The X-Men have been through a lot in Marvel Comics, but these are the worst experiences in their long history.
The X-Men (and mutants in general) have been through more tragedies than any other superhero team in comic book history. Granted, other teams like the Justice League, Fantastic Four, and Avengers have fallen on hard times, but not quite like Marvel‘s mutants. The only team that comes close is the Bat-Family. Even then, they don’t receive the kind of persecution that mutants do.
Despite all of what they faced, the X-Men continue to help Earth and the rest of the universe.
Things aren’t much better for them these days. In the finale of the recent Hellfire Gala storyline (which can be viewed in X-Factor No. 10) Eye-Boy found the Scarlet Witch dead. This then led to the Trial of Magneto and then to Inferno. The first suggests more dark times for the X-Men while the latter could see Mystique try and burn Krakoa down. Whether that’s literal or metaphorical remains to be seen.
Everything in Krakoa has been as close to a utopian society as anywhere else not named Wakanda. These two events, however, could conclude with two of the worst moments in their country’s short existence. Maybe in all of mutant history. Considering all that they’ve been through, that says a lot. So just what are their worst? Here are ten of the X-Men and mutants’ most horrendous moments.
10. Schism
Comic book: X-Men: Schism
Cyclops and Wolverine don’t always see eye to eye. They’ve fought over ideals, plans, and, of course, Jean Grey’s love. Nevertheless, they make it work for the good of the X-Men. They respect each other and consider each other to be more than teammates. They’re brothers. Eventually, though, even people who love and respect each other can have a breaking point. For these two, it was about the mutant children of Utopia.
Wolverine didn’t like that Cyclops looked at the mutant kids on Utopia as soldiers. On the other hand, Cyclops felt as if he was teaching them to survive a world that feared and hated them. While this debate was happening, however, a giant sentinel approached Utopia to destroy it. But the two mutants ended up in a brawl while a mutant killing machine was attacking them on the island.
Eventually, the X-Men stepped in and defeated the sentinel. However, Wolverine and Cyclops’ relationship was broken.
After talking to Idie Okonkwo, Logan decided that some of the students need a place to be kids instead of just fighters. He decided to reopen the school in Westchester (the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning). Some mutants left to pursue the growth of the school while others stayed on Utopia. The mutants were divided like they never had been before or after.
9. World War Hulk
Comic book: World War Hulk: X-Men
The Hulk was shot out of space by the Illuminati. When he came back, he was angrier and stronger than he’s ever been. He was also looking for revenge.
The Hulk took down the people who shot him into space and also didn’t hesitate in stopping anyone defending them. There was, however, one member of the Illuminati who wasn’t there: Professor Charles Xavier – who was absent when his team made the decision.
The Hulk showed up at Charles’ school, attacking the students and the faculty, demanding to speak to Xavier. Even though Professor X wasn’t there, the Hulk wanted to know how he would have voted. Xavier was honest and said that he would have voted to send Hulk to space.
Before Xavier could leave with Hulk, the X-Men stepped in to protect their mentor and father figure. This resulted in a fight where the Hulk beat the entire X-Men team like no one ever has.
The Jade Giant ran through the X-Men’s alpha team, their other roster, X-Factor, and the Juggernaut. There was nothing anybody could do. The Hulk was determined to get revenge for what happened to him. The only reason the fight stopped was because Mercury made him feel guilty. While standing in a graveyard full of former teammates and loved ones, Mercury showed the Hulk that he had no right to say they don’t know about loss – something that even he couldn’t deny. He then left, telling Xavier that he was already in a Hell of his own.
8. Magneto/Xorn destroys the school
Comic book: New X-Men: Planet X
A person posing as Magento who was posing as Xorn (yes, this sounds silly) destroyed the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. But it wasn’t just the school that took a hit. “Magneto” sent Beast and Emma Frost on a mission that ended with them stranded in the ocean while Wolverine and Jean were blasted into space on a one way trip to the sun with no way to return. While this is going on, Xavier was left powerless in a tube only able to watch as his home and dreams were destroyed in front of him.
