The 10 Best X-Men Villains for the MCU

With the final acquisition of Fox by Walt Disney seeming inevitable, it’s time to stop wondering whether we will see the X-Men and Fantastic Four at Marvel Studios and begin to wonder how they will make their first appearance. The revelation that Skrulls would appear in Captain Marvel next year creates an obvious connection between current Marvel films and the Fantastic Four, as well as several possible stories for when and where that team might have been. There is not quite as obvious of a starting point for the X-Men as of yet.

While many fans will be interested to see which X-Men will be part of any relaunched team, the more important question is likely what threat they will be facing. The choice of a villain will likely have a big impact on both which heroes appear and how they are introduced; it will also guide the manner in which mutants are made a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The X-Men have a long history of fighting some of the most devious and complicated antagonists in all of Marvel Comics. Choosing one villain from their rogues gallery is difficult, if only because there are so many, and now there’s the added bonus of a villain being essential to expanding what is already the largest shared cinematic universe ever.

We’ve picked out an elite top ten to help narrow the options, keeping in mind the many ways in which these bad guys will impact the MCU as well as the X-Men franchise.

Magneto

Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

First Appearance: The X-Men (vol. 1) #1

It’s difficult to imagine any version of the X-Men franchise without Magneto. As both a villain and hero, he is one of the longest-lasting characters associated with the team and one of the greatest villains in all of superhero comics. Even if Magneto isn’t the leading antagonist in the first X-Men film, it would be useful to reintroduce him to both define the team and establish future conflicts for both the X-Men and MCU.

Mr. Sinister

Created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

First Appearance: The Uncanny X-Men (vol. 1) #221

One of the trickiest elements in making mutants part of the history of the MCU, which already spans from 1941 through today, will be explaining what they are and why they haven’t been noticed before. Mr. Sinister, the greatest X-villain to never see the big screen, could easily provide reasons for all of this. He is a manipulator of genetics, minds, and history, one of the longest-lived mutants who has secretly been affecting the X-Men from their very start.

Mojo

Created by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams

First Appearance: Longshot #3

If Marvel Studios wanted to go a more meta route, than the machinations and manipulations of the over-sized entertainment producer Mojo would offer a very amusing means to explain why no one has noticed mutants so far. He also possesses incredible power in spite of his silly personality and modus operandi. This is one villain who might be difficult to pull off, but would be a terrifying addition to the MCU if made to work.

Proteus

Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne

First Appearance: The Uncanny X-Men (vol. 1) #125

Proteus is one more reality-warping villain with a long history. His recent appearance in Astonishing X-Men made it clear just how precisely he could rebuild the world when given sufficient life force to feed upon. As the child of Professor Xavier, he is one of the earliest mutants to emerge and has many connections to the X-Men, both new and old. Proteus offers the perfect combination of powers and history to set up the introduction of an important new team.

Onslaught

Created by Mark Waid, Andy Kubert, and Scott Lobdell

First Appearance: X-Men (vol. 2) #53

Onslaught is another immensely powerful mutant force with strong ties to the most important mutant leaders in history. He also was created for an event that specifically removed the Avengers and other heroes from Marvel to let the X-Men shine. As an introductory villain, Onslaught would provide an incredible threat that could leave the X-Men as the only team capable of saving Earth, even after the awesome team-up featured in Avengers: Infinity War.

Sentinels

Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

First Appearance: The X-Men (vol. 1) #14

It’s also possible that mutants could be treated as a relatively new addition of this universe, in which case they would just be awaiting discovery. With so much strife following the Sokovia Accords and Thanos’ invasion of Earth, it wouldn’t be outlandish to imagine governments constructing giant robots that could hunt and battle metahumans. This would lead naturally to the discovery of a new mutant population and the literal construction of their first great enemy.

Cassandra Nova

Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

First Appearance: New X-Men #114

No character has made the Sentinels a more deadly threat than Cassandra Nova who turned them against the island of Genosha to cause an instant genocide. As a manipulator and evil mirror for Xavier, Nova could offer a great power behind global events to kick off the newest mutant saga in the movies of the MCU.

Hellfire Club

Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men (vol. 1) #129

The Hellfire Club has proven equally adept at manipulating events and hiding the identities of mutants as any other villain on this list. In addition to offering a reason why mutants haven’t been discovered so far, they would also deliver a wide range of abilities and personalities for the X-Men to face off against in their very first MCU adventure.

Reavers

Created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri

First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men (vol. 1) #229

No matter which big villain producers decide to go with, any bad guy can use some henchmen, and the Reavers are some of the most interesting and deadly enforcers to ever fight the X-Men. These cyborg mashups question the very nature of humanity and transform their hatred into something visibly ugly. Even in a minor role, some Reavers would make a great addition.

Krakoa

Created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrus

First Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men #1

There is one other notable possibility for introducing the X-Men that would pay homage to the comics. Krakoa was the first monster the team would face when relaunched into their modern comics stardom. It is a creature that literally rocked the face of the Earth and could hide mutant presences from outside observers. If this living island were made the first new villain of the MCU’s X-Men it would make for a great story and homage to the team’s golden age.