Kuan-Yin Xorn debuted in New X-Men Annual 2001 as one of Grant Morrison’s great contributions to the X-Universe. Morrison had a specific vision for Xorn, but as often happens with comics, things got complicated. Even other Marvel characters have noticed this. In New Avengers #20, Vision noted his files on Xorn were incomplete, and Wolverine replied, "Xorn's files on Xorn are incomplete."

Related: Freaks And Geeks: The 20 Weirdest Mutants To Ever Be X-Men

Despite 18 years of increasingly interesting yet confusing storylines, Xorn continues to be an intriguing character with an ever unique power-set. Here are five reasons Xorn is the most interesting X-Man ever (and five reasons he’s the most confusing).

10 Interesting: His Head Is A Small Star

Over the years, the X-Men and the world they live in have seen some pretty interesting mutant abilities, but Xorn is one of the most unique. When his mutation activated, a miniature star formed, replacing his entire head. This didn’t kill him; rather, he grew into adulthood along with the star. Xorn’s mutation gives him the ability to collapse the star, creating a black hole. He also emits a blinding light that incinerates those within its range. To keep from harming others, he wears a metal mask. Furthermore, he can heal others and doesn’t need air or sustenance to survive.

9 Confusing: The Xorn/Magneto Retcon

The Xorn/Magneto retcon (rightly) confuses most X-Men fans. Simply put, Xorn joined the X-Men, started spouting Magneto-esque ideology, and was eventually revealed to actually be Magneto. After killing Jean Grey, Wolverine decapitated him. Morrison had intended for Xorn to really be Magneto, but Marvel didn’t want Magneto responsible for the large-scale death in “Planet X.”

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They preferred Xorn take the fall. The retcon shows a funeral for “Magneto” on Genosha, but in Excalibur #1-2, Xavier meets with the real Magneto to discuss the dead imposter, Xorn. Officially, Xorn was a Magneto duplicate, but more on that later.

8 Interesting: Restored Xavier's Ability To Walk

As mentioned earlier, Xorn has the ability to heal. This allowed him to save the X-Men in New X-Men #126, after they were infected with Cassandra Nova’s nano-Sentinels. He also helped exercise Cassandra Nova from Xavier’s body, the result of which enabled Xavier to walk again. This seemed like a blessing for Xavier, but it did not last long. Once Morrison’s original Xorn-is-Magneto narrative began unfolding, it was revealed that Xavier was never really healed. Rather, “Magneto” was using the nano-Sentinels that had infected Xavier to render his spine functional. Upon the Xorn reveal, Xavier was crippled again.

7 Confusing: Xorn Has A Twin

Shen Xorn X-Men Blue

Even after dying in New X-Men #150, Xorn continued to be a source of confusion in the X-Universe. In X-Men #157, Shen Xorn, the original Kuan-Yin Xorn’s identical twin, met the X-Men. Shen has a black hole for a brain whereas his brother had a star.

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He explained that his brother turned evil and posed as Magneto under the influence of Sublime. Shen Xorn joined the X-Men for a time. He lost his powers on M-Day but later regained them. He continued to come in and out of the comics, eventually dying in X-Men Blue #28.

6 Interesting: Xavier Cannot Read His Mind

Professor Xavier with his cat Mystique from the Ultimate X-Men comics

Given the nature of Xorn’s mutation it makes sense that Xavier cannot read his mind. Xorn notes in New X-Men #127 that Xavier cannot read his mind because the light of the star behind his mask is blinding. To help Xavier see more deeply into him, he writes down his thoughts and experiences. If, as Morrison had intended, this truly was Magneto, it could be that Xavier couldn’t read his mind because of his protective helmet. It has been suggested that Magneto used an image inducer while pretending to be Xorn, which would hide the helmet.

5 Confusing: Scarlet Witch Transformed Him Into A Magneto Duplicate

Magic Quiz Scarlet Witch

In an effort to smooth over the rough Xorn/Magneto retcon, a new explanation was hinted at in House of M #7 and elaborated on in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men 2005. Doctor Strange reasons that Wanda may have been unknowingly influencing the world years prior to M-Day, possibly creating a duplicate of her father after his death.

Related: House Of M: 10 Things Fans Should Know About The X-Men’s Most Hopeless Timeline

This explains Magneto’s appearance in Excalibur #1 after his own funeral and overrides that issue’s retcon making Xorn and Magneto two different entities. Now, Xorn really was Magneto. However, to make things even more confusing, this retcon doesn’t last.

4 Interesting: He Led The Xavier Institute's 'Special Class'

Beak Xorn Class

After joining the X-Men, Xorn became head of the Xavier Institute’s new “Special Class.” Xavier assembled the class with Xorn in mind, rounding it out with other misfit mutants who suffered experiences Xorn could relate to. The hope was that they would come to see him as both a teacher and a source of emotional support. In a class filled with the likes of Angel, Beak, and No-Girl to name a few, Xorn worked hard to win them over. Eventually, he began preaching Magneto ideology and convinced many of them to join his new evil Brotherhood.

3 Confusing: Xorn's Personality Survived Death

New X-Men revealed Xorn was Magneto. Excalibur revealed Xorn was a Magneto imposter and Magneto lived while Xorn died. House of M retconned this, suggesting that Magneto and Xorn were one person and Magneto appeared after his death as a Wanda-made duplicate.

Related: How Powers of X Redefines Magneto and Xavier's Friendship

But New Avengers #20 returns to the Excalibur retcon, identifying Xorn and Magneto as two distinct characters. After his death, Xorn became a disembodied, sentient energy in space. During M-Day, he absorbed all the lost powers, becoming The Collective. The Collective came to Earth, with Xorn dominating the mix, making his way to Magneto and restoring his powers. The Sentry soon throws The Collective/Xorn into the sun.

2 Interesting: The Future Lady Xorn

Xorn Battle of The Atom

The idea of Xorn lived on past his death(s). In the All-New X-Men “Battle of the Atom event, Lady Xorn arrived in the present with the Brotherhood of the future. It was unclear who the mysterious woman sporting Xorn’s famous mask was and the revelation that it was Jean Grey was interesting. To clarify, this wasn’t the Jean Xorn killed; it was the grownup version of the time-displaced Jean. She donned Xorn’s mask to control her powers. During a battle with her younger self, Jean died when she lost control of her powers.

1 Confusing: He's Alive In 'House Of X'

When readers last saw Xorn, he was thrown into the sun and his brother, Shen Xorn, was last seen also appearing to die. That said, it was a bit confusing to see both of them reappear intact in House of X #1. As Magneto is giving a group of international ambassadors and representatives a tour of the mutant sanctuary on Krakoa, Xorn and Shen Xorn can be seen meditating in one of the panels. How they returned is just one of the many unanswered questions House of X has left readers with.

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