Since its inception, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the world of the X-Men has swelled to encompass a 🧸truly impressive roster of characters. Engaged i🧸n a constant chess match between their competing ambitions over whose vision of the future will take hold, both sides have produced memorable and sympathetic characters.

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Over time, as stories stretched past comics into movies, TV shows, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:and games, some of those characters have managed to emerge as the best of the best. These are characters that make the world possible, make the conflic🍌ts so much more engaging, and keep us thinking about them long after t💯heir introduction.

Updated on March 10, 2025 by Alfredo Robelo: While most comic book rosters have an expansive cast of characters, the X-Men are notorious for having a huge number of incredibly memorable ones. We've updated this article with even more incredible characters, without necessarily ranking them in any way.

13 Beast

Beast trapped with his arms and legs in a machine - X-Men

Real Name

Hank McCoy

First Appearance

The X-Men #1 (September 1963)

Hank McCoy, better known as Beast, is one of the X-Men’s most beloved characters, combining brilliant intellect with raw physical power. As a founding member of the team, Beast’s blue-furred appearance and superhuman strength often conceal his gentle and introspective nature. His scientific genius has been a cornerstone of the X-Men’s success, contributing to everytꦰhing from techn𝔍ological advancements to medical breakthroughs.

Beyond his brains and brawn, Beast’s cha𝐆racter explores themes of identity and acceptance. His struggles with his mutant appearance make him a relatable figure for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. Whether serving as a diplomat or fighting alongside his teammates, Beast is a vital part of the X-Men legacy.

12 ꧑ Apocalypse

X-Men image showing Apocalypse.

Real Name

En Sabah Nur

First Appearance

X-Factor #5 (June 1986)

As one of the most iconic villains in the ﷽X-Men universe, Apocalypse, also known as En Sabah Nur, represents the ultimate challenge to mutantkind. Believed to be the first mutant, Apocalypse possesses godlike powers, including super strength, telekinesis, and the ability to reshape his body. His Darwinian philosophy—survival of the fittest—puts him at odds with the X-Men’s vision of coexistence.

Apocalypse’s presen✨ce often marks some of the X-Men’s most harrowing storylines, such as the Age of Apocalypse saga. His complex character blends ruthlessness with moments of tragic depth, exploring theme൲s of power, destiny, and the cost of progress. Apocalypse’s indomitable will and towering presence make him an unforgettable figure in X-Men lore.

11 Legion

X-Men image showing Legion.

Real Name

David Haller

First Appearance

The New Mutants #25 (March 1985)

David Haller, known as Legion, is one of the most complex and powerful characters in the X-Men universe. As the son of Charles Xavier, Legion’s immense psychic abilities include telekinesis, time manipulation, and reality warping. However, his fractured psyche, housing multiple personalities—each with its own power—♛makes him as much a danger as an asset to the X-Men.

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1

Legion’s unpredictable nature has led to some of the most intriguing stories in mutant hist⛄ory, including the creation of alternate timelines like the Age of Apoca♛lypse. His struggles with mental illness and his desire to live up to his father’s ideals make him a compelling, deeply human character. Few mutants wield the power or narrative complexity of Legion.

10 Mystique

Mystique from the X-Men, shouting.

Real Name

Raven Darkhölme

First Appearance

Ms. Marvel #16 (May 1978)

Mystique is a unique-looking mutant with a design that makes her stand out even among a group of people who are persecuted for standing out. She possesses the ability to shapeshift and has the wit to make that ability very dangerous. She adds an edge to the stories she's in, as💎 her ability has the potential to leadꦦ to clever reveals.

In the vast expanse of the X-Men storylines, she's been a villain, an anti-hero, Sherlock Holmes, Rogue's ado💛ptive mother, Nightcrawler's biological father, and a leading character in queer representation. This range is what makes her character so interesting to watch: she has an almost endless ability to adapt to whatever story she's in.

9 Phoenix

Jean Frey uses her powers as Phoenix.

