One of the biggest changes made to the X-Men mythology in Jonathan Hickman and R.B. Silva's House of X/Powers of X dual-series event is in regards to the leadership of the X-Men. While the team has really only had a few central leaders over the years, the mutant island of Krakoa recently revealed who would form their new government.
The Quiet Council consists of twelve of the most powerful and influential members of Krakoa's mutant population, as well as one mystery seat, though we're pretty sure the seat belongs to the Hellfire Club's new Red Queen. Regardless, we'll forget about that "empty" seat as we take a look at the most powerful members of the Krakoan mutant ruling body, the Quiet Council.
10 NIGHTCRAWLER
While Kurt Wagner may not immediately seem like he's a powerful mutant, Nightcrawler's true limits and potential have never really been met, considering Kurt himself is a man with high morals. However, just because he chooses not to use his powers in certain ways, doesn't make him any less threatening in a fight.
Nightcrawler is not only an expert combatant and swordsman, due to years of training and his enhanced agility, but his teleportation power can be used with deadly precision, such as teleporting an opponent's head off of their shoulders! Again, not something we see from Kurt often, but the potential is there.
9 SEBASTIAN SHAW
The Hellfire Club's Sebastian Shaw is all about power, both in status and ability. Shaw spent years as a member of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, which featured a select group of mutants whose financial and political interests that usually aligned. As the frequent Lord Imperial, Shaw has also ruled the Inner Circle, though he has lost control of the Hellfire Club in recent years.
Shaw's mutant ability allows him to absorb various forms of energy, including physical impacts like bullets and punches, then use that energy to amplify his own physical abilities. Essentially, the harder you hit Sebastian Shaw, the harder he can hit you back, which makes him a dangerous member of the Quiet Council.
8 MISTER SINISTER
To be perfectly honest, we aren't fully clear on what Mister Sinister's current capabilities are in Hickman's new X-world. The mad mutant geneticist has recently revealed a few new secrets about his genetic stock that could alter his power levels, but for now, we'll focus on what we know he is capable of doing.
Years of experimentation on Sinister's own genetic code have given him complete control of his body on the molecular level, allowing him to shape-shift and regenerate. He also possesses minor telepathic and telekinetic abilities that allow him to project energy blasts. He is also a master at cloning, so he is able to create new bodies for himself that may have different abilities.
7 EMMA FROST
Emma Frost is the former (and current) White Queen of the Hellfire Club has also been a leader of the X-Men, Headmistress of Xavier's Massachusetts Academy, and even a member of Norman Osborn's Dark Reign Cabal. Emma knows how to play the field and side with whoever will give her the best advantage, which makes her a valuable ally to have on the Quiet Council.
Emma's powerful telepathic abilities are often enhanced by the Stepford Cuckoo's telepathic hive mind, while her loose moral restrictions on her powers have already proven to be essential in the development of Krakoa. Emma's secondary mutant ability allows her to shift into a diamond form as well, which makes her super strong and incredibly durable, though limits her telepathy.
6 PROFESSOR XAVIER
The beginnings of the new mutant utopia being created on Krakoa first grew in the mind of Professor Charles Xavier, where it was watered by the knowledge of Moira X's many lives. Xavier's telepathic abilities were at one time the most powerful on the planet, though that is no longer the case.
HoX/PoX's Xavier wears a specially-designed Cerebro helmet constructed by Forge using Shi'ar technology, and it remains to be seen just how much this helmet enhances Xavier's normal power levels. There is also a lot of mystery about which version of Xavier this is, as before HoX/PoX, Xavier's mind was in Fantomex's body, which would further enhance his physical abilities.
5 APOCALYPSE
As the oldest mutant on the Quiet Council, En Sabah Nur/Apocalypse has amassed centuries of knowledge and power and has lived his life by the tenets of "survival of the fittest." His presence on Krakoa is either a showcase of the new peace that is to come in the world of the X-Men or the calm before the storm that is Apocalypse.
Apocalypse is an immortal mutant with complete molecular control of his body, which he has continually enhanced over the years with highly advanced Celestial technology. He also frequently takes new host bodies that further increase his abilities, though he is not considered an Omega-Level mutant despite his abundance of powers.
4 STORM
Ororo Munroe is considered an Omega-Level mutant, as officially revealed by Hickman in the first issue of House of X. In Storm's early days, she was revered as a Goddess of the African Serengeti, only growing in power with her time on the X-Men due to increased training, understanding of her abilities and connection to the Earth.
Storm is able to control and manipulate weather and atmospheric conditions in a variety of ways that make her an actual force of nature. Ororo also has an empathetic connection with the Earth's weather systems, meaning she is not someone you want to anger.
3 MARVEL GIRL
Jean Grey's first appearances with the X-Men did not showcase her true capabilities, and over the years her powers slowly developed until she encountered the Phoenix Force and her full power was unlocked. It's her powerful telepathy that earned her an official Omega-Level ranking.
Having gone toe-to-toe with Galactus when bonded with the Phoenix Force, she is one of the most powerful members of the X-Men and is still only stepping up to her full potential, following her recent resurrection after being dead for over 10 years.
2 EXODUS
Bennet du Paris/Exodus is another ageless mutant who has been alive since the 12th century. Following an altercation with Apocalypse, he was transformed and sealed in a tomb for hundreds of years before being rescued by Magneto in the present day.
Exodus was enhanced by Apocalypse and was recently revealed to be an Omega-Level mutant due to his powerful telekinetic abilities. He is also a powerful telepath, has incredible strength and durability, a healing factor, and is able to teleport himself and others across large distances.
1 MAGNETO
Magneto is known as the Master of Magnetism, and he has always been shown as one of the most powerful mutants on the planet (and sometimes above it), so his inclusion on Hickman's list of confirmed Omega-Level mutants was no surprise to anyone.
Not only has he proven time and time again how powerful he is to the whole world, with feats like causing a planet-wide EMP or stabilizing the Bay Area during an Earthquake, but he has continually proven himself in combat against every other member of the Quiet Council time and time again.