Illyana Rasputin
Illyana Rasputin is a female comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.
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Biography
Origin
Illyana Rasputin was a female human born in the modern age as the daughter of Nikolai Rasputin and Alexandra Rasputina with her having two older brothers that included Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin and Mikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin. Born on the Ust-Ordynski Collective farm in Lake Baikal, Siberia, to Nikolai and Alexandra, Illyana was the youngest of three siblings. However, she never got to know her older brother Mikhail, a cosmonaut, as at the time of her birth he was already believed dead. In reality, the State had staged his death in a space launch, so it could better explore Mikhail’s newly discovered mutant powers and, at the same time, shield him from outside influences. Illyana grew up unaware of any of this and she formed a close bond with her more than ten years older brother Piotr, who nicknamed her 'little snowflake'. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #286) In the following years, Piotr found out that he was a mutant as well, with the ability to turn into 'organic steel'. He used this power rarely on the family‘s farm. One day, however, he spotted a runaway tractor racing towards Illyana, who was playing in the fields. One day, she was playing on the farm when a runaway tractor nearly ran her over with Illyana only being saved by her brother Piotr who manifested his power to stop the vehicle in its path. (Giant-Size X-Men v1 #1)
She was captured by Miss Locke along with other loved ones of the various X-Men in order to force them to rescue her employer Arcade from Doctor Doom. This saw Illyana along with the others being trapped in Murderworld whilst the X-Men went to Latveria to confront its monarch. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #145) Whilst on their mission, a separate team consisted of Havok, Polaris, Iceman and Banshee looked to freak the captives in Murderworld. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #146) A metal facsimile was used of her to ambush Polaris but it was defeated whilst the X-Men succeeded in freeing Arcade thus leading to Illyana being freed with her being re-united with her brother. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #147) Her parents were contacted that she was safe whilst she stayed with her brother at the X-Mansion with Professor X looking to check if she was a Mutant like her sibling. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #148)
Illyana was also with the X-Men when the team was forced to move their headquarter to a strange, alien city on a island in the Bermuda Triangle. Unknown to them, they became a target of the demon sorcerer Belasco who lured Illyana into a temple. This happened by randomly appearing teleportation circles called 'stepping disk' that were somehow connected to his other-dimensional realm and prison Limbo that was a place where the rules of time and space did not apply. Whilst there, Belasco promised the hapless girl a glorious future. The X-Men followed and encountered a second set of X-Men from another reality. These counterparts were much older, at least the ones still alive. The Nightcrawler counterpart was currently serving Belasco, while an elder Storm, who had learned magics, was opposing him. The team learned that, in the other X-Men’s reality, they had managed to free their Illyana, but were forced to stay behind in Limbo. For this set of X-Men, the reverse was to occur. They were able to get Illyana back and the old Storm cast a spell to bring them back home, but in the last instant Belasco grabbed the child again, while the X-Men were spirited away back to their island. Seven years came to pass until a portal from Earth pulled her back where the 13 year old Illyana was back amongst the X-Men who were shocked to find the young girl had grown up. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #160)
Trying to cope with what had happened to her, Illyana told nobody about her experiences in Limbo. She kept her abilities, both mutant and magical, hidden from Xavier, the X-Men and the new team, the New Mutants, none of whom wanted to put her under pressure. Xavier noted, though, that she had an unusually strong protection against telepathy that was unlikely to be natural. Being roommates, she forged a special relationship with Kitty, who was now about the same age as her. During a session in the Danger Room, Illyana volunteered to program the session. Whether deliberately or not, she called up holograms of Belasco, S’ym and Limbo. As Kitty asked what she was thinking, Illyana went from a trance into a murderous rage and manifested her Soulsword, managing to injure Kitty with it, even though the other girl was phasing. Illyana broke down afterwards, telling Kitty that she remembered what had happened to her. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #171)
Magik
She tried to understand her place in life after becoming part demon when she was attacked by S'ym. He came to easily best the New Mutants and even Illyana until she managed to pull the Soulsword against him. Threatening to kill him, S'ym surrendered and swore his allegiance to her where he returned to his place in Limbo. Illyana then attended a party where she was amazed to find that Professor Xavier could now walk and had a dance with him as they celebrated the event. S’ym later appeared in the mansion, sent by Belasco to retrieve Illyana. To buy herself time, Illyana teleported the New Mutants through Limbo back into the house to help her fight the demon. Even though the New Mutants did their best, in the end it was Illyana who defeated S’ym using her Soulsword. With a forgetting spell, she made sure that her sorcery remained secret, although she admitted being a mutant with teleportation capabilities, meaning that from that point on she studied with the New Mutants. (New Mutants v1 #14)
