As outcasts hated and feared by humanity, theX-Menget alotless respect than the average Marvel hero. However, among the superhero community at least, there are stillhomo superiorvigilantes who are acknowledged as true heroes - embraced and celebrated by the Avengers, Fantastic Four, SHIELD and other X-Men.
Here are the 10 most respected heroes in X-Men lore. For this list, we’re downplaying recent (and thus unresolved) conflict between X-Men characters, meaning that characters like Xavier - who recently took ahugeplunge in the respect stakes - are still in contention. However, weareexcluding characters who debuted in X-Men comics but are now more associated with other franchises, like the Scarlet Witch. Finally,we’re going by howother Marvel heroessee our entires, not fans, so despite being fan-favorites, characters like Magneto and Wolverine don’t appear, since other heroes are incredibly wary of their high body counts and past misdeeds.
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10Beast, aka Henry ‘Hank’ McCoy
First Appearance X-Men #1 from Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
While the Krakoan Era saw Beast descend into villainy (and ultimately be replaced by his own clone, minus the memories of his darkest moments), he’s otherwise been treated as one of the most likable and trusted heroes in Marvel lore. Having served significant tenures with the Avengers, X-Men and Inhumans, Beast is among the brain trust of heroes including Reed Richards and Tony Stark who get looped in on every major event, and was even asked totake Xavier’s place on the Illuminati.
WhileHank has been called out for his tunnel vision and callousness when it comes to scientific discovery, he’s also one of Marvel’s biggest problem-solvers, and a personal friend to heroes including Iron Man, Wonder Man and Emma Frost, who has little patience foranydo-gooders. Beast was even asked by Captain America to join his Secret Avengers, trusted with a hidden project that would have made Steve Rogers' lifeverydifficult if it came out.
Even after his unforgivable actions during the Krakoan Era, the general reaction of Marvel’s heroes to his rise and fall has been to celebrate having him back at his best. Of course, the one person who will never forgive Hank McCoy foranyof his crimes is Hank himself.
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9Phoenix, aka Jean Grey
First Appearance in X-Men #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
Marvel’s currentmost powerful person in existence, Jean Grey is respected as a hero who has come back from destruction again and again, risking everything to make the world a better place. WhileMarvel’s other heroes will never forget the horrific acts the Dark Phoenix committed in Jean Grey’s name, they have come to embrace her as a cosmic force for good, and she is all but worshiped by the X-Men (save for Emma Frost, who has long been Jean’s rival.)
Respect for Jean is on the rise thanks to Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo’s ongoingPhoenixseries, whereshe’s been earning the admiration of cosmic heroes like Rocket Raccoon and Nova, protecting the universe from threats including Thanos and the Dark Gods.
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8Nightcrawler, aka Kurt Wagner
First Appearance Giant-Size X-Men #1 from Len Wein and Dave Cockrum
A bastion of humanity and morality, Nightcrawler has long been one of X-Men’s most beloved heroes by other mutants, however in recent years he’s also become a favorite of heroes including Captain America and Spider-Man (who even let Kurt use his codename and costume asNew York’s temporary Uncanny Spider-Man.) During theJudgment Dayevent, Nightcrawler sacrificed himself to get Steve Rogers into position to take down the big bad, earning the Super Soldier’s lasting admiration.
Nightcrawler was also chosen as one of the ruling Quiet Council during X-Men’s Krakoa Era, and even developed a new religion/philosophy that caught on with mutantkind. None of this should be surprising for one of theveryfew heroes that even Wolverine loves hanging out with, with Logan addressing Nightcrawler by the affectionate nickname"Elf."
7Mirage, aka Dani Moonster
Debuted in Marvel Graphic Novel #4 by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod
One of theX-Menfranchise’s most underrated leaders,New Mutants’Dani Moonstar has been standing upto Charles Xavier and Cyclops for decades.Dani has always been the person to make the hardest of calls for mutantkind, including putting herself into debt to the death goddess Hela to help fight off the Dark Avengers. Her skills are respected by both heroes and villains, and Dani was brought on board to train young heroes as part of the Avengers Initiative, and was even selected as a candidate by Apocalypse when choosing his heir.
Perhaps the person who respects Dani most is Scott Summers' Cyclops. While Cyclops has kept mutantkind together during its darkest moments, he’s almost always done so with Dani by his side, seeing her as one of the few mutants he can delegate to without worrying about the results.
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6Rogue, aka Anna Marie
First Seen in Avengers Annual #10 by Chris Claremont and Michael Golden
There was a time when Rogue was one of X-Men’s most hated heroes; when she first joined the X-Men, everyone from Wolverine to Captain Marvel hated her guts, and Xavier was forced to issue the ultimatum that anyone who wouldn’t work alongside her could leave the team. This is because Rogue started out as a villain, viciously attacking Carol Danvers in a way that brutally injured her. However, in the years since Rogue has been the X-Man who shows the most loyalty to Xavier’s dream, and has been forgiven and embraced by her former enemies, even saving Captain Marvel’s life.
