Marvel Comics introduced the idea of mutants in 1963 with X-Men Vol. 1 #1. This was where Marvel introduced Professor Charles Xavier’s school, where he taught these exceptional mutants how to survive in a world that feared them, while also teaching them how to use their powers safely. Over time, this world expanded to include The New Mutants, X-Force, X-Factor, Excalibur, and many more, and the number of mutants in Marvel Comics grew to millions. There were 200,000 mutants on Krakoa and another million on Arakko, not to mention the ones who lived in other locations on Earth. Not all were exceptional, but there were some mutants in the X-Men who ended up going from jokes to becoming some of the most powerful mutants on the planet.
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From at least one member of the original X-Men to members of the New Mutants, X-Force, and more, here is a look at the mutants in Marvel Comics who went from zero to hero.
6) Dazzler
When Marvel Comics introduced Alison Blaire, it was a simple promotional tool by the comic book company. Marvel wanted to partner with a music label and have a comic book character as a pop star, making real-world music. What resulted was a hero that many readers rejected instantly. Dazzler was a joke, a character whose mutant powers included making a dazzling light show that she preferred to use in her musical concerts rather than for any other reason. However, over time, Marvel took Dazzler more seriously. Eventually, she began to work in the deadly X-Treme X-Men and even became an Agent of SHIELD. Her powers are also more than they used to be. She has sound absorption and even managed to absorb Black Bolt’s voice to protect her fellow mutants. She can also use her light generation powers to create lasers, photon blasts, and even a destructive shield.
5) Angel
Angel was one of the five original X-Men, along with Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, and Jean Grey. While the other four members had great offensive powers, all Angel could do was fly. Over time, he developed only two good character traits — his wings and his immense wealth. Of the original five X-Men, he was the weakest and the only one that seemed disposable. This happened after he lost his wings and then seemed to die by suicide. However, what really happened was that Apocalypse faked the suicide and resurrected Angel as his Horsemen of Death, replacing the regular wings with bladed wings and dubbing him Archangel. Suddenly, Archangel was mighty and even had no problem killing his enemies, making him a massive upgrade over the birdman from the original X-Men team.
4) Kitty Pryde
Kitty Pryde was, at one time, one of the most annoying X-Men members. When she joined the Xavier school in 1979, she was the youngest member of the team. Her only power was the ability to phase through objects like walls, floors, and other people. She also had a significant personality issue, as writers wanted to portray her as a teenager with an attitude, which made her almost a liability. She soon began to improve, especially in her relationships with Storm and Wolverine, but she would often revert, such as when she called the New Mutants “babies,” despite them all being the same age. Things have changed. On Krakoa, Kitty became Katherine, and she went from a kid to a leader, taking the lead of the Marauders and proving she was one of the X-Men’s most valuable leaders in the field. She has also demonstrated her actual abilities, as she can now phase through different planes of existence and ascend to a higher cosmic plane.
3) Kid Omega
When Quintin Quire first appeared in New X-Men #134 in 2002, he was instantly unlikable. He was arrogant, selfish, and self-centered. Despite being one of Professor X’s prize students, he started a rebellious faction called the Omega Gang and began to attack normal humans, even killing some, and then finally attacked Xavier. The Stepford Cuckoos finally ended his threat and shut him down mentally. Things have changed a lot for the Omega Kid. On Krakoa, while he still has an attitude problem, Jean Grey worked with him, and it turns out that his psychic powers match up to even hers. He might be one of the strongest telepaths in Marvel Comics after Jean and Professor X. He is now an Omega-level mutant and a Psionic of Highest Order.
2) Jubilee
Jubilee is similar to Dazzler in that her powers seemed almost worthless at the start, and she was mostly there as a fan favorite and for no other reason. However, Jubilee has come a long way since she was initially known as the mutant who could make sparkles. Jubilee first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #244, and she was the new generation’s Kitty Pryde, a teenager who had plenty of angst, but not much in the way of powers to back it up. She gained popularity thanks to the television cartoons, but soon she proved herself in Marvel Comics as well. Emma Frost has theorized that Jubilee can create an atomic blast with her powers if she builds up enough energy. She also became a vampire after M-Day, which kept her powerful until she retained her mutant abilities.
1) Douglas Ramsey
Douglas Ramsey was easily the most worthless mutant for many years. New Mutants fans hated Doug due to his arrogance and frustrating attitude, despite his limited powers, which included the ability to understand and speak any language, whether human, alien, or technological. Even after he became important on Krakoa, as the only person who could communicate with the island of Krakoa, he was still a mostly worthless mutant. Things changed. He proved that he was scheming and worked behind the Quiet Council’s back to ensure Krakoa’s wishes were followed. Now, he is the big bad in the mutant universe, as Apocalypse gave him new powers and renamed him Revelation. He has since taken over the world in the 2025 crossover series, X-Men: Age of Revelation.
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