Magneto’sAsteroid M base is an iconic piece ofX-Menfranchise lore, which many casual fans just became acquainted with from its appearance inX-Men ‘97– leading many to be curious about its comic book origins, and whether a live-action version could make it screen, when the franchise integrates fully into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Master of Magnetism is the originalX-Menadversary, and every legendary villain needs an equally monumental lair; Asteroid M is Magneto’s most famous base of operations, and has played a pivotal role in manyX-Menstory arcs.
Unlike other supervillains, Magneto didn’t want Asteroid M to be a secret, instead, it stood to intimidate, letting humans know just how advanced and powerful the mutant species was. AsX-Men#97 made clear, Asteroid M is an essential part ofX-history; withMagneto certain to return to cinemas in the MCU, many fans hope Asteroid M will appear on the big screen.
The Intimidating Power And Significance Of Magneto’s Asteroid M Base, Explained
First Appearance:X-Men#5 – Written By Stan Lee; Art By Jack Kirby; Released In 1964
As with so much essentialX-Menlore, Asteroid M was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Since its introduction, Magneto’s base has had many iterations and important roles within theX-Menmythos. Its main purpose has been abettingMagneto’s domination over humankind and defeating the X-Men. As its name suggests,Asteroid M was a space station built on top of a gigantic asteroid that eerily loomed over Earth to not only act as intimidation against humans, but also as a way to give a safe haven to mutantkind, such as Magneto himself, Scarlet Witch, and even the X-Men.
Asteroid M was best used as a symbol of Magneto, embodying his ways of thinking, and allowing him to show humans his vast power.
The base is often depicted with an arsenal of science equipment and weapons; as one might expect, it is made mainly of metal and powered by magnetism. Even the space station’s plastic has been depicted as being laced with metal so that Magneto can control almost every aspect of the asteroid. Magneto has had several home bases in his long Marvel Comics history, but Asteroid M is the most memorable. Asteroid M was best used as a symbol of Magneto, embodying his ways of thinking, and allowing him to show humans his vast power.
Floating in Earth’s atmosphere, Asteroid M was not just a looming presence – it was often portrayed, especially in its earlier incarnations, as an immediate cause of concern for Earth’s human governments. This created a significant amount of tension between Magneto and Earth, which in turn generated conflict between Magneto and the X-Men. As a location, a symbol, and a spectacle, Asteroid M remains imprinted in long-timeX-fans minds, and for those who are newer to the franchise, it has proved to be a great hook to get them more invested in the history and lore of the series.
There Have Been Many Different Incarnations Of Asteroid M In Marvel Comics History
Six Versions Of The Base Have Appeared
There have been six Asteroid M bases, with the most notable ones being the original, and its altered form of “Avalon” in the “Fatal Attractions” story arch.The first Asteroid M was destroyed by the Scarlet Witch, who sought to prevent Magento from killing the X-Men.This later resulted in Asteroid M becoming a sanctuary for mutants called Utopia. Avalon was the second iteration; most memorably, in “Fatal Attraction,” it served as the location for the controversial moment whenMagneto ripped the adamantium from Wolverine’s skeletonin a visceral display of magnetic power.
All 21 Marvel Easter Eggs & References In X-Men ‘97 Episode 10
X-Men ‘97’s finale features a massive amount of references, cameos, and Easter eggs, each one more exciting and surprising than the next.
Following the events of “Avengers Disassemble,” Magneto allows a distressed Scarlet Witch to take refuge in the third Asteroid M after Wanda attacked the Avengers due to the perceived loss of her children. The fourth Asteroid M appeared inGrant Morrison’sNew X-Men, and was where Wolverine and Jean Gray were trapped as it flew toward the sun. To prevent a painful death, Wolverine killed Jean, which subsequently awakened the Phoenix Force. Many of these intriguing X-Men stories could be potentially be adapted onto the big screen; in fact, withX-Men ‘97, the “Fatal Attractions” plot has already been re-done.
Asteroid M’s Role In X-Men ‘97 Introduced It To A New Generation Of Fans
X-Men ‘97Episodes 9 And 10
Asteroid M saw its return inX-Men ‘97, where the show adapted the X-Men arcs “E is for Extinction” and “Fatal Attractions.” Within the series,Magneto creates Asteroid M in a fit of rageafter the tragic destruction of Genosha at the hands of Sentinels and the humanoid Sentinel Bastion, resulting in a giant EMP that wipes out most of the earth’s technology. The creation of Asteroid M is an emotional scene that demonstrates Magneto’s frustration in the constant battle for mutant rights.
X-Men ‘97’s revitalization of Asteroid M could pave the way for more X-Men arcs to appear in the MCU as it makes Asteroid M a recognizable symbol to casual Marvel viewers.
X-Men ‘97’s revitalization of Asteroid M could pave the way for more X-Men arcs to appear in the MCU as it makes Asteroid M a recognizable symbol to casual Marvel viewersand highlights the stories Asteroid M is an integral part of. Since the show took inspiration from “Fatal Attractions,” season 2 will likely further explore the arc withWolverine living without his adamantium, but this likely means the arc is less likely to appear in the MCU. Despite this, there are still plenty of other memorable stories that involve Magneto and his Asteroid M.
Mutants Are Coming Back To The Big Screen – And Asteroid M Should Too
The MCU Needs To Integrate X-Men Lore, Not Just Characters
With the X-Men set to enter the MCU, this begs the question of whatX-Menlore will be adapted to the big screen.One story that could appear in the MCU is The Scarlet Witch’s retreat to Asteroid Mafter the events of “Avengers Disassemble,” the story would provide a perfect introduction to Magneto and Asteroid M. The events ofSecret Warsbeing adapted into the MCU as anAvengers: Secret Warsfilm,another arc that could eventually follow in adaptation isDark Avengers, where the first Asteroid M is turned into the mutant homeland of Utopia.
Mutant and X-Men storylines have yet to make a significant appearance within the MCU and including an adaptation of Magneto and his Asteroid M base would introduce the mutant dilemma in an interesting and memorable way.X-Men ‘97shows that there are many versions of Asteroid M with infinite ways they could be adapted.Magneto’sAsteroid M is ingrained within theX-Menmythos and with its recent appearances onX-Men ‘97, fans should expect some adaptation of Magneto creating his orbital space station.
