The X-Men are one of the most important teams in the Marvel Universe. Of all of the heroes on the planet, they have one of the toughest jobs— not only do they have to do all the regular superhero stuff but they have to defend mutants from humans' racism and vice versa, all the while being hated as they're doing it. They battle some of the most dangerous villains around and save the world while fighting for civil rights.
The X-Men have had many members over the years, with some serving longer tenures than others. These more senior members are the best of the best, showing the others how it's done.
10 Iceman Helped Found The Team But Never Made As Much Of Himself As Others
The founding class of the X-Men is a strange bunch. Take Iceman for example— he would go on to become one of the team's most powerful members but he's never done much with all of that power. On top of that, he's spent vast amounts of time away from the time, spending time either on his own, as a Champion, or with X-Factor.
All in all, he's served less time as an X-Man than people that joined the team after him. In recent years, since he's realized how powerful he really is, he's become a greater hero. He's more comfortable with himself since coming out as gay and his greater power has made him more of an integral member of the team.
9 Beast's Mistakes Plus His On & Off Status As An X-Man Sometimes Overshadow His Accomplishments
Beast is another founding X-Man who spent a lot of time away from the team, most notably with the Champions, X-Factor, and the Avengers. He's also left the team to hang out with the Inhumans during the Terrigen Mist crisis, which is a strike against him. On top of that, he's gotten up to a lot of shady things over the years.
However, he's accomplished some great things with the team. As their resident biologist, Beast helped cure the Legacy Virus and has been a big help in many of the team's battles. It's easy to overlook some of his accomplishments but he's still a great X-Man.
8 Psylocke Has Proven Herself As A Great Leader
When Psylocke first joined the team, she was yet another telepath on a team that was known for its telepaths. However, as years have gone by, she's proven to be more than that. She's led her own teams of X-Men and X-Force and has take over her brother's position of Captain Britain, defender of the British Isles.
Psylocke has had her share of tragedies in life but she never let it bring her down. In fact, these things have fueled her to keep becoming a better and better hero, proving herself as one of the team's most valuable members.
7 Rogue Is One Of The Team's Greatest Success Stories
Rogue joined the X-Men after absorbing the powers of Carol Danvers. Her early days with the team were hard for her, but she more than made up for it as time went. Even when she couldn't control her powers, she still proved to be one of the most capable members of the team, eventually leading the group. She also became an Avenger.
Since gaining control of her powers, she's become even more clutch for the team. Rogue is one of the group's biggest success stories; she went from a villain who couldn't control her powers to a capable hero and leader with complete control of her wild abilities.
6 Nightcrawler Overcame Every Obstacle In His Way To Become The Heart & Soul Of The X-Men
Nightcrawler had a lot to overcome. His demonic appearance turned people against him but deep down, he was a sweet, religious man, one who loved tales of swashbuckling valor and would do anything for the people he loved. Becoming an X-Man brought him out of his shell, giving him a purpose in his life, and he became the heart and soul of the team.
Besides a tenure with Excalibur, Nightcrawler has been with the X-Men for years, proving himself time and again. He's always there for his friends, whether it be on the battlefield or just as someone to have a beer with after the fight.
5 Kate Pryde Grew Up With The Team
Kate Pryde joined the X-Men on the eve of "The Dark Phoenix Saga" as a teenage girl. She quickly became the resident kid sister of the team, with everyone looking out for her and showing her the ropes. She learned her lessons well, becoming one of the most skilled members of the team, even if she did make some unfortunate codename and costume choices.
She left the team to help found Excalibur but would return and stay with the group through thick and thin, always getting better. The current leader of the Marauders, she's grown up into a capable and cunning warrior, making her teachers proud.
4 Wolverine Is The Best There Is At What He Does & That's Being An X-Man
Wolverine went from mouthy loner to one of the most important X-Men of all time. Joining the second incarnation of the team, the often gruff Canadian mutant found something in the X-Men he had been searching for: A family. He would go on to become one of the team's fiercest members, devoting himself to the cause of mutantkind and his friends.
Wolverine has been a member of every major team in the Marvel Universe but has rarely if ever left the X-Men. No matter what team he's on, he's always an X-Man through and through, even running his own X-Men academy, the Jean Grey School. Wolverine has made himself synonymous with the team.
3 Jean Grey Is The Patron Saint Of The X-Men
Jean Grey helped found the team and like most of the other founders, has spent time away from the X-Men. For her, though, it was mostly because she was either in suspended animation, in X-Factor, or dead. Other than that, she's a perennial X-Man, one of the team's most important members.
Besides being one of the most powerful X-Men of all time, Jean has become something of a symbol for the group. She's representative of just how great mutantkind can be, willing to fight for the right thing no matter what and always returning to the fight, regardless of the outcome. Her many returns have made her the team's patron saint.
2 Storm Has Just Kept Getting Better
When Storm joined up with the X-Men, she was already a goddess but the team allowed her to become something else: A hero. As one of the most powerful members of the team, she would prove herself on the battlefield but she would really shine once she took over the team. Acting as team leader, Storm brought the team through some drastic situations, often without the resources of the Xavier Institute behind her.
Storm became a legend with the X-Men and only spent time away from the team when she was married to Black Panther, serving in the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. There's no doubt that she's one of the team's greatest members.
1 Cyclops Is The X-Men
Cyclops has led the X-Men for just about its whole existence. Except for being on X-Factor and being dead, he's always been a member of the team, joining when he was teenager. He would go on to become the consummate X-Man, the shining example that everyone else on the team followed, even if he could be a bit insufferable.
Cyclops has proven himself at the very top of the superhero world, even rivaling Captain America himself as one of the greatest team leaders of all time. While he's made some mistakes over the years, Cyclops's heroism has helped define the X-Men.