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Quote1 To me, my X-Men! Quote2
Professor X

The X-Men are a group founded by Professor Charles Xavier as a response to the emergence of naturally occurring superhumans known as mutants among the baseline human society. Dedicated to promoting a dream of peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans, Xavier trained his X-Men in the use of their mutant powers at the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, forging them into defenders of a world that hates and fears them. Over the years, the heroes of mutantkind found their mission constantly endangered by both reactionary humans and fanatic mutants.[13][124][125][1][126]

History

This is an abridged version of The X-Men's history. For a complete history see The X-Men's Expanded History

A Dream is Born[]

Charles Xavier (Earth-616) from Powers of X Vol 1 6 001

Charles Xavier has a dream

The outcome of a leap in natural evolution, mutants, or Homo superior, are born with superhuman abilities that often emerge at puberty. Unfortunately, they are often perceived as a menace, being hated and feared by the rest of humanity. Amidst this tension, Professor Charles Xavier, secretly a mutant telepath, spent most of his early adult years studying mutation at Oxford University and held a unique vision for mutants and humans to coexist peacefully. During his time at Oxford, Xavier met the brilliant geneticist Moira. She revealed herself as a mutant with the ability to reincarnate in the past and reset her own timeline upon death. Moira's multiple lives had revealed a disturbing pattern: mutantkind always lost. The revelation formed a strong bond between Xavier and Moira, who sought for a definitive way to avert mutantkind's devastation.[127][128][126]

Over the years, Xavier realized that not all mutants shared his vision of peaceful harmony. During his travels, he encountered a mutant named Magnus in Israel, who had a radically different perspective, firmly believing that a species war between mutants and humans was unavoidable and that mutants had to assert their dominance as supreme rulers of Earth. This ideological clash forged a profound feud between Xavier and Magnus.[129] In Egypt, Xavier faced the unscrupulous mutant telepath known as the Shadow King. This harrowing encounter reinforced Xavier's determination to safeguard the world from the threat of malevolent mutants. His mission became to foster peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans by protecting both sides from the destructive forces that could escalate if left unchecked.[130]

X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 300 001

Xavier shows Moira the candidates for his first class of X-Men

Counting with Moira's support, Xavier decided to establish a school to secretly prepare mutants to serve and protect a world that hated and feared their kind: the X-Men.[131][132] He reformed his father's estate into the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.[133] Within his "X-Mansion", Xavier developed crucial facilities for his mission, such as the Danger Room, a state-of-the-art training facility,[13] and Cerebro, a mutant-detection device for identifying and locating mutants across the globe.[134][135] After years of preparation, Xavier decided to approach the young mutants he had been keeping track of as anti-mutant hysteria hit its peak. Reports about a young mutant accidentally putting lives at risk urged him to to contact FBI agent Fred Duncan, tasked with investigating mutant-related incidents. Through diplomacy, Xavier convinced Duncan to permit him to enroll and train young mutants at his school to stand against the mutants threatening humanity.[136][131]

In the following days, Professor X recruited his X-Men. Scott Summers, the young mutant from the news reports, was rescued from the clutches of evil Jack Winters and became the first of the X-Men, codenamed Cyclops.[137] Shortly after, Cyclops and Professor X saved young Bobby Drake, a mutant commanding extreme cold, from an angry mob; Drake joined the group as Iceman.[138] The winged Warren Worthington III, who had already embarked on a solo super hero career as the high-flying Angel,[139] was convinced to join the X-Men after a brief battle.[140] Next on the list was the dexterous and intelligent Hank McCoy, who was rescued from a would-be conqueror, the Conquistador, and joined Xavier under the codename Beast.[141] Rounding out the group, Xavier had Jean Grey join them as Marvel Girl,[13] who had been mentored by Xavier since the traumatic manifestation of her psychic abilities as a child.[142]

First Class[]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 1 cover

The Uncanny X-Men vs. Magneto

The very first mission of the recently formed uncanny X-Men brought them into direct conflict with Xavier's old friend, Magnus, now known as Magneto, the self-proclaimed "Master of Magnetism." The battle occurred at Cape Citadel, a military base Magneto had taken control of, marking the beginning of the ideological and brutal war between Xavier and Magneto. In the years to come, Magneto would become the X-Men's most frequent and formidable adversary. The villain was driven off by the X-Men, who were successful in liberating the base from his clutches. Despite the X-Men's heroic actions, their reputation suffered due to growing anti-mutant sentiment.[13]

In their subsequent mission, with assistance from Duncan, the X-Men protected Washington, D.C., against the mutant teleporter and thief known as the Vanisher.[143] During their journey, they also discovered that not all mutants were interested in joining their mission when the immovable Blob rejected their invitation to their ranks.[144] Simultaneously, the X-Men found themselves entangled with the broader superhero community: clashing with Iron Man,[145] aiding the Sentry against the General,[146] and having a conflict with the Fantastic Four when Professor X fell under the control of the Puppet Master.[147] These and other encounters marked the beginning of the X-Men's many adventures as they navigated the superhero world.

Magneto resurfaced to plague the X-Men, forming his own group called the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The terrorist team consisted of Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, Toad and Mastermind. They first confronted the X-Men when conquering the nation of Santo Marco, which Magneto attempted to colonize, but met defeat.[148] Subsequently, the Brotherhood escalated the animosity between the two groups of mutants with a full-on attempt to capture the X-Men, with no success.[149] This was followed by several failed attempts by the Brotherhood to recruit other powerful individuals to their cause, including Namor, the Sub-Mariner,[150] the Blob,[135] and the thunder god Thor.[151] Ultimately, the X-Men witnessed the end of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants during an encounter with the powerful alien being known as the Stranger, who kidnapped Magneto and the Toad for study and turned Mastermind into stone, neutralizing their threat.[152]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 7 002

Graduation Day

After their graduation,[135] the X-Men were torn apart by the rise of alarming and fanatical anti-movement hysteria.[124] As the group faced these struggles, a future version of Beast came upon the young students to transport them to the future in hopes of inspiring the decadent mutant society.[153] The time-displaced X-Men spent a long period of time in the future, eventually returning with their memories of this experience blocked. Upon their return, they resumed their adventures,[154] such as fighting Unus the Untouchable.[124] Afterwards, Professor X left Cyclops in charge of the school to thwart the alien Lucifer from conquering the world, a plot foiled thanks to the assistance of the X-Men and the Avengers, sparking the long-standing association and rivalry between the two superhero teams.[155] Amidst their adventures, the X-Men also found a valuable ally in Ka-Zar at the South Pole, where they investigated the hidden tropical paradise called the Savage Land.[156] Furthermore, a dangerous threat emerged in the form of Professor X's stepbrother, Cain Marko, who wielded mystical powers as the unstoppable Juggernaut,[157] but was defeated by the X-Men with the aid of the Human Torch.[158]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 14 cover

The menace of the Sentinels

Anti-mutant sentiment was on the rise, prompting scientist Bolivar Trask to engineer the Sentinels – massive mutant-hunting robots with the purpose of apprehending and incapacitating mutants.[159] Unexpectedly, the robots revolted against their own creator, seizing both Trask and Professor X to subject them to their robotic overlord, the sinister Master Mold, who planned to enslave the entire human race. The X-Men saved Xavier and devised a strategy to dismantle the menace of the Sentinels.[160] The encounter culminated with Trask's demise, but his legacy would haunt mutantkind since his deadly machines became the greatest threat mutantkind faced in the years to come.[161]

Factor Three Conspiracy[]

Barely recovered from their war against the Sentinels, the X-Men were once again targeted by Magneto,[162] who, despite his attempts, was defeated and recaptured by the Stranger.[163] In the midst of these challenges, Lucifer resurfaced to execute his master's alien invasion. He commanded the Blob and Unus to pose as X-Men to tarnish the team's reputation as well as distract them.[164] Although the Blob and Unus escaped, the X-Men persevered and successfully foiled Lucifer's wicked scheme.[165] Other non-mutant threats were also the interest of the X-Men, such as combating Count Nefaria's attempt to ransom Washington, D.C.,[166] battling the peculiar Locust,[167] preventing El Tigre from taking over the world with the power of the Mayan God, Kukulcan, and stopping the Warlock's world domination plot.[168] Amidst these challenges, Jean Grey was compelled by her parents to leave Xavier's for Metro College, but remained part of the group, albeit with less regularity.[167] Some time later, after the X-Men halted Cobalt Man's rampage at Stark Industries,[169] his brother and Jean Grey's friend Ted Roberts asked for the team's help in rescuing his conflictuous brother, landing the young mutants in a conflict between the Mole Man and Tyrannus.[170]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Sean Cassidy (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 28 cover

The wail of the Banshee!

Having crossed paths with the troubled Mimic, a bitter young man who had the ability to replicate other superhumans' superpowers, the X-Men had their secret identities uncovered. A battle ensued, concluded with Mimic stripped of his powers and with no memory of the X-Men's true identities.[171] Later, fearing an imminent threat, Professor X pressed the group to find new recruits. Despite unsuccessful attempts to recruit Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and Spider-Man, they managed to ironically enlist the Mimic, who had just regained his memories and powers following a lab explosion at Metro College. He joined the X-Men despite the Puppet Master having used him as his pawn to destroy the group.[69] His tenure was brief though, since he lost his powers after facing the Super-Adaptoid.[172]

X-Men (Earth-616), Factor Three (Earth-616) and Mutant Master (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 39 001

X-Men and Factor Three unite against the Mutant Master

The threat Professor X feared was the Factor Three, an organization that dispatched Ogre and the enslaved Banshee to kidnap him. Successfully freeing Banshee from Factor Three's control, the X-Men easily defeated Ogre.[173] Factor Three struck again when Professor X sought to free his stepbrother from the powers of the Juggernaut. The resulting experiment of both science and sorcery revived Juggernaut, and Xavier nearly lost his life. Factor Three took the opportunity to mentally approach the Juggernaut for their cause.[174] The X-Men ultimately stopped the Juggernaut with the aid of Doctor Strange, who banished him to the Crimson Cosmos. Nonetheless, during the chaos, Factor Three managed to vanish with Professor X hostage.[175]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 39 cover

New costumes, new thrills

Banshee located Factor Three's European headquarters, but had his contact to the X-Men intercepted, leading the mutants to attack Spider-Man, who was mistaken as a member of Factor Three.[176] Not able to finance the airfare to Europe, the X-Men resorted to a wealthy philanthropist who needed help in stopping his son's rampage as the armored Mekano.[177] In Europe and accused of betraying mutantkind, the X-Men were captured by Factor Three, whose membership included the Vanisher, the Blob, Unus, Mastermind, the Changeling and the mysterious Mutant Master. They revealed their plan of inciting a nuclear World War III by attacking both the United States and the Soviet Union,[178] prompting the X-Men to split into two groups to ruin both plots.[136] Face-to-face with the Mutant Master at his headquarters in the United States,[179] the X-Men freed Professor with the assistance of the Changeling. It was revealed that the Mutant Master was one of the Siris, an alien race. Surprisingly, the X-Men and Factor Three joined forces to thwart the Mutant Master, parting peacefully though vowing to meet again as enemies. Upon returning to the X-Mansion, the X-Men were rewarded with new individual costumes designed by Jean Grey.[179]

Death of Professor X[]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 42 cover

The death of Professor X

Having learned of an impending invasion by the Z'nox alien race, Professor X made the hard decision to seclude himself to prepare a counterattack. A terminally ill Changeling, in need of a cause and aware of his limited time left, agreed to pose as Professor X, while the real one covertly expected for the invasion. Only Jean Grey was privy to this secret plan, as her mentor unlocked her telepathic powers, enabling her to understand and support the ruse while Changeling assumed his identity.[14] As the subterranean Grotesk, a being mutated by the underground nuclear testing that had decimated his people, threatened the Earth,[180] Changeling, posing as Professor X, sacrificed his life to stop the threat.[181]

Frederick Duncan (Earth-616) and X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 46 001

The end of the X-Men!

After the funeral, the X-Men were tragically imprisoned by Magneto, who had reassembled the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.[182] Seeking vengeance against the Avengers as well, Magneto freed Angel, knowing he would serve as a bait to lure Earth's Mightiest Heroes.[183][183] Although Magneto pitted the X-Men and the Avengers against each other, the two groups succeeded in defeating him, who in turn seemingly perished in an explosion.[184] At the X-Mansion, when the X-Men mourned their fallen mentor, they were received a visit from Agent Duncan, who shared Xavier's final will, in which he bequeathed his possessions and legacy to his beloved students. Juggernaut interrupted the moment, as he had been temporarily returned to Earth, though he was soon shunted off to the Crimson Cosmos once more after losing a battle to the X-Men. To add to their woes, Duncan informed the X-Men they were ordered by the government to disband for their own safety, leaving them torn between the call of duty and their desire to carry on Xavier's dream of coexistence between mutants and humans.[185]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 52 001

The collapse of Mutant City

The split proved to be short-lived, however. After Beast and Iceman battled the Warlock, rebranded as the Maha Yogi,[186] and Cyclops and Marvel Girl confronted Quasimodo,[187] the group was drawn back together after Cerebro detected a large concentration of mutants in the San Francisco area.[188] In their investigation, the X-Men met a mutant named Lorna Dane and learned that Mesmero, a mutant hypnotist, was gathering an army of mutants under the banner of Magneto to enslave humanity.[188] Believing Dane to be the daughter of Magneto, Mesmero took her and Iceman to his Mutant City, located outside of San Francisco, where her latent mutant magnetic powers were activated. The X-Men came to their rescue, but Dane refused to abandon her supposed father[189] (actually an android impostor).[190] The X-Men returned to destroy the Mutant City, having Cyclops posing as a villain named Erik the Red in order to infiltrate the militia.[191] During the ensuing battle, Iceman provided Dane with evidence that she was not Magneto's daughter. She helped the X-Men defeat Mesmero, leading to the Mutant City's detonation. Afterwards, Lorna Dane chose to stand with the X-Men.[192]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Sentinels from X-Men Classics Vol 1 1 cover

The Sentinels live

An accident during a test of one of the Xavier's inventions accidentally teleported Blastaar from the Negative Zone to Earth, where he was opposed by the X-Men and seemingly killed when the machine he was connected to malfunctioned.[193] Afterwards, Cyclops reconnected with his younger brother, Alex, who had recently graduated from university. In a bizarre event, Alex was captured by the eccentric Living Pharaoh[139] and tracked by the X-Men to Egypt. Revealed to be a mutant who could emit plasma energy,[194] Alex had his powers harnessed to transform the Pharaoh into the Living Monolith. Although the link was severed and the villain defeated, Alex struggled to control his newly unleashed chaotic powers.[195] Before the X-Men could help him, he got captured by Sentinels, rebuilt by Larry Trask with the help of Judge Robert Chalmers. Trask sought revenge against mutants, and the X-Men in particular, for the death of his father, Bolivar. Baptizing Alex as Havok, Trask coerced the confused mutant into aiding him in capturing mutants.[196] Havok ultimately joined the X-Men in defeating the Sentinels and exposing Trask's nature as a mutant to liberate the captives.[190] In the end, Cyclops managed to convince the Sentinels to destroy the source of mutations, causing the robots to self-destruct themselves in a misguided mission to obliterate the sun.[197]

X-Men (Earth-616), Kevin Plunder (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 63 001

The X-Men find Magneto on the Savage Land

The X-Men entrusted a heavily injured Havok to the care of Dr. Karl Lykos, who had a dark secret; he relied on absorbing the life force of others to survive. Unfortunately, after he absorbed the energies of mutants, Lykos underwent a monstrous metamorphosis, becoming the fearsome pterodactyl-like creature Sauron.[76] He fled to Tierra del Fuego and reverted back to Lykos. He was followed by the X-Men, who were unable to stop him from committing suicide to avoid draining harming his lover, Tanya.[198] From there, the X-Men's journey had them venture into the Savage Land, where they reunited with Ka-Zar and joined him against the Savage Land Mutates. Parallel to this, a lost Angel was duped into joining the Mutates by their leader, the Creator, who was in fact Magneto.[199] Uncovering the truth, Angel rejoined the X-Men in confronting Magneto, who had the mesmerizing Lorelei brainwash the male X-Men. Immune to her influence, Jean Grey rebelled against the master of magnetism and led to his defeat, which caused his apparent demise and the destruction of his citadel.[200]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 66 001

Reunited with their mentor

Returning to the United States, the X-Men went to Washington D.C. to stop the aggressive Sunfire, a fiery mutant from Japan, from threatening an crucial conference between American and Japanese officials that involved his family.[201] Back home, a shocking revelation awaited the X-Men: Professor X, presumed dead, miraculously appeared alive and well. He informed them to the imminent threat of a Z'nox invasion. To counter the extraterrestrial menace, Professor X harnessed the combined powers of Cyclops and Havok, linking every mind on Earth to repel the invasion and safeguard the planet.[14] The immense strain of the mental link left Professor X teetering on the edge of death. In a desperate bid to save their mentor, the X-Men embarked on a mission to find the Hulk, Dr. Bruce Banner's alter ego, who held the key knowledge to curing Xavier.[202]

Hidden Years[]

X-Men The Hidden Years Vol 1 1 Textless

X-Men's Hidden Years

Feeling betrayed by Xavier's secrets, Iceman decided to leave the team. Professor X then sent the X-Men back to the Savage Land to recover the body of Magneto after learning about what had transpired in his absence.[203] The X-Men got involved in preventing the Nhu'Ghari race from enslaving other Savage Land natives, while Jean Grey uncovered the truth about Magneto's survival.[204] Eventually, the X-Men managed to capture Magneto, but he escaped during a storm, leaving Angel and his Nhu'Ghari ally, Avia, lost at sea. Meanwhile, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and the Beast were whisked away to Kenya, where they met the young mutant Ororo, who could control the weather, and helped her defeat the villain Deluge.[205] Upon their return home, they were met by the Fantastic Four,[206] who collaborated with Professor X to address a Z'nox crisis. Though the X-Men had prevented an invasion on Earth, the Z'nox redirected their invasion fleet to another world. The heroes went to space, where Jean Grey's mind was briefly connected with the cosmic entity Phoenix. In a joint effort, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four shunted the Z'nox home-world into the Negative Zone, where it could not harm other civilizations.[207]

Professor X and Beast temporarily left the X-Mansion to monitor a newly detected mutant named Ashley Martin, a young girl who had mental control over one of Trask's damaged Sentinels.[208] Meanwhile, Cyclops and Jean Grey searched for Angel, with the help of his girlfriend Candy Southern. Captured by a man named Stefan Krueger, Angel and the X-Men were trafficked to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants,[209] but overcame the villains.[210] On the Savage Land, Havok, Lorna Dane, and an amnesiac Iceman got embroiled in a battle between Sauron and Magneto, which ended with Magneto's defeat and Iceman regaining his memories.[211] While Xavier chose to stay with the Martins to monitor Ashley, the rest of the X-Men returned to the X-Mansion, where Candy warned Angel that his uncle, the villain known as Dazzler, had plans to marry Angel's widowed mother.[212] The X-Men intervened, but could not prevent Angel's mother from dying due to the poison administered by Dazzler.[213]

Finding Havok and Lorna Dane gone in a mission to investigate mutant presence in the Himalayas, the X-Men went after them and discovered that Cerebro's initial signal had picked up the hidden realm of the Inhumans.[214] Returning home, they found their friend Avia poisoned by Kraven the Hunter, who challenged one of the X-Men to beat him in combat for the cure. Beast accepted, winning the duel and securing the antidote.[215] Dane vanished soon after, being put under the mental control of Tad Carter. The X-Men found out that Carter was part of the Promise, mutants who intended to shape human and mutantkind.[216] Following a brief confrontation, some of the X-Men were sent to their doom, ending up unconscious in the realm of the Mole Man.[217] Meanwhile, Magneto and the Sub-Mariner carried on an attack on Earth, which was being opposed by the Fantastic Four.[217][218] Ultimately, the rest of the X-Men escaped from the Mole Man's clutches and were reunited with Angel, while Havok managed to free Dane from the Promise, who parted company when their leader Tobias Messenger was secretly killed by one of their own. After these events, Professor X returned to his X-Men at the X-Mansion.[219]

Beast left the X-Men for a position at the Brand Corporation where he further mutated while battling the Secret Empire.[220] In an effort to get revenge against the Avengers, Magneto invaded the X-Men's home, incapacitating them to collect power.[221] This made the X-Men vulnerable to the Secret Empire, who targeted them and other mutants to serve as a valuable power source. Professor X had his remaining X-Men join forces with Captain America and the Falcon to defeat the Secret Empire and free the other captured mutants.[222]

Deadly Genesis[]

X-Men Deadly Genesis Vol 1 4 Textless

Moira's Secret X-Men

Cerebro registered a large mutant energy signature on the island Krakoa, in the remote Pacific Ocean. The X-Men were dispatched by Professor X to investigate, but learned to their dismay that the entire island was one single mutant environment, which restrained them in order to feed on their life-force.[29] To save his students, Professor X desperately gathered a group of mutants previously mentored by Moira to form a new team of X-Men. These X-Men included Petra, Sway, Darwin, and Kid Vulcan, the latter being Cyclops' long-lost youngest brother. The inexperienced group ventured to Krakoa only to be rapidly overwhelmed by the island: Petra and Sway were murdered by the island while Darwin and Kid Vulcan, unbeknownst to everyone, survived by forcing themselves into a dormant state. Their sacrifice allowed Cyclops to break free and return to Professor X in shock over the ordeal. Professor X telepathically erased the memories of Moira's ill-fated group from Cyclops' mind, leading him to believe he had escaped on his own.[223][224]

X-Men (Earth-616) from Giant-Size X-Men Vol 1 1 0001

The All-New, All-Different X-Men

Determined to rescue his captured X-Men, Professor X assembled another team of mutants from all corners of the world to face Krakoa. The diverse group included Nightcrawler, a demon-looking teleporter from Germany; Wolverine, a ferocious berserker and federal agent from Canada; Banshee, the Irish former associate of Factor Three; Storm, the rebaptized windrider Ororo from the Serengeti; Sunfire, the son of the atom from Japan; Colossus, a metallic strongman from Russia; and Thunderbird, a stubborn Native American. Through their combined strength and cooperation, both the original X-Men and the newly recruited members overpowered the malevolent island entity by propelling it into Earth's orbit, effectively ending its threat.[29]

The newly recruited X-Men struggled to bridge sociocultural gaps with the original first class upon returning to the X-Mansion.[224] Cyclops had to adapt to the new dynamics of once again receiving orders from Professor X and commanding a group of older and more experienced X-Men who were not used to teamwork. During one of the new team's early missions, they responded to an Avengers call and faced Count Nefaria and his Ani-Men, who had seized control of the nuclear weaponry in the Valhalla Base. Though Nefaria was defeated, Thunderbird was tragically killed in action.[225] As the X-Men coped with his loss,[226] Moira was invited to move to the X-Mansion to assist Xavier in his work. Soon, she proved her worth as a combatant when helping the X-Men resist an invasion by the demonic N'Garai.[227]

All-New, All-Different X-Men[]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Phoenix Force (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 101 cover

The Phoenix is born

In an attempt to eliminate Professor X, the Shi'ar mercenary Erik the Red brainwashed Havok and Lorna Dane, rebranded as Polaris, into attacking the X-Men. His scheme failed, forcing a retreat. Simultaneously, mutant-hater Stephen Lang reactivated the deadly Sentinels,[228] imprisoning some of the X-Men on a space station.[229] The other X-Men were rallied to rescue their allies with pilot Peter Corbeau's assistance.[230] Upon reentry to Earth after destroying Lang's operations, Jean Grey pushed her powers to the limit to save the X-Men, holding their spacecraft together and shielding her teammates from intense radiation.[231] Believed dead upon their crash landing in New York's Jamaica Bay, Jean Grey emerged from the depths of the ocean before the X-Men as Phoenix, reborn with vast cosmic powers.[95] As Phoenix recovered, the X-Men journeyed to Banshee's inherited Cassidy Keep, where they combated his nefarious cousin, Black Tom Cassidy, who had allied himself with the Juggernaut.[232]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 107 001

The X-Men arrive in the Shi'ar galaxy

Relentlessly trying to attack Professor X, Erik the Red assisted Magneto in ambushing the X-Men, who were forced to escape following Magneto's triumph.[233] Redirecting their attention to Erik the Red, the X-Men clasched with his ally, the powerful Firelord. During the fight, it was revealed that Erik the Red had been assigned by the mad Shi'ar Emperor D'ken to hunt down and capture his dissident sister Lilandra as she had sought help with Professor X. Phoenix defeated Firelord and sent the X-Men to space to save Lilandra,[234] and aid her in stopping her brother from using the power of the M'kraan Crystal for universal domination. Emperor D'ken controlled the powerful Imperial Guard and unleashed their force to annihilate the X-Men. Fortunately, the X-Men allied themselves with the Starjammers, a revolutionary crew of space-faring pirates,[235] led by Cyclops' father, Corsair. The crisis escalated with reality hung in the balance, and Phoenix harnessed her stupendous powers to restore the damaged M'kraan Crystal. D'ken was driven insane and was dethroned. In the aftermath of their victory, the X-Men returned to Earth accompanied by Lilandra, who had been temporarily exiled from her home.[236]

Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) and X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 112 001

Magneto triumphant!

