In a major upgrade, a founding Magneto. Magneto is an incredibly powerful Omega mutant - one whose powers couldn't possibly be any stronger. His control over magnetism is absolute, and he's so skilled that he can also use this fundamental force to manipulate both gravity and electro-magnetism. The X-Men have long struggled to match Magneto's raw power, but now a founding hero has become the perfect weapon against him.

In X-Factor #9 - by Mark Russell, Bob Quinn, Jesus Aburtov and Joe Caramagna - Havok finds himself sent off on a mission while the team's government overseers task Archangel to move against mutant rebel Polaris. As Magneto's daughter, Polaris has a similar control over metal, but Archangel chillingly explains that after recently upgrading his power, he ensured that his razor-sharp wings are made of non-ferrous metals, making him immune to magnetic control.

Warren Worthington III has been fighting Magneto since Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's X-Men #1, originally under the codename Angel. However, Warren recently upgraded his powers, bringing back his lethal Archangel form, complete with blue skin, deadly claws, and metallic wings. However, unlike his prior Archangel manifestations, now the hero is immune to Magneto and Polaris' powers.

X-Men Turns Archangel into the Ultimate Anti-Magneto Weapon

Is the Founding Hero Still on the Side of the Angels?

At the beginning of X-Men's 'From the Ashes' era, Angel agreed to work for the government as part of a new team of celebrity mutants. However, he was badly injured while on a mission, leading to a lengthy hospital stay. In a dark twist, Warren used his fortune and the cover of medical treatment to enhance his body, bringing back the Archangel form that was originally the result of Apocalypse experimenting on his body with Celestial technology. In the past, Archangel has been a murderous persona separate to Warren, but now it seems like he has at least some control over his lethal form. However, it's almost certainly making him more cynical and violent.

Archangel's new powers include the ability to wrap his wings around his body, becoming a rolling ball of razor-sharp blades.

Recently, Polaris has been organizing mutant resistance to oppression, setting up a new version of the Mutant Liberation Front. As government agents, X-Factor have been tasked with taking her down, but Havok has done his best to stand in the way. Sadly, as the series comes to a close, Archangel has accepted the task of taking Polaris out of circulation - when she asks why, he darkly replies, "It's my job."

There was a time when the X-Men would have given anything for such a powerful hero to be immune to Magneto's powers. Today, Magneto isn't just a former enemy - he's one of the main heroes on Cyclops' new X-Men roster. Archangel's inner darkness and willingness to hunt other mutants for the government suggest they may have switched places, with Magneto as the hero and Warren as the villain. Fans will see what comes of the Polaris vs Archangel match-up in X-Factor #10, but it's likely that from here on out, Angel has gone from one of the X-Men's weakest to the mutant world's ultimate weapon against Magneto.

X-Factor #9 is available from Marvel Comics now.

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  X-Men

  The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
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  Magneto

  The oldest and best-known adversary of the X-Men, Magneto has been a part of Marvel Comics since the mutant team was introduced. Bearing powers over magnetic fields, he views mutants as superior to normal humans, and aims to build a world where humans are dominant. The only thing stopping him is Professor X and his team of heroes.