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X-Men
X-Men
Members Beast
Cyclops
Gambit
Jean Grey
Jubilee
Morph
Storm
Rogue
Wolverine
Magneto (?)
Former Members Angel
Iceman
Lorna Dane
Professor X
For other uses of X-Men, see X-Men (Disambiguation).

The X-Men are a superhero group of mutants. Founded by Professor Charles Xavier, their goal is to establish peace between humans and mutants and also to protect the public from those mutants who misuse their powers in harmful and dangerous ways.

Members[]

  • Beast/Hank McCoy, one of the original members.
  • Cyclops/Scott Summers, one of the original members and field commander of the X-Men.
  • Gambit/Remy LeBeau, former thief.
  • Marvel Girl/Jean Grey, one of the original members.
  • Jubilee/Jubilation Lee, the newest and youngest member.
  • Morph/Real name unknown, was thought dead after a mission and was controlled by Mister Sinister. He rejoined the team but had problems with fighting again and left. He eventually came back once again after Xavier was injured.
  • Storm/Ororo Munroe, second in command of the X-Men.
  • Rogue/Real name unknown, former member of the Brotherhood of Mutants.
  • Wolverine/Logan, former member of Team X.

After Xavier leaves with the Shi'ar it seems that Magneto made peace with the team and may have joined the team.

Former Members[]

  • Angel/Archangel/Warren Worthington III, one of the original members. He left the team for unknown reasons. He was briefly part of the Horsemen of Apocalypse.
  • Iceman/Bobby Drake, one of the original members. He had problems with Xavier and left to be with his girlfriend, Lorna Dane.
  • Lorna Dane, was a member when Iceman was there. They fell in love and left together. She later joined X-Factor.
  • Professor X/Charles Xavier, the man who formed the team. He left the planet, and thus the team, when he was critically injured to be with Lilandra and the Shi'ar.

History[]

The X-Men

The X-Men originally were founded by Charles Xavier, who recruited Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast and Angel. Amelia Voght was involved with Charles at this time and while being attracted to him, stated that she did not wish to be involved in the X-Men's training and left him, even though Charles plead for her to stay as he and the rest of the X-Men looked on. At some point after this, the X-Men had their first battle against Magneto, where Iceman was known to have attacked him. Lorna Dane joined the X-Men sometime after this as well and though they were interest in being members, Lorna was critically injured on a mission. This caused Iceman to regret his membership and leave the team, with Lorna choosing to leave with him as well. Angel left sometime after this and the X-Men received new costumes. Wolverine joined the team and was mistrusted by many of his teammate when he first arrived. Storm and Gambit joined as well, the latter said to have never been straight with the X-Men about his origins.

Rogue joined after defecting from The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants when Xavier offered to help her ease and overcome her psychic trauma. She and Storm became best friends which only aided in them as the high-flyers of the team. Morph joined the team as well sometime before or afterwards and formed a very close friendship with Wolverine and Beast.

Jubilee's foster parents registered her with a mutant control agency after her powers flared out of control. This agency then sent a mutant-hunting robot known as a Sentinel to capture Jubilee who happened to be at a mall where Storm, Rogue and Gambit were shopping too.

Together with Cyclops they rescued Jubilee and took her to the Mansion to recover. Here Storm took her under her wing and explained what X-Men were all about and offered the frightened young mutant hope.

Afterwards Jubilee left to make sure her parents weren't attacked, only to be ambushed by The Sentinels who succeeded in capturing her this time. She was interrogated by the head of the agency, Henry Peter Gyrich who sought to find information on The X-Men.

Meanwhile Xavier realized that the Sentinel at the mall could only have been dispatched by the agency that registered Jubilee and knew her identity as a mutant. Which meant this agency was deceiving naive mutants into registering and thereafter hunting them down using their personal information.

He sends the team to the agency's headquarters with orders to erase those registration files. Storm led a team of Wolverine, Beast and Morph inside to remove the files whilst Cyclops, Rogue and Gambit kept watch watch outside.

