The X-Men have one of the strongest rosters of both heroes and villains in the entire Marvel Universe. Their teams are constantly packed with excellent heroes, compelling side characters, and wonderfully complex villains. The X-books are constantly tackling bold ideas, startling concepts, and weighty themes.
Though many of the most iconic X-Men characters have received endless fanfare from casual readers and longtime fans alike, there are still plenty of heroes and villains from the mutant corner of the Marvel Universe that haven’t gotten the recognition they rightfully deserve. Whether they’ve been underutilized in recent history, forgotten to time, or simply pushed to the sidelines, some of these characters have the potential to be just as compelling and engaging as any of the most well-known Marvel mutant heroes.
10
Northstar Was a Groundbreaking Mutant Hero Who Deserves More Recognition
Northstar Is a Hyper-Fast Canadian Mutant Broke Numerous Boundaries Since His Inception
Jean-Paul Beaubier, aka Northstar, is a mutant with the ability to run and fly at incredibly high speeds, often portrayed as potentially approaching the speed of light. Originally created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne in the pages of The Uncanny X-Men #120 as a member of Canada’s premiere superhero team Alpha Flight, Northstar has gone on to become one of the most compelling mutants in the Marvel Universe, despite the fact that he is so often forgotten by creators and fans alike.
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One of the first major characters to be openly gay in a superhero comic created by Marvel, Northstar became a symbol for a marginalized group—something that the X-Men themselves are often seen as in their many stories battling oppression and bigotry. An openly gay mutant superhero was absolutely groundbreaking for Marvel Comics, and it is a shame that Northstar has so often been pushed to the sidelines in recent years. The many aspects of his character are so compelling and engaging on levels past simply being “the super speed guy”, and fans owe Northstar more of their attention.
9
Armor Has Finally Begun to Receive Recent Acclaim
Armor Is a Young Japanese Mutant and a Fairly Recent Addition to the Marvel Mythos
First appearing in the pages of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s Astonishing X-Men #4, Hisako Ichiki, aka Armor, is one of the most interesting and exciting additions to the X-Men hero roster in decades. With the ability to form a hyper-powerful psionic body armor around herself, Armor uses her abilities typically for defensive capabilities rather than offense, but she remains a formidable opponent for whomever she faces.
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Though the mainline version of Armor is not as prevalent in recent X-Men stories and series, the recent Ultimate Universe has given an alternate universe version of Hisako Ichiki the central role in a bold new version of the X-Men. Ultimate X-Men, written and illustrated by superstar creative Peach Momoko, is the perfect book for fans interested in the character of Armor but disappointed by the lack of appearances in the mainline comics. It’s a bold, striking vision of a new kind of mutant story, and it showcases Armor at her very best.
8
Mastermind Is a Classic X-Men Villain Who Doesn’t Get Much Play Anymore
One of the X-Men’s Earliest Foes Has Recently Fallen Into Obscurity
Jason Wyngarde, aka Mastermind, was one of the first villains that the original X-Men team ever faced. The original team, comprised of Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Hank McCoy, Bobby Drake, and Warren Worthington, was much less prepared for major threats than the modern iteration of the mutant supergroup, so a villain like Mastermind was the perfect treat to the inexperienced team of heroes.
Known mostly as a member of Magneto’s original Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, then later as an instrumental part of the iconic Dark Phoenix Saga, Mastermind has fallen by the wayside in recent years. Though the Jason Wyngarde version of Mastermind hasn’t had a major appearance in some time, other iterations of the Mastermind mantle have been taken up by characters like Martinique Wyngard — Jason’s own daughter.
7
Elixir Is a Hyper-Powerful Healer Who Deserves More Play
The Omega-Level Mutant Should be a Central Character In the X-Men Mythos
Joshua Foley, aka Elixir, is one of a small group of mutants in the Marvel Universe designated as an Omega-Level mutant. With powers that exceed most of the other mutants in the Marvel Universe, Omega-Level mutants like Elixir are exceptionally rare, which makes Josh Foley such an important part of the X-Men universe.
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Though Elixir was one of “The Five” during the Krakoa era of the X-Men books, a group responsible for the resurrection of recently killed mutants, he has remained a secondary character that many casual fans aren’t familiar with. With healing abilities being such a benefit for a team like the X-Men, Elixir deserves more to do in the modern era of the mutant stories.
6
Polaris Is Nearly As Powerful As Her Father, Magneto
Polaris Is a Metal-Manipulating Hero Who’s Been Underappreciated for Too Long
Lorna Dane, aka Polaris, has one of the most complex and engaging stories and character arcs in all of the X-Men’s history. Ranging from hero to somewhat-villain and everywhere in between, Lorna Dane has been a part of some of the most interesting and emotionally resonant stories in mutant history.
