Cyclops is usually ranked highly among all of the X-Men. Besides Wolverine and Jean Grey, he may be the most notable, especially as a leader under the tutelage of Xavier. Cyclops also represents the dichotomy of the X-Men very well. On one hand, he has an awesome superpower of shooting energy beams from his eyes. On the other hand, he can't shut it off. Scott's powers are unique because they can be viewed as an incredible ability and also a hurdle.
This causes Scott Summers to be guilt-ridden with shame and isolation, not uncommon among other mutants. The visor helps Cyclops control his power and it's also his most powerful weapon in battle. There's certain key aspects that fans should know about arguably one of the most crucial pieces of equipment for the X-Men.
10 There Are Two Locking Mechanisms On Each Side Of Cyclops' Visor
Cyclops' visor is more than just a shield for his eyes to help him carry on with his day-to-day life. It's also a weapon. With the locking mechanisms on both sides of the visor, Cyclops is able to simultaneously transition the visor from an aid to sight to a thermal arsenal. Having these mechanisms on both sides helps Cyclops when he's in battle. Rather than remembering that the mechanism is just on one certain side, Scott has access to both. Putting the mechanisms on two sides rather than one makes Cyclops more agile during high-intensity combat.
9 The Ruby Quartz In Cyclops' Visor Block The Energy From Blasting Out
The ruby quartz crystal is a key component to the safety employed by Cyclops' visor. The substance helps block off the energy blast coming from Scott's eyes and arguably is the most essential staple to his day-to-day life. These crystals have also been used by Cyclops' brother Havok at various points as well. Scott not only uses the ruby quartz for his visor but he also uses the crystals in his casual sunglasses as well. The crystals also are used for a sleep mask and emergency contact lenses in case a mutant fight got a little dicey.
8 Cyclops' Was Given His Visor By Beast In X-Men The Apocalypse
Many origin stories centering on Cyclops have Professor X developing the visor for Scott. However, it's important to note that in the original cinematic universe (before the sale to MCU), the Beast created the visor for Cyclops.
In X-Men: Apocalypse, Alex Summers, aka Havock, takes his brother Scott to Charles Xavier and Hank McCoy hoping to teach him to control his mutation. Beast ends up engineering the visor for Scott while the team fights Apocalypse. This tidbit is another testament to Hank McCoy's genius.
7 The Visor's Made of High Impact Plastic And Is Padded With Low-Density Breathable Foam
Comfort is everything, especially when you're a mutant who needs to tame uncontrollable and dangerous power. Referencing X-Men: The Ultimate Guide by Peter Sanderson, Cyclops' visor is padded with a breathable foam that has a low density. This is probably in part to offset the high impact plastic that makes up the form of most of the visor. As stated before agility is key when fighting with say Juggernaut or Magneto. So it makes sense that Cyclops would need a visor to adjust for a relaxing fit. This is an overlook but important detail to remember when understanding the success of the visor.
6 Scientists Have Said There's No Way The Visor Could Exist In Reality
The X-Men series can pride itself on having aspects of its story that attempt to include scientific accuracy. The whole basis of their existence is explained using Charles Darwin's reporting on evolution. However, when it comes to Cyclops' visor, the Lee/ Kirby team missed the mark of validity. According to the magazine Lasers Today (yes that's a real magazine), the ruby quartz crystal is actually a pretty weak substance that would be unable to withhold Scott's blasts. While fans may want to believe it's possible, the fact is Scott would have a really tough time in reality.
5 The Visor Essentially Regulates The Solar Power Cyclops Emits
Every casual X-Men fan knows Cyclops as the second in command to Xavier and the mutant who blasts power from his eyes. What might be forgotten though is that Cyclops' power comes from his ability to absorb heat from the sun. The power regulation chip almost as important as the ruby quartz in this regard. This gives an interesting perspective on the visor because it's not just a weapon but essentially a container for how much power Cyclops can emit from his body.
4 Cyclops' Visor Can Give His Aesthetic Sight Different Shades Of Colors
Many people wonder how Cyclops literally views the world. Through his visor, Cyclops can view the world through many different shades, as this was explored in Grant Morrison's New X-Men #131 and Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men #14. Whedon's version had Cyclops seeing the world colored as blue with a red tinge. Morrison had Cyclops disclose that the visor causes him to see everything with a more yellow aesthetic due to the ruby quartz. Though there is still debate, both storylines provide satisfaction to fans wondering what Scott sees through his visor.
3 The Visor Can Help Adjust The Level Of Intensity Of Cyclops' Blast
The ruby quartz which is found in all of Cyclops' eyewear does it's job of blocking the optic blasts from unwanted damage. But cyclops' visor sets itself apart from other eyewear in the sense that he can adjust the intensity of his blast. This is due to the visor's neutron detectors and power regulation chip that's installed. This allows Cyclops to use his blasts in a variety of ways, whether it's breaking a small door lock or destroying Apocalypse's armor. This is arguably the most important part of Cyclops' visor and is the reason he can be considered in the top tier of the X-Men.
2 Cyclops's Visor Can Help Him Shoot With Precision
As well as being able to adjust the intensity of the blast, Cyclops can use his visor to adjust the accuracy of his blast as well. The neutron detectors in his visor can at times assist with the precision in Scott's shooting.
A perfect example can be seen in the first X-Men movie when Toad launches a thick layer of slime covering Jean Grey's face and Scott uses his visor to shoot it off. The adjustment in precision (and intensity) allowed Scott to save Jean without injuring her, which is a testament to the efficiency of the visor.
1 The Need For Cyclops' Visor Is Due To Psychological Damage
There's a deeper back story to the reason the visor exists in the first place. The most common origin is that Scott had a traumatic head injury that involved a plane crash with his family. This is why the visor was needed in the first place. But further iterations of Astonishing X-Men have shown that Scott's inability to control his powers is due to his psychological trauma from the plane crash. The Astonishing X-Men #23 saw Scott overcome his trauma with the help of Emma Frost and temporally control his power. It's important for fans to know this because if there are deep-seated issues that could be addressed in further stories, Cyclops may never need his visor again.