Is Magneto a hero, not a villain?

[Davetello]

This should probably be in the comics section but I felt it might receive more exposure here. It also really fits on a forum about the Ninja Turtles, as it's about discrimination and difference.

The more I learn about the X-Men and watch the movies, the more I feel myself empathising with Magneto. I really understand why he's doing what he's doing. I don't claim to be an expert on the X-Men at all, but I know enough to know what Magneto's motivations are.

Magneto grew up the son of Jews, oppressed in a Nazi concentration camp. He witnessed family members die. As he grew older and learned how to control his powers, he didn't want what happened to the jews to ever happen to the mutants. He knew that hatred and fear of 'the other' or that which is different would never be eradicated or even lessened to any significant degree, so he took the steps to kill even innocents in the war against humanity.

Magneto wants mutants to be superior to human beings, and believes that they are. He wants mutants to supersede humanity as the hegenomic species on the planet. For me, he's actually right - humanity has proved time and again that it will not accept others - those of different colour, the disabled, those of a differing religion, and yes, mutants. Because humanity is generally so concerned with such petty things, and is determined to destroy some people's lives simply because they are different, Magneto is right to act as judge and jury. You could argue the mutants are doing the same thing, but I disagree - Magneto and the brotherhood are reactionaries. They didn't start this nonsense, and they're giving humanity precisely what it deserves.

Imagine you're Magneto and you have these powers, the ability to overpower governments, armies. If you felt this betrayed by society, that the treatment was unfair, would you really keep that power in check? He's fuelled by an understandable rage and he wants vengeance - vengeance which he's entitled to, because everything he suffered is still happening to others. Nothing has changed since World War II.

The X-Men on the other hand are naive to think they can ever find a solution peacefully, and deep down Xavier probably knows that. People in this world are really living in la la land if they think that significant social change can occur WITHOUT violence. It simply cannot happen - governments, racists etc will only respond to threats and malevolence, as that is all they know. Pacifism is completely alien to them.

It has been said that Magneto is based on Malcolm X and Professor X on Martin Luther King. I'm not sure how true that is but the general characterisation does seem to fit.

So, overall, I think that Magneto is right, and not only do I not consider him a villain or even an antihero, but I believe that he's the hero of the X-Men franchise. He was the only one who thought "you know what, screw this, we're fighting a losing battle here against people who will never see us as equals and will only ever give us their scraps. I'm going to turn that on its head: not only will we match humanity, but we will overtake them and let them see how it feels to be treated as they're treating us and other marginalised groups".

One flaw here is that discriminated against humans - blacks, disabled, the poor etc - will still be victims of Magneto's agenda, despite the fact that they probably have more in common with the mutants than they have ever had with humanity. Perhaps something could be done about that.

Apologies if this is a controversial topic.