When you cut right to the heart of it, the X-Men isn’t about mutants and humans. It’s not about Cyclops or Jean Grey. It’s not even about Wolverine. No, at the heart of the story of X-Men is two men. Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Eric Lensherr (Magneto).
The relationship between the two (in both the comics and the films) is almost Shakespearian in nature. It is tragic and bold, with loyalty and betrayal. Two old and deep friends, torn apart by phiosophy forged in personal tragedy and pain. Each believing what they are doing is right… and that the other stands in the way of that righteousness. Enemies now… who would still save each others lives… yet gladly sacrifice the other for what they each believe to be the greater good.
And make no mistake about it… Charles Xavier is THE MAN. Eric Lensherr is THE MAN. Oh yeah, it’s fun to watch Wolverine jump around with claws shinning… but Xavier could turn Wolverine into a crying baby with the blink of an eye. Magneto could rip him apart into a thousand pieces without even blinking that same eye. They stand as the patriarchs of two rival ideals, of opposing world views… the deepest of enemies… and yet the deepest of friends.
All that rambling of mine you just read came about after seeing this new picture from X-Men 3. The dignity of these two titans. The honor. The power. The grace. It’s the story of X and Magneto that got me hooked on The X-Men comics many years ago… and I hope it’s something the films (as much as I’ve loved the first two) get back to.
To see a much larger and better version of the picture on the left you can just click here.
