The upcoming X-Men relaunch by Jonathan Hickman will be joined by a few other titles, including Excalibur, New Mutants, X-Force, Marauders, and the first Fallen Angels series since 1987. The original Fallen Angels followed a group of estranged New Mutants as they struggled with their place at Xavier's school.
The new Fallen Angels features a similar theme, as a few of the X-Men's newest additions explore their place post-HOX/POX. However, this time the cast features a brand new Psylocke as Kwannon takes on the role, while former Betsy Braddock moves on to become the new Captain Britain in Excalibur. Confused? It happens. It'll make more sense as we examine the various costumes worn by Betsy/Kwannon over the years to see who wore it best.
10 CAPTAIN BRITAIN
One of Betsy Braddock's first forays into superheroics came when she briefly replaced her brother Brian as Captain Britain. She wore a modified version of an old Captain UK outfit that enhanced her physical attributes and the power of flight, though unfortunately she was blinded by the Slaymaster in one of her first outings as Captain Britain.
As if the red, white, and blue costume wasn't already courting danger with the puffy sleeves and random kerchiefs tied around the boots, the oversized helmet (which really should have done a better job of protecting her eyes) was also adorned with a similarly-colored and equally ridiculous rainbow mane of hair. We're glad this costume didn't last long, though its retirement came with a cost.
9 REVANCHE
Betsy Braddock was originally a British Caucasian woman with blonde hair in her earliest appearances, though she later dyed her hair purple as an adult when she became a model. However, after her time with the X-Men led to her forcibly switching bodies with a Japanese ninja named Kwannon, she became the Psylocke fans knew and loved for the next twenty years.
However, Kwannon's mind was also switched into Betsy's old body, and she put together a costume of her own that was right at home in the 90s, calling herself Revanche. Interestingly enough, the color scheme of pink and purple screamed Betsy, but the silver straps, pouches, and random devices on the arms distracted more than enhanced her first costume in Betsy's body.
8 AGENT BRADDOCK
Prior to her time as Captain Britain, Betsy Braddock was a secret agent for S.T.R.I.K.E.'s (the UK's S.H.I.E.L.D. equivalent) Psi-Division. She wore what would come to be considered Betsy's classic costume which was really only worn before her time with the X-Men.
The all-pink costume showcased Betsy's love of puffy sleeves, but it works much better with her classic costume than it did for her Captain Britain look. The pink color scheme comes from Betsy's use of her telepathy, which is visually represented by pink butterfly-like energy wings that form around her eyes.
7 CAPTAIN BRITAIN II
Recently, Betsy has actually returned to her own body as Kwannon has returned to hers. As revealed by the previews for the upcoming Excalibur series, she has once again taken on the role of Captain Britain. Her new costume falls more in line with her brother Brian's costume than anything Betsy has worn before, which is a far cry from her usual attire as Psylocke.
Her new Captain Britain uniform is awesome because it's practical, and she, like her brother before her, stands as the representation of one of the Knights of Pendragon, fully suited up with telekinetic sword and shield. However, the flowing cape and bulky armor look too cumbersome for Betsy's usual fighting style.
6 LADY MANDARIN
When Betsy's mind was switched into Kwannon's body, her memory was erased and she was brainwashed by the Hand into becoming the assassin known as Lady Mandarin. Betsy had been manipulated before by X-Men villains Spyral and Mojo, but her time with the Hand created a deadly new threat.
As Lady Mandarin, Betsy wore a fully armored costume that was still sleek and easy to move in, with a much more suitable cape option. She shared the similar purple motif she would later wear as Psylocke, with a lot of steel and chrome added. The best part of the costume was the pronounced headgear that mimicked her "psychic butterfly" effect, with a cold steel edge to fit her new form.
5 DEATH
Betsy would undergo another transformation at the hands of Dark Angel/Archangel, who had ascended into the new Apocalypse and turned her into his Horsemen, Death. As Death, the costume would see the return of the Lady Mandarin headgear (which would also feature in her astral armor), though not much else.
Betsy's "armor" as Death is great from the head to the shoulders, and then dramatically disappears. The remaining bits replicate her main Psylocke costume with a few added armor elements. And yet, even though it's an impractical outfit for fighting intense battles with her former teammates in X-Force, Betsy still rocks it.
4 PSYLOCKE
Betsy's main costume following her transformation into Kwannon was one she would wear for many years, though it would get a few alterations here and there that usually coincided with a new team or book. Originally, the costume was a sleek leotard that collared at the neck, with bands around her arms that turned into long gloves and similar bands on her thighs with high boots.
The costume was all tied together with a red flowing sash around her waist. While the costume looks great and seems like it would make for efficient ninja acrobatics, the realities of the costume's design don't make it the best costume for battle. This costume received a few tweaks by Kwannon, who added a dark pink on the exposed bits and a masked hood that she wears as Psylocke.
3 ARMORED
When Psylocke first joined up with the X-Men, she didn't have the fighting skills she would later get from Kwannon's body and the Hand's training. She was still a secret agent and a powerful telepath, but Wolverine felt she needed a more protective costume, especially following the recent injuries to the team suffered during the "Mutant Massacre."
Wolverine had the special armor made for another associate by the shadowy firm known as Landua, Luckman, and Lake, but he gave it to Betsy when the team went to the Outback. The armor was a fabric-like metal that was resistant to projectiles and potentially not made by mortal hands, but it gave Betsy the extra edge she needed on the battlefield. She didn't wear it for long, though.
2 PSYLOCKE II
Betsy worked alongside Wolverine's X-Force, who actually all had a similar color motif with their costumes except for Betsy. Her main uniform was given a slight update with a darker finish, which would happen a few times during her time with the Uncanny X-Force.
However, when she led the team they all got another round of similar outfits based on her new costume, which was a bodysuit that covered her entire body and referenced her "X" affiliation in a way no other costume really had. For the first time, Betsy's costume felt like something a mutant ninja would wear into battle, and later variations of the costume would keep most of these design changes.
1 PSYLOCKE III
After an encounter with a mutant named Sapphire Styx left her as psychic energy without a body, she reformed herself using the remains of Styx to recreate her old body. Betsy was once again in her original body, and she began to wear a new costume that reflected this change while recognizing her past costumes.
Betsy's new pink and purple bodysuit blended her past costumes into a perfect evolution for the character that looked great with her new abilities, though this costume again didn't last long as it will be replaced with her new Captain Britain uniform. However, this evolution of her costume and identities will still hold top spot... at least until she inevitably switches bodies again.