Illyana becomes particularly close to Kitty after returning from Limbo years older than when she disappeared. Kitty was there when they lost hold of her, and she's there for the…

Illyana becomes particularly close to Kitty after returning from Limbo years older than when she disappeared. Kitty was there when they lost hold of her, and she's there for the girl who comes back. Their friendship continues while Illyana is dealing with magic and experiences that are hard to explain to anybody else. Doug Ramsey gives Kitty somebody to share her interest in computers with. That's worth including because she has a life outside whichever enemy is attacking the team. She's bright, she likes learning, and she enjoys having a friend who understands that side of her. Her Jewish identity matters too. In Uncanny #150, Magneto nearly kills her and is horrified by what he has done. The child in front of him forces him to face how far he has gone while claiming to protect mutants. Later, Kitty accompanies him to a Holocaust survivors’ gathering in #199. Those scenes give their interactions a history beyond the usual X-Men fighting Magneto. She also makes promises without fully understanding what keeping them will cost. The arrangement with Caliban is a good example. She promises to stay with him to get help, then has to face what she agreed to. When Caliban finally releases her, it's because he understands she doesn't love him. Getting her to stay wouldn't give him what he actually wanted.