Comics Question about Xorn ***SPOILERS**

[Jubei.]

I'm just reading New X-Men, New Worlds v3, which shows some insight into the character Xorn (who I read up on Wikipedia turns out to be Magneto, which was a great surprise to me).

Now, the opening pictures shows Xorn resting his palm on a dead/dying horse and stating: 'If I could save every life, I would do it.' This seems a little out of character for Magneto, as it implies he meant lives in general, because he's tending to a helpless horse. Unless really he strictly meant Mutant lives, and this was another subtle piece of subterfuge by Grant Morrison?

So anyway, this leads me to ask: Does Magneto have any compassion for animals? I don't know if his disdain towards Humanity is purely misanthropic and not the simple 'survival of the fittest' mindset. If the latter has some bearing, then aren't animals just another (but less conscious) inferior species to him?

 

[usagicassidy]

A) Something that happened two years ago is in no way a spoiler. I'm pretty sure that every single soul on this board knows.

B) He said a lot of things out of character as Xorn...he was, after all, pretending to be someone else. Did he do this in front of other people? I can't remember.

 

[Exploding Boy]

Spoiler

I think it turns out that xorn is magneto but not magneto just a clone of magneto Plus he is playing a character so not everything he says is magneto speak

 

[BrianWilly]

Is that from the issue where "Xorn" wrote that letter? I don't think everything in there could be taken literally as truth, since he was largely masquerading.

But even if that weren't the case, I don't think Magneto has any ill feelings towards animals. In fact, I would think that he should value animal life all the more. His main creed is mutant superiority, yes, but he only wants it because he thinks humans will kill or enslave them all otherwise. Thus, his racial disdain is only towards humans. He's not fighting a war against horses, after all.

 

[Jubei.]

A) Something that happened two years ago is in no way a spoiler. I'm pretty sure that every single soul on this board knows.

It is a spoiler to ANYONE who has yet to find out, regardless of how long. I'd rather err on the side of caution and prevent ruining it for someone who might come along.

I think it turns out that xorn is magneto but not magneto just a clone of magneto Plus he is playing a character so not everything he says is magneto speak

Yeah, which is a shame really because Grant Morrison intended for Xorn to genuinely be Magneto and not some clone, but the new editors wanted Xorn to return as his own character and therefore implemented the whole 'clone' plotline. So I was really talking from Grant Morrison's original concept.

But even if that weren't the case, I don't think Magneto has any ill feelings towards animals. In fact, I would think that he should value animal life all the more. His main creed is mutant superiority, yes, but he only wants it because he thinks humans will kill or enslave them all otherwise. Thus, his racial disdain is only towards humans. He's not fighting a war against horses, after all.

Mmhmm, thank you for giving your two cents. I've always thought it would an endearing trait of Magneto's if he had a lot of compassion for animals and their human slavemasters. But then I remembered that he might be using the 'strong prey upon the weak' philosophy, which would essentially throw that out of the window.