Today, Rogue is the leader of the Uncanny X-Men and has served multiple stints on the Avengers, personally recruited by Captain America, who has vouched for Anna Marie again and again. In Rick Remender and Daniel AcuñaUncanny Avengers #21, countless heroes voluntarily let Rogue absorb their powers, trusting her to prevent a Celestial Executioner destroying Earth.She went on to lead the Avengers' unity division, with heroes like Scarlet Witch, Doctor Voodoo and Fantastic Four’s Human Torch following her orders.
5Synch, aka Everett Thomas
First Seen in X-Men Volume 2 #36 by Fabian Nicieza and Andy Kubert
A major star of the Krakoa Era, Generation X’s Synch started out as a teen hero, but is now one of Marvel’s most experienced after spending centuries fighting for his life in the time prison known as the Vault.Synch took over and led the X-Menduring their lowest point, when Orchis had destroyed the mutant nation and framed them for international terrorism. His post on the X-Men was a result ofallmutants telepathically voting, showing the immense esteem in which he’s held. However, getting a full on ‘Cyclops/Ryu handshake’ from Captain America might be his true finest hour.
Synch has the ability to replicate any superpower in his vicinity, and can even access past powers at a cost to his physical health. In the averted future ofRise of the Powers of X(Kieron Gillen and R.B. Silva),Synch replaced Xavier and led the team on a mission to change the past, giving mutantkind a vital second chance. His unique mutant power has also allowed him to forge unique relationships with other mutant heroes, studying telekinesis with Jean Grey and coming to understand magnetic fields with Polaris.
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4Professor X, aka Charles Xavier
First Seen in X-Men #1 from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
X-Men just permanentlyretired Charles Xavier from the franchise, but for decades he was seen as thede factoleader and philosophical bedrock of mutantkind. While Charles committed terrible crimes during the Krakoan Era (which Marvel has mostly, but not totally, retconned since) - and a fair few terrible deeds during the preceding years - he’s still generally depicted as the one man who can bring about peace between humans and mutants. Everyone from Captain America to Reed Richards has expressed unsurpassed levels of respect for Xavier, who isseen as more civil rights leader than mutant heroin Marvel lore.
While he’s on the outs with Cyclops and seen as a traitor by many mutants in current continuity, any assessment of his career in comics has to place Xavier as one ofX-Men’s most respected characters of all time.
3Dazzler, aka Alison Blaire
First Seen in X-Men #130, Created by Tom DeFalco, John Romita, Jr. and Roger Stern
A pop-star superhero, Dazzler is easily the most well-liked mutant in Marvel lore. Marvel has made a running joke out of pretty much every hero and villain loving her music, and she’s served on the X-Men, A-Force and Excalibur as well as both working for SHIELD and, at one point,being recruited as Galactus' herald. Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen’sAll-New X-Men #17revealed that she’s on track to become the first mutant president in Marvel’s future, with her X-Men allies leveraging her status as"the most recognizable, most liked, most trusted mutant of the last twenty years."
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2Storm, aka Ororo Munroe
First Appearance in Giant-Size X-Men #1 by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum
Considered a goddess in several corners of the Marvel Universe,Storm is among Marvel’s most respected heroes of all time, let alone just the X-Men. One person who recognizes Storm’s godhood is Thunder God Thor, who asked Storm to replace him on the Avengers after Sam Wilson’s Captain America tried to recruit her. Storm is adored by former husband Black Panther and is the only X-Men leader considered on par with Cyclops.
During the Krakoan Era,Storm not only saved Marsfrom a disastrous civil war but also became the Voice of Sol - the person who speaks on behalf of the solar system to outside entities like the Shi’ar Empire. In her own ongoing solo series from Murewa Ayodele and Lucas Werneck,Storm has been chosen as the herald of Eternity, becoming the champion of Marvel’s entire reality.
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Colossus is the X-Men’s resident powerhouse, but several of his relatives are even more powerful, with a huge range of mutant powers.
1Cyclops, aka Scott Summers
Slightly edging out Storm asX-Men’s most respected hero is Scott Summers' Cyclops. Starting out in the franchise as a teenager, Cyclops has time and time again brought mutantkind back from the brink of destruction, with even villains following his orders for the greater good of the speices. While there have been times where his commitment to mutantkind made human heroes doubt him, that era has officially passed, with Marvel repeatedly comparing Scott to Captain America. Indeed, Beast recently stated that Scott is the superior field leader, while (inUncanny X-men #29by Matthew Rosenberg and Juan Vlasco),Steve Rogers stated,“I’ve always respected you, Scott. What you’ve been through - it’s more than I think I could handle.”
Scott also forged anew alliance with the Avengers recently, after Carol Danvers' Captain Marvel reached out to him as a vital ally.Magneto has admitted that Cyclops is the leader that mutantkind needs and deserves, even physically bowing down before him inUncanny X-Men #517, from Matt Fraction and Greg Land. During theAvengers vs X-Menevent, Reed Richards spoke up in Cyclops' favor, suggesting that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes simply stand down and let him handle the Phoenix’s re-emergence. Cyclops is an uncompromising leader with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Marvel’s other heroes see him as a genius tactician who will fight to the very end.
The X-Menseldom get a fair deal in Marvel lore, but those are the 10 mutant heroes who have proved themselves beyond any doubt, becoming the most celebratedhomo superiorcharacters among Marvel’s hero community. Let us know in the comments which otherX-Mencharacters belong on this list, as well as who should be higher or lower in our ranking.
