Every Time Professor X Has Died in the X-Men Movies, Ranked By Shock Value

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Professor X is a major hero in Marvel movies, appearing frequently on the big screen. Both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy have played him in X-Men films, and Stewart later returned to the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the leader of the X-Men and one of the most powerful mutants, with incredible telepathic abilities, he’s a key figure in the Marvel universe. Despite his power, Professor X has actually been killed on screen several times, which is surprising for such an important character.

Professor X’s appearance in the new Avengers: Doomsday movie suggests he’ll be in serious danger, and many fans think he might die. This wouldn’t be the first time – he’s been killed off four times before in Marvel films. This time, we’re ranking those deaths not by how sad or important they were, but by how suddenly and unexpectedly they happened.

4) X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

The 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past is famous for bringing together the actors from both eras of the X-Men movies, creating a story where different timelines overlapped, much like the classic comic book it’s based on. The plot involved Wolverine traveling back to the 1970s while his older self and the original X-Men fought to safeguard him in a bleak future. Though Professor X was killed by a Sentinel during the film’s climax, it didn’t feel like a major loss. This was largely because the danger posed by the Sentinels was already well-established, and the franchise had already hinted at how it would continue Professor X’s story in the alternate timeline.

3) Logan (2017)

Okay, let me tell you, Logan is often hailed as the greatest superhero movie ever, and I can see why. It brilliantly adapts the ‘Old Man Logan’ comic arc, and it’s instantly iconic. A big part of that is how it handles Professor X – we see him as an older, frail man, so his eventual death wasn’t shocking in the sense that it was unexpected, but how it happened definitely left an impact. Honestly, being so suddenly and violently taken out by X-24 wasn’t the way most of us pictured Professor X going, but it still felt earned and powerful, even if we knew it was coming.

2) Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Professor X first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe through a brief appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While it wasn’t the Professor X from the main MCU timeline, Patrick Stewart’s return to the role was highly anticipated by fans. He was killed by the Scarlet Witch after a short fight, as she quickly defeated the members of Earth-838’s Illuminati. Though his death was surprising, it didn’t have as much impact as it could have, because other heroes had just been killed off in the previous scene.

1) X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Despite its flaws, X-Men: The Last Stand featured a truly shocking moment: the death of Professor X. While trying to reason with Jean Grey (who was struggling with the powerful Phoenix force), she unintentionally used her powers to destroy her childhood home – and Professor X along with it. This happened around the middle of the movie, making it a real surprise for viewers. Although the scene could have been executed better, it remains the most shocking on-screen death for the character in any Marvel film.

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2026-01-11 23:16