I was having a conversation with a friend and going down a list of X-men whose powers were undermined by Magneto's, most obviously Wolverine and Colossus, and then obliquely Rogue. But it occurred to me I've never seen Magneto manipulate Scott's visor, nor seen any in-comic explanation of why he can't. Has anyone? I know the visor is ruby-quartz, but the silver / gold part usually looks metal.

The image of Cyke trying to break Magneto's force field is one of the more distinctive, recurring images in X-men comics, but Magneto's move seems obvious. And the idea that "the metal isn't magnetic" is a bit lame...

I've always thought scotts visor was made of hard plastics to avoid just that situation.

@dh69:

Yeah, I suppose that has to be the answer. But it sure is shiny. I was just curious if they ever mentioned it specifically: it's the kind of thing that sometimes works its way into older comics as an editor's note to make curious fans shut up : ).

he wouldn't hit a guy with glasses???

yeah just read ultimatum

yeah just read ultimatum

@gambitvoleur: Good question... It never occurred to me, however I believe that the visor is made out of some type of metal (aluminum maybe). Maybe the reason this hasn't happened is because the writers didn't even think about it!

@gambitvoleur: I've been thinking about this, and I think it comes down to the fact that the visor itself isn't holding back Cyclops' beam -the lenses are. If Magneto knocks even one of those lenses out of place trying to hold the visor shut (or open, or try to just crush Cyclops' head with it, or whatever), the visor itself would most likely just be destroyed by the beam, giving him virtually no tactical advantage anyway.

But given that it was designed by Xavier, with the knowledge that it would most likely be aimed at Magneto eventually, it's probably made of a nonmagnetic alloy just in case.

Yea i mean, cyclops is dangerous with the visor on. Do you really want to be fighting him without one? Doesn't seem like much of a plan ;D

well, it would put him at a disadvantage too, since he could only see what he was destroying. If there was anything in the area he didn't want destroyed, he'd be at least partially blinded.

Things don't have to be magnetic for Magneto to mess with it. Everything has an electromagnetic field, and Magneto can mess with the EM spectrum. Magnetic objects are just easier for him to manipulate.

Well let's just nit-pick everything that's said! :P

magneto likes using cars and stuff

If you had a choice between fighting someone with the concussive force of a tank missile coming out of his eye sockets, or fighting the same person with A NUKE COMING OUT OF HIS FACE, which would you prefer?

Even if Magneto can control Scott's visor, Scott can control his blasts with the visor. Without it?

This would happen to Magneto. It is literally a difference between: "GUYS, DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS SO WE CAN BARELY WIN!" or "GUYS HE GOT MY VISOR! Get behind me." Even if it doesn't get through Magneto's shields, it'll still destroy a LOT of his environment, and probably knock a lot of Magneto's ammunition out of range.

@jonsmith said:

If you had a choice between fighting someone with the concussive force of a tank missile coming out of his eye sockets, or fighting the same person with A NUKE COMING OUT OF HIS FACE, which would you prefer?

Even if Magneto can control Scott's visor, Scott can control his blasts with the visor. Without it?

This would happen to Magneto. It is literally a difference between: "GUYS, DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS SO WE CAN BARELY WIN!" or "GUYS HE GOT MY VISOR! Get behind me." Even if it doesn't get through Magneto's shields, it'll still destroy a LOT of his environment, and probably knock a lot of Magneto's ammunition out of range.

exactly my point, yes it would impede scott to some degree, but the way it shows him and how familiar he is with his environment, and how tactical he can be i wouldn't chance, sure he might stand there and cover his eyes and hope not to hit some one, or he just might send a Nuke up your ass, is it really worth the risk?

@mcklayn: @jonsmith Well actually you guys are missing one thing. I didn't think Magneto would want to take off the visor. Think about it, the visor involves moving a shield of ruby quartz up and down, and Cyke presses a button to do that, right? If that involves metal I was thinking Magneto could just prevent Scott from ever opening it.

@thanosismad Yes I know they show Magneto manipulating other things besides metal (for instance, Beast) but I always found that to be a bit problematic. I mean if you consider gravity or magnetic fields all around the earth then there's a question as to why Magneto isn't just telekinetic about everything.

@oldnightcrawler: I like the comment that Xavier would have known about Mags when designing them; I didn't even think of that. Of course I was mostly reacting to the drawings because I think it's funny when the logic and the artwork work against each other.

@cerealkiller: funny!

@papad1992: I'm sure they don't! It's one of those silly, comic-geek things. To be honest, I only thought of it because a friend and I were coming up with a list of all the X-men whose powers are a disadvantage against Magneto. Wolverine, Colossus, Storm (if you count electricity or cold as helping Magneto's powers) and then we thought, "wait, can he control Cyclops's visor??" lol.

it's a skill I learned from Cyclops, actually; to see things from every angle.

In the Ultimate Universe he could, he could also open or close it, but then I don't know if this apply to the 616, but I guess so, it seems metallic, while his current visor doesn't instead.

@veitha: Yes, a few people have mentioned the ultimate universe, though you were more specific; it's interesting that they editors would think of it there but not ever bring it up (even to explain it away) in the normal comics. Although if Magneto's been de-powered or a pseudo-good-guy for the last several years I suppose it wouldn't come up.

And you're right the new X-face outfit makes it a moot point.

It's an interesting concept to think of... Kudos to you for thinking of it.

@mcklayn said:

@jonsmith said:

If you had a choice between fighting someone with the concussive force of a tank missile coming out of his eye sockets, or fighting the same person with A NUKE COMING OUT OF HIS FACE, which would you prefer?

Even if Magneto can control Scott's visor, Scott can control his blasts with the visor. Without it?

This would happen to Magneto. It is literally a difference between: "GUYS, DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS SO WE CAN BARELY WIN!" or "GUYS HE GOT MY VISOR! Get behind me." Even if it doesn't get through Magneto's shields, it'll still destroy a LOT of his environment, and probably knock a lot of Magneto's ammunition out of range.

exactly my point, yes it would impede scott to some degree, but the way it shows him and how familiar he is with his environment, and how tactical he can be i wouldn't chance, sure he might stand there and cover his eyes and hope not to hit some one, or he just might send a Nuke up your ass, is it really worth the risk?

I don't read X-men often but I happened across this comic one day and have been a Cyclops fan ever since.