Unfortunately they were discovered and the army was called in, although they weren't much of a deterrence and The X-Men managed to destroy the files. During their escape they were beset upon by a squad of Sentinels who quickly began to overwhelm them and Beast was apprehended and arrested by the army forces with the rest of the team unable to come to his aid because of the might of the Sentinel attack.

Sadly, Morph lost his life in the battle sacrificing himself to save Wolverine.

The team was devastated and Wolverine took off in a rage, mourning alone and promising to avenge his friend.

Whilst the team grieved they also came to the conclusion that Jubilee had been captured by the Sentinels at some point. That was strike 2 for these robots and Xavier knew they should push on and eliminate the Sentinel's production base or they would never stop coming after mutants. They owed it to Morph.

Inadvertently aided by Jubilee's foster-parents the X-Men were able to track down the base of the Sentinels and this time around (most likely fuelled by vengeance) they absolutely obliterated each and every robot in sight, rescuing Jubilee and sending Gyrich and his partner Bolivar Trask fleeing into the night, their operation destroyed.

Realising the X-Men were the best thing for her Jubilee then decided to join the team full time and moved into the mansion to begin her tutelage on how to control and understand her powers. She became the surrogate baby sister of the team, especially to Wolverine.

Not long afterwards Xavier's old enemy Magneto surfaced and threatened the world with nuclear disaster. Wolverine, Cyclops and Storm were sent to stop him and with some difficulty, managed to succeed.

However, Magneto was far from finished and sent the psychotic mutant known as Sabretooth to infiltrate the mansion under the guise of receiving treatment from Xavier for his violent outbursts. Wolverine shared a dark and bloody past with Sabretooth and refused to be around the mansion if Sabretooth was welcome there.

Magneto meanwhile attacked a chemical plant and demanded for Xavier to face him. Storm, Cyclops and Rogue confronted him but his powers were too great and he quickly incapacitated them. During the battle Storm was buried beneath a crumbling brick wall before being rescued by Rogue and in a small flashback it is revealed to the audience that she suffers from claustrophobia stemming from a childhood experience.

Xavier finally faced Magneto and tried to reason with him but Magneto would not hear of it and attacked, knocking Xavier from his chair. With his mobility impeded and his X-Men down Xavier knew he had to take drastic measures to stop Magneto from killing him and destroying the plant, endangering human life.

As Magneto advanced Xavier attacked his mind and forced him to relive the painful memories of loss and sorrow from his past. Unable to stand the pain, Magneto fled in despair.

Meanwhile, Jubilee had been left to watch a seemingly restrained and mentally calm Sabretooth. He coaxed her into releasing his bonds, preying on her naivety and goodwill. As soon as he was free he attacked her, revealing his true mission from Magneto.

Luckily he was interrupted by Wolverine, who knew this would happen and returned just in time. The two old foes fought viciously and it was evident just how much Wolverine despised Sabretooth. They were interrupted by Xavier and the others who immediately assumed Wolverine had attacked Sabretooth because of his personal feelings and while Jubilee explained that Sabretooth was a mole sent by Magneto, Sabretooth used this distraction to slash Wolverine severely across the abdomen.

Incensed, Jubilee released a barrage of fireworks strong enough to knock Sabretooth through the wall and into the the Mansion grounds. He beat a hasty retreat while Xavier rushed Wolverine to the infirmary where he spent the next few days recuperating.

During this time much of the emotional state of the team was revealed. For instance, Storm's crippling claustrophobia was revealed to the others when during a Danger Room exercise the threat of the walls closing in sent Storm into an overwhelming panic which unleashed her raw power and endangered the others.

The usually gruff and grumpy Wolverine was revealed to indeed have a softer side. He was secretly in love with Jean Grey, and this helped to explain a lot about his attitude towards Cyclops in general.

When Jean popped in to visit the injured Wolverine he let slip that he longed to be with her, and whilst she was taken aback, she didn't exactly decline him outright, instead she simply left awkwardly.

Later, whilst out on a date, Cyclops and Jean encountered strange mutants in the subway that clashed with a group of (bigoted) people. Forced to step in the couple were placed under a trance and captured. Upon awakening Cyclops was introduced to his captor, a mutant named Callisto and her subterranean tribe of mutant outcasts called Morlocks. Callisto wanted Cyclops to remain as her lover and provide her with an heir, and threatened to kill Jean Grey should he refuse.

Jean managed to to telepathically alert Xavier and he sent Storm, Rogue, Gambit and the newly recovered Wolverine to rescue them. They fought off the Morlocks and managed to find Jean but Callisto refused to part with Cyclops. The team was on the brink of defeat; after an encounter with Plague Gambit and Rogue were forced to retreat back to the mansion to save Gambit's life and Wolverine was a mess at the hands of Annalee who used her powers to exploit his feelings for Jean Grey.

As team leader Storm knew she could not fail her friends and in a bold move she challenged Callisto to a duel, not only for the lives of the X-Men but for the leadership of the Morlocks as well! Callisto agreed and their duel was fraught but quick, with Storm emerging as the victor. Storm allowed Callisto to live as killing is not the X-Men's way.

As the new leader of the Morlocks Storm offered them sanctuary at the mansion but they refused, stating they would only resurface if and when humanity accepts mutants. Storm understood and promised to return to them should that happen. In her absence, she placed Callisto in charge once more.

Xavier was greatly pleased with Storm's remarkable leadership. Jean and Scott were reunited and sought to thank Wolverine but found his room empty and deduced that he had left the team.

Not too long afterwards Gambit is berated for spreading rumors about Genosha, an island nation that he alleges are accepting of mutantkind. Curious, Professor X sent Storm, Gambit, and Jubilee to investigate the island with hopes that this rumour may indeed be true. Initially Genosha seemed like a typical holiday destination, until the three X-Men were ambushed in their bungalow. Though they put up a good fight they were ultimately captured by a Sentinel.

Wolverine meanwhile had retreated to the ice and snow of Canada to regroup and find some inner peace. Unfortunately his old enemy Sabretooth tracked him down and tried to kill Wolverine and the native tribe that had taken him in. Wolverine was sick of fighting but came to the painful realisation that running from his problems won't bring him peace and if he did nothing there would always be those who would harm the ones he cared for if only to get to him.

He overcame Sabretooth, who seemingly perished in an impossible fall off an icy cliff.

Storm, Gambit and Jubilee found themselves held captive in a prison camp on Genosha along with various others mutants. Amongst them are characters like Sunfire, Warpath, Feral, Northstar, Aurora and Richter making their first cameo appearances on the small screen.

The mutants are all kept in line with power-negating collars that will explode if forcibly removed. The collars are revealed to have been designed by a scientist on Muir Island. Storm and the others are told that they must build a dam which unbeknownst to them will aid in the production of all-new Sentinels. Gambit seemingly betrays the mutants only to free himself and return to rescue Storm and Jubilee.

A mysterious soldier named Cable appears and works behind the scenes to topple the Genoshan authority and lays waste to the Sentinel factories.

Meanwhile Storm, Gambit and Jubilee set the other mutants free of their collars and together they defeat the guards and claim the camp. The rest of mutant prisoners quickly abandon the X-Men to try and conquer all of Genosha. Storm knows she must demolish the dam or the Sentinels will return. She pushes her powers to their limits but manages to destroy the dam and the three are rescued by the rest of the X-Men team.

Upon returning from Genosha, the X-Men find the Mansion leveled to the ground and an ominous message from Prof. X explaining that he has left to pursue a private matter but the outcome of which will forever change their lives. Wolverine picks up a scent amid the wreckage and the X-Men investigate. This leads them to the mutant Colossus who has been wrongfully arrested. The X-Men deduce that he isn't responsible for the destruction of the mansion and whilst Storm and Rogue break him from jail, Wolverine and Jubilee track the scent all the way to the unstoppable Juggernaut.

Juggernaut reveals that he destroyed the mansion when he couldn't find Prof. X, the step-brother he so immensely despises. The X-Men are no match for the might of the Juggernaut and realise a psychic attack is the only means by which to bring him down. This will require them to work as a cohesive team to remove his protective helmet. The X-Men attack in tandem succession, keeping Juggernaut off-balance long enough for them to rid him of his helmet. In an effort to further immobilise him, Rogue absorbs his powers and learns not just of his abusive childhood but that he holds Prof. X responsible. Jean telepathically alters the Juggernaut's memory and sends him on his way, buying them time until the day it wears off and he returns.

As the X-Men rebuild the Mansion new dynamics of the team are brought to light. For instance, Gambit once again clashes with authority, usually in the form of Cyclops or even his friend Wolverine, who won't let him forget that he's too secretive with the team in general. Rogue also shows a chink in her sassy Southern armor, resenting her mutation on occasion and yearning for intimacy and love like that of Cyclops and Jean.

These feelings are brought to the surface when Professor X finally contacted the X-Men and explained that he was on Muir Island, investigating an eccentric scientist named Dr Adler and his controversial claims to have found a cure for mutation. Rogue is thrown by this sudden possibility while the rest of the team asserts that it would be a betrayal for any mutant to accept this cure.

Rogue later slips away and flies to Muir Island to see Dr Adler for herself. After meeting with him Rogue comes unsettlingly close to receiving the cure but two mutant goons, Pyro and Avalanche, wreck the lab and kidnap Adler.

Mystery mutant Cable resurfaces and also seems to be after Adler. Unbeknownst to Rogue Dr Adler reveals himself to be the deceitful shapeshifter Mystique, posing as Adler under the orders of Apocalypse, who will be none too pleased should Pyro and Avalanche bungle his plot. Cyclops and Jean arrive to assist Rogue and Pyro and Avalanche flee the island. Cable also escapes.

Ultimately, Rogue decided against receiving the cure, but helped to rebuild Adler's lab so that other mutants can have the opportunity should they so desire. One of these mutants was Angel, who arrived after Rogue has left, looking for Dr. Adler and his cure.

Later Angel publicly declares that the cure is a success as his wings are gone, much to Rogue, Cyclops, Jean and Professor X's surprise. They leave for New York as 3 more desperate mutants, including the Morlock Plague, approach Adler seeking salvation.

The cure had been a brazen lie all along, meant purely to lure desperate souls to Apocalypse, whereupon he could transform them into his violent, remorseless slaves. Angel and the other three mutants emerged as bringers of War, Famine, Pestilence and Death, known collectively as the Horsemen of Apocalypse. Together they attack a peace conference in Paris where Apocalypse makes his presence known to the world.

The X-Men watch the chaos unfold on live TV and Professor X recognizes the Horseman of Death as Archangel, who no longer had white, fluffy wings but ones made of sharp, cold metal instead. Professor X was greatly concerned by this act of terror as this would be the first time the X-Men would go up against a truly irrational and evil force of mutant. Nonetheless he dispatched the team to Paris but sent Rogue on a solo mission back to Muir Island to question Dr. Adler, since Angel had been seemingly "cured" by his machine.

The Horsemen lay waste to several global areas; Famine attacks farms seeking to destroy crops, War attacks military bases and turns their weapons against them, and Death strikes at a dam causing significant innocent deaths no doubt.

Upon discovering that Adler is really Mystique, Rogue forces her to reveal Apocalypse's plan and base of operations. However Mystique manages to shoot Rogue in the back and destroys the lab, and with it any hope of reverting Angel and the horsemen back to normal. She makes her escape as Rogue emerges from the rubble.

The X-Men arrive in Paris to find Pestilence spreading sickness and disease. Storm and Cyclops manage to defeat her but the rest of The Horsemen arrive. Famine keeps Cyclops and Storm occupied while War almost seriously injured Wolverine but luckily he is saved by Gambit. The Horseman retreat to Stonehenge where Rogue has foolishly come to face Apocalypse alone.

Apocalypse, disappointed in his Horsemen, toys with Rogue and almost kills her with his energy blasts but the rest of the X-Men arrive and clash with the Horsemen once more; War blasts Gambit and Wolverine but it's tripped up by a beam from Cyclops, Jean shows some battle sense for once when she easily neutralizes Pestilence and Famine evades Storm's lightning in the skies.

As Death is about to attack Rogue sneaks up and touches him, absorbing his memories and energy, nullifying Apocalypse's power over him. Death is distraught by the violent reality of what he has become and lashes out at the Horsemen, defeating them. Apocalypse escapes and so to does Death, flying off into the night, ashamed.

