There have been numerous X-Men teams over the years, each allowing certain members of the expansive franchise to take a central focus. This notably included the early 1990s, which featured two teams working separately towards a common goal: The X-Men Blue and Gold teams.
Here's a breakdown of each team, as well as the definitive answer for which was better.
Who Were the X-Men Blue and Gold Teams?
While some allies would soon go in their own direction outside of the core X-Men teams (such as Havok and Polaris), there were technically 11 different X-Men on the roster by the end of the "Muir Island Saga." To that end, the group was split into two distinct strike-teams.
Dubbed the Blue and Gold teams, both squads found themselves under the command of a seasoned X-Men leader. Storm led the Gold team, while the Blue squad served under Cyclops. The latter team featured Wolverine, Psylocke, Beast, Rogue, Gambit and Jubilee; Cyclops often bristled against the more rebellious and renegade elements of his team. Meanwhile, Storm led a more experienced group of superheroes. Her X-Men Gold team consisted of longtime X-Men Jean Grey, Colossus, Iceman and Archangel. Rounding out the squad was Bishop, an XSE Officer from the future who'd been trapped in the current day.
The two core X-Men titles at the time each focused on a different group, with Uncanny X-Men centering around the Gold team while the newly launched X-Men featured the Blue team. Both groups soon found themselves confronting numerous threats, with some striking parallels.
Both teams had to content with team members' relatives coming back to haunt them: The Blue team faced Gambit's old contacts in the Thieves Guild, while the Gold team encountered and battled against Colossus' reality-shaping brother Mikhail. Both teams came up against Magneto's followers, the Acolytes. The Gold team went up against the time time-traveling murderer Trevor Fitzroy and his armada of controlled-Sentinels, while the Blue team dealt with threats like Omega Red and Mojo.
Crossovers between the two teams weren't uncommon either, with the teams working in concert during events like "X-Cutioner's Song" and "Fatal Attractions," before eventually being retired as a concept following the events of "The Phalanx Covenant."
Which X-Men Team Was Better?
The sheer experience of the Gold team allowed them to approach dangerous situations with calmer heads than the Blue team. While Bishop arrived in the past with a chip on his shoulder, he eventually adjusted and became an invaluable member of the X-Men.
However, following the loss of his sister, Colossus left the Gold team to join Magneto's Acyloytes and the team became more concerned with the overall trials and tribulations of the X-Men as a whole (including Wolverine's departure following "Fatal Attractions" and the wedding of Scott and Jean). Following the murder of the Hellions at the hand of Fitzroy and his Sentinels, Emma Frost took over Iceman's body briefly and began the long road to becoming an X-Man herself.
The X-Men Blue team, on the other hand, were far more unpredictable -- and entertaining. Tensions quickly escalated throughout the team, with some like Psylocke more than happy to tease teammates like Cyclops with the possibility of an illicit romance. There was the ever-growing mystery behind the origins of Wolverine, the question of Gambit's loyalty and whatever dark secret he hid from the rest of the team, as well as the ever-looming threat of Magneto and his Acolytes.
From a storytelling perspective, there are more exciting developments and threats with the Blue team than the Gold team, along with a more distinctive and memorable cast.
It doesn't hurt that the Blue team ended up being the blueprint for the team roster of the famous X-Men animated series, only with Jean Grey and Storm substituted into the roster while Psylocke was removed. The dynamics of the Blue team were always far more engaging than the Gold team, giving them a clear edge in terms of memorability and excitement.