Facing challenges at the X-Mansion, the X-Men were first targeted by Weapon Alpha, a Canadian military superhero sent to retrieve Wolverine for Department H. However, Weapon Alpha was heavily outnumbered by the X-Men and had no choice but to retreat.[237] Then, the mercenary Warhawk trapped the X-Men in their Danger Room, but the group persevered and defeated the villain for hire.[238] Next, the X-Men were brainwashed by Mesmero into becoming circus performers. Beast assessed the situation to recover his friends. As they broke free from the manipulations, the X-Men were intercepted by a vengeful Magneto,[239] who kidnapped[240] and tortured them using his robotic creation, Nanny. In their escape, the X-Men destroyed Magneto's base, but became separated from Phoenix and Beast[241] in the Savage Land, with each group presuming the other to be dead. Phoenix and Beast returned to the school to give Xavier the tragic news of the X-Men's demise. Grieving for his fallen students and believing to have nothing to keep him on Earth,[242] Xavier chose to accompany Lilandra to the Shi'ar space as her consort.[130]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 114 cover

The day the X-Men died

In the Savage Land, the X-Men faced Sauron,[242] who reverted to his Dr. Lykos identity and informed them to be an ally of Ka-Zar against Garokk the Petrified Man and the priestess Zaladane disrupting the Savage Land's delicate ecosystem.[243] Following their victory against the villains, the X-Men set sail for home.[244] Adrift in the raging ocean, they were rescued by a Japanese ship[130] to Agarashima, where they joined Sunfire and the Daughters of the Dragon in opposing the warlord Moses Magnum. Though the heroes prevailed, Banshee injured his vocal cords in action and was left powerless.[245] On their way back home, the X-Men were ambushed by Weapon Alpha, who now went by the name Vindicator, along with his team Alpha Flight to return Wolverine to Department H.[246] Wolverine escaped by deceiving Alpha Flight into believing he would comply.[247] Having finally returned home, the X-Men found the X-Mansion uninhabited.[248] They were then trapped by the maniac Arcade, who had been hired by Black Tom and Juggernaut, in his Murderworld. Forced to be part of deadly games,[249] the X-Men ultimately turned the tables on Arcade, overpowering him and securing their freedom.[250]

Piotr Rasputin (Earth-616) and Kevin MacTaggert (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 128 001

Colossus finishes Proteus

Wishing to safeguard the realm of Polemachus, Arkon the Magnificent aggressively pursued Storm. Despite his brutal methods, the X-Men ultimately aided him in restoring the stability of his domain.[251] Upon returning home, the X-Men were unexpectedly met by the Beast at the X-Mansion. He informed them that Phoenix had also survived Magneto's onslaught and found refuge at Moira's Research Station on Muir Island.[252] However, Muir Island came under attack by Proteus, the reality-warping mutant son of Moira. Sensing the urgency, the X-Men intervened to face the threat.[253] Although seemingly invincible,[254] Proteus possessed a vulnerability to metal, leaving him defenseless against the unyielding might of Colossus' steel fists. The victory marked a joyous reunion for the X-Men, allowing them to return home without the burden of sorrow. In spite of his injuries, Banshee had stood by the X-Men's side throughout the battle. Yet, he came to a realization that his heart belonged with Moira on Muir Island, leading him to part ways with the X-Men to remain by her side.[255]

The Fate of the Phoenix[]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 129 001

The X-Men's homecoming

Returned to Earth, Professor X found his X-Men alive. However, out of touch with the experienced group of mutants, he inconveniently treated them as students, igniting debates with field leader Cyclops. Furthermore, Professor X also wished to recruit new mutants for the school. The potential candidates were Kitty Pryde, a young and gifted girl with intangibility powers, and Dazzler, a captivating performer with light-based abilities. These two mutants also captured the attention of the macabre mutant secret society known as the Hellfire Club. Pryde was directly approached by the telepath Emma Frost, the Hellfire Club's high ranked White Queen. Frost's intentions were far from benevolent as she captured many of the X-Men to achieve her objectives. A brave Pryde contacted the remaining X-Men to confront Frost, who was overpowered and defeated by a ferocious Phoenix. Dazzler declined the invitation to join the X-Men, opting instead to lead an ordinary life as a star. On the other hand, Pryde's parents contemplating enrolling her at Xavier's School. This decision was catalyzed by Professor X's use of his psychic abilities to alter their memories, erasing traces of the recent tumultuous incidents.[256]

Phoenix Force (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 134 0001

Dark Phoenix!

Over the span of several months, Mastermind, harboring ambitions of joining the Hellfire Club, had been meticulously weaving illusory fantasies within Phoenix's mind. His fabrications awoke the darkest recesses of her soul, corrupting her to embrace the role of the Black Queen within the Hellfire Club to expand their power and influence. The X-Men investigated their secretive Inner Circle, namely Sebastian Shaw, Donald Pierce, and Harry Leland.[257] The ruthless Black Queen cruelly chained and tortured the X-Men.[258] Amidst the dire situation, the only unshackled X-Man, Wolverine, counterattacked the formidable forces of the Hellfire Club by himself. Unexpectedly, in the commotion, Phoenix broke free from Mastermind's control, but his manipulations caused her to devolve into the vile and erratic Dark Phoenix.[259] The unleashed transformation was overwhelming, demonstrated by the destruction of the X-Men's Blackbird aircraft and Phoenix abruptly departing from Earth. Driven by a voracious hunger for the same potency she had experienced while mending the M'kraan Crystal, Phoenix journeyed to a distant star within the Shi'ar Galaxy to harness energy, leading to the cataclysmic obliteration of a nearby planet teeming with billions of alien lives.[260]

X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 137 0001

The fate of the Phoenix

In turmoil, Dark Phoenix returned to Earth. Beast employed a neutralizer he had designed to quell the all-powerful entity. Simultaneously, Xavier, aided by Angel, placed mental barriers in her mind to allow Jean Grey's personality reassert control.[261] Due to the massacre in their Empire, the Shi'ar arrived on Earth demanding the execution of Phoenix. In response, Xavier invoked Arin'nn Haelar, an irrefutable Shi'ar duel of honor. Confident that her Imperial Guard would win, Majestrix Lilandra accepted to challenge the X-Men, pitting her champions against the X-Men in a monumental battle. The mutants fell one by one during a long battle on the Blue Area of the Moon. When only Cyclops and Phoenix remained standing, the former was hit by a stray energy bolt, inflicting a critical wound. Set into a panic, Jean Grey was provoked to unleash her power as Dark Phoenix. Xavier issued a dire command to his X-Men: they were to confront and subdue Phoenix, even at the risk of losing her forever to protect the solar system. In a climactic turn, Jean Grey wrested control from her evil tendencies once more and made the heart-wrenching decision to activate a potent weapon to trigger her own sacrifice and prevent another catastrophe.[262]

Uncanny Adventures[]

Following Jean Grey's funeral, Kitty Pryde assumed residence at the school as the newest X-Man, Sprite. Another addition was Angel, who decided to remain a member of the X-Men. On the other hand, Cyclops chose to take a hiatus, in order to use his time away to cope with the loss of his beloved partner.[81] In the wake of these changes, the responsibility of leading the X-Men fell to Storm, who stepped up as a successor to Cyclops.[17] Amidst these dynamic shifts, Nightcrawler faced an unexpected mystical assault orchestrated by his foster mother, Margali. United with the sorcerers Doctor Strange and Amanda Sefton, the X-Men assisted Nightcrawler in guiding Margali away from her vengeful path.[263] Simultaneously, Storm took on the role of mentoring Pryde through her integration into the Xavier School, while Wolverine and Nightcrawler lent their aid to Alpha Flight in pursuing and capturing the cannibalistic monster Wendigo in the Canada wilderness.[264]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 1 141 001

Storm leads the X-Men against the terrorist Brotherhood

Storm's leadership underwent a trial-by-fire when Pryde's consciousness was psychically replaced by a future version of herself known as Kate Pryde. Future Pryde claimed she had journey back in time to avert a dystopic future, a dire consequence of mutants becoming the target of immense fear and hatred following the assassination of Senator Kelly, an anti-mutant politician. The execution was to be perpetrated by a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led by the shape-shifter Mystique and comprised of Destiny, Pyro, Avalanche, and the Blob.[265] In the ensuing tumultuous conflict, Senator Kelly's life was saved by the X-Men, and the Brotherhood was arrested, which thwarted the immediate descent into a catastrophic future for mutants. However, the Brotherhood's assault still triggered a surge in anti-mutant sentiment. This prompted federal agent Henry Peter Gyrich to initiate Project: Wideawake, which deployed Sentinels sanctioned by the U.S. government and redesigned with Sebastian Shaw's technology as a response to the perceived mutant threat.[266]

Upon the revelation that Arcade had been abducted by Doctor Doom, his associate, Miss Locke, resorted to coercing Storm into lead the X-Men to a perilous mission by abducting some of their family and allies.[267] Despite the hostages managing to free themselves from Miss Locke's clutches, the X-Men still went to rescue Arcade driven by their commitment, only to discover an unexpected alliance between him and Doom.[268] In a climactic confrontation, Storm unleashed her powers after being entrapped by a provoked Doctor Doom. The empowered feat allowed her to break free, liberate her captive teammates, and debate Arcade's fate.[269] As a repercussion, Angel came to the realization that Wolverine's violent nature posed a threat, which prompted him to part ways with the team citing a misalignment with Professor Xavier's original vision of promoting peace.[270]

Ororo Munroe (Earth-616), Katherine Pryde (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 150 001

Magneto reconsiders his methods after harming Kitty Pryde

In his adventures away from the X-Men, Cyclops unexpected found himself stranded in Magneto's Island M, situated in the Bermuda Triangle.[271] At the time, Magneto posited humanity's governments with a dreadful ultimatum: embrace mutant supremacy and renounce armed conflict forever. He exemplified his might by attacking a Soviet military submarine. Determined to thwart his perilous course of action, the X-Men infiltrated Magneto's stronghold, reuniting with Cyclops during the mission. In a critical moment, Pryde skillfully dismantled the central computer that controlled his formidable super-weapon. As a response, Magneto violently lashed out and almost claimed her life. Confronted by the horror of his actions against a child, Magneto ceased hostilities and departed, contemplating he had descended to the level of those who had ruthlessly massacred his family.[272] Around this period, Xavier and Moira clandestinely forged an alliance with Magneto. Recognizing the ominous inevitability that mutantkind was probably fated to lose, they acknowledged that unity among mutants was the only path to ensure prosperity.[273]

Around the period the X-Men faced Magneto, they found themselves entangled in a web of other challenges. At some point, the detective super heroine Spider-Woman urgently contacted them about the condition of the comatose Carol Danvers, the Avenger formerly known as Ms. Marvel. Having fallen victim to the malicious Rogue, Danvers had her powers and memories siphoned. Driven by her own agenda, Rogue extended her assault to the Avengers to bring freedom to her teammates from the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. After the crisis, Danvers was entrusted to Xavier's care for recovery.[274] In another mission, the X-Men joined forces with the Invisible Girl to aid Arkon free Polemachus from the oppressive grip of the Badoon.[275] As the team faced these threats, a confrontation with the Hellfire Club ensued as well. In a nefarious plot, Emma Frost incapacitated Storm and Pryde, while Shaw and Leland unleashed Project: Wideawake Sentinels to assail the X-Men. Frost attempted to mentally usurp Storm's body, but was ultimately defeated due to her inability to harness such immense weather manipulation powers.[276]

The Brood[]

The political instability in the Shi'ar Galaxy brought chaos to the X-Men. The first sign of it manifested as Corsair crash-landing on Earth while being pursued by Sidrian bounty hunters, an accident that destroyed the X-Mansion. The Starjammers sought the assistance of the X-Men to thwart a rebellion against Majestrix Lilandra. However, they had been framed for Lilandra's alleged kidnapping.[277] The true perpetrators of the sinister plot was the Majestrix's sister Deathbird in coalition with the monstrous parasitic aliens known as the Brood. The situation grew dire as Colossus was mortally wounded during a battle which culminated with Professor X and Lilandra being captured by Deathbird.[278] Assisted by the Starjammers, the X-Men managed to heal Colossus and rescue the hostages.[279] Despite their success, Deathbird's lackey Admiral Samédàr was able to influence the Shi'ar into planning to obliterate Earth. The X-Men were able to unravel the truth and intervene to halt the rebellion against the Shi'ar Empire. This caused Lilandra to be reinstated to power. However, Professor Xavier's contact with the Brood caused him to fall into a coma.[280]

As the X-Men faced extraplanetary challenges, mundane issues still plagued their existence. The escalating anti-mutant sentiment concerned the X-Men, particularly during a television interview with Senator Kelly. Given their early connections with the FBI, the X-Men believed themselves to be vulnerable due to the extensive files the bureau possessed on many of their members. In response, Carol Danvers used her influence to have the X-Men infiltrate the Pentagon to upload an open-ended virus to erase all references from the government's records. The operation thrust them into a perilous fight with Mystique and Rogue in a tense struggle.[281] In addition to this, two life-altering threats with beings of extreme evil were experienced by the X-Men. First, Storm fell victim to the lord of vampires Dracula.[282] Subsequently, Illyana, the younger sister of Colossus, was abducted by the demon-lord Belasco, being consigned to years of torment in his temporally unstable demonic realm, Limbo. The X-Men emerged victorious in rescuing both Storm and Illyana.[283] However, the scars from these encountered would shape their destinies.

James Howlett (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 162 001

Wolverine fights for his life on Sleazeworld

As Xavier's condition reached a critical point, Deathbird and the Brood resurfaced.[129] The X-Men, Lilandra, and Carol Danvers were kidnapped, having embryos implanted within them by the Brood Queen, setting the stage for a disturbing metamorphosis.[284] In this setting, Xavier once more believed his pupils to have perished in battle. Meanwhile, intrigued by Danvers' unique genetic code, the Brood subjected her to experiments, transforming her into the all-powerful Binary.[285] The X-Men eventually escaped the ominous “Sleazeworld”, but desperation took over their lives, since the matured embryos would irreversibly render them conduits for the birth of warrior Brood.[286] A glimmer of hope emerged when Storm was rescued by a young Acanti, a colossal space-faring creature that had been enslaved by the Brood to be utilized as living starships. Having nothing left to lose, the X-Men pledged to save the Acanti race. After freeing the Acanti prophet-singer's soul from the depths of the Brood homeworld, the X-Men experienced a miraculous healing from the Brood infection. In a climactic showdown, carried out with Binary's might, the Brood Queen was vanquished. During the crisis, Kitty Pryde encountered and befriended the amicable alien dragon Lockheed, who accompanied her back to Earth.[287][65]

X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 167 cover

Professor Xavier falls to the Brood infection

During the prolonged period of the X-Men being abducted by the Brood, the Xavier's School underwent reconstruction. However, a fully recovered Professor Xavier mourned the tragic demise of the X-Men and chose to abandon his dream of teaching young mutants.[286] Moira was able to persuade him into forming a new class of adolescent mutants who needed guidance in controlling their special abilities. In order to spare them from danger, Professor X solely focused on training them in harnessing their powers rather than deploying them into action as he previously had with the X-Men. Despite this intention, the New Mutants ended up entangled in various battles regardless and occasionally provided support to the X-Men.[288] As the X-Men were ready to return home, they learned that a Brood Queen embryo had been implanted in Professor Xavier as a consequence of his first contact with the evil aliens.[287] Racing against time, the X-Men ultimately discovered Xavier had already succumbed to transformation into one of the Brood while battling the startled New Mutants. Defeated and captured aboard the Starjammer, Xavier's mind was transplanted into a cloned body, which eventually enabled him to regain the use of his legs.[289]

Feared and Hated[]

X-Men (Earth-616) and William Stryker (Earth-616) from Marvel Graphic Novel Vol 1 5 001

Reverend Stryker threatens the X-Men

The rise of anti-mutant hysteria catalyzed the emergence of one of mutantkind's most abhorrent enemies, Reverend William Stryker and his fanatical Purifiers. These extremists harbored a deep-seated hatred towards mutants and pursued a ruthless religious agenda of eliminating them. Employing both media smear campaigns and physical assaults, the Purifiers relentlessly targeted the X-Men, ultimately capturing key members such as Professor X, Cyclops, and Storm after a press conference. The other X-Men investigated their disappearance, surprisingly forging an alliance with Magneto to confront the Purifiers and rescue their comrades. Stryker, however, had weaponized Xavier's telepathy, turning it against mutant minds. During one of his public sermons, the reverend was opposed by Magneto and the X-Men. As tensions escalated, Stryker, consumed by his own bigotry, threatened the life of the mutant heroes, only to meet his demise at the hands of a human police officer. Although Stryker was neutralized, his cause lived on. The difficult dilemma proved that Xavier and Magneto could learn from each other.[290]

The complexities of mutant integration into society were also shown by the acts of erratic mutants. The X-Men found conflict in the form of the Morlocks, a community of disfigured mutant outcasts who lived underground and were led by the vicious Callisto. One of their victims was the gorgeous Angel, who was ensnared by Callisto into the tunnels the Morlocks dwelled to serve as her groom. Meanwhile, Pryde found herself kidnapped by another Morlock, Caliban,[291] whom she had encountered previously.[270] The X-Men went on a mission to rescue their teammates, sparking a brutal combat between Storm and Callisto, stipulated to be fought without the use of powers and to the death.[292] Having emerged victorious, Storm assumed leadership of the Morlocks to secure Angel's release.[30] However, Pryde was soon involved in a similar predicament, as the Morlocks intended her to wed Caliban as a result of a promise she had made him. Following the X-Men's intervention, Caliban realized Pryde did not share his romantic affections and chose to release her in an amicable resolution.[293]

X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 171 001

Rogue asks Professor Xavier for sanctuary

Struggling with her uncontrollable powers and fractured psyche, Rogue appealed to the X-Men for seeking asylum and help. Despite the X-Men being reluctant to accept Rogue in their sanctuary, Professor X insisted on accepting her as his new student, as part of his commitment to never abandon a mutant in need.[30] Rogue swiftly demonstrated her value to the X-Men when she put herself at risk to rescue Wolverine and his fiancée, Mariko of Clan Yashida, from the clutches of Viper and the Silver Samurai.[294] However, tensions escalated when Mystique, deeply dissatisfied with Rogue's departure from the Brotherhood, orchestrated an attack on the X-Men and abducted Professor X, demanding Rogue's return. Rogue herself intervened to defuse the situation, persuading Mystique to abandon her scheme and release Xavier, averting further conflict between the two groups.[295]

The personal lives of the X-Men became intricately affected by their adventures. Following his return from space, Cyclops took a hiatus from the team and met Madelyne Pryor while visiting his grandparents in Anchorage.[65] Pryor exhibited a striking resemblance to Jean Grey, and their connection rapidly blossomed into a relationship.[296] Although Mastermind attempted to disrupt their romance, his schemes were thwarted by the X-Men, who then celebrated Cyclops' and Pryor's wedding. While Mastermind failed to destroy Cyclops' marriage,[297] he succeeded in shattering Wolverine's. As the X-Men grappled with these personal upheavals, Storm and Kitty Pryde also underwent profound transformations in their souls. Storm embraced dark facets of her nature, particularly after relating to the assassin known as Yukio in Japan.[298] Similarly, Pryde also found herself profoundly changed after being brainwashed by Wolverine's former sensei Ogun. Adopting a new mantle as Shadowcat, she reflected a darker attitude borne from her ordeal, symbolizing a significant shift in her character after Ogun was put down with Wolverine's assistance.[299]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars Vol 1 4 001

The X-Men call a truce to join Magneto

Heroes in a world that hated and feared them, the X-Men were drawn to a mysterious structure that had emerged in Central Park. Suddenly abducted,[300] they were transported to Battleworld, an artificial amalgamation of different worlds created by the enigmatic Beyonder. Alongside other super heroes, they were forced into a bizarre contest, being pitted against super villains.[301] Having sided themselves with Magneto, the X-Men faced suspicion and rejection from other heroes.[302] Eventually, as the conflict escalated, the X-Men reconciled with their fellow heroes, prioritizing solidarity to end the crisis.[303] Together, they fought to depower Doctor Doom, whose insatiable thirst for power had led him to usurp energies from Galactus and the Beyonder.[304] Having returned to Earth, the X-Men emerged in Japan, where they stood alongside Sunfire to defend against an alien dragon monster.[305]

Ororo Munroe (Earth-616) and Rogue (Anna Marie) (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 185 001

Storm loses her powers

Due to her past as former mutant terrorist as well as her recent involvement in infiltrating a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Rogue was perceived by the government as a threat to public safety.[306] Responding to Henry Gyrich's demands and Val Cooper's consent, the brilliant mutant inventor and engineer Forge devised a dampening weapon to nullify Rogue's powers. In a tragic error, Gyrich inadvertently shot Storm instead during the operation, leaving the powerful wind-rider stripped of her abilities.[307] Under Forge's care in Eagle Plaza, Dallas, Storm struggled to cope with her disconnection to the forces of nature. Alongside Forge and her fellow X-Men, she fearlessly confronted the extraterrestrial menace of the Dire Wraiths, demonstrating that her strength and valor transcended the mere possession of mutant abilities. Despite her condition, Storm exhibited resilience, proving her worth as the leader of the X-Men on the battlefield in missions to come.[308]

The arrival of the time-traveler Rachel Summers in the present timeline drew the attention of the mutant succubus Selene, who coveted her potent life force. Rachel came from the dystopic future the X-Men averted by protecting Senator Kelly and was the offspring of Cyclops and Phoenix who could never be born. Having been rescued by the X-Men, Rachel was welcomed into their ranks.[309] However, unbeknownst to all, she had been followed by the super-advanced and self-adapting sentinel called Nimrod, who posed a grave threat to mutantkind.[310] Its existence became known to the X-Men as he cunningly exploited a mission to apprehend Juggernaut, thrusting itself into the public eye.[311] Through calculated manipulation, Nimrod succeeded in portraying itself as a heroic figure by positioning itself as a paragon of resistance against the perceived mutant menace.[312] Another shadow from the past came as the tragic death of Thunderbird haunted Xavier when he was kidnapped by James Proudstar, Thunderbirds's younger brother. Seeking vengeance against the X-Men for his brother's demise, Proudstar's actions triggered a confrontation between the X-Men and Emma Frost's protégés, the Hellions. Ultimately, Proudstar relented and released Xavier.[77]

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The trial of Magneto

When the omnipotent Beyonder emerged on Earth, Xavier psychically sensed his arrival in horror and mobilized the super hero community to oppose him. He not only assembled his X-Men for the mission, but also entrusted them to be led by Magneto.[24][313] However, Magneto was a target for the authorities. While attending a Holocaust memorial gathering, he was apprehended by Freedom Force, a federal mutant team led by Mystique and sanctioned by Val Cooper.[314] Charged with past crimes, Magneto was thrust into a trial in Paris, where he was met with a partial exoneration. The event was marred by the interference of the fascistic Fenris twins, who endangered Magneto and Professor X in the labyrinthine Parisian sewers. Being half-drowned and in a near-death state, Xavier made a fateful decision to pass on the position of headmaster of his school to his old friend and nemesis Magneto. Xavier departed with Lilandra to recuperate from his injuries in the Shi'ar Galaxy.[315] Masquerading as Xavier's cousin, Magneto undertook the responsibility of guiding the New Mutants at Xavier's School, in an attempt to experience Professor X's dream.[316]

Considering the birth of his son with Madelyne Pryor, Cyclops made the difficult decision to step away from the X-Men, fully relinquishing the leadership role to Storm.[317] With Professor X staying in the Shi'ar Galaxy and Magneto assuming the position of headmaster at the school, the dynamics within the X-Men underwent a major shift. The team became unrecognizable by the first class of X-Men. The return of Jean Grey from the throes of death compelled the original X-Men to keep Xavier's dream alive in the form of an independent mutant initiative named X-Factor. Under the guise of mutant hunters, X-Factor captured fellow mutants to covertly protect and training them, but kept themselves completely separate from the activities of the X-Men.[318]

Mutant Massacre[]

Nimrod (Earth-811) and X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 208 001

Nimrod arrives to exterminate the X-Men

Since Rachel claimed the power of the Phoenix,[314] her presence became perceived as a danger by her fellow X-Men, particularly evident during her confrontation against the omnipotent Beyonder.[319] Matters escalated when she attempted to assassinate Selene at the Hellfire Club, only to be intercepted and mortally wounded by Wolverine.[320] In a bid to rescue Rachel and halt Selene's nefarious schemes, the X-Men allied themselves with the Morlocks, leading to a showdown at the Hellfire Club. The agglomeration of mutants drew the attention of Nimrod,[321] prompting a united effort of all the mutants involved to successfully dismantle the highly advanced android. However, Rachel mysteriously vanished after falling into the clutches of the mysterious Spiral[322] and her master, the dreadful Mojo. Other victims of Mojo and Spiral were the British telepath Psylocke and the New Mutants Wolfsbane and Sunspot, who were ensnared in the twisted confines of Mojoverse, but fortunately rescued by the remaining New Mutants.[323] Mojo's insidious ploys persisted as he dispatched the amnesiac hero Longshot into the Danger Room, subsequently capturing the X-Men and de-aging them for his televised entertainment. Once more, the New Mutants saved the day.[66] Following these tumultuous events, Psylocke and a comatose Longshot found refuge within the walls of the X-Mansion.

