All 27 X-Men, Ranked

Mutants, mutants, mutants.

Deadpool & Wolverine saw us say goodbye to this universe for the final time, so it's only fitting that I get a few more rankings in before we put the Fox movies to rest for eternity. The X-Men movies are vital pieces of superhero media that contributed heavily to the creation of the MCU and the popularization of comic book films, and some of their characters are just so iconic. Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine is going to make a billion dollars. That tells you all you need to know. That said, here's my ranking of every X-Man in the X-Men films.

27. Angel

I literally do not remember a single thing that Angel does in any of these movies. He appears in both The Last Stand and Apocalypse, and, in both, feels like he is shoe-horned in and not given enough to do. I honestly forgot that he was in Apocalypse until doing research for this list. He's so forgettable that he just has to be at the bottom of the list.

26. Jubilee

As we go on through this list, you will see there are two categories of bad characters: forgettable and/or bad versions of classic characters. Jubilee is kind of both. In the comics and in the animated series, Jubilee is this large personality that is incredibly charming and likable. She has this fun, teen energy like Spider-Man does. For being such an energetic and fun character, she is so forgettable. I don't think she really ever gets to fight with the X-Men. That's just dumb. I cannot forgive her being so forgettable, so she is placed at the bottom.

25. Storm

Storm goes in the category of bad versions of classic characters. This franchise managed to waste one of the most popular X-Men characters and Halle Berry at the same time. Storm does nothing in these movies. She is so bland. She has zero memorable character traits. I hate that they call her "Storm" while they refer to everyone else by their real names. It feels like everyone was fine with just having an X-Man who has lightning powers and didn't need to give her an actual character. She's such a bad version of one of the X-Men's most iconic characters.

24. Cyclops

Cyclops and Storm are almost tied for me, but I remember Cyclops slightly more, so he gets the edge. However...this character is so unforgivable. Cyclops is, behind Professor X, the leader of the X-Men in the comics. And what do the movies do? Make him this jealous, bland version who's entire personality is that he's in love with Jean Grey. Are you kidding? Remember his death in The Last Stand? Yeah, me neither. Remember him in X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Yeah, me neither. I cannot believe how badly Cyclops was botched in these movies. It's so terrible.

23. Havok

Havok isn't a good character, but he gets the edge over his brother because he isn't a terrible version of a classic comic book character. He's a mediocre version of a C-list character. I think his inclusion in First Class works well enough. I feel like he has more personality than Cyclops, so he is the one of the siblings that pops. I don't know. His death is not really that memorable, but it's definitely more memorable than his brother's, so I guess he gets the edge.

22. Rogue

And we are right back to where we were with Cyclops and Storm. Rogue is made slightly better by her being one of the main characters of the first X-Men. She is given a real arc as she wants to get rid of her powers because all they do is hurt people. But this just doesn't feel like Rogue from the comics. They don't give her the iconic accent. She is quiet and reserved, not energetic and lovable. The only interesting thing they do with her is make her want the mutant cure in The Last Stand, but even that isn't given enough focus for it to feel profound. I really hope the MCU does a better job with these iconic characters.

21. Cannonball

The New Mutants struggles with some of its characterizations, and I think the biggest example of that is Charlie Heaton's wasted superhero. I love Heaton in Stranger Things, but his performance here is probably the weakest of our new mutants, which doesn't help the character. Cannonball is basically given one piece of backstory...and that is it. His entire character feels very one-note, which just makes him forgettable and bogs down the movie a good bit.

20. Sunspot

Sunspot is technically in Days of Future Past, but he's such a small part of that film that I'm only counting his character in The New Mutants. Much like Cannonball, Sunspot feels pretty one-note; his family is rich and he killed his girlfriend. Beyond that, he feels like the generic jock within the group. Not a very nuanced or interesting addition to the titular group of new mutants.

19. Negasonic Teeange Warhead

Negasonic isn't designed to be this major character. She really exists primarily for comedic relief, and I think she does a good job of that. However, I've never found her to be funny enough for any of her moments to really stick in my mind. She's an enjoyable addition to the Deadpool franchise, but she's almost too small of a character for me to really put her any higher.

