratory building, bashing his way through so simply. Slowly, each of his army took off to their own vendettas. First, Callisto and followed by Pyro. Separating himself from Jean, Magneto met eyes with a very familiar enemy, Wolverine.

Huffing a sigh into the foggy, chilled air, Erik didn’t budge, staring down the silhouette of Logan without budging. Waiting for whatever brilliant plot he and conjured this time, Erik watched as a broad young man of steel hurtled Logan’s heavy, metal filled body directly toward Erik. With no more than a flick of his wrist, Logan was being dragged through the dirt and gravel before stopping in front of Erik’s feet. “When will you learn?” Magneto growled, tired of his relentless attempts. Flipping his hand, Logan’s body followed, turning onto his back, a wall of pressure forcing him further in to the mud. It only took a thought, a SINGLE thought and Erik could rip that precious adamantium of his right off his bones. His hands shook with anticipation, through in dealing with the Wolverine- until he growled back, “I have.”

A greying brow lifted, but in a mere blink, Logan was no longer before him, in fact, nothing was. Erik’s hand remained lifted in the air as his head turned to look around. He was now in the middle of a street in the dead of night, his path lit only by dimming street lights that flickered rapidly before focusing again. The confusion no longer lied in the fool’s statement, but what just occurred. Gun firing and screaming was entirely silenced. Fires and sparks of lightning were put out and now he found himself only surrounded by businesses, street lights, and vacant, parked cars. Everyone was asleep, unaware of the war that was occurring- but…this wasn’t Alcatraz, it was New York. It was familiar territory for Magneto, but it didn’t answer at all why he was now here.

Lowering his hand, Erik began taking steps forward down the street, he could see cars pass occasionally in the distance, but none were rushed or panicked. This couldn’t have possibly been the work of Wolverine, though now his statement could have more validity. Surely he could have been teleported, but this wouldn’t stop Jean from taking over the island. Erik’s lip curled, believing his faith rested with that witch, but, “It appears I’m trapped here, for now…” His words were slow and controlled, but Erik truly had no idea just how long he would indeed be trapped within these quiet, slumbering streets.

USER NAME: KT

YEARS RPING: Several years

REFERRED TO BY: house of m

OTHER: None