X-Men Star Reveals Their Deep Admiration for Michael Jackson

X-Men issue 20 confirms that a veteran leader of the X-Men is also a longtime fan of the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson.

This post contains spoilers for X-Men issue 20. It is available on Marvel Comics.

The world of the X-Men has witnessed numerous thrilling and bizarre stories through the years. From space travel to exploring alternate futures, there’s never a lack of new adventures for Marvel’s Mutants. But one of the most charming and entertaining qualities of the X-Men has been the moments of fun found in the team, whether in interests or personality. However, one of the greatest examples of this was displayed in X-Men #20 (by Gerry Duggan, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee, and VC’s Clayton Cowles) when Magik proved to be Michael Jackson’s greatest Michael Jackson’s biggest fans.

The Brood began to act out of control in the recent arc of X-Men. Infecting innocent people and attacking them. This shouldn’t have been the case because the new leader was gentle Broo. Broo was able to control the hive mind without too much tension and thus created an agreement. However, Jean Grey and Magik were able to observe him, only to find that he was in complete control. To prove it, he had his Broodlings dance to the song in Michael Jackson’s Thriller, igniting Illyana Rasputin’s affection for the musician. This funny moment is tied to the iconic X-Men series.

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Magik has always been a big fan of Michael Jackson

Xavier’s original X-Men team was no longer in school which led to the formation of the New Mutants. This team included Illyana Rasputin (aka Magik). As a captive in Limbo, her childhood was full of difficulties. This brought her to dark humor and sarcastic wit. She became a hero. However, as a young girl, she wasn’t overly jolly and fun, which was best shown in the comical miniseries Nightcrawler by Dave Cockrum from 1985. The show’s protagonist, Nightcrawler was transported to a fantasy-like alien dimension that was a part of the Danger Room with Kitty Pryde and Magik watching.

Kitty and Illyana tried to rescue Nightcrawler from the chaos, however, they were unable to achieve this. Nightcrawler was seen wearing a Michael Jackson shirt and not an official uniform. Jackson’s music was a popular icon, having many hits on every album. Therefore, it’s not surprising that at the very least one of Xavier’s students was a fan. Magik however, is an ideal example of the complexity of her character, even though she was born a long time before the Nightcrawler series.

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Magik’s fascination gives her character more depth

Magik may not be the most interesting mutant on Krakoa however she has style and taste when it comes to entertaining herself. Watching her enthusiasm when watching The Brood dance to Thriller, then following along, perfectly showed just how out of the norm Magik is. While The Brood might be risky, Illyana will join them when they’re having an enjoyable. This is a part of her personal story, and she has gained a lot of lessons from it.

Magik lived a life in which tomorrow was not promised. In the end, she was forced to search for the light in the world whenever she could since she was never sure what would happen next. That said, seeing her dance as brood crises were taking place was perfect for capturing the essence of Magik. Magik is an avid dancer and dancing in front of a flame was a fantastic opportunity to show her character. It also brought back her love for Michael Jackson, which proved that even the smallest Easter egg can enhance the character of a person.