18. Mirage

The main protagonist of The New Mutants is a batch of really good ideas executed somewhat poorly. I think Mirage could be a very compelling character. She has a super interesting set of powers that I wish were used and explored more in the film. She could have this rich, complex character that is scared of herself and her powers, but instead, they just make her kind of confused and depressed the whole movie. It feels like they had a good idea but didn't really develop it beyond it's initial conception, which is disappointing, because this character had tremendous potential.

17. Colossus

I enjoy Colossus. He's heavily underutilized in the main X-Men movies, but he is one of the most fun parts of the Deadpool films. He works as this gigantic softie who constantly calls Deadpool out for his crudeness. Unlike Negasonic Teenage Warhead, plenty of Colossus's moments in the Deadpool movies are memorable. The reason he is this low is because I really think he is underutilized in the X-Men films. He's a cool character from the comics, and I would've loved to have seen him take on more of a role with the rest of the X-Men.

16. Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane is probably this high because Maisie Williams is a great actress, but I do think there's something compelling about her character. Like most of the new mutants, she can feel a bit one-note, but there's this Hulk-esc side to her where she is terrified of the thing that she can turn into. That's always a compelling idea, and when they explore that side of her, she becomes one of the best characters in The New Mutants. Unfortunately, she isn't explored as much as I would've liked, which leaves her hanging here in the middle of this ranking.

15. Domino

"Luck isn't a superpower"...ah, Domino. She's fun. She's a really fun addition to Deadpool 2. The idea of a "lucky" superhero is something present throughout both Marvel and DC comics, but it's never really been adapted into film or TV (with the exception of one episode of The CW's The Flash). That superpower is always interesting, and it plays out nicely in this film. She's probably the most memorable member of the X-Force (I don't count Cable), and I enjoy her chemistry with Deadpool. She's not the best character ever. But she's fun.

14. Kitty Pryde

Like Domino, I enjoy Kitty Pryde. She's not a major character in either The Last Stand or Days of Future Past, but she's a great little spice sprinkled into a larger story. She's definitely more prominent in Days of Future Past, but she works as a piece of both of those films. I think her power set is very cool (albeit kind of undefined) and I just have fun with her charming little personality. Again, she's not the best character. But she is fun.

13. Iceman

I've always thought that Iceman was one of the most underappreciated characters in this entire franchise. A lot of the X-Men are shown as complicated people who don't like that they are mutants or hate humans for how they treat mutants. Iceman is just a straight-laced, good, caring guy who also happens to have awesome Frozone powers. He's always the one giving the pep talk to Rogue or being the optimist, and I really, really love him for that.

12. Mystique

One of two characters who will appear on both my heroes and villains list, Mystique is a good character who could've been great. I honestly think, when you juxtapose this performance with Katniss or something else of this magnitude, this is easily Jennifer Lawrence's weakest character. I think part of that is that she's written very inconsistently, but always compelling. I think her turn to Magneto is really well done in First Class, but her loyalty throughout the rest of the prequel series is kind of confusing. She is sometimes mad Magneto. She is sometimes mad at Charles. She is sometimes looking to murder humans for their treatment of mutants. She is sometimes happy with humans. It's just a bit clunky...but I think, overall, her character is a strong element of the prequel films.

11. Magik

Easily the highlight of The New Mutants, Anya Taylor-Joy's Russian psychopathic superhero is tons of fun. She can be a bit cartoonish with her puppet, but Taylor-Joy just chews up the scenery and makes herself the most memorable character in the film. As you move into the back half of this film, Magik's mysterious backstory becomes really heart-breaking and scary. She also has the best moments in the third act. She's the only one of the new mutants that, if given the opportunity, I would definitely want to see again.

10. Nightcrawler

I think Nightcrawler just works as a character because he is so great in the comics. First of all, his look is so awesome. I love this devilish-looking character who can teleport. But I also love that he is this quiet, soft-hearted person at the core. He can be really scary at times, but he never has malicious intent or bad motives behind whatever he's doing. He's a caring, genuinely nice guy. He's probably the most innocent and lovable of our main X-Men, and there's definitely something endearing about that.

9. Jean Grey

Jean is probably the third most important X-Man, so she's given a lot to do in these movies, and most of it is pretty good. I don't love her romance with Wolverine, but I think her end of it is way more compelling than his. She is torn between Cyclops and Wolverine, and that gives her this nice emotional core that makes her sacrifice even more heart-breaking. I'm separating the Dark Phoenix stuff into the villains ranking, so that isn't really taken into account here. I think she serves as a good emotional piece of the X-Men, so that's enough to get her in the top ten.

