Nerd Spotlight: Top Ten X-Men (Part 1)

It’s been a few weeks, so I know that I had to do something special. This week I am going to rank the top ten X-Men and this doesn’t include characters who were only with the team for just a short period of time or aren’t actually mutants (so no Deadpool). These are long time members of the X-Men, so you’ll be hard pressed to find any new characters on this list, although Dust is one of my favorites. So without further ado, lets begin this list!

#10: Cyclops

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #1

Real Name: Scott Summers

Height: 6’3

Weight: 195 lbs.

Cyclops in the X-Men Animated Series. (Circa 1992)

Bio via Marvel:

Scott Summers was the first of two sons born to Major Christopher Summers, a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force, and his wife Katherine. Christopher was flying his family home from vacation when their plane was attacked by a spacecraft from the interstellar Shi’ar Empire. To save their lives, Katherine pushed Scott and his brother Alex out of the plane with the only available parachute. Scott suffered a head injury upon landing, thus forever preventing him from controlling his mutant power by himself.

Most people would probably have Scott Summers higher on this list. His loyalty and discipline often make him a person who becomes a leader in the X-Men series. He also comes from a background of soldiers, dating back to the American Revolution. Summers tends to be very stoic, not often losing his cool.

As rigid and dry as Cyclops seems, he carries the ability of having very powerful red blasts shoot from his eyes. However, he cannot control these blasts without the use of ruby quartz sunglasses (as a civilian) or a visor (while fighting). Summers seems to fear for others’ safety because he has this power, so he is very careful (most of the time) while he uses his powers.

But what sets him apart his his marriage to Jean Grey, his fellow X-Man. They have been partners in crime since their first appearances and Grey has even died a few times in between and their relationship has become strained due to Emma Frost’s psychic influence on Scott. Nonetheless, they still love one another and will do anything for each other to survive. (Or will they?)

He also was the very first X-Man.

For these reasons, Cyclops is at number ten on this list.

#9 Cable

First Appearance: New Mutants #87

Name: Nathan Christopher Charles Summers

Height: 6’8

Weight: 350 lbs.

Bio via Marvel:

Cable possesses vast psychic power, most often manifested in the forms of telepathy and telekinesis. His telepathy has proven great enough in power and scope as to allow him to read thoughts across vast distances, and even interface with multiple minds, simultaneously. While the full limits of his mental abilities in this area have yet to be disclosed, Cable has also demonstrated the ability to project bolts or blasts of mental energy that are capable of easily killing or rendering unconscious another Human being. These bolts do not do physical damage. Cable has also demonstrated mastery of astral projection, and is able to remain on his own plane of existence, or to traverse into any of the so-called “Astral Planes”, very much like Professor X. Telekinetically, Cable is capable of very fine control over objects; he can disassemble complex devices explosively (separating every last component, such as screws, nuts, circuit boards, etc.), and just as quickly and easily assemble complex devices. This also has enabled him to even attain awareness and control over objects as small as individual electrons in an atom.

Cable is built like an offensive tackle in the NFL. He’s a very big and strong mutant. However, the name of his game isn’t brute force. He uses his telekinetic abilities to take on opponents. He gets those telekinetic abilities from his mother, Madelyn Pryor (a clone of Jean Grey)… I know that many people will wonder about Cable’s age.

He is from a war torn future. A future where he was raised by a time-displaced version of his sister from an alternate reality. That’s wild. Through all of this, Cable has become one of the most trusted X-Men. He is also one of the most powerful, as the son of Cyclops and Madelyn Pryor. That helps a lot.

Of course, Cable is the most 90’s comic book character. Why do I say that? It is because he just is very gruff, very to the point and doesn’t take crap from anyone. Many characters from the 1990’s were like him in personality, but he is definitely the poster boy. He just cuts to the chase. Why wouldn’t you like his character? Also, he teams up with Deadpool a lot. This makes for many hilarious instances because of how goofy Deadpool is and how serious Cable is.

For these reasons, Cable is #9 on my list of X-Men.

Check in tomorrow, for the next part of my top ten list. You can follow me at @KyleAndrews1994 on Twitter and The Demo Tape @TheDemoTape_.