The X-Men are the most well-known mutant team in Marvel Comics, boasting iconic heroes like Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm. But beyond the famous faces, many other mutants have been members of Professor Charles Xavier’s team. Some had brief roles and are largely forgotten, while others are better known for their time with different mutant groups.
As a longtime X-Men fan, I’ve noticed a lot of faces come and go. It’s easy to forget some of the characters who were part of the team, especially those who weren’t around for very long or who later became known as villains. I’ve been thinking about some of those lesser-remembered members lately, the ones who joined the X-Men but maybe didn’t get the spotlight they deserved.
10) Thunderbird
Fans of X-Force are familiar with Warpath, but his beginnings in Marvel Comics involved a desire for revenge against the X-Men, believing they were responsible for his brother’s death. His brother was one of the original new members recruited by Professor X alongside Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops. It’s easy to forget, however, that there was actually a sixth member of that team: the Native American mutant Thunderbird. Sadly, after helping rescue the original X-Men from the living island of Krakoa, Thunderbird died during their second mission, battling Count Nefaria.
9) Juggernaut
Juggernaut, the brother of Professor X, isn’t a mutant himself, but he’s joined the X-Men several times. He gained his incredible powers from a magical ruby connected to the entity Cyttorak, which gives him the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Though considered a powerful being rather than a mutant, he’s fought alongside both the X-Men and their enemies, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. During his time with the X-Men, Juggernaut was a surprisingly dedicated and effective member, even seeking to make amends for past mistakes. His connection to Professor X led to him being invited to Krakoa by the Quiet Council, despite not having mutant abilities.
8) Cannonball
Cannonball was an original member of the New Mutants, and while many of his teammates eventually joined the X-Men or achieved even greater prominence – like Sunspot leading his own Avengers team – Cannonball has remained most closely associated with his time in the New Mutants and X-Force. Though Cable’s influence made him a more forceful fighter in X-Force, leading to some friction with the X-Men, Cannonball actually made history as the first New Mutant to officially join the main X-Men roster, even if his time there was brief. He later also served on Storm’s X-Treme X-Men and Rogue’s X-Men teams.
7) Xorn
Xorn is a relatively obscure X-Men character, and many fans have even forgotten he existed. He first appeared in 2001 with the unusual ability of having a star in place of a brain. However, it was later revealed that Xorn was actually Magneto in disguise. While Marvel eventually established Xorn as a separate character, appearing in Excalibur, bringing both Magneto and Xorn back created confusion. Today, the character exists as twin brothers named Xorn and Zorn.
6) Sabretooth
Sabretooth is famously one of the X-Men’s most dangerous foes, largely due to his long-standing conflict with Wolverine. He’s well-known as a powerful member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, but it’s easy to forget he’s actually been *part* of the X-Men at times. In fact, Victor Creed has served on multiple X-Men teams, even joining Wolverine’s original team before Professor X put his own together. He later joined a team led by Rogue, who attempted to control him using nano-sentinels. Despite these attempts, Sabretooth was never truly trustworthy. Even after the mutants established a peaceful nation on Krakoa, he continued to kill, ultimately leading to his exile.
5) Namor
As a huge Marvel fan, it’s funny to me that Namor is technically the first mutant, but it’s easy to forget! He really identifies with being an Atlantian king and doesn’t seem to focus much on the mutant side of things. Plus, he’s not exactly known for being a team player – he doesn’t get along with most heroes! That’s why it’s surprising when you remember he *has* been part of groups like the Avengers, Fantastic Four, the Invaders, the Defenders, and even the X-Men at different times. He actually joined the X-Men back in 2011 to help with the ‘Curse of the Mutants’ storyline, and again during the big ‘Avengers vs. X-Men’ event. More recently, Jean Grey brought him onto X-Men Red when she needed his specific skills.
4) Cloak & Dagger
Cloak and Dagger’s origins are confusing because it’s unclear if their powers come from being mutants. While they got their abilities from an experimental drug, some stories say the drug simply unlocked existing mutant powers, and others suggest they were selected for the experiment *because* they were mutants. Norman Osborn initially used them with his Dark X-Men team, but when Emma Frost offered them a place with the X-Men after Osborn’s betrayal, they immediately accepted.
3) Captain Marvel
It’s easy to overlook Captain Marvel’s time with the X-Men, as she isn’t a mutant herself. However, she became a member when the X-Men helped her after a difficult period. Rogue had absorbed her powers and memories, and even tried to kill her by throwing her into the San Francisco Bay. Spider-Woman rescued her, and Carol Danvers turned to Professor Xavier and the X-Men for assistance. While with the team, she infiltrated the Pentagon to erase all government files on the X-Men and her own records, effectively starting fresh. She then joined them on several adventures, including a battle against the Brood.
2) Spider-Man
Spider-Man has a unique connection to the X-Men. He wasn’t a field agent alongside them, but rather a teacher at the Xavier Institute. He helped educate the young mutant students, specifically teaching science as part of their curriculum. During this time, Spider-Man also consistently challenged the X-Men’s biases, pointing out the hypocrisy of mutants discriminating against non-mutants – a prejudice he actively opposed in others.
1) ForgetMeNot
ForgetMeNot is arguably the most easily forgotten mutant in X-Men history, and that’s actually his superpower. People instantly forget he exists the moment they look away. It’s so effective that Professor X had to create a psychic reminder for himself just to remember ForgetMeNot was one of his X-Men. Fantomex is one of the few who *does* remember him. Sadly, ForgetMeNot has died multiple times protecting his teammates, but because of his power, his sacrifices are never remembered.
Stay informed about the latest in geek and entertainment news! Make us a preferred source in Google – click HERE – and connect with fellow fans on the ComicBook Forum for more in-depth discussions and opinions.
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Will Solana’s Short-Term Holders Save the Day or Just Make a Fuss?
- Exit, rebuild, repeat — Intel’s new era begins without Holthaus
- The Superman sequel story is…..
- Kuru Labs’ $11.6m Round: The Daring DEX Experiment That Could Change DeFi Forever! 💥🚀
- SHIB Down 96.68%, But Wait, There’s a Twist!
- Shiba Inu 2025: Will It Soar or Stay Stuck in Doggo Hell? 🐕💸
- 2K Sports Announces it is Working on a New College Basketball Experience
- Solana’s $229 Gambit: A Whale’s Wager or Market Masquerade?
- Nintendo Insider Teases 3 Games That Will Be at Next Direct
2025-09-19 00:14