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 210 Textless

The X-Men are radicalized by the Mutant Massacre

The merciless Marauders, secretly commanded by Mister Sinister,[324] inflicted a devastating blow upon the X-Men by callously murdering the majority of the Morlocks dwelling in the sewer tunnels.[325] Following the initial attack, the Morlocks went to the X-Men for help. The first clash with the Marauders proved to be catastrophic for the X-Men, leaving Nightcrawler in a coma, Shadowcat trapped in an intangible state,[326] and Colossus paralyzed in his steel form.[327] Being beyond the immediate aid of the X-Men, they were transferred to Muir Island for treatment under the care of Moira.[328] The tragedy radicalized the X-Men's perception on violence and on how to deal with murderous enemies.[327]

Following the Morlock massacre, the Marauders relentlessly harassed the X-Men. One of their vilest members Sabretooth launched an attack on the X-Mansion, in a brawl that left Cerebro in ruins. Due to her efforts in fighting the monster, Psylocke earned a position on the team.[79] Another Marauder, Malice, attempted to possess Dazzler, who was saved by and joined the ranks of the X-Men after the incident.[47] Upon arriving at Muir Island, the new recruits, alongside the recovered Longshot, had their baptism of fire by facing off the unstoppable Juggernaut.[329] As they regrouped home, the X-Men encountered Havok, another target of Marauders, who had narrowly escaped an attack and rejoined the X-Men. However, where Dazzler escaped Malice, Polaris did not, becoming the new leader of the Marauders under her influence.[330] Another prey of the Marauders was Madelyne Pryor and her son, who were brutally stalked by them.[331] Such pressure caused the X-Men to switch roles and become the hunters in order to protect the targeted victims. Despite their efforts, the overpowered Marauders escaped after a fierce confrontation. Tragically, during the mayhem, Pryor's baby vanished without a trace, leaving a haunting mystery in its wake.[332]

Shadowcat's condition deteriorated as she lost corporeal cohesion. In desperate need of help, Magneto approached Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four on the X-Men's behalf. However, Richards was hesitant to employ a device of his to stabilize Shadowcat,[333] prompting a fight between the X-Men and Fantastic Four on Muir Island. Doctor Doom took advantage of the situation to offer his help instead.[334] Ultimately, the X-Men agreed to join Doctor Doom in Latveria even if it mean being in his debt.[335] The process was interrupted by the Fantastic Four, who decided to supervise the process that reversed Shadowcat's disintegration.[336] A similar conflict took place after Magneto was lured by the Avengers with information about the remains of Asteroid M in order to apprehend him. The X-Men stroke back. The fight escalated as the Soviet Super-Soldiers arrived demanding Magneto's execution,[337] and the X-Men escaped. Doctor Druid managed to infiltrate their Blackbird,[338] forcing them to hide in Singapore. However, as the actions of the Soviets put lives in danger, they saw themselves forced to reveal themselves and join forces with the Avengers to perform rescue missions.[339] In the end, Magneto surrendered and faced trial. Although being judged innocent, his freedom sparked anti-mutant sentiment.[340]

Fall of the Mutants[]

X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 227 cover

After their fall, the X-Men re-emerge as legendary heroes

To restore her powers, Storm embarked on a journey to Eagle Plaza only to find it magically corrupted.[341] The X-Men launched a search for her whereabouts,[342] but their efforts were interrupted by Mystique's Freedom Force, who enforced the Mutant Registration Act in an attempt to protect their lives using brute force.[343] As the conflict raged, a rift tore open the sky unleashing a maelstrom of surreal phenomena. While the X-Men and Freedom Force protected civilians, Storm's powers were restored with the spiritual guidance of Forge.[344] It was revealed that the malevolent entity known as the Adversary was behind the crisis. The X-Men sacrificed their lives to empower a banishing spell cast by Forge. The world watched their final act on live television believing the legendary heroes had perished in the battle. Nevertheless, Roma secretly intervened, resurrecting the fallen X-Men. Exhausted by relentless attacks from adversaries, the X-Men chose to use their apparent demise as a cover, retreating into the shadows as they were mourned.[345] In the wake of the X-Men's end, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and Phoenix formed Excalibur, a group dedicated to preserving Xavier's dream and upholding the legacy of the X-Men.[346]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Reavers (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 229 cover

The X-Men take over the Reavers' base

Though the X-Men escaped their former enemies, they soon faced a new threat. Relocated to the Australian Outback, they confronted the ruthless mercenaries known as the Reavers. After freeing Gateway and Jessán Hoan from the villains' grasp, they seized control of the mercenaries' highly technological complex. With the Reavers thrown out, Roma greeted the X-Men by granting them invisibility to electronic detection and presenting them with the Siege Perilous, a mystical gem that could cast a portal that offered a fresh start in life to those who walked through it.[347] During this tumultuous adaptation, the X-Men also battled mutants infected by the Brood in Denver[348] and became adversaries to the mutant-oppressive government of Genosha while rescuing Jenny Ransome and Madelyne Pryor in a covert ops mission on the island-nation.[349]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Nathaniel Essex (Mister Sinister) (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 243 cover

From the flames of Inferno, the X-Men are victims of Mister Sinister's machinations

As the X-Men embarked on missions, Pryor played a crucial role as their tech support. In this solitary function, she gradually fell under the influence of the demon N'astirh from Limbo, ultimately striking a dark pact to locate her son, leading her to transform into the malevolent Goblin Queen.[350] Meanwhile, the X-Men tracked the Marauders down in Manhattan. As the two groups warred each other, N'astirh transported Pryor to Mister Sinister's orphanage, where she found her child and learned about her unsettling origin as a clone of Jean Grey. The corrupted Goblin Queen unleashed a hellish demonic invasion in New York City.[351] During this Inferno, X-Factor also searched for the missing child, eventually meeting and teaming up with the X-Men for the first time to defeat N'astirh.[352] In a desperate act, Pryor risked her own son's life, being opposed by the X-Men and X-Factor. Tragically, Pryor met her end in an attempt to take down Jean Grey.[353] Following Madelyne's demise, the X-Men journeyed to the ruins of the X-Mansion to confront Mister Sinister, who had started a telepathic assaults on Jean Grey.[354] After a grueling battle, Cyclops unleashed a devastating optic blast, seemingly obliterating Sinister once and for all.[355]

Despite having survived a demonic inferno, the X-Men soon faced their end. Nimrod reactivated and merged with Master Mold, attacking Rogue and Psylocke in New York City. The X-Men rushed to aid their teammates, but were overpowered. As the last woman standing, Dazzler invoked the Siege Perilous to ensnare the robotic monstrosity within the otherworldly gateway. The Sentinel tenaciously seized Rogue as she attempted to force it through the portal. Confronted with no alternative, Dazzler blasted both into the Siege Perilous to eliminate the villain. Rogue was lost.[356] Overcome by an existential crisis, Longshot decided to depart from the X-Men. Shortly thereafter, the psychotic villain known as Nanny attacked the X-Men’s base, in a confrontation where Havok accidentally murdered Storm with his obliterating powers. The X-Men were then reduced to a mere fraction of their former roster.[357]

Dissolution & Rebirth[]

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Wolverine hallucinates about the X-Men as they dissolute

After Havok received a distress call from Polaris, who appeared to be free from Malice’s influence, the X-Men ventured into the Savage Land to rescue her under Psylocke’s leadership. Upon arrival, they were ambushed by Magneto’s former mutates, now commanded by Zaladane. Despite the conflict, the X-Men resisted Zaladane’s forces and successfully helped Polaris. During their stay in the Savage Land, Psylocke telepathically uncovered that the Reavers meticulously planned for revenge for months. Now led by Donald Pierce and bolstered by the addition of Lady Deathstrike, they would certainly annihilate the X-Men if chance given. [358] To prevent the inevitable massacre of her teammates, Psylocke persuaded them to traverse the Siege Perilous. Although Wolverine fell into the clutches of the Reavers, the rest of the X-Men vanished from the world, effectively marking the dissolution of the team. [359]

Wolverine endured relentless torture at the hands of the Reavers for days, until being unexpectedly freed by Jubilee, a mutant child with the ability to generate explosive fireworks, who had been clandestinely residing at the X-Men’s base for weeks. Together, Wolverine and Jubilee escaped the Reavers.[360][361] In Hong Kong, they discovered that the Mandarin had consolidated his dominance over the city’s criminal underworld by forcing an alliance with the Hand. While investigating this situation, they were ambushed and captured by the Mandarin’s prime assassin, Lady Mandarin. Wolverine recognized her to be Psylocke, whose mind and soul had been twisted by Matsu'o Tsurayaba. Her condition was reversed, which shattered her brainwashing and ultimately lead to the Mandarin's defeat.[362]

Forge (Earth-616) and Sean Cassidy (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 255

Forge and Banshee decide to find and reform the X-Men

In a world without X-Men, a powerless Polaris boarded a freighter to leave the Savage Land. She reached out to Muir Island for assistance, prompting Banshee to come for her rescue.[363] He was joined by Amanda Sefton and Brigadier Alysande Stuart, who at the time searched for Excalibur. Although the Reavers had lost track of the X-Men, they still were eager for revenge, redirecting their wrath towards the residents of Muir Island. Banshee was their first casually, suffering a gunshot wound that incapacitated him. In response, Moira hastily assembled an interim team of X-Men to protect Muir Island, formed by Polaris, Sefton, Stuart, Sharon Friedlander, and Tom Corsi.[364] Val Cooper also dispatched Forge and Mystique’s Freedom Force to deflect Pierce’s onslaught. During the conflict, which was exacerbated by the unhinged son of Xavier Legion, mutant lives were lost, including Destiny’s. The surviving heroes overcame the Reavers. In the aftermath, Polaris asserted that the X-Men were, in fact, alive. This prompted Banshee to enlist Forge to find and reform the X-Men.[52]

In their quest, Forge and Banshee looked for clues at the ruins of the X-Mansion, where they encountered Jean Grey being attacked by an extremist faction of villainous Morlocks led by Masque.[365] Another target was Callisto, who was romantically involved with an amnesiac Colossus. Forge, Banshee, and Jean Grey teamed up with Callisto and Colossus to thwart Masque’s vile schemes.[366] This group, also joined by Beast, was then drawn into a conflict against the Genoshan militia soldiers from the Press Gang. They aimed to recapture Jenny Ransom, who was residing with Colossus in New York City under the identity of “Peter Nicholas,” a popular artist in Soho. After defeating the Press Gang, Colossus’ former teammates chose to leave him in peace, recognizing he was content with his ordinary life.[367]

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 266 Textless

Gambit helps Storm

Surprisingly, Storm had survived, having been de-aged by Nanny and living on the streets of Cairo as a teenage thief with no recollection of her prior life. She was identified by the Shadow King, a monstrous psychic entity who had been corrupting mutants all over the world.[368] Storm was saved from the Shadow King’s enslaved lackeys by the mysterious mutant thief known as Gambit.[369] For weeks, the two mutant thieves formed a sold partnership, until they were tracked down by Nanny. After they defeated her, Storm’s memories resurfaced, prompting her to rejoin the X-Men, [370] bringing Gambit with her to the X-Mansion. As the X-Men gradually reformed, they found themselves warring against the monstrous Ahab for Rachel Summers’ protection alongside X-Factor, the New Mutants and the Fantastic Four.[27]

Genoshan X-Tinction Agenda[]

The partially regrouped team at the X-Mansion's ruins were soon thrown another hurdle; Genoshan Magistrates captured Storm and some of the New Mutants for crimes committed on the island by the X-Men. One of the attackers was Havok, who had re-emerged from the Siege Perilous on Genosha.[371] Transported to Genosha by Pipeline, the captives were brought before their true captor: Cameron Hodge. Once an X-Factor ally, Hodge actually despised mutants and made a deal with the demon N'astirh to become immortal, and came to take control of the nation, carrying out an X-Tinction Agenda against mutants. Learning of the kidnapping, X-Factor joined forces with the X-Men and the remaining New Mutants to rescue the hostages.[372][373] Meanwhile, Wolverine, Jubilee and Psylocke heard of their friends' fates and traveled to Genosha. Jubilee took care of the rescued New Mutants, while Wolverine and Psylocke infiltrated Hodge's Citadel, only to be discovered by Havok. The X-Men and X-Factor fared no better, with both squads becoming captives. Meanwhile, Storm had taken Genegineer David Moreau, creator of the mutate process, hostage but was subdued by Hodge and forced to become a mutate, a process which returned her to adulthood.[374] When Havok witnessed Hodge torturing his brother Cyclops, his memories were returned, undoing his brainwashing as a magistrate.[375]

X-Men (Earth-616), X-Factor (Earth-616), New Mutants (Earth-616) and Cameron Hodge (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 272 001

Cameron Hodge's X-Tinction Agenda

A mock trial judged the captured mutants to be guilty, and all were given the choice of being transformed into a mutate or be executed. They chose death, but Hodge first had to deal with the insurrection of the Genegineer, aware Hodge's actions were insane. Hodge killed the magistrate Wipeout to force the mutant heroes to become powerless. Unbeknownst to Hodge, Moreau had given Storm the ability to return the mutants their gifts rather than turning them into mutates. Storm restored her teammates' abilities, and all escaped.[376] Concurrently, Moreau planted a bomb to destroy all laboratories within the citadel. Furious, Hodge killed the traitor, though the Genegineer was able to weaken him considerably.[377] The X-Men eventually found Hodge and destroyed him and his Citadel. The reunited mutants returned to Salem Center and began to rebuild the team that had been splintered for months.[378] As a result of the tragic and violent conflict, New Mutants' leader, Cable, revamped the team as the more aggressive X-Force.[379]

During the Genoshan incident, Rogue was sent to the Reavers' Australian base with her memory intact weeks after entering Siege Perilous. She soon realized she lacked the memories and the powers of Carol Danvers. Attacked by the Reavers, she was able to flee to the Savage Land using Gateway's powers. There, she was attacked by Ms. Marvel, and discovered the Siege Perilous had given both personalities within Rogue a body connected to a single lifeforce. Rogue was prepared to die, but Magneto intervened and killed Danvers, saving Rogue's life.[380] The two spent time in the Savage Land, allying themselves with Ka-Zar and S.H.I.E.L.D. against Zaladane. Though Magneto and Rogue became attracted to one another, their relationship ended before it had a chance to blossom once Magneto killed Zaladane in cold blood, something Rogue opposed to.[381]

The Return of Professor X[]

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 275 Full Gatefold Remastered Cover

The X-Men welcome Professor X back

Fully reformed, the X-Men unfortunately had no rest. As a result of Deathbird's machinations, the group was recruited by teleporter Lila Cheney, who claimed Xavier's life was at risk in outer space.[382] The X-Men reunited with the Starjammers and Professor X in Chandilar,[383] soon learning Xavier was replaced by a War Skrull, as part of a Skrull scheme to control the Shi'ar throne, which explained Deathbird's call for help.[384] After the X-Men defeated the Skrulls and liberated Xavier and the Shi'ar throne, Xavier learned of the Shadow King's recent schemes by accessing Storm's memories. He then decided to return to Earth as his old enemy had returned.[385]

While the X-Men were in their adventures, the Shadow King concentrated his efforts on Moira, assembling mutants to her Muir Island team, building an army, consisting of Multiple Man, Siryn, Guido, and even Rogue and Colossus. The Shadow King had been spreading waves of hate around the globe and used Polaris to absorb the negative emotional energy to empower himself to unthinkable levels. Professor X returned from his sojourn in space and sent to Muir Island to confront their oddly acting allies, where they were surprised and defeated by the Shadow King-controlled island residents.[386] Meanwhile, in Westchester, Professor X and Stevie Hunter were attacked by a possessed Colossus.[387] Xavier found no way to break Shadow King's control over him other than erasing the Peter Nicholas personality completely.[388]

X-Men (Earth-616), X-Factor (Earth-616) and Shadow King (Multiverse) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 280

The X-Men and X-Factor join forces against the Shadow King

Professor X then asked his original students, X-Factor, to rescue the current X-Men and stop Shadow King's hate wave. On Muir Island, Shadow King used Legion as his human host while Forge eluded possession and even freed some of his friends.[389] The remaining heroes in good mind were divided into three teams, focusing on an astral plane attack on Farouk, with a second team defending Xavier from physical attacks, and a third one freeing Polaris and disrupting their enemies' nexus. Professor X was badly wounded during the battle, as his legs broken and he became again confined to a wheelchair.[390] As the Shadow King disappeared, all five X-Factor members returned to the X-Men along with Rogue and Colossus; after many years the X-Men finally reunited as one team.[391] The name X-Factor was appropriated by Val Cooper as a revamped mutant organization sanctioned by the U.S. government.[392]

Mutant Genesis: Blue and Gold[]

Professor X rebuilt the X-Mansion and the X-Men, with the team larger than ever before now moved back to their former home. To remain effective as a group, the X-Men were divided into two squads: Blue, led by Cyclops, consisting of Beast, Wolverine, Rogue, Psylocke, and Gambit; and Gold, led by Storm, consisting of Jean Grey, Iceman, Archangel, and Colossus. Following the return of Magneto's activities, S.H.I.E.L.D. requested the X-Men to investigate. The Blue Squad battled Magneto and his new team, the Acolytes, in Genosha.[125] Discovering Moira had altered his DNA years ago, Magneto questioned if his recent turn to heroics was a result of Moira's tampering or his own free will was. He then forced Moira to brainwash the X-Men Blue Squad into joining his Acolytes on Asteroid M, a space station that served as a haven for mutants. To make matters worse, the American and Russian governments decided to use a plasma cannon on the space station to end the threat of Magneto once and for all.[393] Worried about their friends, the Gold Squad sneaked on board and rescued their teammates, while a traitorous Fabian Cortez abandoned Asteroid M and planned to sacrifice Magneto as a martyr, so mutants around the world would join him. Xavier tried to talk the Acolytes into escaping the doomed base with the X-Men, but Magneto and his followers chose to stay and die instead.[394]

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Back to Basics: the X-Men Blue and Gold teams confront Magneto

The Blue Squad then was put into another conflict after Omega Red, a member of the Soviet Super Soldier program, attacked the X-Mansion to capture Wolverine. Following his kidnapping, Jubilee joined the Blue Squad. Omega Red had been sent by Matsu'o Tsurayaba, who also planned to regain his control over Psylocke, who in turn took the opportunity to pretend to be still under the Hand's brainwashing. Wolverine's former teammates from Team X, Maverick and Sabretooth, also joined the conflict. With the help of Omega Red, the X-Men successfully defeated their enemies after Psylocke revealed her true allegiances and saved Wolverine.[395]

Their next adventure ensued after Gambit's wife, Belladonna, demanded his help with a conflict between the Thieves Guild and the Assassins Guild in New Orleans. Belladonna's arrival shook off Gambit's recent relationship with his teammate, Rogue. As the X-Men investigated the matter, they learned that the Brood was behind the war between the Guilds. With the help of the Ghost Rider, the problem was solved.[396][397]

Following a rebellion on Mojoworld, Dazzler, Longshot, and Lila Cheney contacted the X-Men Blue Team to assist them in dethroning Mojo. Captured, the X-Men were forced to be actors in Mojo's television system as Professor X was tortured by the mad tyrant. With the combined efforts of the X-Men and the rebels of the Mojoworld, Longshot "canceled" Mojo.[398] Soon after, the X-Men helped Professor X deal with a friend from his infancy, the mutant known as Hazard.[399]

Lucas Bishop (Earth-1191), Trevor Fitzroy (Earth-1191), Malcolm (Earth-1191) and Randall (Earth-1191) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 282

Bishop follows Fitzroy from the future

Meanwhile, the Gold team attended a party at the Hellfire Club thrown by Emma Frost, who had asked for their help after an attempt on her life and other assaults against members of the Club. Before long, Trevor Fitzroy, a mutant from the future, personally attacked Frost and her Hellions and sent Sentinels to kill Donald Pierce in Australia. Pierce forced Gateway to teleport him out of harm's way to Fitzroy's location, but the Sentinels managed to follow them through the portal, resulting in the apparent murders of Frost, her Hellions, Pierce, and Jean Grey.[400] Back at the X-Mansion, Xavier realized Jean Grey's consciousness had been relocated to Emma Frost's body. Fitzroy, alongside with Shinobi Shaw, were revealed to be members of the Upstarts, who competed in a contest of murder run by the Gamesmaster. Jean Grey surprised her captors and escaped with the X-Men. As Fitzroy tried to bring allies from the future, Bishop, his archnemesis law enforcer, arrived instead.[401] Though the Upstarts escaped, the X-Men survived. As Jean Grey's mind returned to her body, a comatose Emma Frost was left in the care of the X-Men, and Bishop was on the loose.[402]

