The powerful mutant Magik, sister of the long time X-Men member Colossus, has not only seen a meteoric rise to fame over the past decade, but also has the best long-term character arc of any hero in Marvel Comics. First introduced in 1975's Giant-Size X-Men #1 as the young, unnamed sister of Piotr Rasputin, Illyana was eventually kidnapped and brought to America by the villain Arcade before she was taken to the realm of Limbo by the evil demon lord Belasco. Since then Magik has dealt with the trauma she experienced at the hands of Belasco and his henchman S'ym in Limbo, losing her soul, and becoming the Queen of Limbo.
After being tortured in Limbo for years, Illyana was able to free herself from Belasco's clutches, escape back to the X-Men having aged up many years, and eventually the New Mutants using her mutant power as well as the sorcery she learned in Limbo. Sporting ever-growing eldritch armor and the powerful Soulsword, Illyana plays a key role in the 1989 event Inferno, where she is fully corrupted by the demon N'astirh, turning into the demonic Darkchylde. She eventually sacrifices herself to save the world and is reborn as her younger innocent self. However, her new life is not long-lasting, as Illyana is the first mutant to contract and die from the fast spreading mutant-killing Legacy Virus. She would not fully return until the 2008 miniseries X-Infernus, where she is brought back to life soulless by Belasco and now searching Limbo for her soul. Since then Magik has manipulated the X-Men into destroying Limbo's Elder Gods winding up in mutant prison for a while before becoming the right-hand man to the outcast Cyclops.
The most recent arc of Vita Ayala and Rod Reis' New Mutants has seen Illyana return to Limbo, the realm she has ostensibly controlled for years now, with her New Mutants teammates Wolfsbane and Mirage as well as Madelyne Pryor, the Goblin Queen, in an attempt to resolve her past childhood trauma and cede control over Limbo to Pryor. Ayala's writing on New Mutants is incredibly resonant, and their impressive knowledge of X-Men continuity has led them to successfully resolve many other mutant's life-long traumas. New Mutants #26 and #27 see Magik meeting her own younger self, trapped in Limbo for the first time as a young girl, and in several beautiful scenes is able to reconcile with her experiences and forgive herself. Illyana also fully realizes the growth she has gone through, not only gaining her soul back but also acquiring a massive group of loving family and friends.
Now, Magik is living on the mutant nation of Krakoa operating as one of the nation's War Captains, and was recently voted onto this year's newest X-Men team. Her relationship with her brother Colossus, contentious for many, many years, is finally healed, and she is able to realize that she actually saved her younger self all along. By creating a weakness in Belasco and then removing his memories, she allows the child Illyana in the past to eventually break free of his clutches on her own, starting her long journey into becoming the woman she is today. After formally ing the newest X-Men team, Magik also has a new costume in the form of gorgeous golden armor.
Magik's story powerfully shows that trauma is not necessary for growth or empowerment, but one can also not undo the trauma of their past. Instead, the path forward is to reconcile your past with your present and gain strength from the freedom you have desperately fought for. Magik's story of heroic redemption, escape from abuse, and acceptance of one's identity has given this X-Men fan-favorite the best character arc in Marvel Comics.