8. Cable

About a month after he destroyed half the MCU, Josh Brolin debuted as a completely different Marvel character who is nowhere near as good as Thanos but is still very fun. Cable works as this ultra-serious, dark foil to Deadpool. His whole character is built on rage and revenge, and that can work as both a really funny trope to put alongside Deadpool as well as a true compelling motivation for him. To be able to rival Deadpool in terms of comedy is a true feat, but Cable achieves it while also getting a nice emotional backstory that makes him a very well-rounded character.

7. Quicksilver

Quicksilver is, alongside my number five, my favorite side character in this franchise. Evan Peters brings so much charm and charisma to this iteration of the speedster, just making him tons of fun to watch every time he's on screen. His super-speed scenes are also the coolest on-screen version of super-speed that I have ever seen. He is probably the funniest character in the main X-Men movies, which just elevates him even more. He's awesome.

6. Beast

I find Beast to be easily the most compelling side character. I don't really like him in The Last Stand, but I find him to be this great balance between Professor X and Magneto in the prequels. He's always loyal to Charles and never to Erik, but he has this love for Mystique that makes him see her and Magneto's side even more. I think he acts completely out of character in Dark Phoenix, but besides that, he's great.

5. Wolverine (Deadpool & Wolverine)

I am counting Logan from Deadpool & Wolverine as a different character, because truly, he is. This Wolverine, however, is still struggling with the same problem that the main Logan from the rest of the X-Men films struggled with; finding an identity. In this case, Wolverine rejected his identity and instead became this monster that caused the destruction of the X-Men. Because of this, he isn't a hero. He failed. And, in Deadpool & Wolverine, we see him earn this redemptive arc as he understands that he always has the choice to be a hero, which he fulfills. Alongside his truly potent arc, I loved his banter with Deadpool. Hugh Jackman is able to bring gravitas but also works as a really funny foil to Ryan Reynolds, so I just loved this iteration of the character.

4. Professor X

Charles Xavier. The face of the X-Men. The guy who should probably be the real main character of these movies. I think Professor X is one of the most complex comic book characters of all time, and he's one of the few classic characters who gets a true great adaptation in these movies. He is this optimist who believes that mutants and humans can co-exist, but he also wants mutants to live freely, and those two beliefs can come in conflict with one another. His relationship with Magneto is incredible. The moral dilemma of who is right and who is wrong has always been one of the best parts of the comics, and that is translated pretty well to screen through Charles Xavier. He's great. I love him.

3. Magneto

Magneto is obviously also on the villains list, but he is definitely a hero at points during this franchise. I honestly think he works best as this anti-hero in the middle who veers into evil to do what he deems necessary. His balancing act between good and evil is what makes him so compelling. You understand him as this broken man who saw the worst of humanity in the Holocaust and wants to prevent that from happening to mutant-kind, and that setup just makes for a greatly complex and nuanced character. His team-ups with the X-Men are some of the best parts of these movies, so I think he really, really works as a hero.

2. Deadpool

I think Deadpool can make a case for the most fun superhero ever put on the big screen. Ryan Reynolds is electric in this role. He is just so funny and absolutely nails the humor that Deadpool was known for in the comics. His breaking of the fourth wall makes for some of the funniest jokes in superhero media. His commentary and satire on the superhero genre are so hilarious. But, on top of that, Deadpool does have a good bit of heart to him. Is he kind of a bad person? Yes. But he is so endearing and caring about his friends and family that we forgive the fact that he is a bit of a ruthless murderer. This character combines comedy and heart so well. I love him. But let's be real. We all knew who number one was going to be as soon as you clicked on this list.

1. Wolverine (X-Men Films)

To be clear, this is not the Wolverine that appears in Deadpool & Wolverine. This is our first Hugh Jackman iteration. And did you ever have any doubt who would be number one? This guy is an icon for a reason. Wolverine is this gruff, hard-spirited guy who literally has to live forever. That can be hard. And these films explore that. He is always trying to find his place and have a purpose, and his journey throughout these films is trying to achieve that, and he finds it through the X-Men. And, of course, Logan works as this perfect epilogue in which the X-Men are gone but he's still around because he's basically immortal. So what's he trying to do? Have a purpose. And he achieves that right before his heroic death. This character is beloved for a reason. So, easily, he comes in at number one.