X-Men Villain Returns After YEARS! You Won’t Believe Who!

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The comic series X-Men has been an exhilarating journey since Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman took over for the “From the Ashes” publishing project. So far, the storyline primarily focuses on a conflict against 3K, a group led by Cassandra Nova, one of X-Men’s most formidable adversaries. Unlike the U-Men from Morrison’s New X-Men, which dismembered mutants and seized their powers, 3K has found a way to transform adults into mutants, thereby assembling their own team of X-Men. This group is governed by a council of villains, one of whom remains largely unknown to many X-Men fans despite her past ties with Magneto when he was a villain. Her name is Astra, and she held significant importance in the X-Men lore during the ’90s. Unfortunately, creators have not fully explored her character since her debut.

Astra emerged in 1999, during the final chapter of Alan Davis’s run on Uncanny X-Men/X-Men, marking the end of the X-Men narratives from the ’90s. Astra’s concept was intriguing, and she left a lasting impression right away. Unfortunately, her character didn’t resonate with readers after her initial appearance in “Magneto War,” a story that deserves more recognition than it receives. It’s fascinating to see Astra reappear in “From the Ashes,” a publishing endeavor heavily influenced by the X-Men stories of the ’90s.

Astra Wanted Magneto’s Head

The initial tale in Davis’s series was titled “Magneto War”. This story marked Magneto’s return after many years, a twist that left readers surprised due to the presence of Joseph. Joseph was actually a younger version of Magneto, who had appeared on Earth following the destruction of Avalon, Magneto’s former base. At the time, Xavier had erased Magneto’s memories, so the appearance of a memory-less version seemed plausible. However, “Magneto War” unveiled an unexpected truth for some fans – Joseph was indeed a clone, and the creator of this clone was a mutant named Astra, who harbored deep hatred towards Magneto.

Joseph almost managed to kill Magneto but ended up with a severe concussion that caused him to lose his memory. Eventually, he crossed paths with Rogue, leading everyone to believe he was Magneto himself. Astra eventually found Joseph and disclosed the truth about his origin. She further revealed her own background as well.

Initially, Astra belonged to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants during their initial phase, but she parted ways with the group prior to their public debut. Magneto, who was associated with the Brotherhood, exhibited cruel behavior towards his fellow mutants, manipulating and mistreating them emotionally. This treatment repulsed Astra, prompting her to leave the team. Later, she obtained Magneto’s genetic material and produced Joseph. In “Magneto War,” she directed Joseph in combat against Magneto, who had threatened global annihilation due to a magnetic pole reversal unless his demands were met. The confrontation resulted in Joseph’s demise, but Astra managed to flee using her teleportation abilities. There were rumors that she was slain by Apocalypse, yet these proved unfounded. She resurfaced with a new Joseph clone and targeted the X-Men once more when they resided on Utopia following Scarlet Witch’s stripping of mutant powers, aiming to rebuild the Brotherhood. She was vanquished and imprisoned in the X-Brig, yet she somehow escaped at an unspecified time. Eventually, Astra became a member of the mutant nation of Krakoa, only to vanish after its disintegration.

Astra Could Hold the Keys to Some Big Changes in the Future

As a fervent fan, I can’t help but find the pairing of Astra with 3K quite fitting. Firstly, let’s consider their shared enmity towards Magneto – he’s a key member of the X-Men, the very team they are clashing with. Secondly, 3K advocates for the empowerment and dominance of mutants, aligning perfectly with Astra’s mutant supremacist beliefs.

Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that Astra has a background in manipulating mutant genetics, as evidenced by her past experiments with Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Toad, and even Joseph, whom she chose to be her pawn.

Lastly, it was refreshing to see the return of Astra, who hasn’t been in the limelight for some time now. It’s always a treat to revisit characters we care about!

Nevertheless, Astra appears less than thrilled with 3K. The enigmatic head of 3K informs her that her plans concerning Joseph were at best misguided, and not in line with 3K’s intentions. Her expressive gaze conveys her feelings clearly, hinting at a potentially significant turn of events that could drastically alter Astra. With Magneto currently powerless and Astra being treated disrespectfully by her new companions, there’s a chance she may be the key to restoring Magneto’s powers to their former state. This could lead to an alliance between Astra and Magneto, benefiting both him and the X-Men due to the contempt 3K is showing her. Such a development would make for an intriguing plot twist, one that director Mackay might consider incorporating in the future.

X-Men #17 is on sale now.

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2025-06-08 04:40