In the future, Sentinels have been placed in power and they surgically hunt and imprison mutants. Forge, mutant inventor with a working time machine sends Bishop, a mutant soldier-of-fortune back in time to stop an assassination that results in this future coming to pass.

Upon arrival in New York City in the 1990's Bishop's memory has been affected and he cannot recall who the victim is nor the assassin. All he knows is that he must exterminate the X-Men as they are at fault. Bishop attacks the mansion by driving a city bus into the grounds. He defeats Storm, Jubilee and Cyclops but is taken down by Wolverine.

Professor X uses Cerebro to interrogate Bishop and gets a glimpse of his timeline. Though the X-Men are still skeptical of his story they join Bishop in challenging a Sentinel named Nimrod who has followed him from the future. Nimrod seems impervious to all their powers and quickly defeats Wolverine, Jubilee and Jean. Storm uses her powers to freeze Nimrod solid and Cyclops and Bishop destroy his temporal transceiver which ejects him back to his time. Bishop reveals that his wristband is a temporal transceiver too.

Having witnessed the futuristic tech of Nimrod, the X-Men believe Bishop's story and return to the Mansion to discuss who the assassin could be and the victim. Rogue and Gambit return from a separate mission and upon seeing Gambit Bishop's memory is restored and he immediately attacks Gambit.

After being restrained Bishop reveals that once Gambit kills an important person in Washington a wave of anti-mutant hysteria grips the world. This leads to mutant controls being passed and entire armies of Sentinels produced and let loose on the mutant population. Those mutants who survive are imprisoned in concentration camps. But the Sentinels become to powerful to be controlled and take over the planet.

Bishop still can't remember the target though, and Prof. X suspects it might be him since he's scheduled to speak at Congress. Gambit insists he is innocent but Wolverine and Bishop are left to guard him whilst the rest of the team join Prof. X in Washington, splitting up to protect different areas of the capital and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.

Gambit gives Wolverine and Bishop the slip and pilots a mini-jet to Washington, intending to clear his name but instead confirming Bishop's accusations. Prof. X speaks before the senate chamber, headed by Senator Robert Kelly who is clearly anti-mutant.

Meanwhile the Brotherhood of Mutants attack the hearing and cause chaos until The X-Men arrive and fend them off as best they can.

Kelly is led to a secure room by his aide, but she then morphs into "Gambit" and reveals the real aide bound and gagged and needed as a witness. Before the Gambit impersonator can kill Kelly the real Gambit enters the room to protect Kelly. As the two Gambits fight each other Kelly frees his aide.

Bishop arrives blasts the real Gambit, knocking him unconscious. Upon seeing two Gambits he asserts that he will just have to kill both and charges his weapon to full capacity. Luckily Rogue flies in and rips off his wristband, sending Bishop back to his time. Rogue tells Kelly and aide to leave as the danger has passed and the fake "Gambit" reveals himself to be Mystique.

Rogue prepares to apprehend her but Mystique transforms into a previous form, that of Rogue's foster mother who took her in after she fled from her abusive father. Rogue is stunned and helps Mystique to escape. Mystique reveals that she intended to assassinate Kelly on Apocalypse's orders so that mutants could have the future they deserved. Rogue implores her to leave Apocalypse but Mystique says she is bound to him as he gave her purpose. Rogue then questions why Mystique almost turned Rogue, her once dear foster-daughter, into a Horsemen for Apocalypse and Mystique tearfully answers that it seemed like the only way to get Rogue back from Professor X and the X-Men. Mystique leaves Rogue saddened by all this.

Professor X has been summoned to Kelly's office to discuss the failed assassination attempt but upon arrival he finds Kelly's office in shambles with Kelly missing. Cyclops suspects The Brotherhood but Professor X has other suspicions, especially since his watch has been magnetized.

The X-Men embarked on many adventures to help mutants against the likes of Magneto, Apocalypse, Mister Sinister, and Mystique.

Dealings with Spider-Man[]

Spider-Man originally came to seek Xavier's help with his mutation disease only to fight the X-Men and leave empty handed. After Beast went missing that same evening, Wolverine believed that Spider-Man set him up, and went gunning for the web slinger.

