X-Men writer Ashley Allen just named the Marvel heroes we didn’t know we wanted to see team-up until now: mutant Magik and A-list assassin Buckey Barnes, aka the Winter Solider. Allen called it a “big swing” pairing to pitch, but we actually think it’s an amazing idea. Let’s unpack why Marvel should absolutely make this match happen.
Speaking with AIPT for X-Men Monday, Allen was asked what characters she’d like to develop Magik’s dynamics with. The author detoured from the question a bit to briefly make the case that Bucky and Magik could “get up to some shenanigans.”
In other words, they would make a deadly combination in combat. But what would their relationship be like outside of superhero action?
X-Men Writer Suggests Mutant Hero Magik & The Winter Solider Would Make A Dynamic Duo
Author Ashley Allen Calls Out The Pair’s Potential
x-men hero magik 4
One of the great joys of being a Marvel Comics fan is fantasy-casting how different heroes would work together. Marvel writers are no exception to this pastime, but they have the privilege of turning some of their ideas into stories. Author Ashley Allen isn’t getting to write a “Magik + Winter Soldier “team-up yet, but she just put it out there that she thinks the duo are a natural dream team.
As Allen put it:
Going to swing big here, but I think Illyana would get along great with Bucky Barnes. I think they could get up to some shenanigans.
It’s a match that many readers might not put at the top of their lists, which is what makes Allen’s comment so fascinating. The prospect of pairing Illyana Rasputin and Bucky Barnes is also an example of the kind of crossover X-Men fans want between Marvel’s mutants and the rest of its superhero population.
Magik And Winter Solider Would Be Brutally Effective In Battle, And Could Have Chemistry Beyond That
A Marvel “Ship” Fans Were Sleeping On
Marvel Comics’ Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier shooting guns at an unseen target.
First off, let’s consider the Magik/Winter Solider pairing in its own right. The main point of connection between the two? They’re both efficient killers. More than efficient. Expert. Bucky Barnes is one of the Marvel Universe’s best assassins; Illyana Rasputin might not be a professional killer, but she’s unafraid to act ruthlessly when it’s necessary.
As far as temperaments go, the two aren’t such a bad match. They would adapt to working together easily enough. And if Bucky weren’t currently romantically involved with Black Widow, it wouldn’t be outrageous to “ship” the mutant hero and the Avenger together either, as far as potential Marvel power couples go.
Overall, Bucky/Magik is the kind of team-up between mutant and non-mutant hero that Marvel fans can never get enough of. While there’s a strong history of mutant Avengers, and joint operations between the X-Men and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, team-ups like Magik and Winter Soldier are less common. As such, they’d make a refreshing duo.
Pairing Up With Bucky Barnes Could Be The Way To Give Magik An MCU Role
Ashley Allen’s “Wild Swing” Could Become A Reality
BUCKY BARNES’ WINTER SOLDIER WITH RED LOGO MCU
The MCU version of Bucky Barnes last appeared on-screen in Thunderbolts*, and is set to appear in the upcoming Avengers duology next. With Doomsday and Secret Wars expected to finally bring the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s a whole new dimension to the question of what mutant and non-mutant heroes would make a good match.
Actress Anya Taylor-Joy appeared as a version of Magik in The New Mutants, the failed 2020 X-Men spin-off film. While that movie is unlikely to remain canon, Taylor-Joy would still be a great fit for the MCU incarnation of Magik if she were willing to return to the role. And few people would argue she wouldn’t have great chemistry with Sebastian Stan’s Buckey Barnes.
It might be a longshot pairing for now, but author Ashley Allen officially started the process of manifesting a future Winter Solider/Magik team-up. Marvel could have an unexpected fan-favorite duo in their hands if they pair the supernatural X-Men hero with Bucky Barnesi, one of Marvel’s greatest modern non-mutant heroes.
What do you think, Marvel fans? Would Magik & Winter Solider be a fun pairing?