12 X-Men: First Class Characters Ranked By How Useful They Would've Been Against Thanos

X-Men: First Class introduced an incredible world of exciting mutants to the Marvel Universe, and many of these heroes and villains could have been instrumental in the MCU’s fight against Thanos. With everything known about Avengers: Secret Wars, there is the potential for a multiversal rematch to occur, suggesting that characters like these may actually appear to fight alongside the Avengers. With this in mind, it is important to examine the efficacy and power of each of these familiar mutants when understanding their place in an MCU context.

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The fight against Thanos was an important part of Marvel cinematic history that is worth looking back on. The Eternals could have been helpful in this battle, and even the original Fox X-Men would have been effective against the Mad Titan. However, some of the best and most powerful mutants were introduced in the Matthew Vaughn-directed prequel. While the franchise would go on to introduce more familiar characters, some of these incredible mutants would have been a conclusive difference in the battle against the Mad Titan.

12 Mystique

Raven’s Skillset Would Not Add Much To This Battle

The relationship between Mystique and Charles was important to X-Men: First Class, although there would be little that Raven could add in a battle against Thanos. While her powers of transformation and duplication are incredible, they would be mostly useless against the Mad Titan. Thanos is an extraterrestrial power that requires brute force and a different kind of intelligence that Mystique brings to the team.

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Mystique is far from useless. In a human world, the ability to transform is enormous for tasks surrounding subterfuge and, especially, for political upset, like was planned in X-Men: Days of Future Past. However, these powers would provide little assistance to an unspeakable cosmic force, leaving Mystique as the lowest-ranked member of the team here. She would be a help, but would not make much of a difference.

11 Beast

Beast Would Not Be Useless, But Would Also Not Be Useful In This Fight

Hank McCoy is an important member of the X-Men team, although there would be little that he could offer in a fight against Thanos. With a younger recast Beast, the film does show that Hank has brute strength and great intelligence, but nothing that the Avengers team did not already have. Shuri’s science at least rivals Hank’s, and the strength of characters like Hulk and Thor outmatch Hank’s.

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Simply, there is little that Hank could add to this fight that isn’t already accommodated elsewhere. While he could be put in a lab somewhere and would be an excellent addition to any team working on the science of how to beat Thanos, his presence here would not make an enormous difference. In addition, this Beast does not even want his powers, and does everything he can to get rid of them. As a result, with limited ability, he must be placed near the bottom of this list.

10 Angel Salvadore

Angel’s Bug Powers Would Be Assistive, But Not Meaningful

Zoë Kravitz, who went on to hop over to the DC Universe for The Batman, where she played the best Catwoman yet, made her entry to superhero cinema as Angel Salvadore in X-Men: First Class. Her powers are interesting, with insect physiology, flight, and the ability to spit acid. Each of these could make a contribution to a fight against Thanos, although none of them would be significantly more impactful than anything the team did not already have.

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Certainly, her acid spit and her speed at getting around could be an asset. However, it is hard to imagine this acid making a meaningful contribution to the fight. Unfortunately, especially when contrasted with other bug-centric characters like Ant-Man and The Wasp, Angel here would not add much to the table. She could also be squashed, just like a bug, a little too easily for comfort.

9 Riptide

Riptide’s Tornado Powers Would Be Useful, But Limited

Riptide’s powers could add something to the fight against Thanos, although the character has historically been fairly easy to defeat. The effect of his whirlwinds could be an incredible way to change the playing field of the battle. However, it has been seen in the comics that the tornadoes he creates are limited in their ability. Wolverine, in a comic appearance, was unable to be moved by the tornadoes due to his build, and it may be the case that Thanos would have the same strength.

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While Riptide would add something to the fight, especially against Thanos’ supporters, he has historically been too easy to do away with, having been killed by Colossus in the comics. Even only considering the film version of the character, it is hard to see Riptide finding much success against the Infinity Stones and Thanos. His powers are simply too limited, and his abilities do not go far beyond the strategic use of cyclones and whirlwinds.

8 Banshee

Banshee Would Fight Well But Is Too Fragile

Banshee’s powers are unique and meaningful enough to contribute well to the fight against Thanos. Banshee is an excellent anti-Sentinel weapon, and his sonic powers would surely do some damage against Thanos. Inside a multifaceted team, this ability could add a lot to the fight, temporarily incapacitating Thanos so that other actions could be taken. Thanos’ weakness to sound is not explored much in the MCU films, but this power would likely be at least somewhat helpful.

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The downside is in the limits to Banshee’s abilities. He uses this same ability of sound to push himself from the ground, allowing himself to fly in a very limited and unusual way. This could be far too easily disrupted, and Banshee’s body is simply too fragile for him to be able to make much of a difference in this fight. In a fight against Thanos, Banshee is too much of a liability, even if his powers would be helpful.

