31

With all the mutant powers out there, including X-Men Apocalypse...

when Apocalypse was preparing to transfer into Charles' body. He could have repaired his body, or so it seems since he fixed Archangel's wings earlier in the film...

have there ever been comics or movies that suggest anyone has ever fixed Professor X's back, or tried and failed? Or has any writer ever expressed why it is so important to keep him in the chair?

For all I know Charles has a mind set that it is not important and the things that have happened have happened, but somehow I fail to see why it wouldn't be more convenient to not be confined to the chair when surely some mutant out there could do something about it.

Improve this question
5
  • 11
    In the comics Xavier has regained the ability to walk on several occasions, only to lose it and eventually be forced back into the chair.
    – suchiuomizu
    Aug 2, 2017 at 0:23
  • 8
    In days of future past xavier can walk again as well.
    – Himarm
    Aug 2, 2017 at 0:51
  • 4
    Related: Why doesn't Professor Xavier use Wolverine's healing power to fix his legs?
    – Möoz
    Aug 2, 2017 at 0:52
  • 1
    @Himarm - yeah I forgot about that - he was taking a drug that replaced his powers with the ability to walk. For some reason I thought of that movie as showing the origin of his paralysis according to that version of history. Maybe I just blocked that out. ha
    – Kai Qing
    Aug 2, 2017 at 1:08
  • Well, in X-men: First Class, Dr X is paralysed during the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), and in X2 he is injured by young Phoenix, probably in the 1980's or 1990's. So presumably his back was healed at some point in the intervening years.
    – AJFaraday
    Aug 2, 2017 at 12:47

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
38

There have been a few mutants who have removed Charles from his chair. Whether him getting put back into the chair counts as them failing is another matter.

Uncanny X-men

The first time this happens is in Uncanny X-men #167 Xavier's body is cloned and his mind is transferred to the new body. This gives him the ability to walk. This is the first time Xavier regains his ability to walk after losing it in a fight with Lucifer.

The second time this happens is in Uncanny X-men #297 Xavier was able to walk briefly, but only for a few editions before he was chair-ridden again.

New X-men

The third time Xavier regained his ability to walk was when the mutant healer, Xorn, restored his legs in New X-men #126 following Xavier's mind switch with Cassandra Nova. In #146 this was revealed as a hoax as Magneto had pretended to be Xorn and had used nanotechnology to support Xavier's spine.

X-men: Deadly Genesis

Xavier claims that when the world was remade, it had given him his legs back. Not having read this arc specifically, from the context, I've gathered that Wanda Maximoff destroyed what there was and remade it and provided Xavier with the ability to walk.

These are all the occurrences I was able to find. I will look more in a bit, and provide sources (in the form of panels)

Improve this answer
8
  • 1
    Very good. I'd be interested in seeing as many as possible, though that related link in the comments above made an interesting point that his body is fine, the paralysis is caused by a psychosomatic trauma that even Charles doesn't understand.
    – Kai Qing
    Aug 2, 2017 at 1:14
  • 1
    That does seem to be the case in one edition of the comics. I myself am not an expert. But sadly that expert has left us for the most part. I will keep searching, but I believe these are all the attempts at fixing his spine. (All of these were successful although Xavier would go on to lose his ability to walk later on again)
    – Edlothiad
    Aug 2, 2017 at 1:27
  • 1
    I'll provide the panels in the AM, I'm pooped
    – Edlothiad
    Aug 2, 2017 at 1:44
  • 1
    Since you're intereseted in seeing all the examples, I'll add one from the earlier comics, Xavier could walk thanks to a Shi'har exoesqueleton: xmenrebirth.wikia.com/wiki/Shi%27ar_Exoskeleton
    – Angrod
    Aug 2, 2017 at 12:05
  • 1
    @Angrod I'd seen that but wasn't sure if the OP was interested in that occurrence since it wasn't a mutant helping him walk
    – Edlothiad
    Aug 2, 2017 at 12:08
16

There's always been an implication that Xavier's powers are what chain him to that chair.

In the X-Men 90's cartoon series there's an arc that starts with the episode Whatever it Takes, where Xavier and Magneto are in Antarctica and enter the Savage Land, which removed their powers and allows Xavier to walk again. Yes, that is Xavier pulling Magneto out of the river, as seen in this screen grab from the next episode, Red Dawn

We later find out they have a machine that can suppress mutant powers and, upon its destruction at the hands of Xavier in The Reunion, Part II, he immediately loses control of his legs again.

Improve this answer
5
  • 1
    Regarding the Red Dawn episode, I've always wondered how could he walk, because normaly even if your nerve conections are restored, your mucles wount help you.
    – Ghidus Miclaus
    Aug 2, 2017 at 13:21
  • 1
    This was also the case in the Days of Future Past movie, plus I think I remember someone else mentioning similar from the comics in another question some time ago
    – Izkata
    Aug 2, 2017 at 14:15
  • 8
    @GhidusMiclaus These are the X-Men we're talking about. Jean Grey's super power is coming back from the dead. How atrophied legs can suddenly work again is child's play compared to that.
    – Machavity
    Aug 2, 2017 at 14:19
  • @Machavity LOL! So many times the brunt of that phrase is exactly how I have answered weird situations in X-Men
    – Kai Qing
    Aug 2, 2017 at 21:28
  • Int he show there was a throwaway like "The Savage Lands have healing powers"
    – Andrey
    Aug 3, 2017 at 18:35

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.