Real Name

Jean Grey

First Appearance

The X-Men #1 (September 1963)

An extraordinarily powerful, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:omega-level mutant with psionic powers, Jean Grey, has even more raw power than her mentor, Professor X. Since she's been with the team since its inception, she's an important person in the lives of moꦍst of the X-Men, taking on the role of mentor and protector. This is especially true of her romance with Cyclops, which is one of the most beloved relationships in the series.

The Dark Phoenix Saga is also one of the most iconic character arcs in all of X-Men, and Jean Grey is at the center of it, struggling with her relationship with the Phoenix Force (a cosmic force that basically just makes her even more powerful). As a🔯 character, she pushes being a mutant to the extreme, and her struggles with that give the entire series' conflict of mutants versus non-mutants a personal depth.

8 Rogue

Rogue as she appears in X-Men 97.

Real Name

Anne Marie (LeBeau)

First Appearance

Avengers Annual #10 (1981)

Part of what makes X-Men so interesting compared to other superhero stories is the role the "mutations" play, with characters often struggling with aspects of their abilities, even finding them to be more a curse than a blessing. And no 🍌character demonstrates this better than Rogue. Her ability is activated by skin-to-skin contact, allowing her to take others' abilities, attributes, memories, and even life force, but it's initially uncontrollable and l💙eaves her feeling isolated.

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This internal struggle complicates narratives of what mutation and freedom mean in the X-Men world. All while her ability lets her act as a very interesting andಞ dangerous agent when it comes to fighting literally anyone.

7 Gambit

Gambit throws a charged playing card.

Real Name

Remy LeBeau

First Appearance

The Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 (August 1990)

A charming smooth-t🐽alker with the charm of a con man, Gambit is a former thief who gives us everything that we love about rogue-like characters. He has the ability to generate and manipulate kinetic energy, a gift he channels with a sense of flair, most notably using playing cards to channel his power.

His evolution throughout his run, on both sides of the conflict and from a ladies' man tไo Rogue's husband, makes him a🎉 dynamic character that we can't help but keep rooting for.

6 Nightcrawler ꧙

Nightcrawler looks over his shoulder in a church.

Real Name

Kurt Wagner

First Appearance

Giant X-Men #1 (1975)

A Catholic with the appearance of a demon, Nightcrawler is a man of apparent contradictions, but he has a very lighthearted personality, always joking around and performing for the people around him. He adds much-needed levity to any team he's a part of, especially in contrast to characters lik♒e Wolverine.

This doesn't mean that he'd play pranks at the expense of others; Nightcrawler is also in tune with people, and he's good at comforting them. This makes him a good character to bridge gaps. The more we sympathize with his kind nature, and the more his appearance often puts him in danger🦹, the more we understand the stakes of the conflict.

5 Cyclops

Cyclops powers up his eye lasers.

Real Name

Scott Summers

First Appearance

The X-Men #1 (September 1963)

Despite having lasers shoot from his eyes whenever he isn't using his protective glasses, Cyclops has remained one of the most down-to-earth members of the X-Men, which makes him endlessly relatable. His introspective nature means that we see him struggle to grow into his role as a guide and leaꦰder for other mutants, making him a touchstone for what it means to be an X-Men.

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We also see a lot of stories' conflicts processed by Cyclops because he often 𝓰thinks through all the viewpoints and conflicts presented to him and attempts to find his own way.

4 Magneto

Magneto uses his powers in his uniform.

Real Name

Erik Lehnsherr

First Appearance

The X-Men #1 (September 1963)

Magneto is an engaging antagonist who's clever enough to use his ability to control magnetic fields to devastating effect. But what makes him a truly iconic character is that he's well-rounded, and the reasons behind his "villainy" are well thought out, even lauded by ma👍ny in-universe. He r𒈔epresents both the righteous anger against injustice and the dark depths of seeking revenge.

This viewpoint put♕s him in conflict with Professor X, and the tension between their ideas about how mutants should react to their oppression shapes much of the universe.