WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Heroes Reborn: Magneto & the Mutant Force #1, by Steve Orlando, Bernard Chang, David Curiel and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
Over the years, Magneto sought out a number of mutants in hopes of recruiting them into his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. And now, Heroes Reborn just saw the return of one of these forgotten mutants: Mister One and Mister Two.
In this Mephisto created timeline, Mister One and Mister Two just made their return in Heroes Reborn: Magneto & the Mutant Force #1. In a world without the Avengers, Mister One and Mister Two are members of Magneto's Mutant Force. Just as they are in Earth-616, Mister One and Mister Two are one consciousness alternating between two different bodies. Mister One is very small and has telepathic powers, while Mister Two is very large and possesses immense strength.
The two have a symbiotic relationship, so neither one can survive without the other. As part of Magneto's Mutant Force, Mister One and Mister Two attempt to free Emma Frost free from the Muir Island Psionic Detention Center. Mister One even plays a key role in convincing Emma to work with Mutant Force.
As soon as Mutant Force leaves Emma's cell, however, Mister One and Mister Two are immediately killed by the Fantom Team, a group of prison guards. Decades before Heroes Reborn, Mister One and Mister Two made their Earth-616 debut in 1977's Captain America Annual #4, by Jack Kirby.
In this issue, Captain America tried to help Mister One and Mister Two find a suitable home environment. At the same time, however, Magneto wanted to use Mister One for his own nefarious purposes. The new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants was sent to attack Captain America and Mister Two, while Magneto kidnapped Mister One.
The Master of Magnetism's ultimate goal was to use Mister One to enter a small alien spaceship and unlock its power. Captain America and Mister Two went to rescue Mister One from Magneto's clutches, and in the ensuing battle with the Brotherhood, Mister Two was killed. With only moments to live, Mister One used the self-destruct mechanism in the spaceship, sacrificing himself to destroy Magneto's fortress.
The name "Mutant Force" originated in 1979's Defenders #78, by Ed Hannigan and Herb Trimpe, when Magneto's old Brotherhood of Evil Mutants rebranded themselves without their old leader. All of the members from this Brotherhood became part of Mutant Force, facing off against teams such as the Defenders and Alpha Flight. Given Magneto's history with Mutant Force, it's only fitting that his team in Heroes Reborn use their name.
Moreover, it's fascinating that Mister One and Mister Two are part of Mutant Force. Before they were Mutant Force, Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants was the group that was responsible for their deaths.
While the original Mutant Force is a footnote in Marvel history, Peeper, another member of the original Mutant Force, recently made a big comeback in 2020's S.W.O.R.D. #1, by Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti. As a member of S.W.O.R.D., Peeper is a vital component of the Six, using his optical powers as a visual analyst. Magneto happily greeted Peeper when he toured the Peak, showing a fondness for their history.
While Magneto's history has taken him to the far reaches of the Marvel Universe, this small, understated part speaks to the depth of Magneto's experiences leading mutants and proves that he was just as much a mentor as Professor X to his own mutant followers.
0 Comments