Ranking The X-Men’s First 10 Villains By Power

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The X-Men have faced many powerful foes over the years. Their initial group of ten villains includes some well-remembered names and a few lesser-known ones. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the X-Men first appeared in their own comic book in 1963. Though the team later became known for addressing themes of prejudice, it originally focused on the conflict between mutants – individuals born with special abilities – and other mutants who misused their powers. As a result, many of the X-Men’s earliest opponents became enduring and significant figures in the Marvel Universe.

Here is a look at the first ten mutants the X-Men fought in comics, ranked by power.

10) Maa-Gor

Interestingly, the character Ka-Zar first appeared in an X-Men comic book. In X-Men #10, the team traveled to the Savage Land and met Ka-Zar and his sabertooth tiger, Zabu. After a brief conflict, they joined forces to fight Maa-Gor, the last of the Man-Apes. Maa-Gor was a powerful and dangerous creature intent on wiping out the sabertooth tigers, and he had already killed Zabu’s partner. Ka-Zar doesn’t have any superpowers, but his upbringing as a caveman has made him incredibly strong and a formidable opponent.

9) Vanisher

Okay, so the Vanisher – you might remember him as that blink-and-you’ll-miss-him villain from Deadpool 2, the one who turned out to be Brad Pitt when he… well, stopped vanishing. But honestly, he’s way more than just a fun cameo! He’s actually a pretty significant piece of X-Men history. He was the second villain the X-Men ever fought, way back in X-Men #2! He’s a mutant with the power to teleport himself – and anything else, really – across huge distances instantly. There’s even this crazy story where he threatened to teleport Wolverine’s heart out of his chest – though whether he actually could do that is still up for debate.

8) Lucifer

This Lucifer isn’t the same as the Marvel character; he’s an alien invader. He’s best known for a past conflict with a young Charles Xavier. After Xavier stopped him, Lucifer retaliated by deliberately injuring Xavier’s legs, causing the injuries that led to Professor X needing a wheelchair. Lucifer’s powers come from his ability to control ionic energy, which makes him incredibly strong.

7) Unus the Untouchable

Unus the Untouchable first appeared in X-Men #8 as a mutant the X-Men fought. He had the power to create a force field around himself that could deflect attacks and push objects – or people – away. He initially used this ability as a bully in school and later as a petty criminal. He earned the nickname ‘Untouchable’ when he became a professional wrestler. Unus was one of the first members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and later became good friends with Blob. Though he died in a battle with the Inhumans, he eventually returned during the Krakoa storyline.

6) The Stranger

The Stranger is a powerful, otherworldly being who first appeared in X-Men #11. He initially contacted Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and wasn’t friendly towards them. While not truly evil, the Stranger is driven by curiosity and lacks a moral compass, spending his time in a place called Laboratory World where he experiments on strange phenomena. As a cosmic entity, he possesses incredible cosmic and mental powers, and is often considered all-powerful. However, he’s generally seen as a less significant threat compared to other X-Men villains because he prefers to observe rather than fight, often acting as a supporting character.

5) The Blob

As a huge comic book fan, I’ve always felt a little sorry for the Blob. He first showed up in an early X-Men issue, but honestly, the X-Men made him a villain! They weren’t exactly welcoming. Professor X sensed a new mutant and sent the team to recruit him, but when the Blob said he wanted no part of it, they just attacked! He wasn’t asking for trouble, he just wanted to live his life. But their forceful approach actually pushed him towards Magneto and the ‘bad guys’ by issue #7. And let’s be real, the guy is practically immovable – it takes serious strategy and power just to even budge him, let alone defeat him.

4) Sentinels

The Sentinels first showed up in X-Men #14, but they looked very different then. These early models were only twice the size of a human and simply acted as robotic attackers against the X-Men. This issue also introduced Dr. Bolivar Trask, the creator of the Sentinels. It marked the beginning of public fear surrounding mutants, and the Sentinels were built with the stated goal of protecting humans from them. While not initially very powerful, the Sentinels eventually became one of the greatest dangers to mutants, responsible for more mutant deaths than almost anything else.

3) Juggernaut

Juggernaut first appeared in X-Men #12 and proved to be an incredibly powerful foe, taking the X-Men two issues to defeat. He’s Professor X’s stepbrother, and Xavier warned his students that Cain Marko possessed even greater power – a warning that proved accurate. Powered by the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, Juggernaut gains immense strength, stamina, and invulnerability. He can also heal quickly, making him incredibly difficult to stop, let alone defeat.

2) The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (4, 5, 6, 7)

The X-Men’s very first adventure pitted them against Magneto, but throughout their first year, they faced his team, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, on four separate occasions. Magneto assembled the Brotherhood in issues four through seven, with members like Toad, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Mastermind. They also received assistance from Namor the Sub-Mariner, and Blob later joined their ranks in X-Men #7. Over time, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants proved to be one of the most consistently dangerous and enduring villainous groups the X-Men ever encountered.

1) Magneto

Magneto debuted as the X-Men’s first enemy in the very first issue of X-Men. He’s the founder of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and, aside from Professor X, was considered the most powerful mutant in comics. For years, no villain posed a greater threat than Magneto, who could control magnetism – he even once disabled the entire planet and severely injured Wolverine. While he’s been a hero for quite some time now, Magneto’s early days as a villain made him a central figure in the X-Men’s story and a prominent character in the movies.

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2026-01-25 18:18