Professor X and Magneto: Let’s Talk A+ Friendships

Let’s take a look at the relationship dynamic between what could be argued as MARVEL Comic’s most intriguing duo: X-men’s Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto). Now, for those of us who aren’t all superhero aficionados, allow me to give a very brief yet accurate description of the relationship between these two:(www.tumblr.com)

In all seriousness, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr have a past like no other. They are the best of friends, and the bitterest of enemies.

It’s a little strange, actually. What would an over privileged billionaire and a Nazi death camp survivor have in common, after all? How could they ever learn to call each other friend? The answer is simple: survival. They both want nothing more than the preservation and safe keeping of their people, the “mutants” (those who are born with extraordinary abilities or powers). So through a series of detailed backstory, they end up coming together and in their efforts to protect the wellbeing of mutantkind, the two men end up forming a tight, almost familial bond between each other. This bond is most clearly expressed in the 2011 movie X-Men: First Class, in which fans of the X-Men series can truly see and understand the deep connection that these two share throughout the entire movie-

…Well, most of the movie.

Anyway, moving on.

What we also see in X-Men: First Class is the clash of opinions on how mutantkind should fall in the social hierarchy of the world. For example, Charles believes that mutants should coexist peacefully alongside humans, despite the abuses that they have suffered from humans in the past. Erik has already been at the mercy of other human men, as he was a survivor of a Nazi death camp, and believes that the only way for mutantkind to prosper is to dominate the human race with their natural born gifts.

(www.pinterest.com)

So, after an argument that quite literally turns explosive on a beach in Cuba and leaves one of them paralyzed from the waist down (spoiler: it’s not Erik), their glorious rivalry is born.

Quite a bloody one, in fact. In their battles against each other, Magneto and Professor X do not hold back on account of past alliances. In the movie X2, when Charles is captured, Erik joins forces with the X-Men to go and rescue the professor only to turn on them all in the end. He ends up using Charles’ telepathic ability against him and almost has him subconsciously disrupt the brainwaves of the entire human race (excluding mutants) and kill himself in the process. Talk about frenemies, huh? By the way, this isn’t even the worst of it.

But despite all the betrayal, attempted murder, control, imprisonment, escapes, and injuries, it’s actually a very interesting dynamic between these two. They care for each other deeply, that is a fact that cannot be disputed. As was stated before, they may not hold back on account of past alliances and friendships, but they also do not forget them entirely. Both Erik and Charles have made it evident over the years that they do not enjoy fighting each other, and many times they have attempted to coax the other onto their side of the dispute.

(www.tumblr.com)

There have even been times that they have fought alongside each other against a common enemy. These small moments of relief, the miniscule truces between the leaders of both the X-Men and their rival group the Brotherhood add a twist to their relationship that almost makes it impossible for fans to choose a side in the conflict-and at times, it almost seems as though it makes it impossible for them to choose as well.