What to do about Magik?

Author's note: I'm quite enjoying the New Mutants (issues 1-2, 5) as most of the original New Mutants are in those issues and I find the writing fantastic. Issues 3-4, and I think issue 6 (not yet published), are a different story line that I can sum up with one word. And that word is Gob. Gob is Robert Herman who is a character I find very uninteresting and rather annoying in how much page time he tends to get; but I would buy a death of Gob special issue. Please Marvel, please! Think of the sale as X-Men fans around the world rejoice. Death to GOB! Yes I'm being silly, but my dislike of Gob is real.

I love seeing what they are doing with Illyana, but I have to comment that her actions and dialog are definitely out of character; which raises the question… Why is she being portrayed that way? Is it bad writing or… something else?

I'm beginning to think it's something else. We still don't know what happened to Illyana after she went full demon, yet we find in New Mutants Issue one she is back to human form. It is possible that Illyana was considered dead and this Illyana is a resurrected Illyana (sans anything demon) or is it a re-integrated Illyana having issues? The comic has stated that the resurrection protocols are not to be done for anybody they think is still alive, but that just means that it will inevitability happen. Which hints to me that full demon Illyana just might still be around and we will be having a storyline, or storylines about that.

For now this is a one shot chapter that assumes that Illyana has been resurrected.

Part48a: The Emma Files

Emma looked at the words she has written. She was in the House of Frost on the Island of Krakoa writing in her private files.

I am growing increasingly concerned about Magik.

Her propensity for violence, always present, is now very prominent.

There is now a lack of restraint on expressing herself. Whereas before she was enigmatic in many of her interactions, now the word blatant can be repeatable used to describe her actions.

Emma tsk'd to herself as she thought while nibbling at the end of her pen. She feared something was wrong, possible very wrong.

Magik has always been a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma…

Emma stopped and glared at what she has just written, dear God she'd just quoted Churchill. She added a bit of pure Frost to the quote.

dressed in tight black leather while waving a scary sword, all combined with a tendency to eviscerate.

A grin from Emma. Now that was a Frost worthy statement.

More then a few of the resurrected, or the returned as some call them, are not quite… the same as before they perished. Some are less crazy. Others are more… introspective, Rahne specifically comes to mind. I believe this is likely part of this is Xavier's tendency to play god, with the excuse that he is aiding in their adjustment to re-embodiment. One would think that the multitude of failures on that front would convince him of his lack of divinity, but leaning from mistakes has never been one of Charles's better attributes. Nor has the idea of getting prior consent. I have to give him credit, so far this has been amore successful that I would have thought possible.

But… the tales of Illyana's antics are of concern.

Guzzling coffee from a water pitcher? Drinking so much that it's splashing down her top? Quickly threatening violence over coffee? Yes the brew is good but… it's not that good.

Sexually propositioning aliens of both genders? Not to mention the stories I've heard about what she's being doing at the nightly Raves that some just insist upon holding (Which are growing quite annoying, thankfully my house has good sound proofing. Yes Ra Ra mutant homeland and all that but, really, I must be getting older as the statement get a job is actually in my head). The idea of Illyana acting so… forthright and so… dare I say, more Tabby then even Boom-Boom (take that Tabatha! One must remember that claws are meant to be used). Hmmm… I suppose I could point Illyana in the direction of Sebastian's returned son, although if she is sexually active then I suppose there would exist the possibility that only be a small stain would be left of the boy (to be resurrected again I suppose, but I suspect with some interesting bragging rights as dying that way would be so… male. Mental note, find ways to keep Tabatha and Illyana appart).

Additional note to self, if Sebastian becomes too much of a dick then I can reminded Sebastian that Illyana is rather defensive about Kitty and does appear to be have a lack of restraint.

But back to my concerns. If Charles has… altered Illyana in some attempt to make her better adjusted then he has failed (yet again I might add) as her behaviors are not what I'd call well adjusted.

Or… is this just post resurrection instability?

Or… is this a sign that things are not well with her?