On their way home, the Gold team assessed a bizarre extra-dimensional rift in the North Pacific alongside Sunfire.[403] While investigating the rift, the X-Men were dragged to another dimension, where they found Colossus' older brother Mikhail, who had disappeared years before when he was a Soviet cosmonaut.[404] With Mikhail's and Sunfire's help, the X-Men sealed the portal and returned to the X-Mansion.[405] The Gold squad then turned their attentions back to Bishop, who had been responsible for a destruction path as he tried to locate Fitzroy. The X-Men captured Bishop after a chaotic battle and, to their surprise, Professor X made Bishop an X-Man. As a time-traveler from the future, Bishop revealed the X-Men would soon be betrayed by one of their own.[406] Following Masque's recent apparent death, the Morlocks attempted to force Callisto to lead them again. Heavily injured, she sought refuge at the X-Mansion.[407] As the Gold team covered the Morlock Tunnels, Mikhail deceivingly joined forces with Callisto, gravely injuring Iceman and claiming the Morlocks' leadership for himself.[408] In a violent conflict with the X-Men, Mikhail decided to flood the tunnels, taking the Morlocks to another dimension in the process, much to Colossus' disappointment.[409]

Legacy Virus[]

When giving a speech about mutant-human coexistence during a Lila Cheney peace concert, Professor X was shot by X-Force's leader, Cable, being infected with a techno-organic virus. Simultaneously, Cyclops and Jean Grey were abducted by the Horsemen of Apocalypse.[410] They were delivered to Mister Sinister, who was disguised as Apocalypse unbeknownst to the Horsemen and handed the couple over to the MLF in exchange for a mysterious container. The X-Men Blue Team joined X-Factor in arresting X-Force for information on Cable's whereabouts. Meanwhile, MLF's leader Stryfe was revealed to be behind the attacks on Xavier and on Cyclops and Jean Grey as he had impersonated Cable.[411][412][413]

Nathan Summers (Earth-616), Nathan Summers (Stryfe) (Earth-4935) and X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Force Vol 1 18 001

Cable sacrifices himself to protect the X-Men from Stryfe

The real Cable convinced Wolverine and Bishop it was Stryfe who had shot Xavier, revealing both were from the future and had long been enemies.[414] Searching for Cyclops and Jean Grey, the X-Men Gold Team confronted Apocalypse.[415] Apocalypse, in a weakened state, was then defeated by Stryfe.[416] This led to an unexpected team-up between the X-Men and Apocalypse, with the aim of defeating Stryfe and saving Xavier's life, as Apocalypse was the original creator of the techno-organic virus.[417]

Wolverine received a subconscious telepathic message from Jean Grey, hinting that she was being held captive on the Moon.[418] The X-Men found Stryfe's Moon base and launched an attack.[419][420] Summers and Grey were rescued, though Cable disappeared with Stryfe into the time-stream, after the revelation that Cable was Cyclops' and Madelyne Pryor's lost son. After the battle, Sinister opened the container unleashing Stryfe's final revenge on the X-Men: the mutant infecting Legacy Virus.[421]

Jean Grey (Earth-616) and Jubilation Lee (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 303 001

Jean Grey comforting Jubilee after Illyana's death

Following Stryfe's defeat, Colossus' family was targeted by the Russian government, who wanted to recruit Illyana to destroy the menacing Soul Skinner. With the efforts of the X-Men Blue Team, Illyana was rescued, though they could not save Colossus' parents.[422] Though orphaned, Illyana was apparently safe at the X-Mansion, until it was revealed she was one of the first mutants to contract the terminal Legacy Virus, severely affecting the X-Men.[423]

Next, the X-Men were confronted by the mysterious Revanche, who accused Psylocke of being an impostor, claiming to be the real Betsy Braddock prior to her entrance in the Siege Perilous.[424] The X-Men Blue Team went to Japan to verify Revanche's claims. After battling the Silver Samurai, Lord Nyoirin, and Matsu'o Tsurayaba, they returned with few answers and with Revanche joined to the team.[425] Revanche came to be the first X-Men to fell ill to the Legacy Virus.[426] Before succumbing to the disease, she discovered her body had been swiped with Psylocke in a bizarre plot by Spiral. As Revanche died, Psylocke claimed the rights over her identity back.[427]

Meanwhile, the X-Men Gold team was trapped by a set of illusions cast by Mastermind, who was on the verge of death for being afflicted by the Legacy Virus. At the same time, they were attacked by the X-Cutioner, an anti-mutant FBI agent who had access to equipment that the X-Men confiscated from alien races inherited from Fred Duncan and acted as a vigilante, having Wyngarde as his target. As Wyngarde died in the arms of Jean Grey, his illusions faded, and X-Cutioner managed to escape the X-Men.[428]

Fatal Attractions[]

Obsessed with Magneto's teachings, the Acolytes, under Cortez's rule, were more aggressive than before, being responsible for terrorist attacks against humanity. The X-Men were surprised to see the Acolytes active and tried to stop their harmful activities. However, the fight between the two groups only incited more fear towards mutants.[429] Unbeknownst to the Acolytes, Cortez was secretly colluding with the Upstarts.[430] After the Acolytes captured Moira, the X-Men decided to attack their castle in order to save her. A physical, but also ideological, battle ensued, resulting in Moira being rescued and Cortez unmasked as a false prophet.[131]

Soon after, during a trip to the Savage Land, Professor X, Cyclops, and Storm were attacked by the Upstart Siena Blaze. Their lives were saved by a mysterious benefactor with magnetic powers.[431] It turned out Magneto resurfaced very much alive and with a new lead Acolyte, Exodus, the self-proclaimed voice of Magneto who gathered mutants to Magneto's new haven, Avalon.[432][433] Magneto met the X-Men during Illyana's funeral, offering them a place by his side. Devastated by his family's death, Colossus expressed he had lost faith in Xavier's dream, deciding to join Magneto.[434]

Charles Xavier (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 2 25 001

Professor X shuts Magneto's mind down

Magneto then prepared an all-out war on humanity upon learning about the Magneto Protocols, a plan to alter the Earth's electromagnetic field to inhibit his powers, had been activated. The rest of the X-Men stood by their mentor and attacked Magneto on his new space base when he began sending massive E.M.P. waves around the globe. During the fight, Magneto ripped the adamantium laced onto Wolverine's skeleton out of his body leaving him near death. Unable to deal with his old friend's violence any longer, Xavier shut down Magneto's mind, leaving him catatonic. Colossus stayed with his leader, vowing to care for him until he was fully healed.[435]

Cortez, desperate after losing the power he once had as the leader of the Acolytes, brought chaos to Genosha, inciting a mutant revolution by kidnapping Magneto's granddaughter, Luna.[436] Quicksilver asked for the X-Men's help in rescuing his daughter. The X-Men teamed up with the Avengers to defeat Cortez, but were interrupted by Exodus, who wished to execute Cortez for his blasphemy.[437] Unfortunately, Exodus also intended to claim Luna and purge Genosha from its human population.[438] With the efforts of the X-Men and the Avengers, he was ultimately defeated.[434]

X-Men (Earth-616), Victor Creed (Earth-616) and Christoph Nord (Earth-616) from X-Men Unlimited Vol 1 3 001

Professor X takes Sabretooth in

Gravely wounded by Magneto's attack, Wolverine chose to leave the X-Men.[439] Ironically, he was somehow replaced by his archnemesis Sabretooth, who was a hostage of his own savage powers, leading him to ask for the X-Men's help to control his bestial tendencies. Xavier took Sabretooth to the mansion, keeping him locked in the Danger Room.[440] Sabretooth's presence in the school caused much distress to the X-Men, especially Gambit, whom Sabretooth claimed to had a common past with.[441][442] Meanwhile, among so much conflict in their lives, the X-Men had a moment of joy at the wedding of Cyclops and Jean Grey.[443]

Next Generation[]

Around this period, the X-Men experienced several encounters with the mysterious Phalanx, a techno-organic race bent on ruling the world, who consumed organic matter, incorporating it to its collective consciousness.[444] In one of their attacks to the X-Men, Emma Frost inadvertently woke up from her coma in Iceman's body.[445] Confused and believing herself to be a prisoner of the X-Men, she tried to escape, using Iceman's powers in unprecedented ways. When she discovered the tragic fate of her Hellions, she broke down and began to realize that her training had been insufficient and that her students would likely have been better off with the Xavier.[446]

Sean Cassidy (Earth-616) and Harvest (Maurd) (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 2 37

Banshee saves the next generation from the Phalanx

Not long after, the Phalanx took over the X-Mansion and assumed the form of various X-Men. Banshee managed to escape along with the captive Sabretooth, a recovering Emma Frost, and the youngest X-Man, Jubilee.[447] They learned the Phalanx were after the next generation of mutants, hoping to experiment and eventually absorb the young mutants into their collective.[448] Joined by the young Everett Thomas, they saved the targeted young mutants, but only with the sacrifice of the young Blink.[449][450] The surviving teenage mutants became Generation X, being taught by Banshee and Frost at the Massachusetts Academy. With the young mutants gone, the Xavier's School was reformulated as the “Xavier Institute for Higher Learning”.[451]

Age of Apocalypse[]

When Legion woke up from his coma with his fragmented mind healed, he planned to travel back in time to kill Magneto, his father's greatest enemy. The X-Men Bishop, Storm, Iceman, and Psylocke traveled back in time to stop him, but were unsuccessful. As Legion fired a powerful psi-blast at Magneto, Charles Xavier sacrificed himself to save his friend. With Xavier dead, reality was rewritten. Only Bishop, a temporal anomaly, remained unaffected.[452] Legion's actions were devastating. Noticing the mutant energies during Xavier's murder, Apocalypse carried on his world domination years earlier than he would have otherwise, conquering most of a world known as the Age of Apocalypse. In this dystopian reality, the X-Men were founded by Magneto and acted as freedom fighters. Although they suffered many casualties, the X-Men were able to send Bishop back in time to stop Legion and restore reality to normal. However, the crisis had many consequences since some individuals crossed over to the regular timeline.[453][454]

Ororo Munroe (Earth-616) and Sarah Rushman (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 325 001

Storm rips Marrow's heart out

During the reality altering crisis, the conflicting couple Rogue and Gambit had additional problems after they shared their first kiss,[455] since Rogue absorbed some of Gambit's darkest memories.[456][457] Meanwhile, Cable had his X-Force relocated to the X-Mansion, promoting his field leader Cannonball to the X-Men.[458] On Avalon, the Acolytes made contact with Holocaust, one of the escapees from the Age of Apocalypse. Holocaust ravaged Avalon slaying many of the Acolytes, who were assisted by Cyclops and Jean Grey (who had adopted the codename Phoenix).[459] Following the fall of Avalon, the past came to haunt the X-Men in the form of the mutant terrorist group known as Gene Nation, led by the ruthless Marrow. The Gene Nation members were descendants of the Morlocks who Mikhail had transported from Earth. Now returned, they orchestrated a massive terrorist attack in retaliation for the Morlock Massacre. The X-Men were alerted by Colossus and Callisto and were able to stop the Gene Nation after Storm was forced to murder Marrow, by ripping her heart out.[460]

Other two interlopers from the Age of Apocalypse, namely Dark Beast and Sugar Man, were afraid that Bishop might recognize and expose their existence, especially to Mister Sinister, who they feared the most.[461] To eliminate him, they had hired the assassin Fatale to seduce and kill Bishop. As Bishop noticed Fatale was a threat, she engaged in a fight with the X-Men.[462] During this fight, Dark Beast realized the best way to hide was simply assimilating his counterpart's identity as a member of the X-Men.[94] Dark Beast kept the real Beast captive secretly, while acting as a member of the X-Men. During a mission, Dark Beast, Bishop, and Gambit were captured by Mister Sinister, much to Dark Beast's despair. However, he manipulated Gambit into destroying Sinister's lab and preventing him from learning about the Age of Apocalypse.[463]

Meanwhile, Sabretooth's permanence at the X-Mansion would end tragically when he tricked X-Force member Boomer into believing he had reformed. As he revealed his true intentions and put Boomer at risk, Psylocke went to her rescue, being savagely brutalized by Sabretooth.[464] To save Psylocke's life, the X-Men Archangel and Wolverine went on an adventure to retrieve the mystical Crimson Dawn elixir.[465] Around this period, the X-Men, while helping Wolverine to cope with the loss of his adamantium, also met one of Apocalypse's servants, the scribe known as Ozymandias, who warned them about the imminent return of Apocalypse.[466][467][468]

Onslaught[]

The X-Men received hints about a malicious named Onslaught for days. First, they found Juggernaut severely beaten in New Jersey. As Juggernaut came to his senses, he was terrified of the mysterious Onslaught.[469] Next, one of Onslaught's minions, Post, attacked some of the X-Men so he could test them for his master.[470] Onslaught first direct strike to the X-Men happened when he psychically attacked Phoenix, in an failed attempt to recruit her to his cause.[471] Following the attack, Juggernaut went to the X-Mansion to offer his help against the villain.[472] Suspicious of her own teammates, Phoenix worked alone with Juggernaut, probing into his memories. Horrified, she discovered Onslaught's true identity: Charles Xavier.[473] Onslaught was the result of Professor X shutting Magneto's mind down months earlier; Magneto's anger combined with Xavier's repressed negativity resulted in his birth. Knocking the X-Men out at the X-Mansion, Onslaught turned his attentions to two powerful mutants he had interest in, Franklin Richards from the Fantastic Four, and Nate Grey, another traveler from the Age of Apocalypse who had alerted the Avengers about Onslaught.[474]

Onslaught intended to unleash his fury over the human race, ordering Dark Beast to find him lackeys to achieve his goals.[468] Dark Beast and his Dark Descendants hacked an army of Sentinels, setting them loose on New York City, to capture mutants and other superhumans.[475] Soon after, the real Beast was found and freed by X-Factor.[476] Meanwhile, Onslaught succeeded in kidnapping Franklin Richards,[477] using his powers to create a citadel on Central Park, causing the most prominent superheroes of the world to unite against him.[60] Concurrently, Rogue discovered the enigmatic Joseph, an amnesiac and rejuvenated Magneto,[478] bringing him to the Avengers[479] and ultimately to join the X-Men.[60]

Onslaught (Earth-616) and Charles Xavier (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 2 56 001

Onslaught threatens to obliterate the world

A first strike by the combined might of the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men allowed Thor to free Xavier from Onslaught, who was left as pure psionic energy contained within special armor.[480] No longer restricted by Xavier, Onslaught captured Nate Grey.[481] As he assessed Grey's memories about the Age of Apocalypse, Onslaught realized that neither humans nor mutants deserved to rule the world, choosing to obliterate both races instead.[482] Jean Grey telepathically aided the Hulk in destroying Onslaught's armor. Thor then proceeded to slash at the now unprotected psionic energy being and managed to damage him. Surmising mutants would only empower Onslaught, the non-mutant members of the Avengers and Fantastic Four successfully destroyed Onslaught by sacrificing their own lives. In actuality, Franklin Richards had used his reality-warping powers to transport them to a pocket universe. No one discovered the true fate of the heroes for a while, and in the meantime anti-mutant hysteria erupted into chaos as most of the Earth's super-heroes perished when battling a mutant menace.[483] Professor Xavier chose to leave his X-Men,[484] being taken into federal custody.[485]

Operation: Zero Tolerance[]

The mysterious Bastion took advantage of the Onslaught crisis to push his militant anti-mutant agenda to the United States government. His plans were so extreme that, surprisingly, Senator Kelly warned the X-Men about them.[486] Bastion supported the presidential campaign of Graydon Creed, a mutant hater politician and founder of the Friends of Humanity.[487] The X-Men Iceman and Cannonball infiltrated Creed's campaign staff to investigate Bastion's intentions.[488] Unfortunately, Creed learned of their plan and had Iceman's father brutally beaten as a message. Iceman temporarily left the X-Men to take care of his father.[489] Following Creed's murder, with the nations' approval, Prime Sentinels hunted down and eliminated mutants across the country under Operation: Zero Tolerance.[490]

Meanwhile, the X-Men dealt with inner issues. First, they had to accept Joseph on the team, something difficult especially for Gambit, as Joseph and Rogue became close during the Onslaught crisis.[491] Unfortunately, they also had to deal with their former teammate Havok, who had become a mutant terrorist and leader of a new iteration of the Brotherhood, executing actions that boosted anti-mutant sentiments even further.[492]

On a Christmas night, some of the X-Men were inadvertently teleported by Gladiator to Shi'ar space.[493] Assisted by Deathbird,[494] the X-Men were successful in eliminating the Phalanx from the Shi'ar throne,[495] but they had a long way back home.[496] The remaining X-Men also had their share of missions, as they battled Candra to help Storm escape her rage,[497] and allied themselves with Shang-Chi and Sebastian Shaw in hopes of retrieving a cure for the Legacy Virus in Hong Kong.[498] As they returned home from Hong Kong with no success, they were imprisoned by Bastion's forces.[499]

Prime Sentinels (Earth-616), Robert Drake (Earth-616), Cecilia Reyes (Earth-616) and Sarah Rushman (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 2 68 001

Iceman and his allies resist Bastion's Sentinels

Iceman was the only active X-Man left free during the climax of Bastion's operation. In New York City, he managed to rescue Dr. Cecilia Reyes from termination by Prime Sentinels.[500] Marrow and Israeli mutant Sabra joined the duo and took the confrontation to Bastion himself.[501] Before the matter could worsen, Senator Kelly was brave enough to put an end to Bastion's insanity and S.H.I.E.L.D. arrested him.[502]

The X-Men who were in space ended up prisoners of Nanny, except for Bishop, who was lost in space with Deathbird.[503] Meanwhile, Psylocke and Archangel faced off the mysterious Maggott in New York.[504] Nanny eventually brought Gambit before “Erik the Red”, who put Gambit on trial for past crimes. Erik revealed Gambit led the Marauders to the Morlocks during the massacre in the Alley. Repulsed, Gambit's teammates, Rogue included, abandoned him to die in Antarctica. Unbeknownst to the X-Men, Erik the Red was actually Magneto in disguise.[505]

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All-New Mutants join the X-Men

The captive X-Men also found their freedom, though Cyclops had a bomb planted in his chest as Bastion's last laugh.[506] Fortunately, when returning home, Dr. Reyes helped save his life. Dr. Reyes, Marrow, and Maggott stayed at the X-Mansion and joined the X-Men.[41] Cyclops and Phoenix left for Alaska so he could recover from his wounds.[507] The new team faced adversities such as Sauron,[508] the new Alpha Flight,[509] and the Ru'Tai.[510] Answering a distress call from Storm's village in Kenya, the X-Men were tricked by the Shadow King, who had Psylocke give him control over the astral plane, causing a telepathy “blackout”.[511] Psylocke managed to trap him in her mind with the Crimson Dawn, though she could no longer use her telepathy in order to keep him prisoner.[512]

Hunt for Xavier and Magneto War[]

Xavier mysteriously vanished from his imprisonment.[513] Following the disbanding of Excalibur, X-Men former members Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and Colossus were kidnapped by an all-new formation of X-Men.[514] Soon, the trio rejoined the real X-Men and identified the brand new X-Men had an impostor as their leader, who impersonated Professor Xavier.[515] By this time, a new addition to the X-Men was Gambit, who was forgiven by his teammates and returned to the group.[516][517]

With Xavier still missing, the X-Men tried to locate him, learning that his impersonator was the artificial intelligence Cerebro.[518][519] Eventually, the X-Men found Professor X with the Brotherhood.[520] Following a confrontation against Cerebro,[521] the X-Men discovered that Xavier had joined forces with the Brotherhood after Cerebro hunted them.[522] Cerebro also revealed it was conceived after Bastion cleansed the X-Mansion using nano-technology, providing the mutant locator with artificial intelligence. With the help of the Mannite Nina, Cerebro ceased to be.[523]

Joseph (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 367 001

Magneto vs. Joseph

Professor Xavier returned to his X-Men, believing his dream of peaceful coexistence was still worth the fight. Meanwhile, Magneto resurfaced once more, certain that mutants deserved to rule the world.[524] He held the Earth hostage with the planet's electromagnetic field in his control, and the X-Men traveled to his base in Antarctica.[525] Meanwhile, Joseph was revealed to be a clone created by Astra, being originally designed to kill his genetic template, Magneto.[526] As the X-Men battled Magneto and his Acolytes,[527] only with Joseph's sacrifice the world was saved from Magneto. Yet, the United Nations, acting preventively, granted Magneto the control of the island of Genosha.[528]

The Twelve[]

The X-Men were unintentionally transported to another dimension[529] when Black Tom summoned them to help a possessed Juggernaut.[528] Though they managed to free Juggernaut, they were left in outer space far away from home.[530] The X-Men eventually found their way home after an adventure in the past, on Tarnax IV.[531][532] Suspicious his X-Men might have been compromised due to their contact with the Skrulls, Xavier ultimately decided to disband the group.[533][534]

Cyclops and Phoenix, however, returned to the X-Mansion and formed an unofficial group of X-Men to help the Mannites. During the mission, Wolverine was killed by a new mysterious Horseman of Death.[535] As the X-Men gathered at the X-Mansion, Professor X investigated the body and realized “Wolverine” was the traitor he had been suspicious of, actually a Skrull who had replaced the real Wolverine.[536] Other Skrulls were tricked by the X-Men, who learned about the secret of the "Twelve", a dozen mutants prophesied to defeat Apocalypse. Before the X-Men could learn more, the Horseman of Death interrupted them, revealing his identity: the real Wolverine.[122]

Twelve (Mutants) (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 377 001

The Twelve, captured by Apocalypse

The X-Men tried to round up the mutants listed as the Twelve according to one of Destiny's prophetic Diaries.[537] However, with the help of Skrulls and his new Horseman, Apocalypse managed to capture the Twelve.[122] He revealed his plan for ensuring the ascension of an Age of Apocalypse by absorbing the Twelve's powers and claiming the body of Nate Grey as his new vessel.[538] However, Magneto's weakened powers broke the machine Apocalypse used for the power transfer, freeing the Twelve. As Nate Grey was still in danger of being possessed by Apocalypse, Cyclops sacrificed himself to save Grey.[539] With Cyclops presumed dead and Apocalypse defeated, Cable decided to join the X-Men as his father's replacement.[9] At the same time, Professor X left the X-Men and journeyed into space in order to mentor Cadre K, a group of mutant Skrulls.[540]

Dream's End[]

Following Apocalypse's defeat, the High Evolutionary, believing mutants to be a threat and being manipulated by Mister Sinister, extirped all mutants from their powers.[540] His actions had a considerable impact on the Neo, a recluse clan of mutants who suffered major casualties.[541] Eventually, the X-Men destroyed the Evolutionary's device and mutants had their powers returned.[542] Six months later, after recruiting a new Thunderbird,[543] the X-Men were attacked by the Neo, who blamed the X-Men and sought revenge. The Neo battled the X-Men on several different occasions.[544][545] Around this time, both Professor X and Bishop rejoined the X-Men following a calamity when Earth was briefly turned into an intergalactic prison.[546]

Raven Darkhölme (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 388 001

Mystique targets Senator Kelly for assassination

Amidst Senator Kelly's presidential campaign, Prosh sent Phoenix, Iceman, Juggernaut, Toad and Mystique on a journey through time to reach a greater understanding of mutant evolution. In the process, the group learned several secrets behind the past of the X-Men. At the end of their adventure, they were forced to battle the Stranger. As a consequence of this experience, Mystique decided to assassinate Kelly once again.[547] Mystique had her new Brotherhood directly attack Senator Kelly,[548] something that was prevented by a dying Pyro, who begged the Senator to stop the circle of violence.[549]

Piotr Rasputin (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 390 001

Colossus sacrifices himself to cure the Legacy Virus

However, Mystique's real intentions were more sinister; she had tampered with the Legacy Virus to release a strain that would only infect regular humans. On Muir Island, Moira had finally discovered a cure for the virus, but Mystique mortally wounded her. Mystique even stabbed Rogue to keep the cure hidden, yet Rogue recovered in time and subdued her.[550] Professor Xavier was able to transfer Moira's knowledge of the virus to his mind before she seemingly died. While Cable aided his mentor, a human angry at Senator Kelly's change of stance on mutants shot and killed him, ironically executing Mystique's plans.[551] Using Moira's data, Beast created the Legacy Virus cure. Unfortunately, a mutant power signature had to be activated for the cure to disperse around the world. Colossus secretly injected himself with the cure, sacrificing his life to save countless mutants.[552]

