Xorn
Kuan-Yin Xorn
A Chinese mutant with a star for a brain, Xorn was rescued from a Chinese prison by the X-Men and joined the Xavier Institute as a healer and teacher. Grant Morrison's New X-Men revealed him to be Magneto in disguise, orchestrating the destruction of the school from within, though subsequent writers retconned Xorn into a real person separate from Magneto. The contradiction has never been fully resolved, leaving Xorn as one of the most debated characters in X-Men continuity. His iron mask and meditative demeanor remain instantly recognizable.
Appearances Over Time
Most Appearances By Series
New X-Men (2001) 13 issues
X-Men (2024) 7 issues
All-New X-Men (2013) 2 issues
The Uncanny X-Men (1981) 2 issues
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money (2016) 1 issues
Jean Grey (2017) 1 issues
X-Force (2020) 1 issues
X-Men: Age of Revelation (2025) 1 issues
Weapon X (2002) 1 issues
Uncanny X-Force (2010) 1 issues
New X-Men Annual 2001
2001
Xorn remains one of the most controversial figures in X-Men history, inextricably linked to Grant Morrison's New X-Men run where the character's true identity as Magneto in disguise sparked fierce debate among readers. The subsequent retcon explaining Xorn as a separate mutant who believed himself to be Magneto only deepened the confusion, leaving the character's legacy perpetually tangled in editorial damage control. Despite Morrison's run being widely celebrated, the Xorn twist itself divides fans to this day, with many viewing it as a fascinating subversion and others seeing it as a needlessly convoluted mess that undermined both characters involved.
Kuan-Yin Xorn
Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely