Legion of X # 1 reveals Altar, a bubble reality created by Legion within his own head, proving that Professor X’s son has finally made mutant utopia.
Warning: Spoilers for Legion of X # 1 ahead!
A new preview for the highly anticipated Legion of Xa continuation of Si Spurrier’s acclaimed Way of X series, shows that Legionthe son of Professor X of the X-Men, has finally created a true mutant utopia. Legion has a long and complex history as a villain-turned-hero, and he has long attempted to get out of his father’s massive shadow, something that is finally happening in the pages of Legion of X.
Legion, or David Haller, is the son of Charles Xavier and Gabrielle Haller, a wildly powerful mutant with severe mental illness, which has usually taken the form of a dissociative identity disorder where hundreds of different “altars” live within David’s head that each have their own mutant ability. In Jonathan Hickman’s beloved 2019 relaunch of the X-Men franchise House of X it was established that Legion is an Omega-level mutant whose “power manifestation” ability has no recorded upper limit, meaning he is one of the most powerful mutants of all time.
Legion has been a major part of several X-Men events over the last few decades, including Legion Quest spirit Age of Apocalypseas well as being responsible for creating the pocket reality that was Age of Xall of which led up to his run in X-Men Legends: Legionwhich saw David attempt to finally take control of his powers and help mutants in the same way his father had, after Xavier was killed by Scott Summers. Legion of X – written by Si Spurrier with art by Jan Bazaldua – follows Nightcrawler and his team of “not police” peace-keepers, as they attempt to “keep the peace, keep the law, keep the spark“of Krakoa, all the while operating inside of” Altar. “Legion reveals that Altar is a pocket reality he created in his own mindscape that any mutant can safely enter which he describes as a safe place and a sanctuary, a mixture of a”holodeck“and a”dream “ that can be whatever a mutant needs. Legion reflects that he is at peace, perhaps for the first time ever, and that he loves being able to have created a place where all mutants can be safe, before revealing that his lover Ruth Aldine, the X-Men Blindfold, has finally been resurrected by The Five.
Blindfold’s return to the living, and to Legion, perfectly illustrates why Altar is such a utopia for mutants that is safer and more healing than Krakoa, as Ruth reveals that she is able to actually live in the moment in Altar, disconnected from her physical body that gets massively overwhelmed by the constant input of precognitions it receives. Of course, there is no doubt that major drama and crisis will develop out of the creation of Altar, because the X-Men can never have peace for too long, but the face that Legion was able to get full control of his abilities throughout Way of X and finally step out from Xavier’s shadow is huge. In Onslaught Revelationthe one-shot comic that tied up Way of X and leads into Legion of XLegion is able to help Nightcrawler banish Onslaught, an evil psychic entity created from the minds of Professor X and Magneto, finally showing his father that he is just as dangerous as Legion ever was. Legion of X provides a truly wonderful opportunity for David to continue his growth from antihero into a full fledged hero who is making a significant positive mark on the history, culture, and safety of mutantkind.
Marvel Comics is finally letting Professor X’s son Legion become the superhero he was always meant to be, by creating the psychedelic pocket dimension known as Altar where any mutant can feel safe and welcome.
Legion of X # 1 by Si Spurrier and Jan Bazaldua will debut on May 25th, 2022.
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