Not accepting Cyclops had died, Jean Grey went on a journey with Cable to search for the truth. Cyclops was eventually found in the Middle East, having merged with Apocalypse and now struggling for control of his body. As Jean Grey exorcised Apocalypse from his mind, Cable used his Psimitar to cleave Apocalypse's final hold on his father.[553] Cyclops returned to his friends more distant and self-conscious due to trauma from being possessed.[554]

Meanwhile, fearful for the fate of Destiny's Diaries, Storm founded her own globetrotting squad of X-Treme X-Men no longer linked to Xavier's. As one of her recruits, she had Sage, the former secretary of the Hellfire Club.[237] Tragically, this team soon suffered major losses, since their quest led them to cross paths with the superhuman Vargas, who killed Psylocke and left Beast critically injured.[555]

James Howlett (Earth-616) and Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from X-Men Vol 2 113 001

Wolverine stabs Magneto

With the Legacy Virus cured, the Genoshan Mutates were strong enough for Magneto to amass a superpowered army. Without enough X-Men around to stop him, Magneto was successful in capturing Xavier,[556] whom he brought to Genosha on the eve of his planned attack on humanity. Cyclops and Wolverine infiltrated the island nation as Jean Grey recruited a team of X-Men composed of ex-Alpha Flight member Northstar, Wraith, Paulie Provenzano, Sunfire's sister Sunpyre, and mentally controlled Acolyte Joanna Cargill a.k.a. Frenzy. They were unexpectedly joined by Dazzler who had shown up seeking help with a crisis on Mojoworld.[2][240] On Genosha, Magneto showed the newly formed X-Men Professor X's body, provoking Dazzler into using the crowd's roar in an attack against Magneto. His electromagnetic powers rebounded the photons of this attack at her, seemingly reducing her to ashes.[557]

Magneto then faced all X-Men including Jean Grey's team in turn. Upon trying to tear the adamantium from Wolverine's bones, Magneto found out that he could not, as he had been under the control of Xavier for some time. It turned out that Dazzler death was a light show and Amelia was able to free Xavier and Dazzler assumed Xavier's position on the cross to which he was chained.[558] The team managed to free Xavier, who telepathically stopped Magneto from ripping out Wolverine's adamantium a second time. Convinced there was no other way, Wolverine ultimately impaled Magneto with his claws, incapacitating him seemingly for good.[557][558]

New X-Men[]

Genosha from New X-Men Vol 1 115 002

The death of Genosha

A new nemesis for the X-Men arrived in the form of Cassandra Nova, Xavier's personal "mummudrai". In a factory in Ecuador, Nova activated a forgotten Master Mold using the Trask DNA, manufacturing immense wild Sentinels to attack Genosha. Magneto, incapacitated from Wolverine's attack, could do nothing but watch as the entire mutant nation and its sixteen million inhabitants were destroyed.[559] One of the few survivors from the massacre found by the X-Men was Emma Frost, who had undergone a secondary mutation granting her a diamond form. Nova was brought into custody by Cyclops and Wolverine, but managed to break free, secretly switching bodies with Xavier. Pretending to be Xavier, she shot her previous body, where the real Xavier was trapped, to near-death. Nova's first action when posing as Xavier was to expose the residents at his institute as mutants on live television, revealing the X-Men's best-kept secret to the public.[1]

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A "new" X-Men team arises after the massacre of Genosha

As the X-Men went public, several mutant offices were opened all over the world as an extension of the X-Men, the X-Corporation. When one of its operatives, Risque, was killed in Hong Kong, the X-Men teamed up with her partner, Domino, to investigate. There, they learned of the existence of John Sublime's mutant organ harvesters, the U-Men. During the investigation, the X-Men freed an imprisoned Chinese mutant named Xorn, who Cyclops invited to join the X-Men.[26]

The Xavier Institute now accepted a much larger student body and began having classes taught by X-Men. Meanwhile, Nova, in Xavier's body, left Earth for the Shi'ar Empire, but not before beating Beast into a coma after he learned her true identity[560] and infecting the X-Men with nano-sentinels.[561] Soon after Nova's departure, the X-Men were targeted by Sublime's U-Men at different locations. At the X-Mansion, they were fended off by Phoenix.[562] Following the attack, Beast woke up from his coma, revealing Xavier's fate to his comrades. As the X-Men assessed Cassandra Nova's body, they learned her true origins and intentions.[563]

Cassandra Nova Xavier (Earth-616), Charles Xavier (Earth-616) and Jean Grey (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 1 126 001

Cassandra Nova's mental trap

Nova wreaked havoc in Shi'ar space and seized control of the powerful Imperial Guard.[564] She then led her army to destroy the X-Men, who became severely debilitated by the nano-sentinel infection.[565] During the conflict, Phoenix managed to save Xavier's consciousness, uploading it to Cerebra.[566] Nova planned to use Cerebra do eliminate every mutant on the planet, in order to hurt Xavier. Her plans were foiled when, as soon as she accessed Cerebra, Xavier claimed his body back. Without a body, Nova was tricked by Emma Frost into becoming trapped inside the alien Stuff. Meanwhile, Xorn cured the X-Men of the nano-sentinel infection, effectively joining the Xavier's School staff. With the efforts of the X-Men, mutantkind was safe.[567]

Meanwhile, the X-Treme X-Men kept having their fates directed by Destiny's Diaries. When Gambit was framed for having murdered Viceroy, an Australian crime-lord, the X-Men went to Sydney to investigate. They were assisted by Red Lotus and Teri Baltimore in clearing Gambit's name. Concurrently, Sage was attacked by Sebastian Shaw, who wished to have her back under his control being assisted by his illusionist partner, Lady Mastermind. Viceroy's children, the mutants Lifeguard and Slipstream joined the X-Men, helping them to fend Shaw and Lady Mastermind off.[568]

X-Treme Sanctions Executive (Earth-616) and X-Men (Earth-616) from X-Treme X-Men Vol 1 19 001

The X-Men recover after their war against Khan

Subsequently, the group was attacked by Shaitan in Madripoor, who used Gambit to erect a giant interdimensional tower as a beacon for his lord Khan to invade Earth. The X-Men managed to undermine Khan's plot by invading his tower and defeating him. Simultaneously, Rogue avenged Psylocke by slaying Vargas.[569] Storm and her X-Men were left dreadfully injured from these events.[570]

A squad of X-Men led by Nightcrawler dealt with mutant-related affairs all over the globe under Xavier's name. On one of their assignments, they saved a group of mutant outcasts in London attacked by human supremacist Mister Clean. Following this incident, ex-Generation X student Chamber joined the X-Men.[571] Mister Clean was part of an extremist anti-mutant cult known as the Church of Humanity, whose next target was the X-Ranch, a mutant brothel. The only survivor of the attack, the prostitute Stacy X was rescued by and joined the X-Men.[572] The X-Men then made their move against the church's Supreme Pontiff, but, before they could end the threat, the churchgoers escaped.[83]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Sean Cassidy (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 402 001

The X-Men investigate Banshee's X-Corps

When Banshee formed X-Corps, a violent mutant police force in Europe, Nightcrawler's team decided to investigate his new initiative, since many of its operatives were former members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Banshee also was unscrupulous in using Martinique Wyngarde's mental powers to brainwash his prisoners and operatives.[573] The matters escalated when Mystique was found to be behind the scenes, manipulating Banshee to her purposes with the Brotherhood's help, including Wyngarde. Ultimately, as the X-Men defeated her minions, Mystique slit Cassidy's throat and left him to bleed to death. Luckily, he managed to capture Mystique by releasing Abyss, a mutant who could open an other-dimensional portal, and was then taken to the hospital by his former Generation X students.[574] The X-Men proceeded to take down Vanisher's mutant drug business using Worthington Industries.[575]

Some of Banshee's previous X-Corps operatives joined X-Corporation Europe, headquartered in Paris. When Professor X received a tip about a “genetic emergency” in Paris Métro, he requested X-Corporation to investigate, as he examined Jean Grey to assess her growing power levels, a manifestation of the Phoenix Force. They were interrupted by Fantomex, who demanded asylum, claiming to be a mutant on the run with information about the Weapon Plus Project. In the tunnels, the X-Corporation team was massacred by Weapon XII. Professor X, Phoenix and Fantomex went to stop Weapon XII, who was killed by Fantomex. Jean Grey let Fantomex escape after she learned he was in fact “Weapon XIII”, a Weapon Plus subject, who manipulated the X-Men into helping him break free.[576]

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The X-Men deal with their first student riot

At the X-Mansion, Cyclops and Emma Frost began a psychic affair as a reaction to his matrimonial issues with Jean Grey, who kept assisting X-Corporation all over the world.[577] Following the murder of mutant stylist Jumbo Carnation,[578] one of Xavier's students, Quentin Quire, formed a mutant extremist gang, whose unscrupulous members made use of the power-enhancing drug Kick. The gang started a riot at the institute, detaining the X-Men. Quire was ultimately stopped by the Stepford sisters, at the cost of one of their own's life. Meanwhile, Xorn's Special Class, when camping, were attacked by the U-Men, who were violently killed by Xorn.[579]

The Stepford sisters, disillusioned by the death of one of their own, told Jean Grey about her husband's affair with Frost.[580] After being telepathically assaulted by Grey, Frost was found dead in her diamond form, splintered into thousands of pieces, followed by Cyclops running away from the institute.[581] As Bishop and Sage investigated Frost's murder, Beast and Phoenix were able to revive her. The culprit was found, Esme, one of the Stepfords, who also had killed her sister Sophie. It was also revealed that a traitor inside the institute supplied the students with the Kick.[582]

After Nova's attack, Nightcrawler's team investigated a mutant signal at Cassidy Keep. There, they were attacked by Black Tom, who had lost control of his mutation. The X-Men put him down with the help of Tom's partner, the Juggernaut, who joined the team by Xavier's invitation after being saved by Xavier's newest student, Sammy Paré. Meanwhile, a catatonic Havok, missing for months, was found by nurse Anne Ghazikhanian, who contacted the X-Men to meet him.[583] Ghazikhanian moved to the X-Mansion with her son to care for Havok, befriending former Generation X member Husk, who had also joined the X-Men.[584] Around this period, Northstar also joined the team and the school's staff.[585]

X-Men (Earth-616), Exiles (Earth-616) and Nicholas Gleason (Earth-616) from Exiles Vol 1 30 001

The X-Men meet the Exiles

Now based at the X-Mansion, Nightcrawler's group battled the ferocious Maximus Lobo and his hordes.[586] Around this time, Polaris, rescued by X-Corporation from the ruins of Genosha, returned to the X-Men.[587] With Havok's recovery and an unfortunate possession by an alternate version of himself, the X-Men were assisted by the dimension-hopping Exiles in defeating Lobo for good.[588] Following threats included the Alpha Flight,[589] the destruction of the Church of Humanity,[590] Nightcrawler's father, Azazel, and his minions,[591] and the Guthries' rival family, the Cabots.[592]

After Storm and what was left of the X-Treme X-Men recovered, they got into a conflict with Xavier's School over the fate of an accused mutant killer, Jeffrey Garrett, who was granted asylum. As Storm's X-Men investigated the murders, they learned about the existence of mutant psychic predator, Elias Bogan, who possessed Emma Frost. With Bogan's disappearance, Storm was still left at odds with Xavier.[593] The group faced a surprisingly live Reverend Stryker and his new bodyguard, Lady Deathstrike, who had kidnapped Kitty Pryde. As the X-Men and Stryker discovered Mount Haven's bizarre origin as a mutant-exclusive city, Stryker realized the consequences of his destructive actions and was buried with the city.[594]

X-Treme Sanctions Executive (Earth-616) from X-Treme X-Men Vol 1 46 001

Storm sanctions her X-Men as the X.S.E.

The X-Treme X-Men then investigated mutant-related incidents against mutants in Valle Soleada, a mutant-friendly neighborhood where Rogue and Gambit lived. The incidents were discovered to be funded by X-Corporation's Los Angeles branch, run by Sunspot. As the X-Men confronted Sunspot, they learn Elias Bogan had schemed the situation.[595] Bogan made his first direct strike at the X-Men after Sage and Bishop orchestrated a plan to force him out of the shadows. Though Bogan escaped, the X-Men destroyed his base and resources, freeing Rachel Summers in the process, who had been his slave for a long period and rejoined the X-Men as the new Marvel Girl.[596]

Meanwhile, Wolverine and Fantomex were joined by Cyclops to infiltrate the World, the Weapon Plus' ultimate facility. From there, the trio followed Weapon XV to a station in Earth Orbit, where Wolverine chose to destroy the station upon learning about his own past as Weapon X, John Sublime's plans for mutant extermination, and the fact that there was a traitor at the X-Mansion.[597] As Cyclops and Fantomex escaped to Earth, Jean Grey went to space to rescue Wolverine. Meanwhile, Xorn pushed Magneto's theories on his Special Class, leading his student Dust to destroy Cerebra. Leaving Wolverine and Jean Grey on the remnants of Asteroid M and incapacitating the other X-Men, Xorn revealed himself to be Magneto in disguise as he captured Xavier.[598]

Kuan-Yin Xorn (Earth-616) from New X-Men Vol 1 147 003

"Magneto" unleashes his rage upon New York City

Xorn destroyed the Institute and took over Manhattan with his new Brotherhood, leading to the death of thousands of humans.[599] Moving closer to the Sun, Jean Grey was killed by Wolverine so she could unlock the power of the Phoenix.[600] Cyclops led a last-ditch assault on Magneto and his allies,[98] while Phoenix returned in time with Wolverine, Frost and Beast to defeat the mad mutant. During the confrontation, the X-Men questioned Xorn's identity as Magneto, which infuriated him. Knowing he was defeated, a desperate Xorn used his stored energy to give Phoenix a massive stroke. Wolverine decapitated Xorn in a berserker rage as Jean Grey died in the arms of her husband.[601] Devastated by guilt and loss, Cyclops walked away from the X-Men, leading to a dark future. Decades later, Jean Grey was reborn as the Phoenix and used her powers to push Cyclops to embrace Emma Frost's proposal of re-opening the Xavier Institute, ensuring the survival of the X-Men and averting the future she had been born into.[602]

ReLoaded[]

As Cyclops and Frost ran a reformed Xavier Institute as their headmasters,[603] Xavier left for Genosha to help the mutants who still lived on the ruined island. Here he encountered Magneto, who was revealed to have survived the destruction of Genosha and had spent months recuperating from his injuries, now revealing Xorn as an impostor.[604] Meanwhile, Storm's team was sanctioned by the United Nations as a peacekeeping force responsible for policing relations between humans and mutants, the X.S.E., headquartered at the X-Mansion.[605]

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Gifted super heroes

Cyclops, seeking to improve the public perception of mutants, decided to revamp the X-Men as a group of astonishing superheroes. Their first mission put them in conflict with the extraterrestrial threat of Ord. Concurrently, Genetech's lead researcher, Dr. Kavita Rao, publicly announced a mutant cure, secretly financed by Ord.[606] As Beast investigated the efficacy of the cure, the X-Men learned Genetech used the body of an X-Man in their tests.[607] This led Kitty Pryde to find Colossus alive within Genetech's Research Facility.[608] With Colossus back on the team, the X-Men defeated Ord and destroyed Genetech's laboratories and their cure.[609]

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Professor X disappoints the X-Men

Then, the X-Men were attacked from within when the Danger Room's artificial intelligence broke free from her restraints, in an attempt to murder the X-Men and their students.[610] The X-Men were tricked into freeing the A.I. from its command core, allowing her to take a new physical form as Danger.[611] Danger, having years of experience in battling the X-Men as the Danger Room, easily outpowered them, deciding to go to Genosha to assassinate her former captor, Professor Charles Xavier.[612] Though her plans were foiled by the X-Men, they were deeply disappointed in their mentor, who kept Danger captive for years, despite knowing she was sentient.[613]

Though Jean Grey was dead, the same could not be said about the Phoenix. Without a host, the cosmic entity became a target for the Shi'ar, being shattered and driven insane by the attack. Weakened, it reanimated Jean Grey's deceased body at the X-Mansion. The X-Men, upon learning about the Phoenix's return, attempted to stop her mad quest for power. With Wolverine's help, Jean Grey managed to regain control over her body, while Emma Frost tricked the Phoenix into possessing her. Jean Grey was then allowed to successfully merge the Phoenix within her own self, ascending as the White Phoenix and permanently departing to the White Hot Room.[614]

When Cerebra registered a mysterious mutant manifestation in China, Havok was assigned a team to investigate. The dysfunctional team found a different Xorn, with no control over his powers.[10] Following some brief conflicts with Chinese super heroes, the X-Men managed to save Xorn, the twin-brother of the Xorn who had masqueraded as Magneto, who joined the team.[615] Upon their return, the X-Men battled Exodus and his incarnation of the Brotherhood. Juggernaut and Exiles' former member Nocturne pretended to be members of the villainous team, secretly assisting the X-Men. The Brotherhood brutally ravaged the Xavier School, leading to the death of Sammy Paré. Xorn was crucial in fending them off, sucking them into the black hole within his helmet. Unfortunately, a trapped Nocturne also entered the void, followed by Juggernaut who attempted to rescue her. Feeling guilty for his actions, Xorn decided to leave the X-Men.[616]

The X.S.E. investigated the Weaponeers of Al-Khalad as their first assignment. Simultaneously, when visiting the Braddock Manor, the group was targeted by the powerful superhero hunter known as the Fury. With much effort, the X-Men managed to combine their abilities and put the Fury down for good.[617] However, the X.S.E. was soon ambushed by Viper, who was in seek of revenge for the X-Men's intervention on Khan's invasion months prior on Madripoor. As the X-Men broke free from Viper, Sage became aware that Sebastian Shaw and Courtney Ross had been assembling a new Hellfire Club.[618]

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Enter: X-23!

Following a series of mutant-related murders in District X, the X.S.E. went to investigate, finding the young X-23 apparently guilty for the crimes. After X-23 was found innocent, she was taken to the Xavier Institute as a protégée of the X.S.E.[619] Emma Frost, as a former member of the Hellfire Club, assisted the X.S.E. in uncovering the club's recent revival. The X-Men shockingly learned the club was acting as a beneficial organization, since Sage had secretly managed to place one of their own, Sunspot, as the club's new Lord Imperial, dismissing both Sebastian Shaw and Donald Pierce in the process. Sage left the X-Men to serve as Sunspot's assistant, hoping to prevent him from being corrupted by power.[620]

Unexpectedly, Psylocke was resurrected in the exact spot where she was murdered. After the X.S.E. retrieved her, they were suddenly trapped and kidnapped by the Hauk'ka when investigating a distress call by Wolverine. Psylocke and X-23 joined forces to rescue the X-Men, who had been taken to the Savage Land.[621] Having Marvel Girl under their control, the Hauk'ka forced Storm to cast an insanely powerful ice age upon the world. The X-Men teamed up with the Savage Land Mutates and the Hauk'ka, regretful for their actions, and liberated Storm.[622] As soon as they returned to the X-Mansion, the X.S.E. members were attacked by Mojo and Spiral, but managed to defeat them with the help of Juggernaut and Nocturne, who had actually been sent to the Mojoverse.[623] Around this period, Angel founded the Mutantes Sans Frontières, an international humanitarian organization that sought to improve living conditions of needy mutants.[624][625]

Meanwhile, Havok's maladjusted team had to deal with the hallucinating attacks of the Golgotha.[626] The group, left debilitated, was further undermined when Mystique infiltrated Gambit's student squad as the mysterious Foxx. For days, Mystique played with the X-Men's lives, especially Rogue's, as she attempted to seduce Gambit. Shockingly, when her identity became known, Mystique was offered to join the X-Men. However, Nightcrawler begged Mystique to refuse such an offer, helping her to escape instead.[627] Soon next, when Havok's group went to investigate the emergence of non-human mutants in Niganda, they were joined by Storm and the Black Panther in foiling the Red Ghost's activities.[628][629]

Decimation[]

Following a psychotic breakdown, the Scarlet Witch attacked and nearly destroyed the Avengers.[630] Magneto intervened and took her to Genosha, hoping to find help for her. Neither Professor Xavier nor Doctor Strange were successful in getting through to her however, prompting[631] the Avengers and the X-Men to travel to Genosha to discuss the fate of the increasingly unstable Scarlet Witch, afraid that her vast powers might break reality. Worried that the heroes would decide to euthanize her, Quicksilver convinced her to use her powers to create a world where everyone present would have their deepest wishes fulfilled. Tapping into Xavier's telepathy, the Scarlet Witch altered reality, creating a world ruled by her family, where mutants were the dominant species.[632]

Wanda Maximoff (Earth-616) from House of M Vol 1 7 001

The Scarlet Witch decimates mutantkind

While her alteration of reality appeared perfect, there were flaws in the Scarlet Witch's creation. Wolverine's deepest wish was to have his memories of his past restored, but this would mean that he also remembered the world as it had been before the alteration.[633] Additionally, the young mutant Layla Miller also found herself remembering the real world and had the ability to remind others. With her help, the X-Men and the other heroes remembered their past lives.[634] The enlightened heroes commenced an assault on Magneto's Genoshan headquarters, believing him responsible, and tried to find the missing Professor Xavier. Quicksilver's involvement was revealed, leading Magneto to nearly kill him. Angry at how her mutant heritage and her father placing his species before his children continually ruined their family, the Scarlet Witch uttered three words as she restored the reality to what it used to be: "No More Mutants."[635]

The world seemingly returned to what it was, with those awakened by Miller still remembering the Scarlet Witch's twisted reality. However, the mutant population was drastically reduced from millions down to approximately two hundred, an event that became known as the M-Day.[636] Students at the Xavier Institute, inhabitants of District X, X-Corporation operatives and major mutant figures such as Iceman, Polaris, Magneto, Quicksilver, the Blob, Danielle Moonstar, Jubilee and many others were depowered. Tragically, there were several other consequences. Professor Xavier's whereabouts were unknown, and the crisis led to X-Corporation being shut down following a bombing in Paris. Meanwhile, the Xavier Institute became a sanctuary to surviving powered mutants, who became known as the 198. At a time when the X-Men were needed the most, Storm decided to stay in Africa to aid mutants in need of help and the X.S.E. ceased to be. The M-Day also was the catalyst for the reformulation of X-Factor Investigations and the return of the British mutant group Excalibur. The Scarlet Witch's spell not only deactivated thousands, but also completely blocked the emergence of new mutants, leaving mutantkind hurtling towards extinction.[637]

Sentinel Squad ONE (Earth-616) and X-Men (Earth-616) from Decimation House of M - The Day After Vol 1 1 001

O*N*E Sentinels arrive at the X-Mansion

With mutantkind severely compromised and weakened, mutant-hating groups saw an opportunity to eradicate mutants for good. Afraid of violence breaking out, Val Cooper dispatched Sentinel Squad O*N*E to protect the swelling population at the X-Mansion. The X-Men found themselves under the constant surveillance of sentinels.[638] A group of rabid mutant haters, the Sapien League, were the first to attack the Xavier Institute, intending to kill the remaining mutants. When their leader, the Leper Queen, attempted to murder Iceman, he managed to counter her attack, learning in the process he had not truly been depowered.[639] A depowered Polaris then decided to leave the X-Men, accompanied by Havok, who wished to look after her. Unbeknownst to them, Apocalypse had been awakened from his slumber after M-Day and captured Polaris.[640]

