WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #1, available now from Marvel.
The apparent murder of the Scarlet Witch has shaken Krakoa to its core. What should have been the biggest celebration in mutant history instead has devolved into the beginning of a tragic whodunnit, and all eyes are currently on Magneto. While the evidence points right in his direction, Magneto's return to his black costume may suggest at his underlying innocence in the pages of The Trial of Magneto #1 by Leah Williams, Lucas Werneck, Edgar Delgado and VC's Clayton Cowles.
Regardless of the largely anti-Wanda sentiment on Krakoa, the investigation into the Scarlet Witch's death has made sure to leave no stone unturned. As much as anyone can appreciate the due diligence, it isn't enough for Magneto, who has gone so far as to threaten others among the Quiet Council in his efforts to have Wanda resurrected. Despite the fact that she and Pietro were never really his children, Magneto had come to terms with the place that Wanda and her brother have in his life, and that acceptance has left him vengeful for his adopted daughter's sake. Unfortunately, every piece of evidence surrounding the crime leads back to the Master of Magnetism. It's almost shocking how quickly his fellow mutants turn on him, especially after witnessing his most recent costume change. Though that alone may not seem like much, the implications it carries couldn't be more clear.
Starting in 2014, Magneto by Cullen Bunn and Gabriel Hernandez Walta saw Magneto take up his old mantle as the Protector of Mutantkind after having fought alongside the X-Men. While Magneto wasn't holding back from dispensing his own brand of brutal justice, he was playing the role of hero as best he could to keep his people safe.
The first issue of his titular series bore witness to Magneto creating a new black suit while investigating a slew of mutant murders, and the look stuck with him for quite some time. The black armor quickly became synonymous with Magneto's turn as a brutal force for vengeance, albeit an ultimately heroic one.
Magneto spent dozens of issues hunting mercenaries, sentinels, and Nazis, bringing nearly all of them to a gruesome end without ever taking pride in the carnage he was sewing. Rather, Magneto's actions throughout the course of that series were most frequently carried out with a somber sort of stoicism -- although it looks like he has traded that in for an unrelenting rage. That may not be a good look for someone who happens to be the prime suspect, but it's an indicator that Magneto is anything but happy about the situation.
It's clear that no one is going to be taking Magneto's side anytime soon, especially not after he lashed out at his fellow Quiet Council members. He may be grieving, but a change of clothes is far from enough to prove that it isn't all an act. Then again, Magneto has never been one to do something purely for the theatrics of it, and there is no reason to assume that has changed now. The black suit might be a little over the top, but it is still a powerful statement that shouldn't be ignored.