Legion’s Quest to ‘Fix’ History Reveals New Layers to the X-Men’s Most Iconic Stories

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In 1975, the debut of “Giant-Size X-Men” brought one of the defining tales about Charles Xavier’s mutant hero team to life, introducing a new wave of X-Men that would reshape the franchise. Though its release has been intermittent, the “Giant-Size X-Men” series has consistently highlighted significant stories that have not only influenced the development of the X-Men but also molded the wider narrative of mutant history. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Giant-Size X-Men”, Marvel has released a five-part story, all presented in the original format of “Giant-Size X-Men”. This series could very well become its most enduring tale.

The first Giant-Size X-Men, known for introducing fan favorites like Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, and Nightcrawler, leaves a lasting impact on the current Giant-Size X-Men series. In this new storyline, we focus on Legion, an extremely powerful but volatile mutant, who’s trying to change the past in order to improve the future. His actions might potentially shake up Marvel’s continuity, yet they provide fascinating alternative viewpoints on some of the X-Men’s most cherished and memorable tales.

Legion’s Reality-Bending Quest to Remake History

In the Marvel Universe, not many characters are as intricate as Legion. His intricacy arises from two main powers. To begin with, he has the power to modify the universe with a mere thought, essentially redefining the laws of existence as he pleases. This ability alone would be almost untouchable if wielded by a single mind. However, that’s not the case with Legion, leading us to his second primary talent: the ability to assimilate other people’s minds into his own, where they emerge as distinct personas. Each of these personas can tap into Legion’s universal reality-bending powers to exhibit their unique abilities.

David Haller, the primary self, grapples with a debilitating dissociative identity disorder, stemming from his turbulent childhood. This condition often leads him to relinquish control to one of numerous alter egos, estimated to be in the hundreds and still growing. Each time there’s a shift in control, there’s a risk that the prevailing personality might be malevolent, employing their powers to cause destruction, harm, or even death.

In the “Legion Quest” comic book series, Legion, the son of Professor Charles Xavier, made a determination to realize his father’s vision of a world where mutants and humans lived harmoniously together. To make this dream come true, as depicted in the storyline, he traveled back through time with the intention of preventing Magneto from developing the malevolent intentions that have fueled anti-mutant sentiment since the 1960s.

In the storyline of this year’s Giant-Size X-Men event, I find myself drawn to the notion that time travel can be used to correct historical blunders. A piece of Legion’s consciousness, separated from David Haller’s main self, is once again advocating for such a change. Much like his failed attempt on Magneto’s life, this mission is proving to be quite disruptive, causing significant ripples in the Marvel Comics timeline.

Legion Proves He’s Better Than Dark Phoenix

In the “Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga”, Legion makes his entrance during the happenings depicted in Uncanny X-Men #135, as Dark Phoenix unveils herself by annihilating the X-Men’s aircraft over the Central Park Reservoir. However, this portrayal of events diverges from the original. In this account, the Dark Phoenix has already obliterated a star, causing billions of deaths – she is at her most destructive as Dark Phoenix – leaving the X-Men with even slimmer chances against her compared to the initial narrative. But then comes Legion to the rescue.

He faces off against the Phoenix Force that has taken over Jean Grey. He presents it with something irresistible: the power of a host with unlimited potential, drawn from numerous personalities within his fractured psyche, all ready to yield to the Phoenix’s control. Unable to resist its craving for boundless power, the Phoenix Force departs from Jean Grey as its vessel. Jean, though shaken, is left standing and becomes even more resilient mentally. Feeling embarrassed by her brush with cosmic annihilation, she becomes more determined and mentally robust than ever before, ready to do what’s right if the situation calls for it again.

As a devoted cinema-goer, I find myself drawn into a gripping narrative where the swift escalation unfolds: The Phoenix Force, bolstered by Legion, makes its Earthly return, targeting none other than Ms. Marvel – the iconic hero hailing from the Giant-Size X-Men saga. This leads to an intense showdown between the X-Men and Legion, a clash that tragically results in their untimely demise – a departure from the original timeline’s events. Despite Ms. Marvel vanquishing Legion, she can’t tame the Phoenix Force, which swiftly recaptures Jean Grey following Legion’s defeat. However, with a clearer understanding of the true essence of the Phoenix Force this time around, Jean Grey makes the selfless sacrifice that mirrors her original storyline.

In this new take on Dark Phoenix, Legion’s influence doesn’t change the outcome of Jean Grey’s defeat, but it does bring up intriguing consequences. The most significant one is the appearance of a more down-to-earth version of Jean Grey, who could potentially be even stronger. This leads to the contemplation of whether Jean Grey should have been brought back to life at all, considering that in this storyline, she died as Marvel Girl before Dark Phoenix fully emerged. On the other hand, if she is resurrected, the larger issue arises of how she would cope with the loss of her beloved Scott Summers, along with Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Angel – all deceased characters in this version.

In simpler terms, “Giant-Size Dark Phoenix” isn’t a retcon or an imaginary story. Instead, it’s a fresh take on the original tale, with realistic changes within the ongoing storyline that add depth to the narrative. These alterations underscore the profound impact of Jean Grey’s initial selfless act – an incident that took place in the background of the original series – on a personal, team, and even cosmic level. Furthermore, the story also maintains the “Giant-Size X-Men” event’s focus on Legion as a significant character influencing the past, present, and future of the X-Men, revealing the true extent of his power.

The Long Arms of Legion and Their Effect on the Age of Apocalypse

In the comic series “Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse”, Legion and Kamala find themselves in a grim, dystopian world that resulted from Legion’s initial time travel incident. In an earlier storyline, such as “X-Men: Alpha”, when Legion was poised to kill Magneto, Xavier intervened and took the fatal blow instead. This unexpected event sparked a series of events that ultimately led to Apocalypse seizing power over most of North America. With Magneto now at the helm, the X-Men are engaged in a struggle to dethrone him.

In the opening of “Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse,” Ms. Marvel and Legion, who were both weakened from their previous battle with Jean Grey and Kamala, meet up with Rogue and other members of Magneto’s X-Men. They are all gearing up for a final attack on Apocalypse, aiming to secure the M’Kraan Crystal, which was utilized in the original series to travel back in time and prevent Legion from attacking Magneto, an act that ultimately resulted in Xavier’s death. Legion and Ms. Marvel decide to join forces. However, as they get close to achieving their goal, Legion, realizing the crystal might lead him to David Haller, turns against them and tries to seize its power for himself, seemingly absorbing a significant amount of its energy. Before he can complete this action, Ms. Marvel steps in, causing both of them to be transported through another time warp once more.

From a die-hard fan’s perspective, it was astonishing how significantly Legion managed to influence the course of events, despite his short-lived presence. His audacious act – snatching the M’Kraan Crystal from Apocalypse – strangely enough, accelerated Apocalypse’s plan to neutralize any potential challenge from the X-Men. In essence, Legion played a pivotal role in securing Apocalypse’s reign – at least until the nuclear bombs detonate. What’s more striking is that with Professor X still gone, the Age of Apocalypse seems to be thriving as a plausible alternate reality within the Marvel Multiverse.

One possible consequence could be a new mission, possibly initiated by Bishop or Ms. Marvel, to get hold of the crystal before Legion appeared in the Age of Apocalypse. This action is intended to restore the original timeline that gave rise to the crystal’s creation. As hinted at in the “Revelations” mini-chapter towards the end of the issue, Legion’s emergence has set off a chain of events that are bound to unfold in upcoming narratives. Regardless of the effects of Legion’s intrusion and whether they can be undone, his presence significantly alters the entire narrative perspective.

In this new adaptation, Legion directly experiences the repercussions of his decision to attempt killing Magneto, unlike before when he merely caught a glimpse of it through Bishop’s mind. It’s uncertain how this direct exposure will affect him, given David Haller’s influence, but it certainly adds an intriguing twist. Moreover, Legion’s choice to involve Ms. Marvel in the storyline sheds light on the Age of Apocalypse. Before the final confrontation, Rogue imparts valuable insights about what it means to be a mutant and a hero to Ms. Marvel, which will likely impact her future adventures, regardless of the time period she is in.

In summary, Legion’s emergence in this year’s “Giant-Size X-Men” event isn’t just a chance to revisit significant and beloved X-Men storylines, but to break them down, revealing their underlying structures while examining their enduring impact using a fresh perspective. Legion’s journey propels the narrative, and his manipulation of time serves a greater purpose; it transforms into an active player in the story. As before, his efforts to alter history lead to unforeseen repercussions, causing turmoil within the original narrative framework. During this process, Ms. Marvel offers a captivating counterpoint to his disruptions.

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2025-07-24 02:15