WARNING: The following contains spoilers from X-Men/Fantastic Four #4, by Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, Ranson Getty, Laura Martin and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.

The X-Men are one of the longest standing superhero teams existing within the Marvel Universe -- which means the team has  developed a wide range of tactics for handling conflict and combat.

One of the X-Men's most dangerous tactics -- the "mind wipe" -- was developed and first used by their founder and mentor Professor Charles Xavier, who possesses perhaps the greatest psychic abilities in the world. Originally used only as a last resort, the X-Men have recently started using the mind wipe much more frequently, in ways that suggest they may be more comfortable using the move than they should be.

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Professor X

The mind wipe is a dangerous, morally gray tactic that involves psychically entering the mind of another and erasing certain memories. Although the move has been proven to be quite effective, it has been called the psychic equivalent of breaking and entering.

Lately, the X-Men have been much more liberal in their use of the mind wipe. In X-Men/Fantastic Four #4, Professor X uses the move against Reed Richards in order to make him forget how to create a device that could potentially be used to negate the powers of mutants. Also, the professor is no longer the only member of the team authorized to wipe minds: In Marauders, former villain Emma Frost recently mind-wiped an anti-mutant group, causing them to forget their hatred of mutants and other minority groups.

The X-Men's newfound comfort in using a move so powerful, in such an aggressive manner, indicates the mutants have evolved into something much more dangerous than a superhero group. The X-Men now appear to be more focused on ensuring their own survival than protecting the world, a far departure from Professor X's original dream of co-existence with humanity. Although their new outlook on life is entirely understandable and relatable, it makes their new direction no less frightening.

Related: Fantastic Four Writer Says 'Major, Permanent' Status Quo Change is No Hyperbole

Professor X mindwiping Reed Richards

The X-Men are not the only superhero group who have employed this shady tactic.

The Justice League did something similar in Brad Meltzer and Rag Morales' Identity Crisis, wherein several League members elect to wipe the memory of Dr. Light after he rapes Sue Dibny, as well as several other villains when they uncovered the secret identities of key heroes. The League continued down a slippery slope and eventually mind-wiped Batman when he discovered their actions. It ultimately planted long-lasting seeds of distrust among the other members of the team.

The X-Men's flagrant use of the mind wipe threatens to take them down a path similar to that experienced by the Justice League. It begs the question of how far the heroes are willing to go in order to ensure their own survival and whether they would ever use the tactic on one of their own in order to remain protected.

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