Monday, February 26, 2018

Can You Outsource Magic?

I started thinking about this during last week's post on Jamie Madrox. Can one of Madrox' duplicates learn magic?

My guess is most living beings in the Marvel Universe have at least some small amount of magical ability inside them. Which would include Jamie Madrox. The question is whether whatever that force is, their soul, bio-aura, whatever, transfers or duplicates itself. Physical objects Jamie is wearing or holding duplicate themselves along with him - or else there'd be a lot of naked Jamie Madroxes running around. The duplicates can think and act for themselves, can learn and grow. And if they die, Jamie can't reabsorb them. Which suggests there's a certain something within the duplicates lost when they die.

It seems like they should be able to learn magic, at least some of the basics. Dr. Strange was split into three separate people once, and each of them was still able to use magic to varying degrees. It's not quite the same thing - Strange knew magic already by then - but it might point to the ability for someone to still use magic even having fragmented or duplicated their soul. It might also prove a cautionary tale, considering Stephen had some difficulty getting himself together again. If one of the duplicates figures out magic, Jamie might have a hell of time getting him back in. He might even struggle to avoid having the tables turned and being absorbed himself.

2 comments:

SallyP said...

If a drunk washed-up former surgeon can learn magic, then I don't see why one of Madrox's duplicares couldn't.

CalvinPitt said...

That's a good point. If they're willing to put in the time, they ought to be able to learn something.