Mesmero, commander

Mesmero, commander Mesmero makes his entrance by recruiting people who have not agreed to be recruited. His hypnotic power, amplified through machinery, reaches latent mutants and draws them toward his base. By the time they understand that something has happened, they are already caught in his operation. His treatment of Lorna takes that further. He has her abilities awakened, presents her as Magneto's daughter and gives her a position of supposed importance. Being called a queen sounds impressive until you notice who keeps issuing the orders. The performance starts before he gets her into his machinery. Mesmero and his followers bow to Lorna, presenting themselves as servants honoring somebody important. The kidnapping and the show of respect belong to the same plan. She is supposed to feel elevated while losing control of where she goes and what happens to her. His hypnotism makes that performance especially ugly. A persuasive villain might talk someone into a bad decision. Mesmero can interfere with the ability to make the decision in the first place. His promises of mutant advancement come with a command structure that gives the recruits very little say. There is also a petty side to him. When Erik the Red arrives and wins a place above him, Mesmero resents being displaced. He can command troops and interfere with people's minds, but he still wants approval from the figure at the top. That leaves him vulnerable to a kind of deception he should understand better than anyone. Erik is Cyclops in disguise. While Mesmero is defending his standing in the organization, Scott is getting the X-Men inside it.