7 Best Alternate Versions of the X-Men

No team in comic book history is more ingrained in multiverse tales than the X-Men. From dark possible futures to grim alternate histories, the X-Men have been the center of many of Marvel Comics most iconic tales involving parallel Earths. Oftentimes, these worlds take the form of worst-case scenarios where Professor X’s dream of peaceful coexistence crumbles apart, and mutants are on the brink of extinction. Still, as long as a universe has mutants, there will be X-Men to act as their representatives and defenders. Of course, some alternate versions of the X-Men are better than others. These are the best X-Men teams the infinite multiverse has to offer.

The X-Men have been at the center of some of Marvel’s darkest and most popular alternate timeline stories. And while mutants struggle to survive in many universes, the X-Men, in their many different forms, fight for them and provide them hope.

7) X-Men 2099

In the high-tech yet grim future of Earth-928, corporations dominate every aspect of life and have practically wiped out all of mutantkind in a great purge. However, in 2099, a mutant resistance fighter named Xi’an Chi Xan, aka Desert Ghost, was inspired by Professor X’s historical teachings to create his own X-Men. Made up of a completely new generation of mutants, the X-Men 2099 are unlike any other version of the mutant superhero team. The roster includes Skullfire, Cerebra, Bloodhawk, Metalhead, Krystalin, and Meanstreak. Together, the X-Men 2099 are a revolutionary group fighting for the oppressed in this dystopian future. They would also become the guardians of the sanctuary Halo City, where all outcasts and refugees are welcome.

6) Mutant Resistance

On Earth-11326, when humanity committed a genocide so great that mutants are brought to the brink of annihilation, Magneto creates a sanctuary for his people known as Fortress X. Under his leadership, the surviving X-Men become the Mutant Resistance. With less than a hundred mutants left on Earth, the Mutant Resistance defends Fortress X and its citizens with their lives. And they certainly have their work cut out for them, as the U.S. Government and the evil Avengers have been laying siege to Fortress X for a thousand days and are determined to eradicate the last of mutantkind. The Mutant Resistance’s field commander is Cannonball, who leads heroes like Basilisk, Rogue, Storm, Gambit, Colossus, Jubilee, Namor, Revenant, and many more into battle.

5) The Six

In the storyline Mutant X, the Havok of the main universe finds his mind swapped with his variant in the grim Earth-1298. In this universe, Cyclops died as a child, and his brother Havok grew up to lead his own darker version of the X-Men known as the Six. The members of this anti-hero group have some of the most bizarre X-Men variants in the multiverse. Beast mutated into a semi-amphibious creature called the Brute, Storm became a vampire called Bloodstorm, Iceman got stuck in his ice form, Angel became the bat-winged hero the Fallen, and Jean Grey’s clone Madelyne Prior became the new Marvel Woman. The Six face off against numerous corrupted heroes like Professor X, Nick Fury, and the Avengers.

4) Witchbreed

Mutants are already persecuted in the modern day, so things were unsurprisingly even worse in the year 1602. On Earth-311, where Marvel characters are present in Elizabethan England, mutants are known as “Witchbreeds.” Mistakenly believed to be the offspring of witches and the Devil, Witchbreeds are seen as evil creatures. They are, in particular, targeted by the Spanish Inquisition. However, a brilliant and compassionate telepath named Carlos Xavier took in five Witchbreeds and teach them how to control their gifts. The roster comprises historical versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel. To see the X-Men set in a time of zealotry and superstition was a fascinating concept that spoke to humanity’s history of prejudice.

3) Days of Future Past X-Men

One of the most iconic Marvel storylines of all time, “Days of Future Past,” presents the darkest future for the X-Men. Set in the desolate future of Earth-811, Sentinels have successfully conquered the Earth and eradicated most of mutantkind. The remaining X-Men include Magneto, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Colossus, Storm, and Rachel Summers. Many of these heroes sacrifice their lives to make a last-ditch effort to go back in time to ensure that the Sentinels never rise to power. However, even though Shadowcat successfully returned to the past, her mission ultimately did not affect their grim timeline. Yet, hope wasn’t lost, as the surviving X-Men, including Magneto, Shadowcat, Rachel Summers, Bishop, Synch, and X-23, continue the fight for liberation in their own time period against the Sentinels.

2) Secret Society X-Men

When the villainous Maker created the all-new Ultimate Universe known as Earth-6160, he sought to erase anyone who could threaten his reign. He murdered Professor X; so, with no Professor X to guide them, young mutants are left to figure out their powers for themselves. In the Ultimate X-Men series, the superhero team is reimagined as Japanese teenage mutant girls attending a regular high school who join forces to protect themselves from the evil Shadow King and the Children of the Atom cult. The mutants, Armor and Maystorm, founded the Secret Society X-Men. Other members include alternate versions of Psylocke, Cyclops, Molly Hayes, and Nico Minoru. With no adults to help them out, the mutants of the next generation must chart their own course.

1) Age of Apocalypse X-Men

When the mutant Legion went back in time and tried to kill young Magneto, Professor X sacrificed his life to save his friend. Having died before he could found the X-Men, Professor X’s death created the parallel timeline known as Earth-295. With no X-Men, Apocalypse easily manages to conquer the Earth. Inspired by his fallen friend’s dream and to honor him, Magneto creates his own X-Men to oppose Apocalypse’s reign. The X-Men of this Earth include Weapon X (Logan), Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Shadowcat, Colossus, Sabretooth, Blink, Iceman, Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, Sunfire, and many more. With their incredible designs, reinvented backstories, and storylines, the X-Men of the Age of Apocalypse universe stand as the most iconic version of the mutant superhero team Marvel Comics has ever created.

What do you think? Leave a Comment below and join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!

7 Best X-Men Characters Introduced Since 2000, Ranked by Power