X-Men: The 11 greatest characters of all time
1. Wolverine
Wolverine is a mutant who has gained the most attention over the years and has arguably surpassed both Cyclops and Professor X as the most recognizable face of the X-Men. Whether you read the comics or was just a fan of the 1990s Fox animated series, X-Men, Wolverine stole the show.
His rugged gritty persona and complicated crimson past in conjunction with his badassery make him easy to root for. Serving as a level killing machine Wolverine survived a number of centuries and it would be the Weapon X program injected Wolverine with adamantium. Despite being distant, loner rebel secretly looking for acceptance Wolverine found himself in the forefront of not just the X-Men, but Marvel Comics in general. He’s teamed up with Captain America and Bucky to take on the Nazi’s, fought against and alongside Spider-Man, and had some comedic run-ins with the Incredible Hulk.
Wolverine’s tenure with the X-Men started when he was recruited by Professor X along with Storm, Banshee, Colossus, and Nightcrawler. A long-lasting underlining story was the romantic tension between he and Jean and Wolverine’s open distaste for how Cyclops lead the X-Men. In fact, it would be Wolverine’s new X-Men who would successfully rescue the “original” X-Men from the living island, Krakoa.
Wolverine would go on to become a long-standing member of the X-Men even mentoring younger members like Kitty Pryde. He’d also develop a relationship with Rogue after losing the love of his life. Wolverine’s undeniable popularity lead into him getting an entire series as well as being the focal point of the original X-Men Trilogy. Wolverine arguably jump-started Hugh Jackman’s career in the states as he continued to play the hero from 2000-2016 until his curtain call with critically acclaimed instant classic, Logan.
Next: Marvel Cinematic Universe: Ranking the 20 greatest superheroes
The list of X-Men are vast especially when you consider the alternate timelines and multi-verses. However, there are those who have become synonymous with the comic. There those who are stronger and to some degree more popular but when you think of Marvel Comics X-Men these are arguably the most prolific individuals.