7 X-Men Powers Way Too Dark For The MCU

by

Fans are increasingly hopeful that the X-Men will soon be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The X-Men have been a popular group of Marvel superheroes for decades, even before the MCU began, and many believe they could revitalize the franchise. With a rich history and diverse cast of characters, the X-Men offer exciting new storytelling possibilities, allowing Marvel Studios to explore fresh and innovative directions for the superhero genre. The sheer variety among mutants provides endless creative potential.

Mutant abilities are fascinating, but they aren’t always heroic. While some mutants have powers like super strength, others have truly frightening ones. These ten X-Men powers are particularly disturbing and unlikely to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s upcoming films.

7) Strong Guy’s Kinetic Absorption and Super-Strength

As a critic, I’ve seen a lot of overpowered heroes in the Marvel universe, and it’s interesting how they often give these characters limitations. Strong Guy is a prime example. His power – absorbing kinetic energy to become stronger with each hit – sounds straightforward, but it comes with a seriously grim catch. He can keep getting stronger throughout a fight, which is cool, but if he pushes it too far, his heart literally explodes. It’s basically the Hulk’s power set with a terrifyingly permanent consequence. Honestly, Marvel’s been pretty careful about showing powers that could actually *kill* a hero through overuse, and this feels too dark for the MCU. I just don’t see Strong Guy getting a major spotlight anytime soon.

6) Multiple Man’s Body Duplication and Absorption

The story of the X-Men gets really tangled when you include X-Factor, a team with its own impressive roster. One of the most significant members is Jamie Madrox, also known as Multiple Man. His power – creating duplicates of himself – sounds straightforward, but it’s actually quite disturbing. These duplicates aren’t just copies; they’re independent people who live their own lives. Madrox can absorb them back into himself, essentially erasing their individuality and taking on their memories. Disturbingly, he can even absorb duplicates who have families and children. Often, these duplicates don’t *want* to be absorbed, but Madrox does it anyway, sometimes by accident and sometimes intentionally. The more you understand his power, the more unsettling it becomes, and it’s far too dark for the generally lighthearted tone of Marvel movies.

5) Husk’s Omnimorph Powers

Mystique is famous for being able to change her appearance, but she’s not the strongest shapeshifter in the Marvel Universe. That title belongs to Husk. Unlike Mystique, who simply alters her form, Husk can transform into *anything* – people, animals, even energy or liquids. She does this by shedding her outer layer of skin to reveal the new form underneath, which is why her powers are unlikely to appear in Marvel movies. The visual of constantly discarded skin would be too graphic for the MCU, which tends to avoid overly disturbing imagery. While shapeshifting can already be a bit unsettling, Husk’s abilities are particularly gruesome. Mystique is almost certain to appear in the MCU eventually, but if Husk ever does, her powers will likely be toned down significantly.

4) Beak

Grant Morrison’s *New X-Men* is considered a landmark series for its fresh take on the mutant universe. One of the more unusual creations from this run was Beak, a mutant who resembles a newly hatched chick. With large eyes and no feathers, Beak’s appearance is genuinely frightening. Unfortunately, his abilities – limited flight and weak claws – aren’t very impressive. He’s monstrous in a way that would likely scare moviegoers, making him too visually unsettling for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and meaning we probably won’t see this mutant chicken on the big screen.

3) Angel Salvatore’s Fly Powers

Angel Salvatore is one of the disturbing mutants introduced in the *New X-Men* comics. Essentially a human-fly hybrid, she has all the unpleasant characteristics that suggests. While her fly wings look relatively normal, her other abilities are quite unsettling. Like a fly, Angel digests food with acidic mucus, and she can even weaponize this, spitting burning acid at her enemies. Though a powerful ability, this acid spit is so corrosive it could easily make any film she appears in rated R. Given the general dislike of insects, a mutant who is essentially a walking insect – even one who appears as a beautiful young woman – is unlikely to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At best, her powers would be toned down to the point where they wouldn’t function as intended.

2) Maggot’s Maggots

Maggot debuted with the X-Men in the late 1990s and possesses a rather unusual skillset. He’s accompanied by two biomechanical maggots that consume anything in their path. These aren’t just random creatures, though – they function as his external digestive system. They break down matter, then return to his stomach to deliver nutrients and energy, a process that visibly turns his skin blue and enhances his physical abilities. Given how strange and complex his powers are, it’s unlikely Maggot will ever appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

1) Marrow’s Uncontrollable Bone Growth

Marrow is a mutant from the late 1990s with a disturbing ability: she can manipulate her bones. They grow uncontrollably, allowing her to extend them from her skin as weapons, form claws, or even create a bony armor – though it took time for her to master this control. Her power is genuinely frightening, and for much of her life, she lived as a Morlock, a group of mutants forced into hiding due to their terrifying appearances. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced visually unique heroes, they’ve generally been conventionally attractive. Even characters like the Hulk, despite being monstrous, still maintain a certain aesthetic. Marrow is different. Her skin is constantly being pierced by bone, giving her a truly monstrous look that likely won’t be seen in a major MCU film.

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/10-best-x-men-stories-20s-marvel-comics/embed/#

Read More

2025-10-15 19:24