Apocalypse transformed Polaris, Sunfire and Gazer into his new horsemen, respectively Pestilence, Famine and War.[641] His first move was to land his sphynx ship on the X-Mansion, offering salvation to the mutants succumbed to misery due to the M-Day. Apocalypse planned to proportionally reduce the human population in order to even out the effects of M-Day on mutantkind by unleashing a deadly plague.[642] Many of the 198 sided with Apocalypse, attacking the O*N*E Sentinels. The X-Men, heavily outnumbered, were surprisingly assisted by Ozymandias, who decided to betray his own master.[643] During the battle, Apocalypse revealed his last horseman, Death, to be Gambit, who had sought out Apocalypse under Mystique's machinations following his recent relationship problems with Rogue. With the X-Men temporarily subdued, Apocalypse announced his objectives at the United Nations Headquarters.[644] Eventually, the X-Men, assisted by the O*N*E and Sunfire, defeated Apocalypse, who managed to escape.[645] Though Polaris, now repowered, was rehabilitated and rejoined the X-Men, Gambit and Sunfire abandoned their former friends, allying themselves with Mister Sinister.[646]

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Vulcan returns

When the X-Men started being haunted at the X-Mansion with visions of their pasts, Cyclops and Marvel Girl were kidnapped by a mysterious attacker.[647] During the investigation, the X-Men witnessed the tragic death of Banshee and were led to unravel the truth behind Moira's secret X-Men, who had perished on Krakoa years before.[648] The assailant was revealed to be Vulcan, who had been revived by the energies unleashed on M-Day and returned to seek revenge. Professor Xavier intervened and revealed that he too had lost his powers after M-Day.[649] After Professor X shared Vulcan's true origins as Cyclops' lost brother, who had his life ruined by Shi'ar Emperor D'ken, Vulcan departed to space aiming at destroying the Shi'ar Empire. On Earth, Professor X's already eroded relationship with his X-Men became irreparably damaged.[223]

Since M-Day had a massive impact on the Xavier Institute student body, lowering their numbers from hundreds to around two dozen mutants, Emma Frost formed a group of New X-Men as a response.[650] This coincided with the return of Reverend Stryker and his Purifiers. Receiving intel from Nimrod, the Purifiers attacked the Xavier Institute, murdering several teenagers, both mutants and those recently de-powered. The New X-Man Elixir killed Stryker with his newly developed death-touch.[651] As the New X-Men learned about Nimrod's involvement, they joined forces with Forge to destroy him. They were partially successful as they managed to send Nimrod back to the past.[652][310]

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The Wedding of Storm and Black Panther

The X-Men also struggled with other threats unrelated to M-Day. With the X.S.E. disbanded, its former members remained at the X-Mansion. Soon after M-Day, Marvel Girl and her teammates found themselves battling the Shi'ar Death Commandos, sent to Earth to eradicate the Grey family and prevent the ascension of the Phoenix within their bloodline.[653] As Marvel Girl mourned the death of her family, the mysterious conditions behind Psylocke's resurrection were revealed. She was returned by her brother, Jamie Braddock, to battle a cosmic threat known as the First Fallen. The X-Men were whisked away to the First Fallen's reality to combat him, returning victorious, though at the apparent cost of Jamie's life.[654] Soon after, the X-Men went to Kenya to assist Storm in overpowering the vicious Colonel Shetani. Following his defeat, Storm decided to stay in Africa, traveling to Wakanda to meet the Black Panther.[655] Meanwhile, the X-Men suffered another loss when Psylocke, while confronting the Shadow King – recently imprisoned by the new Excalibur – was forcibly ripped from the timestream, covertly joining the Exiles.[656]

As the Superhuman Registration Act passed, Iron Man attempted to recruit the X-Men to his side in the emerging superhuman civil war. The X-Men turned him down, preferring to remain neutral.[657] The registration act would affect the 198, nevertheless. As O*N*E, being aligned with Iron Man, kept the 198 prisoners, X-Force, having sided with Captain America, decided to liberate them. While Bishop worked with O*N*E in recapturing the fugitive 198, Cyclops and the X-Men opted to defend them. When all parts realized they faced a common enemy in General Lazer, they joined forces to defeat him. As a consequence, the 198 were freed and Bishop left the X-Men.[658] Amidst many recent conflicts, the wedding of Storm and the Black Panther represented a brief moment of truce and peace.[659]

Blinded by the Light[]

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The Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire

Fearing for the fate of the Shi'ar Empire and his beloved Lilandra, Professor X recruited a team of X-Men to stop Vulcan's quest for vengeance. For his team, he chose James Proudstar, now going by Warpath, Marvel Girl, Nightcrawler, Havok, Polaris, and a recently returned Darwin.[660] During the journey, the Shi'ar sent the slave warrior Korvus, who wielded the Blade of the Phoenix, to assassinate Marvel Girl. Though Korvus defected and joined the X-Men in their mission, Xavier was captured.[661] As the X-Men were found by the Starjammers, Darwin learned not only that Vulcan had resurrected Emperor D'ken, but also had arranged to marry D'ken's sister, Deathbird.[662] During the wedding, Vulcan killed D'ken and proclaimed himself the new emperor of the Shi'ar Empire, murdered his own father, Corsair, and also threw Xavier into the M'krann Crystal, unintentionally restoring his telepathic powers. As Lilandra sent most of the X-Men back to Earth, Havok, Polaris, and Marvel Girl stayed in space, joining the Starjammers to lead a resistance against emperor Vulcan and his wife.[663]

On Earth, the New X-Men were attacked by X-23's former oppressors, the Facility, who tortured and captured Mercury to create mutant-hunting monsters known as Predators X.[664] Soon after that, the X-Men and the New X-Men were imprisoned in Limbo by Belasco, who desired to have Illyana Rasputin back. Illyana, resurrected as the soulless Darkchylde by Belasco, led the remaining students at Xavier's to destroy her former abuser. With Belasco dead, Illyana sent her former friends back to Earth, choosing to remain in Limbo as its new ruler.[665]

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The X-Men go Rogue

Unexpectedly, long-time foe Sabretooth arrived at the Xavier Institute asking for sanctuary, on the run from the deadly Children of the Vault, artificially evolved post-humans who became active after M-Day.[666] The Children of the Vault, aiming to eliminate Sabretooth to keep their existence secret, sent Northstar and Aurora to ambush the Xavier Institute, though they were fended off with the help of Cable.[667] Rogue was then assigned a team to stop the Children of the Vault, recruiting Mystique, Iceman, Cannonball, and Cable for her mission. Lady Mastermind and Karima Shapandar, an Omega Sentinel, who had been recently rescued by Rogue from an illegal mental institution, also joined the group. The last member was Sabretooth himself. Rogue's team was successful in destroying the Children of the Vault before they could reach the Xavier's. The new X-Men group then decided to leave the institute and follow their own agenda.[668] Their first course of action was to rehabilitate Northstar and Aurora from their brainwashing in a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. There, the X-Men were confronted by Exodus' new Acolytes. As Exodus realized the enormous consequences of the M-Day, he ceased his attack against other mutants and retreated.[669]

Rogue's next objective was to track Lady Mastermind's and Omega Sentinel's captor, a man known as Pandemic, who had a special interest in Rogue's replicating powers. Left powerless by Sabretooth, he still managed to infect Rogue with a viral agent that rendered her powers more lethal than ever, leaving her on the brink of death.[670] Cable sought to treat Rogue on his island nation Providence. Unfortunately, the island was attacked by the Hecatomb, a Shi'ar mind devouring bomb that followed Urizen, a mummudrai who had possessed Lady Mastermind. The Hecatomb annihilated Providence, but was ultimately deactivated by Rogue, who absorbed all of its minds. The attack allowed Sabretooth to furtively escape, and Rogue was left in critical condition, both physically and mentally.[671]

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The X-Men are tricked by the Marauders

At Mystique's house, other X-Men were assembled to stabilize Rogue's condition. There, they were ambushed by Mister Sinister's Marauders, who had been targeting any being with knowledge about the future, including Rogue, who had read Destiny's Diaries. Mystique, Lady Mastermind and Omega Sentinel (recently possessed by Malice) revealed themselves to be Marauders, who now heavily outnumbered the X-Men. With the X-Men defeated, Rogue was kidnapped. On Providence, Cable was targeted by the Marauders Gambit and Sunfire.[672] Moreover, the Acolytes, now working under Mister Sinister, attacked the X-Mansion to collect Destiny's Diaries and kill the precognitive mutant Blindfold, but failed in their mission. The X-Men, though massively fractured by the attacks, were able to survive and re-group, thirsty for revenge against the Marauders.[673]

When Caliban was brutally assaulted by Masque and his Morlocks, he asked for help at the X-Mansion, leading Storm to rejoin the X-Men. Leading a team comprising Warpath, ex-Starjammer Hepzibah and Caliban, Storm infiltrated the sewers of Manhattan to stop Masque's extremist terrorist attacks. The mission led them to learn about the visions of the late Morlock Qwerty. Concurrently, Xavier and Nightcrawler learned that Magneto, de-powered believed dead after being caught in an exploding S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopter, was alive and had a role to play in the upcoming future of mutantkind.[674]

Scott Summers (Earth-616) from Astonishing X-Men Vol 3 17 0001

Cyclops breaks free from Cassandra Nova's illusion

Meanwhile, Emma Frost's trick on Cassandra Nova years before proved to have nefarious consequences. Nova had planted a suggestion on Frost's mind that grew to a more robust mind control. Under Nova's influence, Frost telepathically tormented the X-Men with a series of illusions related to the Hellfire Club, ultimately turning Cyclops' powers off. Kitty Pryde was the most affected victim, since Frost forced her to believe the alien Stuff, where Nova was trapped, was actually a child she had had with Colossus. Before Nova could achieve her goal of breaking free from Stuff's body, S.W.O.R.D.'s director Abigail Brand abducted the X-Men, Danger and Ord to her spaceship, where Frost was out of Nova's reach.[675]

Katherine Pryde (Earth-616) from Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men Vol 1 1 001

Kitty Pryde saves Earth at the cost of her own freedom

Brand, in need of super heroes, explained that Ord's leader, Lord Kruun of the Breakworld, intended to eliminate Earth due to a prophecy that claimed Colossus would destroy the Breakworld, justifying Ord's former involvement with Genetech.[676] Upon reaching the Breakworld, the X-Men were relentlessly attacked, being scattered all over the alien planet. Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Wolverine and new recruit Armor were the most afflicted by the attacks.[33] Pryde and Colossus were met and helped by Aghanne, the leader of the Breakworlder revolution. Meanwhile, Cyclops and Frost were ambushed by Danger.[677] Frost managed to convince Danger to aid the X-Men, while Beast and Brand learned Kruun had a gigantic missile aimed at Earth. Cyclops, Wolverine and Armor deceived Kruun's forces, by being intentionally captured. Another deception involved Cyclops pretending to have lost his powers, which guaranteed him the opportunity to incapacitate Kruun.[678] With Kruun accounted for, Pryde phased into the missile in order to disable it, only to discover it was actually a giant bullet. The bullet was ultimately fired at Earth with Pryde trapped inside it.[679] On the Breakworld, the X-Men learned Aghanne had fabricated the prophecy in order to destroy the Breakworld. She was ultimately killed by her own rage, failing to destroy her home. Meanwhile, the X-Men and Earth's other heroes were not able to detain the bullet. In the last moment, Kitty Pryde used her powers to phase the bullet through Earth, effectively preventing the planet's destruction. However, the bullet kept moving in a straight line; Kitty Pryde was lost in outer space.[680]

The Birth of Hope[]

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Cable protects the mutant messiah

When the first mutant birth since M-Day occurred, Cerebra registered a powerful spike in Cooperstown, Alaska. The X-Men rushed to the location, only to find that the Marauders and the Purifiers had beaten them to the punch, and that the child was nowhere to be found.[681] As the X-Men tracked the Acolytes to learn the location of Mister Sinister and the Marauders hideout, Rictor from X-Factor Investigations infiltrated the Purifiers. The birth of the mutant child had spawned two alternate futures that contained mutants. Jamie Madrox sent two dupes to investigate, one of whom was accompanied by Layla Miller.[682][683] The X-Men arrived at Mister Sinister's facility in Antarctica, while Rictor, aided by the New X-Men, discovered the Purifiers were working with Lady Deathstrike and her Reavers. Neither the Marauders, the Acolytes, the Purifiers nor the Reavers had the baby.[684] The X-Men and the New X-Men were defeated by their enemies, partially because, during their missions, the O*N*E Sentinels were hijacked by an unknown assailant, destroying the X-Mansion and cutting off telepathic communication. However, before the X-Men escaped from the Marauders, Gambit revealed to Wolverine the messiah baby's whereabouts: she was in Cable's possession.[685]

In order to retrieve the baby from Cable, Cyclops assigned to Wolverine the command of a new X-Force, a strike force team composed of tracker-killers.[686] The Reavers managed to find Cable before the X-Men could, and attempted to eliminate him and the baby.[687] The conflict was interrupted by X-Force, who rescued Cable and the baby, at the cost of Caliban's life. Distrustful, Cable stole X-Force's Blackbird, once again running loose with the baby by himself.[688] In one of the spawned futures, Madrox and Miller found a world where mutants had been saved by the messiah child but had been outlawed by the government and confined to internment camps. In a camp, they met a young Bishop, who informed them the messiah child had killed a million humans, causing mutantkind to be outlawed. The young Bishop ultimately revealed that his deepest wish was to kill the messiah to prevent the suffering he and his family had endured. Bishop was revealed to be the traitor that had destroyed the X-Mansion, all in his quest to kill the child. Bishop found Cable in Forge's Eagle Plaza, easily subduing him and having the baby at his mercy.[689]

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Cyclops disbands the X-Men following the apparent death of Charles Xavier at the hands of Bishop

Before Bishop could take any action, he was ambushed by the Marauders, who rescued the baby and took her back to their hideout on Muir Island.[690] The X-Men pursued them, unaware of Bishop's betrayal. At the same time, Cable sought help from Professor Xavier, and the duo also went to Muir Island.[691] As a deadly fight ensued, Mystique and Gambit revealed their true colors. Mystique had only joined the Marauders to rescue Rogue and had brought Gambit over to her side. After assassinating Mister Sinister and forcing the baby to touch Rogue, Mystique restored her daughter's mind and body, as Destiny had predicted. Meanwhile, a Predator X attacked Xavier's School, but before it could claim any kill, it was teleported to Muir Island by the New X-Man Pixie.[692] The Predator surprised the Marauders enough to allow the X-Men to turn the tide and win the battle. Despite being torn over whether or not to trust his son, Cyclops decided to hand the child over to him, so that Cable could raise her in the future, where she would be safe from all those who would seek to use or eliminate her. As Cable departed, Bishop attempted a last shot against the child, accidentally hitting Xavier in the head. With Xavier dead and the X-Mansion destroyed, Cyclops disbanded the X-Men.[693]

Professor Xavier's lifeless body was claimed by the Acolytes, who managed to revive him with the help of Magneto. Having his memories severely affected by his condition, Xavier went on a journey of self-discovery, keeping his revival a secret from the other X-Men.[694] Though the X-Men were disbanded, Cyclops kept protecting what was left of mutantkind by secretly carrying on with the X-Force initiative, targeting members of the mutant-hating Human Council, formed by Bastion, for assassination.[695] He also tasked Wolverine with putting Mystique down for her betrayal.[696] Meanwhile, Donald Pierce saw the X-Men's withdrawal as an opportunity to impersonate Cyclops and create his own team of X-Men. Pierce manipulated his team into attacking the former New Mutants, but was ultimately unmasked and arrested for his crimes, unfortunately at the cost of Wolf Cub's life.[697]

San Francisco X[]

Dispersed all over the world, the former X-Men enjoyed their precious moments of calm after the storm. When Cyclops and Emma Frost, after a period of vacation in the Savage Land, went to San Francisco to meet other X-Men who had suddenly fallen out of contact, they witnessed odd events happening there. Eventually, they learned Martinique Wyngarde was behind a mental trap that deceived people into thinking they lived in a hippie community. When Cyclops and Frost confronted Wyngarde, they were forced to fight their fellow X-Men, brainwashed by her powers. As the X-Men subdued the villainess, they coincidentally rescued the mayor of the city, Sadie Sinclair, who offered the X-Men a safe haven in San Francisco. Cyclops then contacted Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Colossus, who had just fought Omega Red and the Red Room in Russia, to join them.[698]

Scott Summers (Earth-616) and Emma Frost (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 500 001

Cyclops offers asylum to all mutants in San Francisco

On the outskirts of the city, the X-Men reestablished and built the X-Center, funded by Angel's Mutantes Sans Frontières and politically promoted by Mayor Sinclair. In San Francisco, the X-Men experienced far greater local acceptance and veneration than they were used to. Under this new status quo, the team investigated an art installation where Sentinels were exhibited for mutant affectionate admirers. Unexpectedly, the X-Men were intercepted by an artificially repowered Magneto, a mere distraction to allow the High Evolutionary to access the Dreaming Celestial without the X-Men's interference. After Magneto and the Evolutionary vanished, Emma Frost helped Cyclops sent a telepathic message to all mutants around the world stating that they now had a place they could call home in San Francisco, reviving the X-Men and Xavier's dream once again.[699]

New Mutants (Forge) (Earth-616) from Astonishing X-Men Vol 3 30 001

An insane Forge tries to create new mutants

Collaborating with the SFPD and with Abigail Brand, the X-Men investigated bizarre mutant-related murders.[700] Their inspection led them to places such as Chaparanga Beach and the Chinese hidden mutant city of Tian, where they learned both about the existence of inter-dimensional portals known as Ghost Boxes and of fabricated artificial mutants.[701] The X-Men found out Forge, left insane after Bishop's attack and now based at Wundagore Mountain, was behind the bizarre series of events.[702] With S.W.O.R.D.'s assistance, the X-Men defeated Forge, his artificial mutants and his dangerous Ghost Boxes.[703] Next, the X-Men teamed up with Brand's S.W.O.R.D. again to ward off a deformed madman known as Kaga, who made attacks on the X-Men weaponizing deceased mutants and the Brood as organic Sentinels.[704] Later on, the X-Men traveled to the village of Karere in Mbangawi, where mutant births were reported. The children were revealed to actually be Warpies, who emerged due to the presence of an alternate Jim Jaspers. Jaspers was followed by Furies from his reality. Helped by Doctor Crocodile, the X-Men expelled the Furies back to their realities, while Jaspers was murdered by Doctor Crocodile, ceasing his warping effects on the newborns.[705]

Though the X-Men benefited from the public acceptance in general – something exemplified by their efforts to save San Francisco from the Skrull invasion –,[706] they still struggled with anti-mutant hate. After Pixie was brutalized by the Hellfire Cult, the X-Men, having Karma as their latest addition, fought back.[61] They learned that former Hellion Empath led the Hellfire Cult,[707] detaining him after Pixie dealt the ultimate blow against her aggressor. With the threat averted, Pixie joined the X-Men.[708]

Emma Frost (Earth-616) and Sebastian Shaw (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Annual Vol 2 2 001

Emma Frost captures Sebastian Shaw

After the Skrull invasion of Earth, Norman Osborn was granted full control over S.H.I.E.L.D. and the government's superhuman programs. He invited Emma Frost to join his Cabal and represent mutants in his dark schemes.[709] Frost found in Namor, the Sub-Mariner, an ally inside Osborn's Cabal. With his help, she captured Sebastian Shaw, although Namor believed Shaw to have perished, actually a ruse orchestrated by Frost. Cyclops' and Frost's secrets, about the X-Force and the Cabal, proved to damage their relationship.[710] In San Francisco, Frost assisted Colossus in battling a ghost from his past, the Tattooed Man. Meanwhile, Beast followed his own agenda, recruiting Doctor Nemesis, Madison Jeffries, Dr. Yuriko Takiguchi, and Dr. Kavita Rao for his own X-Men science team, the X-Club, to research ways of reverting M-Day.[711]

Meanwhile, the X-Men were unexpectedly attacked by Madelyne Pryor and her Sisterhood. Pryor was behind the Hellfire Cult and targeted the X-Men both in seek of revenge for being abandoned and of being completely resurrected in a physical body. She retrieved Psylocke from the multiverse, resurrecting her as a test for Pryor's own resurrection ritual.[49] Brainwashed by Pryor, Psylocke assisted the Sisterhood in infiltrating the X-Center and retrieving a beacon for Jean Grey's body.[712] On the ruins of the X-Mansion, with the help of Domino, the X-Men tricked Pryor into being disincorporated. In San Francisco, Psylocke overcame her brainwashing and rejoined the X-Men.[713]

Feeling the presence of her Soulsword within the X-Man Nightcrawler, Illyana Rasputin invaded the X-Center from Limbo with hopes of recovering part of her soul.[714] While Illyana was successful in retrieving her Soulsword from the X-Men, Belasco's daughter, Witchfire, seized control of Limbo intending to liberate the Elder Gods from their enclosure.[715] Cyclops dispatched an X-Men team led by Colossus to bring Illyana back. On Limbo, most of the X-Men were controlled by Witchfire.[716] Joining forces with the X-Men, Illyana reconquered her rule over Limbo as Witchfire escaped.[717] As Magik, Illyana assembled her former teammates from the New Mutants, Cannonball, Sunspot, and Magma as a new group of X-Men to save Karma and Dani Moonstar, who also joined the team. Karma and Moonstar had been subdued by a recently resurrected Legion, who was ultimately defeated and captured by the X-Men.[718]

Utopia, the Mutant Nation[]

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Osborn's X-Men

Simon Trask, leader of the Humanity Now! coalition, leaked to the press the involvement of mutants in the Cooperstown massacre, inciting an anti-mutant sentiment against the X-Men.[719] With the Proposition X act, he tried regulate mutant births in San Francisco.[110] When Humanity Now! went on a march for their proposition, they were met by the mutant community led by Beast in San Francisco. The city erupted into a riot, and some mutants, including Beast, were arrested by the SFPD. Cyclops' X-Men and Norman Osborn's Avengers intervened in the violent protests. As the two groups clashed, Osborn revealed to the media he was backed by Professor Charles Xavier, who was secretly Mystique in disguise. Cyclops and his X-Men retreated back to the X-Center, while, on the Alcatraz Prison, Beast learned Xavier's true condition as Osborn's prisoner.[101] Amidst this incident, Cyclops welcomed Rogue back to the X-Men, though she came in the unwelcome company of Gambit and Danger. Rogue and her allies were tasked with protecting civilian lives in San Francisco, being assisted by Ariel under Cyclops' orders to fight Osborn's Avengers.[720] Osborn dispatched a seemingly traitorous Frost, now in charge of his own team of Osborn-approved X-Men, to control the mutant rioters, led by Frost's former student, Hellion.[721]

With the rioters arrested, Frost learned that Beast and Xavier were being tortured by Dark Beast, who, under Osborn's orders, used the Omega Machine to boost Omega's powers. In addition to this, another threat came in the form of Trask, who had infected the Humanity Now! coalition members, transforming them into biomechanical sentinels.[722] Trask's human sentinels found themselves in direct conflict with Osborn's X-Men. Meanwhile, Cyclops sent the X-Club to assess the remains of Asteroid M, which had crashed in the San Francisco Bay.[723] As Wolverine and his X-Force freed the prisoners on Alcatraz, Frost revealed her true allegiances to Cyclops' X-Men, bringing Namor with her. With the ruins of Asteroid M revitalized by the X-Club, Cyclops relocated the X-Men to the newly christened Utopia, declaring it sovereign territory outside of Osborn's jurisdiction[44] Betrayed by Frost and Namor, Osborn led his Avengers to Utopia. Cyclops, backed by a massive gathering of mutants, was successful in fending Osborn off, though at the cost of Frost's mind being infected by the Void after she mentally attacked the Avenger Sentry, permanently trapping her in her diamond form.[724]

X-Men (Earth-616) and Dark Avengers (Earth-616) from Dark Avengers Uncanny X-Men Exodus Vol 1 1 001