Of course, the X-Men mounted a comeback. It’s what they do. Wolverine gave Jean a quick death instead of letting her die by burning in the sun and this allowed her to be resurrected as the Phoenix. She then saved Logan from death, rescued Emma and Beast, and headed to defeat the person posing as Magento.
”Magneto” was eventually beaten, but not before delivering a shattering final blow. He killed Jean Grey right in front of the X-Men. All Cyclops could do was watch life leave her eyes while Logan immediately decapitated the pretender for killing the woman he loved. The aftermath almost destroyed the X-Men as Cyclops quit the school and declared the X-Men dead. Thankfully, things were saved via time travel and the Phoenix.
7. Open Day
After coming out as a mutant to the world (thanks to his sister Cassandra Nova) Charles Xavier planned on having a media day to open up Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. This was a way to show the world what was going on at the school. He hoped that this would calm the fears of people who thought mutants and the school were a threat to the world. Things may have gone well if not for Quentin Quire’s riot.
Quentin and his group of would-be anarchists were doing more than causing damage to the school. This was another reason for the world to hate mutants. If they couldn’t keep the kids in their school from being dangerous and irresponsible, what would make them think anyone else could? Quentin was eventually stopped by the Stepford Cuckoos who lost one of their own after using a drug to enhance her powers.
This was a major blow to Xavier. This could have been a moment that helped mutant and human relations. Instead, the world saw a group of dangerous mutants putting everyone in danger. If we’re being honest, nothing would have changed. People who hate mutants will always hate them. Nonetheless, this definitely didn’t help.
6. Uncanny X-Men (Matthew Rosenberg)
Comic book: Uncanny X-Men (2018)
In 2018, the X-Men went through something that nearly destroyed them. Usually, being destroyed is something that happens to them often. This time, it was different.
X-Man was attempting to become the anti-Apocalypse. Instead of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he created the Horsemen of Salvation (Omega Red, Blob, Angel, and Magento). He wanted to change the world and make it a better place. As predicted, however, it goes horribly wrong. X-Man just furthered the world’s fear for mutants. This leads to an anti-mutant vaccine being put into effect, making sure that no mutants would ever be born.
It didn’t end there. In an attempt to protect mutants, Cyclops tried to bring the remaining X-Men back together. Along with Wolverine, the duo saved a camp of mutants who were being used to power sentinels. Some of the mutants they saved left to lead different lives while others stayed with the team. Regardless of what happened, both sides were in danger and lost people they loved.
Multiple X-Men were killed, including Jamie Madrox, Rahne Sinclair, and Havok. Juggernaut (not a mutant but he helped) had the gem of Cyttorak ripped from his body by Magik (who was turned into a demon) and was sent to another realm .
Matthew Rosenberg’s entire run was sad, but it was a great run and it led directly into Powers of X and House of X.
5. Cyclops kills Xavier
Comic book: Avengers vs X-Men
It was the Avengers vs the X-Men for the future of Hope Summers and the Phoenix. The Avengers wanted to hide Hope from the Phoenix Force but the X-Men (mostly Cyclops) wanted Hope to get the Phoenix Force in hopes of restarting the X-Gene in mutants. A battle on the moon commenced and it ultimately ended with Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, Namor, and Colossus becoming the Phoenix Five.
At first, things looked good. The Phoenix Five and the mutants were making the world better. Then, the Phoenix Force started making them angrier. They completely forgot about restarting the X-Gene and started agendas of their own and even started fighting each other for power. This led to the X-Men joining the Avengers to take down the remaining two in Emma and Cyclops. During that battle, Cyclops took Emma’s power and, soon after, he killed his mentor, Professor Xavier.
It’s one thing if Wolverine or even Jean Grey kills Charles Xavier. It’s another when it’s Scott Summers. Cyclops looked at Xavier like a father. He’s personally responsible for Cyclops being the leader and man that he is. It was a sad moment that had to be recognized.
4. Students killed on campus (New X-Men)
Comic book: New X-Men: Childhood’s End
The Marvel Comics event House of M (which will be discussed later) is among the two worst things to happen to mutants. It was an event that left millions of mutants without their powers. The mutants in Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters weren’t exempt from this. A lot of them lost their powers as well. This led to some of the students’ parents wanting them out of the school and back home since they weren’t mutants anymore. What should have been an easy transition, however, ended with their deaths.
