Who is Illyana Rasputin (Magik) in Marvel Rivals?

There are plenty of heroes and villains joining the playable roster of Marvel’s upcoming six-vs-six team-based shooter, Marvel Rivals. Although there are fairly recognizable names on the list, there are also more unknown characters being introduced to the player base, including Magik.

Also known as Illyana Rasputin, Magik can be seen using a large golden sword to attack her enemies in the recent trailer, while also activating what seems to be an ultimate ability of some kind that transforms her into a new and much more powerful form called the Darkchild. She seems to have a dash ability that can be combined with a rising strike to set up her foes, while also gaining extra health as the Darkchild.

But before we delve into her full abilities and what she could be bringing to Marvel Rivals, players should know where Magik comes from and what kind of character she’s bringing to the table.

Magik’s lore and background, explained

In Marvel lore, Magik is a mutant sorceress and the sister of Piotr Rasputin, also known as Colossus. She was captured and corrupted by a powerful sorcerer named Belasco and was brought to a magical dimension of demons called Limbo.

Although she only spent a few Earth seconds away from the planet, she actually lived out several years on Limbo as she mastered several forms of the Dark Arts. Eventually, she was able to learn the ability to teleport, which she used to finally return to Earth and join Professor X’s rising stars and protégés, the New Mutants.

Magik’s possible role in Marvel Rivals

Magik is the Sorceress Supreme of her Limbo dimension and, as a result, is one of the most powerful magic users on Earth. In the game, however, she seems to use her Soulsword a lot in battle, rather than her magical abilities. The Soulsword can disrupt spells and slay magical beings, while also giving Illyana her darker, armored Darkchild form. As a result, she’ll probably fall into the Fighter category since she seems to favor jumping into the frontlines to deal as much damage as she can.