Watching Jean Grey speak confidently on the screen, Erik couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
The conflict between mutants and human society was intense. From his perspective, trying to resolve it peacefully was naive and unreliable.
The so-called elite leaders on screen, who appeared refined as they 'discussed' and 'formulated' national policies for the public, seemed civilized and advanced. But if one thought deeper, it was clear that behind this parliament lay countless violent clashes and armed struggles, which ultimately led to the current system.
The elites and ruling classes of various countries had come together to establish this effective set of rules, but not without tremendous sacrifice and loss of life.
Now, were mutants qualified to join this power game?
Erik held firmly to the belief in mutant supremacy, convinced that mutants were the next stage of human evolution. Yet, he also recognized that many mutants around him were quite insecure, like Mystique and Hank McCoy. Erik even believed their insecurity was directly influenced by Charles's naive approach.
However, Jean Grey, speaking in the video, was different. She was poised, and not only beautiful but also carried a certain grace.
Still, Erik doubted her speech would sway the politicians present. No matter how eloquently she spoke, it was useless—because from the very start, they had no intention of allowing mutants into this game.
Sure enough, a senator named Robert Kelly soon began to attack her. He came prepared, brandishing a supposed list of mutants and delivering a provocative speech, exaggerating the dangers they posed.
He painted terrifying scenarios: mutants who could walk through walls, sneaking into the White House, military bases, or even the homes of those present.
There were also mutants who could control people's minds, capable of stripping away the thoughts of ordinary humans and manipulating their consciousness…
"Ladies and gentlemen, mutants truly exist, and they're among us! Think about it—our children could be attending school alongside these mutants with dangerous abilities. Shouldn't we keep our distance from them? We need to identify exactly who they are, study them thoroughly, and expose the powers they possess!"
Kelly's inflammatory speech left Jean momentarily at a loss, but the other senators erupted into applause, clearly moved. Or rather, from the beginning, their stance had been fundamentally opposed to Jean's.
But Jean wasn't completely alone. Among the audience, an elderly man in a wheelchair didn't join in the applause. He simply looked around with a wise, contemplative gaze, a hint of helplessness on his face.
Besides him, there was also a middle-aged man wearing a hat who refused to clap, instead standing up and leaving the room entirely.
"See that bald guy on the screen?, I bet that's Charles!"
Outside the video, Erik spoke confidently.
Even though the bald old man in the video bore little resemblance to the once full-headed, spirited Charles of the past—one could even say they looked quite different—Erik recognized him instantly.
Logan shrugged. "I remember he appeared in that future video where I dealt with Stryker. He picked up the other mutant prisoners from that lab. From what happened next, it seems he took those kids to his school."
After he spoke, Logan noticed the odd look Erik was giving him, as if surprised he could offer such a reasonable analysis.
Irritated, Logan snapped, "This is obvious! Anyone with a brain could see that. Don't tell me you couldn't figure it out?"
Erik scoffed, "I was just wondering if this future video is connected to the one where you traveled back from 50 years later. Aren't you curious whether your mission to change the future succeeded or failed?"
Of course Logan was curious, but he managed to keep his composure, merely snorting as he turned his attention back to the video.
The outcome of the hearing was already clear. Jean had lost the debate entirely, and with Senator Kelly's push, the Mutant Registration Act would likely pass smoothly. The old bald man kept his gaze fixed on the mysterious man in the hat who had left early, and then he followed him out.
"Erik, what are you doing here?"
In the hallway outside the conference room, the man in the wheelchair called out to the mysterious figure in the hat.
At this point, Erik, watching from outside the video, froze in shock as he realized that the man in the hat was his future self!
Charles had gone from a young man with a full head of hair to a bald elderly man. What would his own future self look like?
Curious, Erik watched closely. The mysterious man on screen turned around, revealing a slightly weathered face. Whatever he'd been through, it made him look even older than Charles.
But the fire in Erik's eyes still burned intensely. Time's merciless passage hadn't dimmed it in the slightest.
His voice was still as deep as ever. "Why ask a question when you already know the answer? Don't waste your breath, Charles."
"Don't give up on humanity. They've evolved more than they used to," Charles pleaded earnestly.
Clearly, the ideological clash between these old friends hadn't softened over the years.
Both were men of strong convictions, each believing that their path was the one that would lead mutants toward a brighter future.
Charles had put in a lot of effort over the years, and it hadn't been in vain. At the very least, the human elites were now willing to give mutants a platform to speak, unlike before, when any hint of dissent from mutants was met with missile strikes or branded with the label of "fugitive."
Peter was visibly happy. "See? I knew the Professor would recover from his setbacks! I believe he can do it. Look, he's done well, using peaceful means to integrate mutants into human society. Who knows, maybe one day we'll even have a mutant president!"
Wanda rolled her eyes. "Peter, be serious. Don't forget we've already seen a mutant president—Kennedy. Of course, that's from their world. Though in my world, that president's death was… rather suspicious. The point is, even having a mutant president doesn't mean much.
His fate already shows us the reality, and you shouldn't overlook Erik's contributions. We have to admit, Magneto is a radical, maybe even a terrorist, but we can't ignore the fact that some of his actions indirectly helped Professor X!"
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