Reverend Stryker put a team together to kill the remaining mutants at the school. This began with the death of the former mutants. A rocket launcher was used to kill every former mutant leaving the school via a bus. It was all the lives the X-Men have ever encountered at their school.
This left the remaining younger mutants emotionally stunned. They had to watch as their friends were killed and blamed themselves for not being “good” or “fast” enough to save them. A tragedy that haunted them for years to come.
The one positive thing to come out of this is the remaining young mutants got closer. They began to rely on each other more than before and they vowed never to let their friends and family die like this ever again.
3. Birth and Death of mutants
Comic book: Messiah Complex and Second Coming
If this writer was going to recommend an X-Men crossover event, it would be Messiah Complex and Second Coming. Sure, these are two separate events, but they connect and change the lives of mutants forever.
Messiah Complex saw the birth of the first mutant since M-Day. It was the first glimmer of hope for the mutant race in years. So much so that Cable actually named her Hope Summers. During this event, we also saw Bishop betray the X-Men, try to kill a baby and Cable, and he accidentally shot Xavier in the head. This is also where Layla Miller got stuck in a terrible future where mutants are outlawed.
Then there’s Second Coming. An event where Nightcrawler and Cable were killed protecting Hope Summers. Both deaths shocked readers. We knew they’d be back, but the visuals were intense. Nightcrawler died with Bastion’s arm in his chest and used the last of his life to teleport Hope to safety, saying he believed in her.
Cable brought X-Force back to the present in a fury of heroics. Hope couldn’t believe her father was back because it was supposed to be a one way trip to the future. Before they could celebrate, though, Cable exploded, leaving only his arm. After Hope destroyed Bastion, she curled up on her father’s arm.
She had to watch her father die. Granted, the series ended with something to look forward to. Messiah Complex birthed Hope and Second Coming saw the resurrection of the X-Gene. Despite that, there were a lot of tragic moments throughout both issues.
2. Destruction of Genosha
Comic book: New X-Men: E Is for Extinction
Every time that mutants try to leave humanity and create something for themselves, they’re attacked. One of the biggest assaults on all of the mutants came from Cassandra Nova – who sent giant Sentinels to Genosha to kill everyone on the island.
There was nothing anyone could do. By the time the Sentinels started slaughtering the citizens of Genosha, it was too late for anyone to respond. Xavier could only watch from Cerebra and cry as the population go from over 16 million to less than a thousand in minutes.
The next day, Beast went to Genosha to look for survivors. It was a tragic scene that stuck with him for years. He was so traumatized that he even found himself unusually making jokes. Making light of a situation is something that he’d never do. He said it was the only way he could cope with what he was seeing.
It wasn’t just mutants who died. Kate Pryde’s father was among the people who perished on that day. There must have been other humans killed as well. The Sentinels didn’t separate between humans and mutants. Anyone on Genosha was to be exterminated.
1. M-Day
Comic book: House of M
As the saying goes, it was the worst day in Avengers history. Wanda Maximoff destroyed Avengers Mansion and killed some of the Avengers before she was eventually taken down.
After the carnage ended, Magneto took her to Xavier for help. Unfortunately, not even he could help her. This led to a meeting between the Avengers and the X-Men. Before they could talk to her, however, Wanda changed the entire reality to a world dominated by mutants and ruled by Magneto.
The universe Wanda created was a mutant utopia. But when the heroes of the old universe remembered who they were and what the world once was, they revolted. During the final attack, Magneto killed Pietro. That drove Wanda to the brink. She proclaimed mutants were freaks and said, “No more mutants” eliminating the mutant gene in 90% of the universe.
Mutants losing their abilities was one thing. It was another when their lives depended on those powers being active. Mutants drowned because they could no longer breathe underwater. Others fell out of the sky because their power of flight was taken away from them. To make things worse, mutant-hating groups like the Purifiers used this as a reason to finish off the X-Men for good.
All of Marvel Comics is still feeling the effects of this event over a decade later. There’s no way this couldn’t be number 1.
What do you think? There were a lot of dark X-Men moments left off this list. Which ones should have made the cut? Let us know in the comments below.