Is… she free of her prior demonic influences? If yes then one would think that would be a good thing but… what if that turns out to be false. What if her self control was part and parcel of dealing with her… baser nature, and lack of that nature actually leaves her lacking self control? I.e. she no longer thinks to restrain herself, but her prior mental patterns are still there, meaning a classic nurture vs. nature situation in that her nature is changed, but the prior mental baggage is still present.

Or… is something missing from her? Belasco resurrected her and that did not go well for him, or for her. Have we… repeated the same mistake? Last time she was missing her soul, a pure demon. This time… lacking that demon aspect… you would think that she would be nicer? But what she is, whatever that is, is not nice. She is a:

Teleporter…

Swordswoman with a sword only a fool would fight…

Sorceress…

Ruler of Limbo…

Emma paused in her writing. Thought, then wrote a question she underlined.

Limbo?

She died… the dead don't… rule Limbo just because they come back.

We don't know what is happening in Limbo. Is she still in charge?

If not then who?

Nobody?

Belasco?

Or… is pure demon Illyana still around? If so… what is she/it doing and want?

Last time Darkchilde wanted… to be as she once was. Would… assume she/it still exists… want the same thing?

Resurrection rule… there are not allowed to be two. We don't know what will happen, and let's be honest it will happen, when we screw up on that. It's not like we haven't' had to deal with clones before, but the history is not good.

Are we dealing with a plotting Magik? If so then our history of figuring out her plots is also not good. On the plus side, plotting involves being subtle and she is not being subtle at this point… unless that is meant to hid some plot?

If not plotting, are we dealing with crazy or damaged Magik? That actually is of more concern as crazy/damaged Magik is very scary.

Or… is demon Illyana still lurking out there, which is even more scary as she took down the Juggernaut with almost no effort. And… if demon Illyana still exists, is she crazy, damaged, plotting, or all the above? A condition that describes Darkchilde and the last time that happened the universe was almost destroyed just so Darkchilde could get back her soul.

All these situations are unanswerable at this time until I… we get more information. So… for now I will assume Illyana is simply having… issues. I shall attempt some counseling as Charles and Jean are just not the type to properly understand her.

Which returns to my main concern.

Just… who is Magik now?

Just… what is she?

And if it goes bad… what are we going to do about Magik?

Part48b: Another Scott phone call (Author being silly)

Scott rubbed his brow, this whole New Mutant space jaunt just kept getting worse. He was currently talking with Isable 'Izzy' Krane, Sam Guthrie's wife. "No Izzy, I don't know why Roberto is being such a dick. No I don't know why he's acting so gay for Sam. I'm sure he's not trying to break up your family. Yes I can understand your anger at his behaviors. No we didn't send him out there to get rid of him."

A brief pause and now Sam asks an inaudible question of Scott. "No Sam, I don't think Xavier turned Roberto gay. It could just be post resurrection obsession or depression causing his desire to connect with his best friend. No Sam, I don't mean connect in that way, I mean socially not… that way."

He hangs up with a sigh. It's like managing cats sometimes. Then a few minutes later he gets a text from Roberto. He reads it, scowls, and texts a reply.

No, I don't know if Deathbird likes chocolate.

Yes all of their hair is feathers.

Yes the Shi'ar breasts are real breasts.

Why are you asking this?

No answer from Roberto, and Scott really doesn't want an answer, especially as to why Roberto was asking about Shi'ar breasts, and… hair.

Later… a phone call awakens him. He reaches over Jean and gets his phone from the night stand next to Jean's bed. It's Illyana and she asks a question that appears to puzzle him. He gives an answer. "No Illyana, human does not mean people in general, it means humans. Okay, I'm glad that you're happy I've cleared that up."

The phone call ends and he tosses the phone back onto the end table.

Logan answers from the other side of the bed (Jean has a very large bed). "That might have been a mistake bub."

"In what way?" Replies Scott as he blinked away a bit more of the fuzziness of sleep. "For some strange reason Illyana wanted to make sure that Aliens are not… humans… Crap."

Logan pointed out what Scott has just realized. "Mutant are not to kill Humans."

Scott retrieved his phone but… no answer when he tries to call Illyana, which elicits a "Did I err?" Complaint from Scott as he ponders the implications of what he had just told her.

"Trying to sleep here." Grumbles Jean as she turns over.