Cyclopsis theX-Men’s premier team leader and one of, if not the greatest tactician within the Marvel Universe, with his superior skill only being rivaled by theAvengers’ very own leader,Captain America. The two superheroes and their respective teams have clashed several times, such as in the“Avengers vs. X-Men”crossover. However, Cyclops wasn’t the X-Men hero who beat Steve Rogers; that honor goes to Havok.
In a single-page battle inAVX: VS.#6–written by Kieron Gillen, with art by Jim Cheung–Cyclops brother, Havok, who has similar cosmic-absorbing abilities, goes up against Captain America and easily claims victory. While Cyclops’ brother easilytakes down Marvel’s first Avenger, Scott Summers himself has previously struggled to secure a win over Steve Rogers and his persistent nature.
The two veteran heroes have clashed before to varying degrees, but given that Cyclops’ brother has managed to defeat Steve Rogers, it raises the question:could Cyclops’ own skill and tactical prowess be enough to take down Captain America?
Cyclops is an admirable combatant, but Summers’ most damning weakness is his weak durability, making him more vulnerable to Captain America.
Havok Defeated Captain America—Can Cyclops Do the Same?
Cyclops Recently Defeated His Brother Havok inX-Factor#8 - Written By Mark Russell; Art By Bob Quinn; Color By Jesus Aburtov; Letters By Joe Caramagna
Due to his Super Soldier Serum,Captain America is beyond peak human physicality,being able to bench-press over 1,000 pounds, withstand blows from the Hulk, and, though not as powerful as heroes like Wolverine, Steve Rogers also possesses an impressive healing factor. Even without his iconic indestructible shield, Steve has shaken off Gambit’s kinetic blast with ease. However, Captain America is not completely invulnerable, and his healing factor can only go so far, as he’s been knocked out by Baron Zemo and wasassassinated during the epilogue ofCivil War.
Like Captain America, Cyclops is an elite fighter with incredible abilities, most notably his extremely powerful concussive blast that has leveled mountains and peeled superpowered beings down to the bone, as seen with Wolverine and Mister Sinister.While Cyclops may not match Captain America in physical strength, he’s far from an amateur.He has overpowered Wolverine and, more recently,defeated his brother HavokinX-Factor#8. However, despite his impressive combat skills, Cyclops’ biggest weakness is his low durability, making him especially vulnerable against Captain America. Unlike many of his fellow mutants, he lacks a healing factor.
Cyclops Is Marvel’s Superior Tactician, But Captain America Outclasses Him Strength
Steve Rogers Is Nearly Invincible, But That Didn’t Stop Havok
In terms of raw fighting ability,Captain America would completely dominate Cyclops in hand-to-hand combat, especially considering Cyclops’ weaker physical vulnerability in comparison to Steve Rogers' Super Soldier status. On the other hand, should Cyclops land a maximum-powered concussive blast on Captain America, the fight may just be over then and there. While Captain America’s invulnerability and shield give him the advantage in defense, Cyclops has shown that he greatly outclasses Captain America in skill and tactical ability, withSteve admitting thatCyclops is the better hero.
Sorry, Captain America. Cyclops Is the Best Tactician Over at Marvel
Cyclops has been a leader of the X-Men for decades now, with his tactical mind in battle proving he can stand toe-to-toe with even Captain America.
An all-out battle between the X-Men’s and Avengers’ iconic leaders would be a true toss-up. If Havok’s victory over Captain America is taken as canon, Cyclops would likely come out on top. However, it’s worth noting that a hero’s victory often depends on the story, withAVX: VS.#6 explicitly stating that Havok won because the X-Men’s creative team wrote the fight. When comparing their overall feats,Cyclopsholds the greater advantage as a more well-rounded combatant, butCaptain Americastill reigns supreme in terms of raw strength.