The X-Men drive Osborn's Avengers out of Utopia

Though free from Osborn, the X-Men immediately faced unfortunate surprises, such as the sudden death of Dr. Takiguchi and the arrival of Magneto to his former base.[725] Praising Cyclops for reuniting the mutant race on Utopia following their tragic decimation, Magneto revealed his mutant powers had been restored with the help of the High Evolutionary and offered his assistance to the X-Men.[726][92] Though suspicious, the X-Men had no choice but to accept Magneto back into their ranks when the ex-Marauder Scalphunter, blackmailed by the villain Lobe, unleashed from a plane a macabre cargo: a pack of Predators X. With Magneto's help, the X-Men destroyed the Predators X and incarcerated Scalphunter on Utopia.[37] Meanwhile, one of the X-Men's young protégés, Bling!, was kidnapped from Utopia by Emplate. Rogue, after defeating the villain and recuing Bling!, decided to act as a guide for the youngest generation of X-Men.[109][727]

Genosha and X-Force (Strike Team) (Earth-616) from X-Force Vol 3 24 001

Selene raises an army of undead mutants on Genosha

Utopia was suddenly attacked by a horde of undead mutants, many of them being former allies or foes of the X-Men. Selene was behind the bizarre resurrections using the Transmode Virus, as part of a ritual to channel the souls of deceased mutants to empower her to godhood. She led her Inner Circle to Genosha in order to raise millions of mutants from dead and place them under her control. On Utopia, the deceased member of the New Mutants, Cypher, alongside the original Hellions, managed to break the island's defenses and allow the invasion of Selene's lackeys. Meanwhile, Blindfold was alerted by a resurrected Destiny about a dire situation on Muir Island.[728] Cyclops dispatched a team led by Nightcrawler to Muir Island, comprising Rogue, Magneto, Psylocke, Colossus, Husk, Trance and Blindfold. When Destiny was finally found, the X-Men learned she had been tricked by a resurrected Proteus, who was hidden inside her body.[729] Since most of the X-Men were possessed by Proteus, Rogue and Magneto had to combat their own teammates. As Rogue freed her friends from Proteus' control, Magneto succeeded in destroying him.[730]

On Utopia, Cypher personally attacked his former teammates, brutally maiming Magma. Unexpectedly, however, he came into contact with Warlock, who disrupted Selene's influence.[731] Before Cypher could totally break free from his brainwashing, the Hellions captured him.[732] After defeating them, Magik purged Cypher from his infection using her Soulsword.[45] Both Cypher and Warlock joined Cannonball's X-Men squad.[88] As soon as the X-Men realized millions of Genoshan mutants had been resurrected,[733] Selene and her Inner Circle attacked Utopia personally, killing some of its residents and capturing Warpath.[734] X-Force followed Selene to Genosha, now renamed “Necrosha”, where she completed her ritual and ascended as a goddess.[735] Utilizing an Apache ritual to allow X-Force to strike at the all-powerful Selene, Warpath managed to deal the killing blow, saving the world from Selene's evil.[736]

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Beast leaves the X-Men

Following this series of conflicts, the X-Men could finally attend to the Void fragment trapped inside Frost's mind. With Professor X's and Psylocke's help, Cyclops and Frost destroyed the fragment. Meanwhile, Magneto made a deal with Namor to build a new Atlantean city underneath Utopia, providing it support in order to prevent it from sinking, as well as securing a mutually beneficial alliance with Atlantis. Unable to adjust to life on Utopia under Cyclops' command after being tortured, and realizing Magneto was gaining influence on the island, Beast decided to leave the X-Men.[737]

As Cyclops learned about the existence of a surviving Predator X in New York City, a team went to investigate.[50] Joined by Fantomex and his partner E.V.A., the X-Men found out Lobe and his New U-Men were the schemers behind the Predator X attack on Utopia. Though Lobe escaped, the X-Men learned of his ties with John Sublime.[738] Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Magneto realized Cyclops and the X-Men still did not trust him. To remedy that, he used his magnetic powers to rescue Kitty Pryde from the Breakworld's giant bullet, dragging it back to Earth, leaving Magneto comatose from the effort. However, as she returned, Pryde was trapped in her intangible form and was kept in a containment cell.[739]

The Return of Hope[]

Nathan Summers (Earth-616) and Hope Summers (Earth-616) from X-Men Second Coming Vol 1 1 001

Cable and Hope return to the present

Cable and the first mutant born after M-Day, now a teenage girl called Hope, finally managed to return to the present. As they arrived at the ruins of the X-Mansion, they were immediately attacked by the Right, under orders of Bastion's Human Council. As Cerebra registered Cable's signature, Cyclops led his alpha team of X-Men to assist him. The X-Men arrived just in time to confront the Sapien League, who were also after Cable and Hope under Bastion's orders. The brutality shown by Wolverine, X-23 and Archangel when dealing with the Sapiens League compromised X-Force's secret existence to the other X-Men.[85]

Even with the X-Men's trust of Cyclops shaken by this revelation, he managed to get them to agree to table their anger and coordinated several missions to ensure Hope's survival. He sent Cannonball's team to deal with Cameron Hodge. Meanwhile, the alpha team of X-Men found Cable and Hope hiding in a motel, now the target of William Stryker's Purifiers.[740] Once again, Cable and Hope managed to escape their assailants. The X-Men lost their teleporter Magik when the Purifiers successfully banished her to Limbo. The Purifiers were then obliterated by Archangel. Meanwhile, Cannonball's team were dealt a brutal defeat by Hodge.[741] Their survival was only possible due to Warlock killing Hodge and several members of the Right. To pursue Cable, the X-Men alpha team was joined by Rogue and Ariel. At the cost of Ariel's life, Cable and Hope met the X-Men. Escorted by Rogue and Nightcrawler, Hope started a journey across the country to reach Utopia as the rest of the X-Men and Cable fought the Human Council forces.[742] In Las Vegas, the trio of runaways were met by Bastion himself, who knocked Rogue out and fatally wounded Nightcrawler. Just before succumbing to his injuries, Nightcrawler teleported Hope to Utopia.[743]

Kurt Wagner (Earth-616) from X-Force Vol 3 26 0001

Nightcrawler sacrifices himself to ensure Hope's survival

In order to rescue Magik, Cannonball led a team to Limbo, transported by Pixie. On Utopia, the X-Men mourned Nightcrawler while preparing to face Bastion.[744] The X-Men's last teleporter, Vanisher, was unexpectedly assassinated by Stephen Lang. Meanwhile, Donald Pierce, who had infiltrated Utopia, destroyed the X-Men's Blackbirds. With no teleporters or vehicles, the X-Men were trapped on Utopia.[745] Using a series of towers around Utopia, Bastion cast an energy dome to prevent the X-Men from leaving the San Francisco Bay. On the Golden Gate, Bastion opened a dimensional portal from the future, allowing Nimrod Sentinels access to the present.[746] Thousands of Nimrods coming out of the portal proved to be unbeatable adversaries. Using Cable's time-travel technology, Cyclops decided to send X-Force to the future to destroy the Nimrod factory, knowing this would be a one-way trip.[747]

Hope Summers (Earth-616), Phoenix Force (Earth-616), and Sebastion Gilberti (Earth-616) from X-Force Vol 3 28 001

Hope destroys Bastion

As the X-Men struggled to contain the Nimrods, Cyclops asked Professor X to work with Legion to help.[748] As Legion kept the Nimrods at bay with his vast powers, X-Force reached the Master Mold responsible for creating the Nimrods in the future.[749] The X-Men were then joined by a recovered Magneto in fending the Nimrods off. As Cypher deactivated the Master Mold, the Nimrods stopped their invasion. However, X-Force had no way back to the present. As Cable allowed his body to be taken by the Techno-Organic Virus, he was able to transport X-Force through Bastion's portal.[750] At the cost of his own life, Cable saved X-Force. Tragically, the X-Men still had to fight a final foe, Bastion himself. Tormented by the death of the man who raised her, Hope's mutant gift finally activated in earnest, allowing her to mimic the powers of all the X-Men present which she used to disintegrate Bastion and his dome.[751] In Limbo, Cannonball's team rescued Magik, having to oppose N'astirh and a corrupted Gambit in the process.[752] Following Cable's funeral, the world would change drastically for the X-Men. Wolverine decided to keep X-Force operating secretly, despite Cyclops' orders to cease operations. X-23 left the X-Men and Utopia, being mentored by Gambit in her solo adventures. Beast also left again after briefly returning due to Nightcrawler's funeral. And, most crucially, with the return of Hope, five new mutants were registered on Cerebra.[753] With the help of the X-Men, Hope raced around the world to recruit the recently emerged mutants. Under her direction, the new group trained as a rescue team for eventual new mutant manifestations.[754][755]

Heroic Age[]

Experiencing hope for the future of their race, the X-Men embarked on different superhero activities. One of their missions involved Dracula's son, Xarus, who aimed to use the mutants of Utopia as an asset to seize control of all vampires of the world. Intending to subvert Wolverine to his cause, Xarus infected Jubilee. When Wolverine went to her rescue, he was also transformed into a vampire. Wolverine's transformation was ultimately proven to be a ruse planned by Cyclops, who also had resurrected Dracula to act as extra insurance. With Blade's assistance and having Dracula as a tentative ally, the X-Men dethroned Xarus and freed San Francisco from the vampires.[756] Though free from his brainwashing, Jubilee remained a vampire, and received aid from the X-Men in controlling her hunger.[757] Soon after, following the reports of several missing teenagers in New York City, Cyclops sent a team to investigate. In the sewers, the group found many lizard-like creatures. Teaming up with Spider-Man, they learned Dark Beast was behind the kidnappings by manipulating the Lizard's DNA. With Emma Frost and Spider-Man immune from the effect of his experiments, Dark Beast was defeated.[758]

X-Perience, X-Men (Lobe) (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 533 001

Lobe capitalizes on the X-Men using the Xperience drug

After Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde and Fantomex left Utopia to dispose of Sebastian Shaw in order to prevent Namor from learning about him being alive, Utopia suffered from an HX-N1 epidemy, a virus targeting only mutants, orchestrated by Lobe. Angel gathered a team to publicly act in San Francisco and improve mutant popularity, while most of the X-Men were quarantined in Utopia. Meanwhile, Lobe dispatched his own fabricated team of X-Men, empowered by the Xperience drug.[759] Angel's group, assisted by Kate Kildare as their public relations representative, performed heroic activities in San Francisco, battling the Collective Man, who attempted to seize control of San Francisco's crime scene.[760] Angel's team ultimately got into direct conflict with Lobe's X-Men during a fight against the Collective Man and easily managed to defeat and capture the impostors.[761] Realizing Lobe was trying to capitalize on the X-Men's public image, Cyclops decided to break the quarantine.[762] When the X-Men infected Lobe and his partners with HX-N1, he had no option but to deactivate the artificial virus. Meanwhile, as Frost, Pryde and Fantomex battled Sebastian Shaw, Frost decided to erase his memory and set him loose instead of killing him.[763]

On Utopia, the X-Men learned more about their past after being attacked by the Evolutionaries, who wished to test mutankind as a species.[764][765] On Mumbai, when visiting Indra's family, Rogue, accompanied by Magneto and a small band of young X-Men, once again crossed paths with the Children of the Vault, who put her on trial for Sangre's death during their original encounter.[766] The X-Men were successful in defeating both of these threats. Unfortunately, when they turned their attention to rebuild San Francisco after Bastion's attack, Karima Shapandar's original Omega Sentinel programming was reactivated in the presence of Hope. Involuntarily, Shapandar attacked the X-Men, but was put out of action by Hellion.[767]

Legion, the God-Mutant[]

When Pixie was kidnapped by Project Purgatory operatives[768] Magik led Cannonball's X-Men team to Limbo to prevent them from releasing Limbo's Elder Gods. There, the group was attacked and defeated by the Inferno Babies they had rescued from S'ym years before.[769] Magik and Karma were able to escape from Limbo,[770] leading Magik to explain why she returned to the X-Men and formed her new group.[771] It was revealed that Magik had orchestrated Legion's return and the release of the Elder Gods, which would allow her to recover her soul and eliminate her oppressors. Magik led an army of X-Men to Limbo to combat the Elder Gods, secretly setting Legion free, in his “God-Mutant” personality, amidst the fight. Legion erased the Elder Gods from existence, and Magik recovered her soul.[772] As a consequence of her dangerous behavior, Magik was incarcerated by the X-Men.[773]

Age of X Alpha Vol 1 1 Coipel Wraparound Variant Textless

Legion transforms Utopia into the Fortress X

In an attempt to gain control over his fractured psyche, Legion submitted to a radical new treatment devised by Doctor Nemesis; direct erasure of his alternate personalities. While seemingly working at first, the treatment proved subconsciously traumatic and Legion's mind unconsciously created a new personality to act as a sort of "anti-body". When confronted by Xavier, this personality masqueraded as Moira and created a new reality re-creating Utopia as Fortress X, where the Mutant Resistance, under Magneto's rule, constantly under siege by the forces of the Human Coalition.[774] In this pocket reality, Legion was a renowned super-hero, part of the Force Warriors, responsible for keeping the Fortress X's telekinetic barriers up. However, when Kitty Pryde was found trying to cross the barrier, Legacy (Fortress X's version of Rogue) started to question the integrity of Fortress X.[775][776] With Gambit's help, Legacy escaped from Moonstar Cadre and Magneto, after being accused of treason.[777][778] Legacy's and Gambit's investigation led them to free Professor Xavier from the Fortress Brig, allowing him to reveal the true origin of that world to all mutants,[779] who ultimately joined forces to defeat Legion's rogue personality. Legion managed to reabsorb his Moira personality and returned Utopia to its former form. However, many of its residents were permanently scarred by their experience on Fortress X.[776]

Legion's fake reality had several consequences on the X-Men. Though Emma Frost and the Stepford sisters offered to suppress the Utopians' memories of Fortress X in the aftermath of the crisis, some mutants, such as Frenzy, refused the offer. Having been a hero and married to Cyclops in this new reality, Frenzy did not wish to return to her old life and decided to join the X-Men.[780] Another consequence was the escape of some of Legion's personalities to the real world. Legion joined the X-Men and the group managed to recapture the errant personalities.[781] Another consequence was a telepathic call for help sent by Rachel Grey that got distorted in the Fortress X as Revenant.[63] Rogue, using one of Legion's powers, teleported a small group of X-Men across the galaxy in order to rescue Rachel Grey and the other Starjammers. After a conflict with the Grad Nan Holt, the X-Men successfully returned home with Polaris, Rachel Grey and Havok.[782]

Schism & Regenesis[]

After Mentallo manipulated Roxxon to seize control of the monster population from the Monster Isle, the X-Men had to unexpectedly defend Tokyo from monsters during Armor's mother's and brother's funeral.[783] The X-Men followed Mentallo's trail to the Monster Isle,[784] where he was defeated.[785] Concurrently, Kitty Pryde, Colossus and Storm were recruited by her friends from S.W.O.R.D. – Beast and Lockheed, led by Abigail Brand – to rescue them from a spatial research center invaded by the Brood.[786] During the mission, the X-Men learned about the existence of a benevolent Broodling,[787] who was fundamental to help the X-Men save themselves and their allies.[788]

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 534

Magneto is an X-Man

With Kate Kildare officially invited by Cyclops to act as the X-Men's superhuman public relations, her first task, among many, was to take care about Magneto's recent return to the team.[789] Soon after, the X-Men were contacted by Abigail Brand concerning the arrival of a fleet of refugees from the Breakworld to Earth led by Krunn, who asked Colossus for asylum.[790] The X-Men welcomed the aliens to Utopia, where Kruun revealed his actual intentions on the first night. Using a temporary version of Kavita Rao's mutant cure, he incapacitated some of the X-Men.[791] Kruun's beloved, Haleena, in order to stop him, sacrificed and resurrected Kitty Pryde, performing the same ritual that brought Colossus back to life in the past.[792] No longer trapped in her intangible state, Pryde managed to recruit other X-Men to defeat Kruun. Realizing the tragedy he caused to Haleena, Kruun surrendered. The refugees from the Breakworld were reallocated to San Francisco.[793]

Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 543 Textless

Colossus becomes the new Juggernaut

When the God of Fear sought revenge against his brother, the All-Father Odin, some superhumans were, against their wills, recruited to his cause. Among his minions was Juggernaut, now possessed by Kuurth, the Breaker of Stone.[794] More unstoppable than ever, Juggernaut marched to San Francisco, leaving a destructive path as he walked, leading the X-Men to respond to Mayor Sinclair's request for help.[795] As the X-Men failed in her first attempt to stop the unstoppable, Juggernaut's herald proposed an ultimatum to Cyclops and Sinclair: to destroy each other in order to save themselves. Meanwhile, Emma Frost, was telepathically infected by Juggernaut's rage on Utopia.[796] Cyclops deployed his X-Men in numerous different plans. All of them failed but one, involving Magik, who teleported herself, Colossus and Kitty Pryde to the Crimson Cosmos and told Cyttorak that his avatar started to venerate a different god. Enraged, Cyttorak offered Magik to be his new Juggernaut, but Colossus took the offer instead.[797] Imbued with the Juggernaut's powers, Colossus defeated Kuurth and saved both Utopia and San Francisco. However, Cyclops' relationship with Mayor Sinclair was damaged as both sides considered the possibility of destroying each other. On Utopia, Emma Frost was released from the Juggernaut's influence by Namor before she could harm Hope Summers, which fragilized her relationship with Cyclops.[798]

X-Men Schism Vol 1 4 Textless

Cyclops and Wolverine cross a line between the X-Men

The future of the X-Men was tragically altered when they found an unexpected enemy in the form of Kade Kilgore, the 12-year-old heir of Kilgore Arms, a billionaire weapon manufacturer empire.[799] Kilgore regarded the business of hunting and killing mutants as a very lucrative activity. To increase anti-mutant sentiment, Kilgore recovered Quentin Quire's from his stasis and set him free upon the world. When Cyclops and Wolverine attended an international arms conference, speaking in the name of Utopia in order to prevent mutants from being persecuted, Quire committed a psychic terrorist attack, causing several nations all over the world to activate their Sentinels. Successful in his plan, Kade Kilgore was crowned the new Black King of the Hellfire Club.[800] Following this simultaneous activation of several sentinels, Cyclops dispatched several teams to protect humans from being harmed by malfunctioning machines. Meanwhile, Mayor Sinclair expedited the grand opening of the Mutant History Museum to improve the X-Men's reputation. While Cyclops kept coordinating his missions on Utopia, Emma Frost was sent with the most powerful X-Men to the opening alongside some students.[801] Kilgore's Hellfire Club took this opportunity to set a bomb during the opening. Despite Wolverine's objections, Cyclops ordered one of the youngest X-Men students, Idie Okonkwo, to stop the Hellfire Club henchmen by any means, which led to their deaths.[802] As the bomb went off, a gigantic Sentinel was created and marched to a defenseless Utopia. As Utopia counted only with the power of teenagers, Cyclops decided to stay and protect the island, while Wolverine wished to evacuate it. The debate escalated into a brutal fight between the two X-Men.[803] Ultimately, as the Sentinel arrived at Utopia, the students chose to stay and managed to destroy it. Their difference, however, ended up being more than could be reconciled. Wolverine decided to leave with other X-Men and students to resettle the institute in Westchester.[804] Because of the schism, each resident on Utopia was forced to choose to remain with Cyclops or go back to the mutant school with Wolverine.[805]

Regenesis: Utopia[]

X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 2 3 001

Cyclops presents the X-Men as the most dangerous group on Earth while standing up to the Celestials

With Utopia relatively more vulnerable after the schism, the recently self-resurrected Mister Sinister turned his attentions to Cyclops' faction of X-Men.[806] Cyclops reformulated his division of the X-Men as the radical Extinction Team, comprising the most powerful mutants in the world. Mister Sinister tampered with the powers of the Dreaming Celestial to generate a “sinister” fair made up of copies of himself. With the Dreaming Celestial harmed, the X-Men had to deal not only with Sinister's clones but also with the upcoming arrival of Celestials to Earth. The Extinction Team was successful in defeating Sinister, which led the Dreaming Celestial to vouch for them due to their help. The Celestials left the planet and the X-Men's might was proved to the public.[807]

The Extinction Team was then alerted by Psylocke about the existence of the Tabula Rasa, a land that had been progressed millennia in a short time span, effectively becoming alien as a consequence of the actions of the secret X-Force squad. The Tabula Rasa environment was under threat after its exposition. After allying themselves with the Savage to defeat the Immortal Man, the X-Men guaranteed that both Tabula Rasa and the adjacent areas were secure.[808]

Uncanny X-Men Vol 2 9 Textless

The Avengers and the X-Men team up to fight alien fugitives

After the alien prisoners kept by S.W.O.R.D. broke free on Earth, Abigail Brand enlisted the Extinction Team to recapture the most dangerous criminals in the universe. During their mission, the X-Men teamed up with the Avengers. Among the adversaries was the robot known as Unit, who directly approached Hope. Cyclops decided to abandon his main mission in order to save Hope. Though successful in saving Hope, the X-Men were criticized by Captain America for their desertion, a disagreement that would escalate in the near future. After the conflict, Unit was locked on Utopia by Brand's, something that allowed him to manipulate the Extinction Team from within, especially Danger and Hope.[809]

Meanwhile, Cyclops tasked Psylocke to be in charge of a reconnaissance squad, a security group actually led by Storm. The team dismantled a Sentinel operation in Puternicstan with the help of War Machine,[810] rescued Jubilee and the Forgiven from bounty hunters,[811] and confronted a faction of Skrulls alongside Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four.[812] Storm started to guide her team outside Cyclops' authority, especially after learning about the existence of the Proto-Mutants, an ancient race of super-humans who had been cloned and manipulated by David Gray. With Sabra's help, Storm's team located the last proto-human alive, but Storm's independent actions caused Colossus to disapprove her methods, leading to a fight between the two long-time friends.[813]

Regenesis: Westchester[]

Jean Grey School for Higher Learning from Wolverine & the X-Men Vol 1 3 page --

The Jean Grey School staff and students resist the Hellfire Club

In Westchester, Wolverine founded the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, that was built and managed with the help of Kitty Pryde, Beast, Iceman, Rachel Grey, Husk and even Toad (as a janitor). The school also had massive technological support from the Shi'ar Majestor Kallark, under the condition that Prince Kubark enrolled at the school. Kubark was accompanied by a Shi'ar Warbird. On their school's first day, when being evaluated by the New York State Department of Education, they were attacked by the Kilgore's Hellfire Club, since the school represented an unexpected factor in Kilgore's plans. The school was attacked in a variety of ways: a Krakoa (which the school had been built upon) tried to demolish the estate; an army of Frankenstein monsters invaded the school; and the state inspectors were transformed into a Wendigo and a Sauron. They were saved by none other than Quentin Quire, who, being kept in the school against his will, telepathically accessed the Krakoa's mind. Having been tortured his whole life by the Hellfire Club, Krakoa had his first friendly interaction with Quire's telepathic contact. Revealing to be a mutant, Krakoa let his guard down, apologizing and hoping to become an X-Man, effectively becoming the school's grounds. With their plans ruined, the Hellfire Club fled. Kade Kilgore was later served papers by Matt Murdock, having been sued by Wolverine for the damage he caused.[814]

However, the school still faced financial problems. In order to solve them, Wolverine and Quire traveled to Planet Sin, using Quire's telepathy to gamble. At the school, Kitty Pryde experienced an apparent pregnancy. Soon, Beast discovered she had been infected by microscopic Brood, a ploy orchestrated by xenobiologist Dr. Xanto Starblood to approach the benevolent Broo, who had enrolled in the Jean Grey School. The X-Men destroyed the Brood, while Broo himself knocked Starblood out. On Planet Sin, Wolverine and Quire failed in their attempt of cheating, which costed Wolverine's legs, that were deformed by a matter transmuter.[815] Wolverine's legs were cured after some of his students, guided by Angel's and Genesis' intentions, traveled to Planet Sin and retrieved the matter transmuter to Earth in order to help their teacher. Meanwhile, on the S.W.O.R.D. space station, Beast fought Sabretooth, the newest employee of the Hellfire Club.[816]

Other X-Men, who acted as teachers at the Jean Grey School, faced parallel problems. Rogue joined other teachers and some students to confront Exodus, who believed the X-Men schism to be a mistake and attempted to rejoin the X-Men factions using his force.[817] Later, Rogue also helped the former members of Osborn's X-Men, Mimic and Omega, when Omega's powers went out of control.[818]

Astonishing X-Men Vol 3 51 Wraparound Textless

The Wedding of Northstar

Meanwhile, some of the X-Men also had problems apart from the Jean Grey School. When a new group of Marauders, controlled by the mysterious Susan Hatchi, made their move against the X-Men, a new unexpected group was assembled, formed by Northstar, Wolverine, Iceman, Gambit, Cecilia Reyes, Karma, and Warbird. Hatchi was revealed to be Karma's missing half-sister and, in seek of revenge and power, planned to take control of Madripoor by manipulating her sister and her friends. The X-Men eventually defeated her. Around this period, the X-Men were present during Northstar's wedding with Kyle Jinadu.[819] This group of X-Men stuck together in different adventures, such as helping Warbird investigate the past of an alien race known as the Fianden[820] and preventing Iceman from being corrupted by a Death Seed and freezing the whole world.[821]

Avengers vs. X-Men[]

Steven Rogers (Earth-616) Scott Summers (Earth-616) Avengers vs

The first blow is struck.

