X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class, released in 2011, is a prequel to the original X-Men trilogy and a spin-off to the larger X-Men franchise. The film, directed by Matthew Vaughn, takes place in the early 1960s and serves as a reimagining of the origins of the iconic characters Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr, and Magneto. The story begins in the 1940s, with a young Erik Lehnsherr (played by Michael Fassbender) struggling to come to terms with his newfound mutations, which he discovered after his family was tragically taken from him at a Nazi concentration camp. Years later, in 1962, an adult Erik has grown bitter and resentful towards the world, which he feels has failed to accept or understand him. Meanwhile, a young Charles Xavier (played by James McAvoy), a charming and optimistic telepath, is working under the guidance of Emma Frost, a telepathic woman, to refine his abilities and learn control over his powers. Charles is driven by a desire to bring humans and mutants living in secret together, promoting peaceful coexistence and mutual acceptance. However, their paths intersect when the pair meet in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse during a high-speed train heist orchestrated by William Stryker, a ruthless agent employed by the CIA. Charles, with his unwavering faith in human nature, is initially unaware of the darker intentions of their opponent, but soon realizes that Erik's past is inextricably linked to the sinister plot unfolding before them. As Charles and Erik begin to form an unlikely alliance, they meet Sebastian Shaw (Olivia Williams' character's rival and ally), a charismatic but sinister mutant who manipulates world events from behind the scenes, secretly pulling the strings and exploiting the world to his advantage. Shaw's primary intention is to spark a global conflict between the United States and China, thereby solidifying his own power in the shadows. The trio, comprising of Charles, Erik, and Shaw, soon finds themselves recruited by the CIA to assist with covert operations in the Soviet Union. This sets them on a perilous course with an American agent code-named 'Moira MacTaggert,' who harbors a dark secret of her own - she's been working secretly for the CIA and the KGB as she is herself a mutant with telepathic abilities. As Shaw's plans unfold, it becomes increasingly apparent that he intends to exploit the world's fear and division to spark nuclear warfare and reshape the global balance in his favor. This leads to Charles and Erik forming a tight bond as they work together to thwart Shaw's machinations. Erik's transformation into Magneto occurs when he witnesses Stryker's use of his powers to further his goals and in the process causes the death of several innocent mutants who were working on a top-secret government project designed to harness and weaponize mutants. This traumatic event sparks a lifelong crusade in Erik to protect his fellow mutants at any cost. Throughout the film, Charles and Erik struggle to reconcile their opposing viewpoints on how to address the world's growing fear of mutants, with Charles believing that peaceful coexistence is possible and Erik advocating for the need to isolate and protect mutants from the dangers of the outside world. As Shaw executes his plan, Charles and Erik's contrasting personalities are put to the test. Their partnership begins to unravel due to their fundamentally different worldviews and their experiences shape them into two diametrically opposite arch-nemesis - Magneto and Professor X.