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From Polaris’ role in the underrated Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire storyline to her connection with her father, Magneto, and her on-again, off-again romance with Alex Summers, aka Havok, she has long been a central figure in the world of mutantkind. In the vast landscape of the Marvel Universe, it’s well past time that fans recognize and appreciate Polaris’ significance.
5
Fantomex Is a Bizarre and Compelling Mutate Mercenary
The Morally Gray Former X-Force Member Has Vanished In Recent Years
Charlie Cluster-7, aka Fantomex, is one of the oddest, most engaging characters to come out of the X-Men’s corner of the Marvel Universe in the last twenty-five years. The pseudo-French mercenary bioengineered to be the perfect assassin and prototype for a new kind of Sentinel, Fantomex rebelled against what he was originally designed for, and joined the cause of mutantkind.
Most notably a member of Wolverine’s black ops team in the pages of writer Rick Remender’s absolutely fantastic Uncanny X-Force series, Fantomex never received the same kind of love and adoration that many of his similar allies did. Characters like Deadpool took the spotlight while Fantomex was left on the sidelines — a genuine shame, as the character is one of the most interesting and compelling characters to come out of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run.
4
Broo Is a Sweet and Misunderstood Member of a Terrifying Alien Race
The Lovable Member of the Brood Race Was One of the Jean Grey School’s Best Students
First appearing in the pages of Astonishing X-Men #40, Broo, a member of the terrifying intergalactic alien race the Brood, is completely unlike any other member of his species. Kind, gentle, and considerate, the young Broo was often shunned by his peers at the Jean Grey School, and his inquisitive nature often made him a pariah, even among mutants.
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Though he was a prominent character during the Wolverine and The X-Men series, Broo has taken a backseat to some of the more popular characters in recent years, and that is a genuine shame, as there is so much that could be done with such a character. Now, technically, the King of the Brood, Broo is more powerful than ever before, and that makes him worthy of more attention.
3
Arcade Is a Goofy X-Men Villain Who Needs to Make a Comeback
The Classic X-Men Foe Deserves to Make a Murderous Return to the World of Mutantkind
The murderous showman known only as Arcade has been a thorn in the side of the X-Men since the early days of Chris Claremont’s iconic run on the Uncanny X-Men series. First appearing in the pages of Marvel Team-Up #65, Arcade is the perfect “comic booky” villain, with a silly gimmick, a genuine sense of malice, and enough evil schemes to keep the X-Men perpetually on their toes.
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One of the most underappreciated X-Men villains of all time, Arcade has only appeared in a few dozen stories over the years, and it is well past time that he returns to the spotlight. The character could easily slip into any of the numerous X-Men books currenty releasing, and his stories could lighten up some of the otherwise intense subject matter.
2
Warpath Is the Brother of One of the Earliest X-Men Casualties
The Younger Brother of Thunderbird Was a Major Player In The 2000s X-Men Stories
James Proudstar, the younger brother of John Proudstar, a Native-American mutant who originally joined the X-Men alongside Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, and more in the pages of Giant-Size X-Men #1, was the second mutant to take on the name Thunderbird before eventually adopting his own moniker: Warpath. Originally an antagonist to the New Mutants and the X-Men, Warpath went on to join up with the heroic mutants of the Marvel Universe, and he has been a vital member of a number of mutant teams since.
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Notably, Warpath was involved in the first iteration of Wolverine’s version of X-Force, and he was a major player in the deep-space epic that was The Rise and Fall of The Shi’ar Empire. While his older brother’s role as one of the most shocking deaths in X-Men comics history is remembered by many fans, Warpath himself is often disregarded and forgotten—a mistake that discounts the wonderfully complex, emotionally engaging character underneath a gruff exterior.
1
Multiple Man Should Be an A-List X-Men Character By Now
Jamie Madrox Deserves So Much More Than He’s Been Given By X-Men Creators and Fans
Jamie Madrox, aka Multiple Man, has had one of the strongest character shifts in the entirety of Marvel Comics history. Originally starting out as an antagonist to the X-Men and some other heroes of the Marvel Universe, Jamie Madrox has gone on to become one of the most devastatingly engaging characters in all of Marvel Comics.
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With some of the most tragic stories in all of the X-Men’s history, Jamie Madrox is also one of the most powerful mutants on Earth, with the power to create exact duplicates of himself that can gain new information, learn new skills, and tackle many issues at once and then return to the original Madrox in an instant. The character is incredibly exciting to read, and his stories in the pages of Peter David’s iconic X-Factor run are some of the very best tales the comic book medium has to offer. Multiple Man, while not necessarily obscure, is absolutely not given the respect and admiration that he so deserves.
