The X-Men are Marvel’s de facto mutant-superhero team. They are the frontline warrior fighting for mutant equality and coexistence, and tackle all the greatest threats to mutantkind and the world at large. Practically all major mutant characters either originate from the X-Men comics or join them at some point. The various X-teams are definitely the number one hotspot for all kinds of mutant characters, but they aren’t the only places where you can find Marvel’s mutants. After all, despite many characters’ attempts over the decades, mutants have never been a homogeneous group. There are many, many more mutants out there than what we see, and even with the ones we do see, they aren’t always content to just be X-Men.
Mutant heroes have been a part of just about every major team Marvel has to offer, and that is certainly true for the Avengers. The Avengers are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and also the team that changes rosters just as much as the X-Men themselves. There’s a joke that everyone has been an Avenger at some point, and that has definitely included some of Marvel’s coolest mutants. Today, we’re taking a look at ten of Marvel’s best mutants who have also served as Avengers. With that all said, let’s jump right into it.
10) Ms. Marvel
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Ms. Marvel’s position is strange. She’s a mutant now, but when he was an Avenger, she was only an Inhuman. Still, Kamala has shown the world that, even if her time on the team was brief, she definitely earned her keep. Kamala is the face of Marvel’s teenage superhero generation, representing the dedication to making the world a better place by carrying on the legacy of other heroes. She’s a natural-born leader with the charisma and tactical mind to inspire everyone and find new ways to save the world. Her powers are endlessly entertaining, and watching her fangirl over heroes will never get old. Kamala is especially big on showing the world that everyone can be a hero, so joining the Avengers was a major step for her.
9) Cannonball
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Cannonball is a practically indestructible hero who can launch himself as a weapon of pure destruction, just like his name implies. While he’s more than happy to knock down every bad guy in his path, what makes Sam great is everything he does outside of the costume. Specifically, he’s married to fellow Avenger Izzy, better known as the Smasher, who also serves in the Shi-ar Imperial Guard. On top of having one of Marvel’s most stable relationships, he has connections to the Externals, potentially being one of them. Cannonball is connected to so many incredible corners of Marvel, and it’s always great to see writers explore those ties.
8) Sunspot
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While we’re talking about Cannonball, let’s also touch on one of his best friends. Sunspot is a longtime member of the New Mutants, and he served on the Avengers during Hickman’s legendary run. Bobby is a serious powerhouse who can convert solar energy into strength that can rival Gladiator and Thor, but he’s at his best in the business world. He inherited a very large company and uses its resources to protect mutantkind and humanity. Roberto is an expert in mixing business savvy and superhuman powers, always knowing how to push to achieve his goals. He’s a manipulation genius, and when he combines his two biggest strengths, he’s a one-man force of nature.
7) Manifold
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Manifold remains one of the most interesting mutants in Marvel, and definitely one of their underrated ones. He can create portals that can take him and anyone else anywhere in the universe. The way he does this is unique, as he literally converses with the universe to open these gates. He was easily the Avengers’ most important asset during his tenure, being their main method of transport and the person who could link them all together despite any interference. His strength isn’t raw power, but in positioning, and that opens all kinds of thought-provoking paths for creative uses of his abilities. He’s definitely at his best when written as the Avengers’ best tactical weapon.
6) Firestar
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Firestar can generate flames by bending microwaves. She’s a fairly iconic hero, especially given her early cartoon appearances, but the most interesting thing about her is definitely her connection to her health. Given that her powers involve microwave and radiation, she constantly grapples with health concerns, even once needing to battle breast cancer. She constantly balances her extreme power with the very human consequences and mortality, but she rises above her fears, regardless. Firestar is an awesome inspiration with very cool powers, and seeing her slowly gain more respect for her Avengers teammates as she came into her own was fantastic.
5) Justice
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Justice is one of the most human Avengers of all. He struggled with an abusive father, whom he accidentally killed with his powers. He spent time in prison and emerged a mature, adult hero who still loved everything superheroes stood for. He idolized the Avengers, and when he finally became one, it took him a long time to see them as people instead of icons. He’s gone through a lot of changes and struggles with an alternate future version of himself who’s lived a very different life, but he’s always tried to do the right thing, and that is the most heroic thing of all.
4) Rogue
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Rogue is a classic X-Man and one of their greatest leaders, which she showed when Captain America himself asked her to lead a team especially made to promote cooperation between mutants and non-mutant superheroes. She started out as a villain, but turned around to become one of the most respected and heroic people in the Marvel Universe. Rogue has always drawn people to her, even when she couldn’t touch them without risk, and her constant battles against her own self-hatred have been the heart of some of Marvel’s great, emotionally moving storylines. She’s beloved for a whole lot of reasons, and as the current Uncanny X-Men’s leader, she’s sure to keep on showing us why.
3) Wolverine
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Logan is definitely the most famous mutant who’s served on the Avengers. Heck, in the dreaded Avengers vs. X-Men, he sided with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Wolverine is a one-man killing machine, designed to be the ultimate weapon and successor to the project that created Captain America. He’s instantly recognizable and, between his healing factor and unbreakable skeleton, you can throw him at just about any threat. Even if he can’t win, he’s sure to buy the rest of the heroes the time they need to figure out a solution. He’s the best he is at what he does, and sometimes, what he does is be a surprisingly great team player.
2) Beast
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Beast was an Avenger for a very long time back in the day, and frankly, I don’t think he was ever happier. When he’s with the X-Men, Beast is always facing the threat of extinction or some kind of new atrocity. Even with his fellow mutants, he’s almost always the most monstrous-looking and thus feels alienated. Beast has been pushed down the dark path more times than I can count when with his fellow X-Men, but as an Avenger, he found a community and fellowship that took the burden off his shoulders. When he isn’t forced to be the smartest man in the room under threat of death, Beast can embrace his fun-loving, prankster personality that he never gets to let out nearly enough.
1) Storm
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Storm was a member of the most recent incarnation of the Avengers, and she showed everyone what it means to be one of the world’s most powerful heroes. This latest roster was all about the best of the best coming together and tackling the biggest threats imaginable, and Storm did just that. She worked to create a team that could handle every villain and situation that the universe threw at them, combining her unmatched power over the elements with everyone else’s awesome might to create a team of true A-listers. Storm is one of Marvel’s best and brightest, and her time on the Avengers emphasized that.
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