Is the default MX boot a command line installer?
 

I first tried to boot MX by .iso before learning specific to MX it does not boot by .iso.

I tried extraction before finally getting it to boot by one of our USB utilities.

But lo and behold, MX boots to a command line installer.

Is this normal MX or am I just missing the LIVE version?

Unlike every modern distro I boot, the default boot is to a pre-X command line (usually an option).

v19.4 I recall.

Do cool stuff with live-usbs - MX Linux
https://mxlinux.org/blog/do-cool-stuff-with-live-usbs/

HELP: MX Live-Usb Maker
https://mxlinux.org/wiki/help-files/...ive-usb-maker/

How To Create A Bootable MX Linux USB Drive - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvVKY4DFAfc

No. XFCE or, KDE, Fluxbox should come up on a live usb run depending on what version you downloaded.

https://mxlinux.org/blog/mx-23-libretto-now-available/

That is reassuring. MX seems like it doesn't want me to boot it.

Old but might get you to a desktop.

F6 button is what you want to look at.

https://mxlinux.org/wiki/system/boot-parameters/