It’s Official, This Classic X-Men’s Arc Is the Best They’ve Had Since Magneto

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For decades, the X-Men have been a leading Marvel team, largely because they brilliantly blend compelling personal stories with exciting superhero adventures. The team truly shines when its members’ emotional journeys take center stage. Magneto perfectly illustrates this strength. His transformation from a vengeful villain, to someone trying – albeit incorrectly – to safeguard others, and ultimately to a true hero, is one of the most celebrated character arcs in comic book history, and it’s why he remains so popular with fans.

For decades, Magneto has been known for his compelling story, but now another X-Men character is having a similarly captivating journey – and might even surpass Magneto in terms of character development. Beast, traditionally the X-Men’s cheerful scientist, always battled inner demons and a tendency to prioritize logic over ethics. Recently, Beast has undergone a significant transformation, and his evolving story is truly noteworthy.

A Fall From Graceful Man to Beast at Heart

I used to really admire Beast. He was always one of the most hopeful X-Men, despite battling his own insecurities. He truly believed in doing what was right and making a difference. But like so many of Marvel’s heroes, the last couple of decades really changed him. He started making tough choices, justifying them as necessary for the greater good – joining the Illuminati, even dealing with someone as villainous as Mister Sinister. But it was later, after witnessing so much suffering and enduring personal torment, that Beast really crossed a line. He decided the ends always justified the means, and honestly, it’s heartbreaking to watch a character fall so far.

Beast’s actions took a dark turn in X-Force (2019). As the leader of Krakoa’s intelligence team, he became increasingly ruthless, believing any means justified protecting his new nation. He repeatedly killed Wolverine and used his clones as assassins. His most extreme act was deliberately destabilizing the country of Terra Verde, including harming the president’s son, and then controlling the entire nation’s minds for months to secure an agreement. Eventually, when Beast attempted to isolate all mutants to create a perfect world for them, he was killed and succeeded by a younger, more virtuous version of himself.

The Man Who Wants To Be a Hero, But Always Becomes a Villain

The current Beast has been struggling to prove his goodness ever since encountering an older version of himself. He’s a traditional hero who’s returned to a changed world, finding his friends and the X-Men as a whole have become more willing to use deadly force. Haunted by the possibility of becoming like his future self, the events of “Age of Revelation” have finally forced him to confront this internal conflict and move forward in his journey.

Everyone assumed the Beast who appeared alongside Cyclops was a future version, but it was actually the original Beast. He had secretly survived and risen to become the leader of 3K, the primary antagonists in the recent X-Men series (2024). This means the current Beast must confront not only the existence of his evil counterpart, but also the terrible things his future self is capable of. The new Beast accused the future Cyclops of being a traitor and a monster for wanting to kill Doug instead of guiding him away from his mistakes. Cyclops countered that Beast had actually helped him plan it all, and that Beast himself had become monstrous.

At the heart of Beast’s compelling story is a powerful internal conflict. Though he strives to be the X-Men’s moral compass – a true idealist – nearly every version of his future self becomes a ruthless killer, prioritizing results over ethics. He’s constantly battling to hold onto his humanity, trapped in a body he fears will corrupt him, and a mind prone to dark thoughts. This tension between the hero he wants to be and the figure the world expects him to become is incredibly captivating. While Magneto is known for his redemptive journey, Beast embodies the potential for villainy, and his internal struggle has fueled some of the most compelling X-Men stories in years.

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2026-01-12 07:12