An elite organization, the Hellfire Club was founded in 18th Century England for wealthy business owners to indulge in criminal activities. It eventually spread across the globe, becoming a worldwide society with headquarters in London, New York City, Hong Kong, and Paris. While it gives the appearance of being a social club for the upper-class business-savvy folks of the world, deep inside the organization lies an Inner Circle which secretly masterminds various plans for world domination, naming their leaders after chess pieces.

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The Hellfire Club has changed considerably over the years, most notably with the arrival of Sebastian Shaw who introduced mutants to the Club’s Inner Circle, ultimately creating a regular source of trouble for the X-Men. In an organization where everyone is working towards their own gain, it’s no surprise that the Inner Circle has undergone frequent reshuffles. Let’s look at the organization’s ten strongest members ever.

10 Donald Pierce

The White Bishop of the original Hellfire Club line-up, Pierce’s hatred for mutants has regularly pitted him against the X-Men and his fellow Club members. A cyborg, Pierce has gradually replaced almost his entire biological body with complex cybernetics and lightweight metal similar to Cable’s advanced technologies. He has superhuman strength and the ability to morph his robotic limbs into weapons, or provide a rocket-like boost during flight.

Donald has tampered with more than his outer extremities. He has upgraded his vision, allowing him to scan areas quickly, and has even added tech upgrades to his brain, allowing him to resist telepathic probes.

9 Tessa

One of Professor X’s first mutant recruits, Sage agreed to go undercover and infiltrate the Hellfire Club using the codename “Tessa.” She gradually gained the trust of Black King, Sebastian Shaw, and came to act as his faithful advisor for years. Her operation was eventually discovered, but Shaw later invited her to rejoin the Club, and Tessa has been an integral associate of the society ever since.

She’s an excellent asset to have on any team, aiding both the Hellfire Club and the X-Men with her computerized mind. An already powerful telepath, training by Professor X allowed her to hone her skills, making her abilities stronger. Tessa can instantly recall everything she sees and hears, storing all of her memories and experiences, making her an excellent spy.

8 Sunspot

Roberto de Costa resisted the lure of the Hellfire Club for as long as possible. His father was a wealthy entrepreneur and Inner Circle member of the Club, so it was expected that his son would eventually join the group. However, it took a dangerous bargain with Black Queen, Selene, to convince Sunspot to finally take his father’s seat as Black Rook.

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A force of crackling solar energy in his powered-up form, Sunspot can absorb power from the sun and convert it into literal strength. He can release concussive blasts of intense heat and fiery plasma blasts or use it to propel himself through the air in flight, all whilst being immune to fire and high temperatures.

7 M

Having joined Magneto’s X-Men team following the M-Pox crisis, the metal manipulator recruited Monet St Croix (a.k.a. M) to join the Hellfire Club and take the mantle of the White Queen following ‘Secret Wars.’ Over the years, M had proven that her superhuman abilities were vast and varied, making her a natural addition to the Inner Circle.

M boasts incredible strength, but it isn’t just her physiology that that is enhanced by her mutant genes. M’s senses are also greatly advanced, allowing her to see in the dark and use her acute hearing to pick up valuable information. Her brain’s powerful too, allowing her to process information quickly. She can tamper with the minds of others – reading thoughts, wiping memories, or creating false ones – but is able to defend herself from telepathic probes.

6 Emma Frost

An intelligent go-getter with wealth and power, it’s not surprising Emma Frost attracted the attention of the Hellfire Club at an early age. She became an integral part of Sebastian Shaw’s Inner Circle, adopting the title White Queen. Together, the pair ruled over the Club for years, with Frost even leading her own group of young mutant students to rival the X-Men called the Hellions.

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Described as an Omega-level telepath, Frost’s mind-bending abilities match Professor X’s. Her abilities are near endless, able to communicate telepathically, read and control minds, and tamper with memories. She can cause excruciating mental pain and project psionic energy blasts and shields, making her an asset on the battlefield as well as behind the scenes.

5 Sebastian Shaw

A self-made millionaire, Shaw joined the Hellfire Club at a young age and eventually seized control of the organization, declaring himself Black King and introducing mutants to the Inner Circle. While he’s been overthrown and double-crossed countless times, Shaw continually finds his way back to positions of power within the Club.

An Alpha-level mutant, Shaw is able to absorb kinetic energy, enhancing his abilities and making him almost impossible to defeat, with each attack making him stronger – something he likes to keep secret from his foes until it’s too late and he feels able to deliver devastating blows.

4 Magneto

One of the X-Men’s most powerful enemies, Magneto is a dangerous Alpha-level mutant capable of manipulating magnetism and all forms of electromagnetic energy. He has been associated with the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle a handful of times, once joining alongside Storm in an effort to create a union between the Hellfire Club and the X-Men, later returning as White King.

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His powers are near limitless and make him truly formidable, able to impact almost any part of the planet. He can reduce gravity, quickly destroy buildings, and alter landscapes by manipulating Earth’s magnetic field. He can use energy to create protective force fields or powerful electromagnetic pulses.

3 Blackheart

One of the most powerful demons in the Marvel Universe, Blackheart joined the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle at Selene’s side, acting as her Black King and reveling in the hellish turn her rule took.

Created by the demon Mephisto, Blackheart is practically immortal with no known weaknesses. Most of his powers draw upon the supernatural. He can teleport between dimensions at will, and has been known to capture souls of anyone he chooses.

2 Selene

A supernatural supervillain from ancient Europe, when Selene eventually found herself in New York City, she quickly discovered the Hellfire Club and became intent on joining, eventually earning the role of Black Queen. Unpredictable and feared by Shaw himself, Selene formed a deep rivalry with Emma Frost.

Having honed her magical abilities over the centuries, she’s a dangerously powerful psychic vampire, able to drain a human’s life force with a mere touch, enhancing her own power. She can also use her psionic abilities to project powerful force bolts or hypnotize enemies while having full access to their thoughts. Immortal and able to heal herself, Selene is a relentless threat and ruthless leader.

1 Phoenix

Even without the Phoenix Force, Jean Grey is one of Marvel’s most powerful mutants, capable of great telepathic abilities. Her natural power is greatly enhanced when combined with the Phoenix, and the Hellfire Club would come to realize Jean is a catastrophic force of destruction when pushed over the edge and embodying the Dark Phoenix power.

Manipulated by Mastermind, Jean found herself serving alongside the Hellfire Club, becoming their Black Queen. Combined with the Phoenix, Jean revealed the true extent of her abilities. As Phoenix, she is able to control energy and matter at will, enhancing her telepathic abilities and making her a formidable fighter on Earth and in space. Unfortunately, the Hellfire Club would corrupt this powerful force inside Jean, pushing the Dark Phoenix to arise, capable of devouring an entire star and killing billions.

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