7 Minor X-Men Characters You Forgot Were Awesome

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The X-Men have come a long way – they started as one of Marvel’s least successful teams from the Silver Age but are now considered one of the most popular superteams ever. For a long time, the X-Men were Marvel’s best-selling comics, and mutants were incredibly popular. In the 1980s, writers like Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson built a huge part of the Marvel Universe around mutants, and many other creators added to it over the years. Numerous memorable characters were introduced in titles like X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, New Mutants, X-Force, X-Factor, Generation X, and Excalibur, along with various solo series, though many have faded into obscurity.

A major issue with the X-Men is that the most well-known characters tend to overshadow others, preventing many deserving mutants from getting the recognition they deserve. There are a lot of fantastic, lesser-known X-Men who deserve more attention, and it would be great to see Marvel utilize these seven characters more often.

7) Chamber

There are many great X-Men teams, but Generation X often gets overlooked. Originally a revamped version of the New Mutants, it introduced a lot of interesting young mutants. However, besides Jubilee, who was already well-known, and Monet, most of the team members haven’t remained popular. One particularly striking character is Chamber. Jono Starsmore’s mutant ability caused energy to erupt from his mouth and chest. He possessed limited telepathy and could unleash powerful energy blasts from the swirling energy source that replaced part of his body. He briefly joined the main X-Men team in 2001, but hasn’t been featured much since. This British mutant has a lot of untapped potential, and it’s a shame he hasn’t been developed into the prominent hero he could be.

6) Husk

The Guthrie family, a group of mutants, has given us some memorable characters, and Husk is definitely one of them. Paige Guthrie, also known as Husk, has the incredible ability to change her body into any material imaginable – even ripping off layers of her skin to do so! She can become anything from metal and acid to pure energy. She was part of the Generation X team and later joined the X-Men, though her time there was a bit chaotic. During that period, she had a relationship with Archangel, and a particularly memorable (and unusual) moment occurred with her mother. Later, her powers began to affect her mentally, leading her to join the Hellfire Club. Since then, she’s mostly been a supporting character in the recent Generation X series. Paige is a fascinating character with amazing abilities, and many fans hope to see more of her in the future.

5) Danger

The Danger Room was a crucial part of the X-Men’s training. It was designed to challenge mutants, helping them develop their abilities and work together as a team. Over time, the Danger Room was upgraded with advanced Shi’Ar technology, and its computer system gained sentience. Professor X learned this but decided to control it, believing the X-Men’s needs were greater than its right to independence. Eventually, the system, now calling itself Danger, escaped and turned against the team. Since then, Danger has become a recurring villain and even joined a formidable lineup of X-Men enemies. Her story adds a fascinating layer to the X-Men universe, demonstrating that machines aren’t always simply opponents of mutants.

4) Marrow

As a huge X-Men fan, I always thought the ’90s were such a strong era for the team, and that’s where I first encountered Marrow. She had a really unique and tragic backstory – born a Morlock living in the tunnels, then thrown into another dimension by Mikhail Rasputin. She ended up as a kind of anti-hero, fighting against the X-Men with Gene Nation. What really stood out was her power: her bones constantly grew, and she could actually pull them out and use them as weapons! It was pretty wild. She even had a second heart, which is how she survived Storm ripping one out! She briefly joined the X-Men during ‘Operation: Zero Tolerance,’ filling in as the team’s grumpy loner, kind of like Wolverine. She started getting a better handle on her powers and actually became a team player, but sadly, she was dropped from the roster around 2000. It’s a shame, because I always felt she was a really compelling character, and it’s a little disappointing that she hasn’t been used in any significant stories since.

3) Domino

X-Force assembled a team of incredibly skilled mutants, and Domino consistently stood out as their top operative. Her mutant ability grants her extraordinary luck, always tilting the odds in her favor, which led her to become a professional mercenary. She formed a strong partnership with Cable after he traveled to the present, and they worked well together. Despite being kidnapped and held captive by Copycat, she was rescued by Cable and her X-Force teammates, and continued to work with the team in its various forms. While not always a mainstream favorite, Domino has a dedicated fanbase. It’s surprising she hasn’t officially joined the X-Men, considering her past connections to their smaller teams and the popularity of her own comic series. Domino is a fantastic character, and Marvel should feature her more prominently.

2) Warpath

John Proudstar, also known as Thunderbird, was a powerful Apache warrior with mutant abilities – incredible strength, speed, stamina, and senses. He tragically died fighting Count Nefaria. His brother, James, later developed the same powers and was recruited by Emma Frost as part of the Hellions team, created to oppose the New Mutants. Eventually, James, who goes by Warpath, became an ally of the X-Men, first joining X-Force. In 2006, he officially joined the main X-Men team, receiving vibranium knives from Storm during her marriage to Black Panther. He later rejoined X-Force when Cyclops and Wolverine reformed the team. Many fans feel Warpath has the potential to be a major hero, fulfilling the promise his brother never had. While he appeared in the recent New Mutants era on Krakoa, he hasn’t been utilized enough, and it’s time for him to take center stage.

1) Cannonball

Cannonball feels out of place on a list of minor X-Men, because he’s actually a very important character. He first appeared in New Mutants and quickly became a key member of the team. As the oldest of the mutant Guthrie family, he eventually led X-Force and was the first from that group to officially join the X-Men. While he was on and off the X-Men roster throughout the 90s and 2000s, he never received the same level of attention as some other members. Later, he joined the Avengers, married Smasher, and had a child with her, leading them to move to the Shi’Ar Empire, where Smasher serves in their Imperial Guard. He was tragically killed by Nimrod after being selected for the X-Men team during the Krakoa era, but has since been resurrected and returned to his family on Chandrilar. Cannonball is a truly awesome and engaging character who deserves more recognition.

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2025-11-15 17:13