At a time when several members of the team were absent, the X-Men found themselves fighting against the Dire Wraiths, an alien race with magical abilities. Hopelessly outnumbered, Professor Xavier sent Illyana to aid them. Up until now, she had kept her skills as both mutant and sorceress secret from her brother, fearing his reaction, but hiding was no longer possible. Once the villains were defeated, Illyana confessed to Piotr what she had experienced in Limbo and, naturally, he comforted her and promised to be there for her. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #188)
X-Men
Afterwards, Illyana was recruited by Cyclops to join his Extinction Team that consisted of some of the most powerful Mutants on Utopia. Their mission was to fight off the most dangerous threats that faced the world. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #1)
House of X
After Krakoa was declared a sovereign nation, the living island was declared to be a homeland for all Mutants who were invited to reside on its surface. Illyana came to be among those who accepted the offer and she relocated to the new country alongside the other X-Men. During this time, she came to join the ranks of the Great Captains who served as military leaders of the nation. (X-Men v5 #4)
She then took responsibility for training Doug Ramsey after he was chosen as a swordbearer for the coming contest. During this time, she came to see him improve in fighting ability where he had none before but warned him that if he fought in the tournament then he would likely die. (New Mutants v4 #13)
Overview
Personality and attributes
To the demons of Limbo, she came to be referred to as the Darkchild. (New Mutants v1 #14)
She came to lose the chance of living her childhood after being trapped in Limbo where a moment had passed on Earth but for Illyana she came to lose 7 years of her life. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #160)
The thing she came to be most afraid of was herself having fully embraced her demonic nature. (New Mutants v1 #66)
Illyana had said that Doug Ramsey was akin to being part of her family. (New Mutants v4 #13)
Powers and abilities
Originally, she was 6 years old but got lost in Limbo where 7 years passed forcing her to grow up in that dimension until she was 13 years old. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #160)
She crafted barriers around her thoughts that could resist powerful telepaths such as Professor Xavier who could not read her mind. (New Mutants v1 #14)
These circular lights were referred to as stepping discs like those within the works of Larry Niven where they operated as a kind of teleportation mechanism. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #160) Her stepping discs were said to had become intrinsically linked to Limbo just like her which meant that she often had to teleport through that dimension before reaching her destination. (New Mutants v1 #69)
She had some difficulty in teleporting herself on a moving target such as a ship travelling as warp speed as she could potentially end up in deep space instead. (New Mutants v1 #68)
With a minor spell, she could erase parts of a person's memories. (New Mutants v1 #14) Through the magical arts, she could see through time and space with her magical lenses. (New Mutants v1 #66) Such was her magical talent that she was among those to be considered a possible candidate for the position of Sorcerer Supreme. (New Avengers v1 #53)
The sword was said to be an object of unbelievable power but it drew its potency from elsewhere. (New Mutants v1 #66) As it was forged from her own life force, the sword was said to be a manifestation of its creator. As such, it adapted over time and grew alongside her as it became something sharper as well as deadlier. The Soul Sword served as a sign of regency where it could be wielded by others but only the rightful hand of its creator were able to unlock its full powers. The abilities afforded by the sword included; it being a magical focus, used for spellcasting, spell breaking, disruption of ethereal objects or people, teleportation, eldritch gateway, transformation, summoning, healing and regeneration with it also being warded against breaking. (New Mutants v4 #13)
She was able to summon the sword suddenly and its strikes could even cut a person if they were phasing. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #171) It often leapt out by compulsion to protect her from harm and intercepted an attack made against her. (New Mutants v1 #69)
The armor she wore was capable of protecting her from the Transmode Virus. (New Mutants v1 #73)
She was shown as capable of controlling a scrying glass that were pieces of shattered glass that through magic came to assemble and showed what she desired to see in the world. (New Mutants v1 #68)
Notes
- Illyana Rasputin was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum where she made her first appearance in Giant-Size X-Men v1 #1 (May, 1975).
- The character debuted as Magik in New Mutants v1 #14 (April, 1984).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In X-Men, Illyana appeared in the animated television series where she was voiced by actor Tara Strong.
- In X-Men: Evolution, Illyana appeared briefly in the animated television series where she was shown as being held hostage by Magneto to secure the cooperation of Colossus.
Video games
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, the Magick appeared as a character in the Facebook video game with his own Dossier.
- In Marvel Heroes, Illyana Rasputin appeared in the MMORPG video game where she was voiced by actor Tara Strong.
- In Marvel: Contest of Champions, Illyana Rasputin appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- Giant-Size X-Men v1: (1975)
- Uncanny X-Men v1:
- New Mutants: (1984)
- Uncanny X-Men v1:
- X-Men v5:
- New Mutants v4: (2019)
External Links
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