After 49 Years, X-Men Unlocks an Iconic Movie Hero’s Ultimate Form

Summary

• Moira McTaggert’s true mutant identity and betrayal of the X-Men is revealed as she ascends to a god-like form in
  Rise of the Powers of X
  #3.
• Professor X’s manipulation of young Moira’s mind hints at a potential salvation or undoing for the X-Men as the story unfolds.
• The dark turn in Moira’s personality leads to her allying with a grave threat to existence, posing a significant danger to mutantkind in the Krakoan era.

Warning: contains spoilers for Rise of the Powers of X #3!

After 49 years, the X-Men have finally unlocked an iconic movie hero’s ultimate form. Moira McTaggert, once one of the X-Men’s greatest allies, was revealed to be not only a mutant herself, but actually working against them. Moira was integral to the founding of Krakoa, but may now be its destroyer. In Rise of the Powers of X #3, Moira’s plans enter their endgame as she ascends to Titanhood.

Rise of the Powers of X #3 is written by Kieron Gillen and drawn by RB Silva. Professor X has traveled to the past, to the day Moira’s mutant gift activates. He originally intended to kill Moira, which would not only prevent Enigma’s birth, but also the founding of Krakoa. Rasputin IV arrives to stop Xavier, and she is successful. Yet before Xavier leaves, he implants…something in Moira’s mind.

Meanwhile, the story flashes into the present, where Moira has made contact with Enigma, and it helps her ascend into a god-like form, or a “coherent Titan” inside Enigma.

Moira McTaggert’s Journey Has Brought Her to This Moment

Her Betrayal of the X-Men Is Complete

Moira McTaggetr made her debut in 1975’s Uncanny X-Men #96, where she was introduced as a brilliant geneticist and a love interest for Professor X. She was played in the X-Men films by Rose Byrne. A staunch ally to the X-Men for decades, Moira was revealed to be a mutant at the beginning of the Krakoan era. Moira possesses the mutant power to be reincarnated every time she dies, with memories of her past lives intact. Furthermore, Moira can hide her mutation from genetic scans, which allows her to remain undetected, and implement her schemes for so long.

Moira McTaggert was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum

Since the dawn of the Krakoan era, Moira’s personality has taken a dark turn. During one of her lives, she became wary of the mutant’s plight, and created Krakoa as a way of ending the mutant question once and for all. Moira successfully conned Magneto and Professor X into going along with her. She exploited their trust, and now mutantkind is paying the price. Enigma, seen in this issue offering Moira godhood, is the gravest threat to existence ever, and Moira is allying herself with it. She gets a taste of divinity when Enigma contacts her.

What Did Professor X Do To Young Moira’s Mind?

Could Moira Be The X-Men’s Savior?

Yet, as seen in this issue, Professor X tampers with the young Moira’s mind rather than kill her. The issue remains mum on exactly what kind of suggestion Xavier put into her head, but he hoped that when the time came, she would do the right thing and think of “something other than yourself.” It is possible Xavier planted a “Trojan Horse” in Moira’s mind that, when activated, would destroy Enigma. What form it could take is anyone’s guess, but Moira McTaggert has assumed her ultimate form, and could be either the X-Men’s undoing, or their salvation.

Rise of the Powers of X #3 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!