When a new Nova crashed in New York, he alerted the Avengers with a cryptic warning: "it's coming". His uniform carried the energy signature of the Phoenix. Simultaneously, the X-Men noticed flaring up with the power of the Phoenix during a training session, which the Avengers also detected. Supported by Wolverine and knowing about Hope, Captain America arrived on Utopia with the intent of taking Hope into protective custody. Cyclops, convinced that the coming of the Phoenix could herald the rebirth of mutantkind as a species, refused Captain America, who feared the possibility of Earth's destruction. As Cyclops struck the first blast at Captain America, the Avengers assembled and began an invasion of Utopia.[822][823] Amidst the combat between Avengers and the X-Men, Hope fled from Utopia.[824] Cyclops feigned a surrender to the Avengers, teleporting out of Utopia with several powerful X-Men and gaining a head start in the search for Hope. During the quest for Hope, Wolverine and Captain America had a violent conflict, which forced Wolverine to search her by himself.[825]

Avengers vs

The hosts of the Phoenix Force

Many members of the Jean Grey School joined the X-Men in their war against the Avengers. Since Hope had scattered her signal to several places at once, several teams of X-Men traveled around the world to find her, facing Avengers on Wakanda, Tabula Rasa, Latveria, the Wundagore Mountain, and the Savage Land. On the South Pole, Wolverine was ultimately contacted by Hope herself, who asked him a chance to control the Phoenix. Meanwhile, the Phoenix situation caught the attention of the Shi'ar Majestor, who, fearing for the safety of his heir, sent the Shi'ar Death Commandos to target Hope, who in turn managed to overpower the mercenaries thanks to her new power levels. Hope and Wolverine invaded an A.I.M. facility and flew to the Blue Area of the Moon, in order to prevent the Phoenix from reaching Earth. There, it was revealed Wolverine had announced their location to the Avengers, who waited for them on their destination. Almost immediately, the group was intercepted by the X-Men.[826][827][828] As the Avengers' attempt at destroying the Phoenix on space failed,[829] a badly injured Thor crashed onto the Moon, followed by the Phoenix. The Avengers and X-Men descended into a brawl as the power of the Phoenix increased within Hope and she found herself unable to control it. Desperate, she asked Wolverine to kill her, although Cyclops prevented him from doing so. Iron Man used a special suit to try to destroy the Phoenix, but he only managed to splinter it, causing it to take the five X-Men present as hosts: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik.[830]

The five Phoenixes returned to Utopia, reuniting mutantkind and providing resources to improve the world by stopping wars, destroying weapons and providing free food, water, and energy around the globe. Unsatisfied with the potential of the Phoenix for evil, the Avengers continued to be an opposing force, attempting to kidnap Hope from Utopia. The Avengers were successful in their mission due to the Scarlet Witch's intervention.[831] Around this period, the X-Men successfully defeated the Shi'ar army and Majestor Kallark[832] and obliterated the Hellfire Club's Sentinel factories, forcing their members to be arrested.[799] At the same time, the X-Men decided to put the Phoenix's power to destroy Mister Sinister for good. Arriving at Sinister London, the X-Men made their move. Sinister had predicted their actions and planned to siphon the Phoenix Force into some Madelyne Pryor's clones he had manufactured to remodel the world under his image. Though the villain was apparently successful at first, the Phoenix Force proved to be too unpredictable for his calculations and obliterated his plans and his life.[833]

Namor McKenzie (Earth-616) from Avengers vs

Namor floods Wakanda

The X-Men then turned their attention into incapacitating the Avengers, shutting down their operations and capturing their members. When the Avengers kidnapped the mutant Transonic during a conflict between the X-Men and the Scarlet Witch, Namor was convinced by Emma Frost to attack the Avengers in their current base, Wakanda.[834] Namor and his Atlantean army flooded Wakanda, as some Avengers escaped to K'un-Lun with Hope. The Avengers narrowly managed to defeat Namor, at the cost of great damage to themselves and Wakanda. With Namor defeated, his portion of the Phoenix Force was bequeathed to the other four hosts.[835] Having even more power to control, the Phoenixes acted erratically and showed signs of losing control. Moreover, with the fall of Wakanda, Storm's marriage to Black Panther was annulled. These events led the X-Men to question the integrity of the Phoenix and many of their members abandoned Utopia. As the Avengers staged a prison breakout for their fellows, Colossus and Magik lost their portions of the Phoenix after being manipulated by Spider-Man.[836]

In K'un-Lun, Cyclops tried to recapture Hope, but was fended off by Shou-Lao and Hope herself, who managed to nullify his powers and teleport him away to the Moon. On Utopia, Emma Frost ruled the X-Men with an iron fist, threatening those whose thoughts displeased her, prompting more mutants to leave Utopia. Several X-Men then teamed up with the Avengers after realizing that Cyclops and Frost had completely lost control. Together they attacked Cyclops and Frost and gained the upper hand until Cyclops was forced to take the final piece of the Phoenix from Frost, making him the sole host. The complete Phoenix proved too much and finally turned him into Dark Phoenix upon which he killed Professor X, who had attempted to stop him.[837][838]

Charles Xavier (Earth-616) and Scott Summers (Earth-616) from Avengers vs

The death of Charles Xavier

The X-Men and the Avengers combated the destruction the Phoenix produced around Earth. Cyclops, after a brief moment of composure, got rid of the Phoenix with the help of Hope and the Scarlet Witch. Using the Phoenix's powers, Hope restored the devastation caused by Cyclops. Alongside the Scarlet Witch, she decided to dissipate the Phoenix Force, which caused new mutants to manifest all over the world since the M-Day.[839]

Cyclops was brought into custody accepting full responsibility for the tragedy. As he learned that mutantkind had been reborn, he declared that, while he regretted the destruction he caused and the death of Professor Xavier, he would do it all again to save mutantkind. On the other side of the story, Captain America acknowledged the Avengers should have done more to help mutants instead of standing by while the world hated them. This led Captain America to form the Avengers Unity Squad, a team of Avengers led by Cyclops' brother, Havok, in hopes of keeping Charles Xavier's dream of coexistence between mutants and humans alive.[840][841]

After the war, Storm joined the Jean Grey School staff,[842] right after the Hellfire Club secretly settled in Salem Center and gravely wounded the student Broo.[843] One of the Hellfire Club's members, as the last survivor of the Frankenstein family, attracted the attention of the Frankenstein's Monster's Murder Circus of zombies. The Murder Circus brainwashed all adults in Salem Center, including the X-Men, into serving his hunt for the last Frankenstein. Eventually, with the help of their students, the X-Men broke free from the manipulation and foiled the Murder Circus' plans.[844]

The Original Five[]

Scott Summers (Earth-616) from All-New X-Men Vol 1 1 001

Cyclops announces his revolutionary agenda to the world

While Cyclops was initially content to stay in prison fulfilling his intent to become either a martyr or a political prisoner, his opinions soon changed after receiving a visit from a very much alive Mister Sinister[840] and after his fellow mutant inmate Jake was murdered in jail.[845] Cyclops sent a message to Magneto, who executed a prison breakout. Now leading Magneto and Magik, Cyclops vowed to continue fighting to protect mutantkind.[846] In different operations to rescue new mutants in trouble with the authorities -- such as Eva Bell, Christopher Muse and Benjamin Deeds, Cyclops' X-Men offered training and cause, recruiting them to a mutant rebellion, headquartered at the redesigned Weapon X Facility. Unexpectedly, while rescuing Emma Frost, the X-Men learned their powers were malfunctioning.[847]

Henry McCoy (Earth-616) and X-Men (Time-Displaced) (Earth-616) from All-New X-Men Vol 1 2 001

Beast welcomes the Original X-Men to the present

Meanwhile, X-Men at the Jean Grey School foresaw problems in Cyclops' movement. At the same time, Beast began suffering from a further mutation, which could mean his end. Also distressed by Cyclops' extreme stance against anti-mutantism, which could antagonize humanity and threaten the future of mutantkind, Beast traveled back to the time of the original X-Men.[848] He brought the young versions of the X-Men the present after informing them Cyclops had killed Professor Xavier. The time-displaced original X-Men were detained by the present X-Men at the school but ran away to meet the present Cyclops and Magneto.[849]

Following a brief conflict, Cyclops and Magneto were extracted by Magik.[850] Back to the Jean Grey School, the young Beast stabilized his present version's mutation. While many present X-Men, chiefly Wolverine wanted to send the original X-Men back to their time, the group voted on whether to remain or not. With only Angel intending to return, the original X-Men were granted stay in the present under the watchful tutelage of Kitty Pryde.[851] The arrival of the time-displaced X-Men caught the attention and the interest of Mystique, who secretly approached young Cyclops,[852] and of the Avengers, who witnessed Angel in fieldwork.[853]

Cyclops kept his revolutionary agenda, inspiring popular risings and worrying S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Maria Hill. His actions were also seemingly tracked by new Sentinels, under unrevealed orders. After rescuing and recruiting Fabio Medina and combating the Avengers, Cyclops' X-Men visited the Jean Grey School to offer their point of view.[854] Following a conflict between the different factions of the X-Men, the Stepford sisters and the time-displaced Angel decided to follow Cyclops.[855][856]

Ann Arbor from Uncanny X-Men Vol 3 10 001

The X-Men find public support in Cyclops' revolutionary ideas

Concurrently, Mystique made her move to manipulate the future of mutantkind, by reforming a new Brotherhood, with Sabretooth and Lady Mastermind, who assisted her in collecting assets to acquire Madripoor from Hydra leader, the Viper. Mystique's plans were revealed and intercepted by Wolverine and the original X-Men, who had support from the Avengers Unity Squad, though Mystique managed to run free.[857] Cyclops' X-Men had problems of their own when Dormammu attempted to usurp Magik's position as the regent of Limbo. With Dormammu defeated by the X-Men, Magik became Doctor Strange's apprentice.[858] Soon after welcoming David Bond to their initiative, the X-Men entered in direct conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D. and their new liaison, Dazzler, who had captured Fabio Medina. The X-Men were successful to rescue their student but failed in recruiting Dazzler to their cause, which allowed Mystique to kidnap her and replace her as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.[859] As Cyclops' revolutionary ideas became more popular, the X-Men confirmed that a hidden enemy tracked their actions, trying to intercept them with state-of-the-art Sentinels.[860]

Battle of the Atom[]

When Wolverine led a field trip to the Savage Land with his most problematic students, the adventure unfortunately became tragic due to the intervention of Wolverine's time-traveling brother, Dog. The X-Men students proved their worth by defeating Dog and his forces.[861] The X-Men realized that their recent adversaries, such as Mystique, Dr. Starblood and Dog, had been following a common enemy, the Hellfire Club, who were also assisted by a mole. When Husk and Toad were outed as the traitors, they left with Quentin Quire, Idie Okonkwo, and Broo. Okonkwo wished revenge against the Hellfire Club for having hurt Broo, and Quire wanted to guarantee her safety.[862]

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Kade Kilgore makes his move against Wolverine and the X-Men

The Hellfire Club had built a school run by their lackeys, the Hellfire Academy, in an attempt to form mutant supervillains, undermine the human-mutant relations and capitalize on selling Sentinels.[863] With the help of both the Bamfs and Krakoa, the X-Men pinpointed the Hellfire Academy's location to save their missing students, easily overpowering the Hellfire Club, who was already compromised as most of their super-villain staff members abandoned them during the fight.[864]

Around this period, the X-Men also had to fight a new enemy in the form of Arkea, John Sublime's “sister”, who had possessed Karima Shapandar's inactive robotic body. Arkea became a problem to the X-Men after the return of Jubilee, who had run away around the world after saving a baby from a bomb incident and adopting him. In order to expurgate Arkea from Karima's system, Storm formed an all-female squad of X-Men.[865]

When time-displaced Cyclops was gravely injured by a Sentinel in a fight against Animax, the X-Men decided that sending the original X-Men back to the past was an urgent matter. Unexpectedly, when activating the time machine, the X-Men were met by a group of mutants from the future.[866] Claiming to be the X-Men, these time travelers convinced most of the X-Men that bringing the original X-Men to the present had had terrible repercussions to mutant history. However, young Jean Grey, frightened by the mysterious team blocking of her telepathic powers, especially by her future self Xorn, convinced teenage Cyclops to run away with her in order to not be unwillingly sent back to the past.[867] The duo asked Cyclops' outlaw X-Men for help,[868] leading to another confrontation between the two factions of X-Men.[869] Meanwhile, Magik teleported the past versions of Beast and Iceman to the future in order to meet the real X-Men and unmask the interlopers' real identities as the Brotherhood.[870]

Katherine Pryde (Earth-616), James Howlett (Earth-616), Scott Summers (Earth-616) and X-Men (Time-Displaced) (Earth-616) from X-Men Battle of the Atom Vol 1 2 001

Kitty Pryde leaves the Jean Grey School

Reluctantly, the future X-Men went to the present, with the intentions of stopping their time's Brotherhood from causing any more fractures in the space-time continuum.[871] As the future X-Men found assistance in Cyclops' X-Men, the future Brotherhood seized control of the Jean Grey School, incapacitating Wolverine's team.[868] As the Brotherhood attacked the remaining X-Men, they realized the past X-Men could not be sent back to the past for unknown restraints[872] and decided to kidnap the original X-Men and attack Cape Citadel, in order to attract S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention to mutantkind and cause chaos.[873] In a dramatic battle between mutants from the past, the present and the future, many members of the future X-Men and the future Brotherhood were slain, including Xorn, who lost control of her mutant powers and gave both X-Men teams a chance to evacuate. The surviving future X-Men returned to their time, except for Kymera, Storm's daughter, who decided to stay and keep a look out for the Brotherhood in this timeline. Meanwhile, Kitty Pryde, alongside all of the past X-Men, was disappointed in how Wolverine's X-Men reacted to the crisis and departed from the Jean Grey School to join Cyclop's New Charles Xavier School.[874]

The Quest for Nightcrawler[]

Around this period, Wolverine and his X-Men tracked an alternate version of Nightcrawler from the Age of Apocalypse, who had betrayed Wolverine and the X-Force. Nightcrawler, in an attempt to find his way back to his home reality, tampered with the Dreaming Celestial's energies and tore a rift in the very fabric of reality, allowing it to be invaded by the powerful Exterminators. Wolverine's X-Men teamed up with the human X-Terminated and Dazzler's interdimensional X-Men to fend off the Exterminators and the groups found victory after the immense tragedy when Nightcrawler sacrificed himself to seal off the portal and stop the invasion.[875]

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The Amazing Nightcrawler returns

The mystery behind the Bamf infestation at the Jean Grey School turned out to be unexpectedly dangerous after the little creatures built a portal that allowed other Bamfs to kidnap the X-Men, including their new addition Firestar, to an unknown realm.[51] As the X-Men fought demonic pirates in this unknown place, they were assisted by their deceased friend Nightcrawler. It was revealed that Nightcrawler's father, Azazel, had been stealing innocent souls from the afterlife.[876] As Nightcrawler gathered the X-Men, they faced down Azazel and defeated him, allowing Nightcrawler to return to the land of the living with them.[877]

Death of Wolverine[]

After Wolverine went missing, following a distress call sent by Heather Hudson of the Alpha Flight,[878] the X-Men went to Canada to rescue him. There, they witnessed a Wendigo epidemic, with Wolverine being one of its victims.[879] Teaming up with Alpha Flight, the X-Men found a solution by making contact with the Great Beasts in order to restore the balance between the physical and the spiritual world.[880] Using the energies from the Realm of the Beasts, the X-Men ascended to godhood and facilitated Guardian to destroy of the beast Tanaraq, who had caused the problems. With Tanaraq dead, the Wendigo infection was over and Wolverine was able to return home.[881]

James Howlett (Earth-616) and Scott Summers (Earth-616) from Wolverine & the X-Men Vol 1 40 001

Cyclops and Wolverine call a truce against a common enemy

As the Sentinel assaults against the X-Men escalated, Cyclops was forced to declare war against S.H.I.E.L.D.[882] Around this period, he joined forces with Wolverine to deactivate S.H.I.E.L.D.[883] At the same time, while investigating the technology behind the new Sentinels, Cyclops and his X-Men concluded that Beast was probably behind the attacks. Arriving at the Jean Grey School, Cyclops completely lost control over his powers, an extreme symptom of his broken powers, which alerted S.H.I.E.L.D. to his location.[884] After a brief conflict, the two factions of X-Men and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Maria Hill, decided to work together to find the real conspirator. However, Hill's helicarrier was hacked by the secret villain, putting the X-Men in danger.[885] The Helicarrier was ultimately freed by Cyclops' student, Hijack, allowing the X-Men to find and defeat the villain behind the new Sentinels and the X-Men's malfunctioning powers, the Dark Beast, who perished during the battle.[886] Tragically, soon after, Wolverine, who had lost his healing factor, died,[887] making Storm the sole headmistress of the Jean Grey School and leader of the X-Men.[888]

AXIS[]

When the Red Skull, who had been empowered by the telepathic brain of Charles Xavier,[889] established mutant concentration camps on Genosha, he found resistance in the Avengers Unity Squad and in Magneto.[890] However, the confrontation led the nazi villain to ascend as the Red Onslaught and to spread a telepathic hate wave across the globe. The X-Men joined forces with the Avengers to take the Red Onslaught down, but the two teams failed.[891] However, after Magneto assembled a team of supervillains to stop the Red Onslaught, the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom were able to cast an inversion spell to strengthen Charles Xavier's consciousness. As a collateral result, the moral axis of those present in the island was inverted, including the X-Men.[892]

Evan Sabahnur (Earth-616), Ororo Munroe (Earth-616), Alexander Summers (Earth-616) and Scott Summers (Earth-616) from Avengers & X-Men AXIS Vol 1 4 001

The X-Men find a new ideology under Apocalypse: survival of the fittest

The X-Men were led by an inverted Genesis, who adopted Apocalypse as his name, and prepared mutantkind to wage a war against humanity and the Avengers.[7] Apocalypse landed his Ship on Manhattan once again, claiming it as the first prize of his mutant uprising after the X-Men violently defeated the Avengers.[893] The villainous X-Men planned on detonating a gene bomb, developed by the Akkaba Clan, to kill everyone on the Earth who did not carry a mutant gene.[894] However, Magneto's team of villains, who had been turned heroic and were led by Steve Rogers, tried to stop Apocalypse and his X-Men. Though defeated in combat,[895] they managed to prevent the bomb from fulfilling its purpose with Carnage's apparent sacrifice.[896] With humanity safe, the inverted Avengers battled the X-Men. During the fight, a reinversion spell was cast by the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom, with the help of the inverted Red Skull, which restored almost everybody back to normal.[897]

Mutant Revolution[]

Soon after, the X-Men were caught up in a dispute for the legacy of Juggernaut, as a series of super-villains were determined to claim the power of the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak for their own use. Guided by Colossus, the X-Men tried to prevent the rise of a new villainous Juggernaut.[898] As they failed in their attempt, the Living Monolith managed to become the new Juggernaut.[899] Colossus tried to commune with Cyttorak to become his avatar again, but was rejected as the Juggernaut's unstoppable power returned to Cain Marko.[900] Although significantly weaker than the Juggernaut, Colossus managed to defeat him by being elusive, thus saving the X-Men.[901]

At the reading of Charles Xavier's will, the X-Men learned that Cyclops had inherited the Jean Grey School. At the same time, Cyclops also discovered about a nefarious legacy of Xavier's past, the insane and omnipotent mutant named Matthew Mallow, who had been erased from existence by Eva Bell, now going by Tempus. Tempus accused Cyclops' revolutionary discourse of bringing the chaos behind Malloy's destructive actions. The two consecutive revelations represented an epiphany for Cyclops, who declared the Jean Grey School should still be run by Storm and decided to terminate the New Charles Xavier School.[902]

Scott Summers (Earth-616), Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) and X-Men (Earth-616) from Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 600 001

Cyclops' mutant revolution

At the former Weapon X facility, Cyclops was met by his brother Havok, still affected by the inversion of his moral axis. Despite not always having agreed with Cyclops' ideals, Havok decided to support his brother's revolution.[903] Cyclops was also joined by the Utopians, a group of renegade mutants found and rescued by the time-displaced X-Men.[904] Managing to assemble the entire mutantkind at Washington, D.C., Cyclops proclaimed that his revolutionary agenda consisted of uniting mutants and proving they are not intrinsically dangerous, seemingly healing the schism between the X-Men. After exposing to the world there is nothing to fear from mutants, Cyclops was praised by Magneto, who shared that Charles Xavier would have been proud of him. Concurrently, the X-Men organized an intervention for Beast due to his reckless actions against Cyclops, however Beast refused to own up to his mistakes and angrily left the X-Men.[905]

Following this reunion of mutantkind, Cyclops was able to establish a new mutant sovereign state known as "Nation X", granting protection for the X-Men in the former Weapon X Facility. At a moment when the world was struggling with the world ending multiversal incursions, Cyclops decided to make his move to save the planet, a mission that caused him to have Beast as an ally once again. As part of his plan, Cyclops managed to acquire a Phoenix Egg[906] and, because of it, he was teleported by Manifold to a small life raft meant to survive the end of the Universe.[907] Once they got to Battleworld, however, Cyclops was murdered by Doctor Doom.[908]

Inhumanity[]

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The hidden threat of the Terrigen Mists

After the restoration of the Multiverse and all its inhabitants,[909] the mutants found yet another threat in the form of the previously harmless Inhuman Terrigen Mists.[910] After the detonation of the Terrigen Bomb by Inhuman king Black Bolt,[911] it was discovered that the mists composition had changed and they were now hazardous to mutants, afflicting any mutant that entered in contact with them with an illness known as M-Pox. When Muir Island was swept by a toxic terrigen cloud, a moribund Jamie Madrox called the X-Men for help. As soon as Cyclops entered in contact with the mists he fell ill and died of M-Pox. Fueled by rage and unwilling to let Cyclops' legacy end, Emma Frost revealed to the world the hazard of Terrigen to mutants, destroying one of the two clouds that roamed the world with the help of Alchemy, at the cost of his own life. With the cloud destroyed, the Inhumans confronted the X-Men, while Frost kept projecting a mental image of Cyclops to keep his death a secret. When Bl