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According to http://marvel.com/universe/Professor_X_(Ultimate)#axzz4xCwgqTBA

Charles' telepathy allows him to project and read thoughts, locate the position of specific minds, control others' perceptions and, if desired, brainwash them. He is also a low-level telekinetic, able to move objects with his mind.

Now this might sound stupid but using common sense here why can't Professor X use his telekinesis to either:

A) Move his legs and walk using his telekinesis

or

B) Be like Magneto and fly

Instead professor X chooses to be in a wheelchair moved by his own mind.

Is there a reason why Professor X doesn't use his telekinesis to move? Or is it just too much effort for him to move his body using his mind?

Metro Boomin
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    I'm going to see if I can find anything to support this, but my guess is that his kinetic abilities may be "outward", meaning that he can only control other objects/people "through their minds" and see into other's minds, not his own ---I don't recall a time without another mutant involved that he could say read his own mind or astral project into a space to confront himself. One reason for doing this is limit a mutant's power so that they do not hold are the cards and create continent situations for team-up's, relationship dynamics, and to be truer to life. – Darth Locke Nov 01 '17 at 19:13
  • An interesting, albeit less directly plot-related, reason might be touched upon in this answer to a related question. – Napoleon Wilson Nov 01 '17 at 19:19
  • @NapoleonWilson Ya, that's a good answer!! – Darth Locke Nov 01 '17 at 19:48
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    @DarthLocke It's only marginally related, though, as it adresses why he's paralyzed to begin with, not necessarily why he doesn't fly around. It might, however, point to the more symbolic qualities the wheelchair has for Xavier's identity. – Napoleon Wilson Nov 01 '17 at 19:49

2 Answers2

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Simply because to date, there has been no indication that he has telekinetic powers in the X-Men Cinematic Universe.

The bio you linked is for the Marvel Ultimate Universe. The bios, and power sets are not identical between universes.

The correct link for the XCU Charles Xavier is here (Unfortunately, Marvel's official site does not have a bio for the cinematic version, but the Marvel Wikia is reliable and well-sourced).

You may note that the original Earth-616 Xavier also has no telekinetic powers.

phantom42
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    I might be wrong, but didn't Xavier stop a bullet from killing a cop in the first X-Men movie? – DForck42 Nov 01 '17 at 19:32
  • @DForck42 he did not. Magneto did. He even says to Charles, "I don't think I can stop them all." – phantom42 Nov 01 '17 at 19:42
  • Well, he can certainly freeze time, which is somewhat more physical than just controlling people's minds. – Napoleon Wilson Nov 01 '17 at 19:47
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    @NapoleonWilson.... does he freeze time? Or does he just stop everyone from moving? – iandotkelly Nov 01 '17 at 19:50
  • @iandotkelly Hmm, that's a good question. He also would have to stop their mind from moving (as for people to not just stand around and notice WTF happens to the world around them). But when thinking about it, that might actually be what he does and would indeed only require telepathy. – Napoleon Wilson Nov 01 '17 at 19:52
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    He freezes minds, not time. We discussed this here. Though, to be fair, the visual effect seems to vary from one movie/use to the next. In some instances, you can see water still moving while everything is "frozen", but other things that should be affected by gravity are not. – phantom42 Nov 01 '17 at 19:54
  • @phantom42 ... sorry, that was my exact point, he instructs / controls people to stop moving. As you say in "First Class" there is an example of someone using a drinking fountain - he freezes, the water continues to flow. – iandotkelly Nov 01 '17 at 19:56
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First let's clarify telepathy, which is the name of the ability Charles has

Telepathy (from the Greek τῆλε, tele meaning "distant" and πάθος, pathos or -patheia meaning "feeling, perception, passion, affliction, experience")[3][4] is the purported transmission of information from one person to another without using any of our known sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W. H. Myers,[5] a founder of the Society for Psychical Research,[6] and has remained more popular than the earlier expression thought-transference.[6][7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepathy

Charles Xavier -

Professor Charles Francis Xavier (also known as Professor X) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is the founder and leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The X-Men #1 (September 1963).

Xavier is a member of a subspecies of humans known as mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. The founder of the X-Men, Xavier is an exceptionally powerful telepath who can read and control the minds of others. He runs a private school in Westchester County, New York to both shelter and train mutants from around the world. Xavier also fights to serve a greater good by promoting peaceful coexistence and equality between humans and mutants in a world where zealous anti-mutant bigotry is widespread. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_X

So by putting these things together it appears a "telepath" TRADITIONALLY works when one person has an ability of controlling the mind(s) of someone else. I'm not sure if there is a word for the idea of someone being able to control their own body through their own mind, but clearly telepathy is about the opposing idea, which is what Charles is.

As for low level kenetics on objects, I guess we have to assume that this is somewhat separate ability and that these objects (usually) do not have a mind so it might be a moot argument--where one's own leg is usually apart of one's own neurological system so it might require mind control...

However, spoiler alert:

Charles´ son

David Haller/Legion might be a mutant that does have the capacity for something like that, because he can pick up various kinds of [kinetic] abilities through mind-merging with other mutants --in the TV show version, he has started to do this in part, because he can share conscious space with others on a pre-existing astral plane (Oliver Bird) and because of the abilities of the Shadow King. The Astral Plane might be a way for character to be able to astral project their own mind or memories (memory = perception of reality) into reality that they can exist within, which David clearly can do in the TV series, along with other characters also able to explore/control his mind dreamscape.

So I did a little more "general" research on 'controlling ones own body kinetically'. One super hero term on this ability is sometimes called, Self-Manipulative Puppetry

The power to control the user's own motor functions regardless of what state their body is in. Sub-power of Puppet Mastery. Variation of Motor-Skill Manipulation. Not to be confused with Self-Puppetry.http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Self-Manipulative_Puppetry

The website I provided shows other similar related abilities and lists characters in popular comic culture with said ability. Charles Xavier is NOT on there.

Darth Locke
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