X-Mansion - Fictional History

Fictional History

The X-Mansion is the inherited property of Charles Xavier (Professor X) and has been in the Xavier family for ten generations.

As Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, the X-Mansion was the training site of the first two generations of teenage X-Men:

• The original X-Men — Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), and later, Mimic (briefly), Havok, and Lorna Dane

• The original New Mutants — Cannonball, Wolfsbane, Mirage, Karma, Sunspot, Cypher, Magma, Magik, and Warlock, along with Shadowcat, a contemporary of the original New Mutants who was their classmate but was a member of the adult X-Men team instead.

In X-Men vol. 2 #38 (November 1994), the X-Mansion was renamed from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, as most of the X-Men were adults rather than teenagers by this time. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was relocated to the Massachusetts Academy in Western Massachusetts (a Marvel created town or region called Snow Valley somewhere in The Berkshires), which served as the training site of the third generation of teenage X-Men, Generation X, beginning in Generation X #1 (November 1994).

The Massachusetts Academy closes permanently in Generation X #75 (June 2001). Shortly thereafter, the school for young mutants is reopened at the X-Mansion, but the name remains "The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning" despite the younger student body. The fourth generation of mutant teenagers, featured in Grant Morrison's New X-Men (2001–2004) and in New Mutants (2003–2004; relaunched as New X-Men: Academy X, July 2004–February 2008), study at the mansion until it is destroyed during the 2007–2008 story "Messiah Complex" and the X-Men subsequently disband and close the Institute.

Though protected by high-tech defenses, the X-Mansion has often been breached by the supervillains and evil mutants faced by the X-Men. Indeed, the X-Mansion has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. It was demolished in a battle with the Sidri in Uncanny X-Men #154 (February 1982) and atomized by Mister Sinister in Uncanny X-Men #243 (April 1989). It was rebuilt by a future Franklin Richards in moments but reverted back to its destroyed state after the time-traveler became confused.

Certain portions of the mansion, such as extensive sub-basements, survived both demolitions. When Onslaught revealed himself and fought the X-Men (X-Men v2 #54 (June 1996) and Onslaught: X-Men), the mansion took heavy damage, though was quickly repaired in-between issues after the "Onslaught" storyline. In Operation: Zero Tolerance, Bastion forced Jubilee to reveal the mansion's defenses. He then stripped down the mansion, having everything inside the mansion removed, even down to the paint on the walls. After defeating Bastion, the X-Men moved back into the mansion, as detailed in X-Men v2 #70 (November 1997). The X-Mansion survived an assault by the Shi'ar Imperial Guard in New X-Men #122-126 (March–July 2002) as well as a riot by students led by Quentin Quire in New X-Men #134-138 (January–May 2003). In the Planet X storyline of New X-Men #146-150, however, the X-Mansion was destroyed; the rebuilding process could be seen in New X-Men #155-156 (June 2004). In the wake of M-Day the mansion was infiltrated by followers of the Reverend William Stryker in an attempt to wipe out the students, resulting in some structural damage and several casualties. Then the mansion was destroyed when the Danger Room became sentient and summoned local machinery to attack the structure. The mansion was also damaged when Mr Sinister's new team of Marauders attacked the mansion. More recently, a fight between the Hulk and several mutants heavily damaged the mansion. In the Messiah Complex storyline, the mansion was completely destroyed by attacking Sentinels.

Unlike past times, the mansion was not rebuilt for a considerable length of time. Rather, the X-Men and their students relocated to a new base of operations in San Francisco. Under the name Graymalkin Industries, the new X-base is not run as a school, but rather as a sort of community center for mutants who wish to develop their powers.