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In X-Men Unlimited #11, a classic mutant villain makes a surprising turn and decides to put aside his selfish ways in favor of a more heroic path.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Men: Unlimited #11, available now on Marvel Unlimited.
The long-time X-Men villain Sauron, formerly known as Dr. Karl Lykos, has consistently shown himself to be one of Marvel’s most uncompromisingly evil villains since his initial debut in X-Men #59 (by Roy Thomas and Neal Adams). Driven by an all-consuming desire to transform humanity into dinosaurs, Sauron’s single-minded dedication to his goal is often played for laughs, with an infamous exchange with Spider-Man proving that the reptilian villain rarely thinks about anything besides his unusual obsession.
After years of sticking to what he knows, a chance encounter with the renegade X-Men Nature Girl and Curse in X-Men: Unlimited #11 (by Gerry Duggan, Emilio Laiso, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC’s Joe Sabino) appears to have finally inspired Sauron to dedicate his keen intellect and deadly abilities towards a new mission. Although Sauron’s decision to embrace eco-terrorism is still rooted in his trademark misanthropy, his decision to pursue what many would see as a noble cause through questionable means is a major shift in his character that puts him in line with many of the X-Men’s other mutant villains.
After his secret lab in the caverns of a mountain are destroyed by the shale run-off from an oil refinery in issue #8, Sauron responds in a manner befitting of a supervillain and heads towards the refinery to exact revenge. His arrival at the refinery just so happens to coincide with that of “X-Men Green”, an eco-terrorist group consisting of the young mutants Nature Girl and Curse, who plan on making the refinery the latest casualty in their two-mutant war against pollution. Although Sauron was completely indifferent to X-Men Green’s presence when he begins his attack, his sudden appearance inadvertently saves the young mutants from being executed by the refinery’s security forces, led by the mercenary and ex-Captain America villain Black Mamba.
Sauron proves himself to be a match for Mamba and the refinery’s security guards, using his powerful telekinesis and terrifying brute strength to rip the guards to shreds and force Mamba to retreat. Wolverine has been ordered to bring Nature Girl and Curse back to Krakoa, and when he arrives on the scene, the feral mutant immediately targets his old enemy. Curse comes to the aid of the prehistoric villain by using her mutant power to “jinx” Wolverine into attacking himself. Realizing that X-Men Green’s goals align with his, Sauron actively assists the young eco-terrorists by carrying Curse on his back as he flies over the refinery, allowing her to curse the guards below from a safe distance while Nature Girl rigs the refinery to explode.
By the time Wolverine brings them both down, Sauron and Curse have formed the beginnings of an unsettling friendship through their shared love of violence. After Wolverine knocks out Curse and corners Sauron, Nature Girl puts herself between them, giving the pterodactyl mutant a chance to escape before the refinery explodes. Before leaving, Sauron tells Nature Girl that her actions have earned her his friendship, dramatically declaring as he leaves that he plans on fighting for the Earth from this day forward.
Sauron’s decision to abandon his selfish endeavors and pursue a greater cause is surprising, as he’s always been defined by his self-serving nature. Many of the X-Men’s villains, particularly mutant villains like Magneto, often act in the name of causes greater than themselves, such as the advancement of mutant rights. While many of these villains go about this through violent means, their willingness to fight for noble causes sets them apart from other Marvel villains. Now that he’s chosen to pursue an extreme form of environmentalism, Sauron has officially adopted one of the defining features of many X-Men villains.
Although Sauron does offer Nature Girl and Curse sanctuary in his backup lair in the Cascade Mountains, they’re captured by Wolverine by the end of the issue. However, Sauron’s newfound respect for the young mutants might drive him to once again break from his established habits and challenge the might of Krakoa to save them from their fate.
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