After realizing that Spider-Man wasn't to blame, Spider-Man and Logan searched for the real kidnappers, and found Beast's old colleague, Herbert Landon responsible. Landon had devised a plan to kill all mutants using Beast's earlier research.

After Spider-Man and Wolverine saved Beast, Landon fell into a vat of the mutant killing chemical and mutated into a huge, 30 foot monster. Spider-Man was forced to team with the X-Men and they managed to stop the creature. Wolverine then reminded Spider-Man that he didn't have to bare it all alone; he did have friends, and if he needed them, call.

When the Beyonder challenged Spider-Man to prove which is greater, good or evil, he chooses Storm to fight alongside him.

Alternate Versions[]

Days of Future Past[]

In one alternate future the X-Men, except for Wolverine, were all killed by Sentinels that had taken over the planet. Wolverine kept fighting but was captured by Bishop. Bishop was betrayed and Wolverine helped him go into the past to stop the assassination that caused it all. The graves of the X-Men served as reminders of the past and honored the fallen mutants. This timeline was erased when Gambit successfully stopped Mystique from assassinating Robert Kelly.

Legacy Virus[]

After stopping Kelly's assassination Bishop returned to the future where all the X-Men, including Wolverine, were killed by a virus. Logan's skeleton was studied by a version of Forge. Forge told Bishop, who had no knowledge of this world, about the virus and he went back in time again to stop it. This version was erased after Cable spread the virus to Wolverine so he could create the necessary antibodies to survive.

Magneto's X-Men[]

Trevor Fitzroy, under the orders of Master Mold, traveled back to 1959 to kill Xavier. He succeeded and Xavier's friend Magneto formed the X-Men in his honor. However, anti-mutant sentiment turned violent and war spread throughout the world. Storm and Wolverine were romantically involved and married. When the X-Men were engaged in a battle with this world's Avengers, Bishop and Shard arrived from their time. They took Storm and Wolverine back in time to stop Fitzroy. Wolverine was hesitant to help as he did not know if he and Storm were involved in the normal timeline, but Storm convinced him to help. They initially failed in their attempt but went back once more and succeeded. This timeline was erased as it reverted to normal. Xavier's memory of Storm and Wolverine is the only remnant of this timeline.

Background[]

The team is based on the Chris Claremont and Jim Lee run of X-Men. It was the first time that X-Men had separate teams in separate comics.[1]

Angel's appearance in several flashbacks conflicts with his early appearances in the series, as the other X-Men do not seem to recognize him despite apparently knowing him already.

For the team's appearance on Spider-Man, the entire cast had to be flown from Canada to California. This caused "The Mutant Agenda" and "The Mutants' Revenge" the most expensive episode of the series. The X-Men were then originally intended to appear in the Secret Wars. However, this would have driven up the cost of already costly episodes due to the number of guest stars. Since original Storm actress Iona Morris was already a California resident, her character was the only to be included.[2]

The X-Men were set to appear in the The Avengers: United They Stand second season episode, "X-Treme." In said episode, the X-Men must help the Avengers battle Mister Sinister.

Magneto has joined the team several times in the comics but it is not directly stated if he did so at the end of "Graduation Day".

The character of Kitty Pryde was unused in the series. She was used in the failed "Pryde of the X-Men" pilot. The role Kitty had in the pilot was served by Jubilee in the series.

Plans had been put into place to expand the roster of the team, but they never came to be.[3]

In the Comics[]

Various other mutants who have officially joined the team in the comics but not on the series were seen. These include Mimic, Havok, Nightcrawler, Banshee, Sunfire, Colossus, Thunderbird, Rachel Summers, Psylocke, Dazzler, Longshot, Forge, Bishop, Cannonball, Cable, Emma Frost, Northstar, Husk, Juggernaut, Warpath, Hepzibah, Caliban, Karma, Moira MacTaggert, Deadpool, Mystique, Sabretooth, Warlock, Magik, Wolfsbane, Sunder, Multiple Man, Strong Guy, Frenzy, Forearm, and Namor.

References[]

External Links[]

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