7 Azazel

His Teleportation Powers Could Be Helpful In A Fight Against Thanos

Azazel is a very interesting character, and he is still on audiences’ minds after his cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine this year. Azazel is a clever and conniving mutant with incredible abilities for teleportation that could be put to good use in a fight against Thanos. While much of this ability is replicated by Doctor Strange in the Avengers team, Azazel is faster, with greater reflexes. If given the Infinity Gauntlet, even for a moment, he could have it taken far away, beyond Thanos’ reach, with ease.

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This ability would add a great deal to the team that is not covered by Strange’s magic portals. This speed and reflex would help Azazel make a great difference in the fight against Thanos, although he would not be instrumental all on his own. As part of a solid and well-defined team, Azael could have an enormous and meaningful impact on the fight against Thanos and his army.

6 Wolverine

Wolverine Would Be Nearly Impossible To Beat

Although Wolverine’s recasting has been a question for some time, First Class instead brought back Hugh Jackman in a brief cameo to connect the Fox timelines. His appearance in this film is limited, although his impact on the team would be inversely enormous. Wolverine is nearly impossible to beat. The brute berserker is able to contribute violently to any battle with his strength and claws, countering any blow with his healing factor.

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Granted, brute strength is not missing from the Avengers team, and this addition would not be incredibly meaningful. However, the tenacity, will, and raw dedication that Wolverine has are important to consider. While it is hard to imagine Wolverine taking down Thanos by himself, the fighter would certainly make an incredible addition to any team in this memorable battle.

5 Havok

Alex Summers Can Absorb And Repel Cosmic Energy

Much of the fight against Thanos involved the use of cosmic energies and powers. While it is unlikely that Havok would be able to stand up to all facets of the Infinity Stones and all of their abilities, the mutant brother of Cyclops is able to absorb all kinds of energy that are used offensively against him. He is able to store this power and send it violently hurtling back against his assailants. This ability could be instrumental in a fight against Thanos.

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Understanding the exact rules of this energy could change Alex’s place in this list. However, based on the general understanding of these powers, Havok’s powers of energy could help him resist and combat Thanos’ powers. Using this in an intelligent and strategic way would allow Havok to be a major part of the battle against Thanos, especially in the scrum of heavy and violent battle.

4 Emma Frost

The Mutant’s Psionic Powers Could Make An Enormous Difference

Emma Frost has been criminally underused in Fox’s X-Men films, with the character having a small appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine before a prominent, recast role in X-Men: First Class. January Jones plays the villain with her classic femme fatale style, although only the surface of her powers and conniving brilliance are captured in the film. Emma Frost is more than this, and would serve well against Thanos with her psionic abilities.

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In the comics, Frost was nearly able to overcome and beat Thanos with her mental abilities. Compared with someone like Mantis in Infinity War, who was able to manipulate Thanos’ emotions and put him to sleep temporarily, Emma Frost could do so much more. Getting inside Thanos’ head, there is an incredible amount of brutal work that Emma Frost’s clever planning and action could do to assist during this battle.

3 Professor X

Charles Xavier’s Abilities Would Be An Incredible Help

Similar to Emma Frost, Professor X would have the ability to get inside of Thanos’ head in a way that could be instrumental to the battle. However, Thanos has historically had some resistance to telepaths like Charles, and this could restrict his ability. Still, Xavier’s powers are enormous, especially when amplified by Cerebro, and it seems likely that he could make a significant difference in this battle.

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Granted, physically, across his many Marvel X-Men appearances, Charles has been physically weak. However, so long as he was used properly in this fight, his abilities could be used in ways that are very helpful. While Charles would likely not be able to take down Thanos on his own, the thought is still a possibility, so long as circumstances went the right way for the hero.

2 Darwin

Adapting To Survive Would Be Important to Resisting Thanos

Thanos’ plan is all about disrupting the natural order of things, whereas Darwin’s abilities run counter to this. The character’s abilities show that he can adapt to survive, which would be an important part of any battle against Thanos. As the Mad Titan came at him and his peers, Darwin would be able to naturally adapt to the situation, finding ways to overcome and survive the fight. This could be important for the larger group, too.

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With that said, while Darwin’s powers in the film appear to be incredible, even if he was able to have these powers used to his detriment by Sebastian Shaw, there is also a comic precedent that shows limits to this ability. In fights against Hulk, Darwin has had to teleport away to survive. Sometimes adapting to survive does not include destroying the other combatant. Still, these abilities would surely be important in a fight against any enormous threat.

1 Magneto

Erik Lehnsherr Would Be The Most Important Combatant From The X-Men

Magneto believes in the superiority of mutants, and would ideologically stand against the violent decimation of innocent, random people that Thanos’ quest plans to employ. Magneto would be incensed by Thanos’ mission, and would stand starkly in contrast to his ideals. However, character only goes so far, and the most important factor to consider here is Magneto’s abilities. Simply, his control over metal would be paramount during this conflict.

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The Infinity Gauntlet is made of Uru, a magical, dwarvish metal in the MCU. However, comic book and movie precedents show that Magneto is able to control all kinds of metal, even Adamantium and Uru. As a result, there is little that Thanos could do to resist Magneto from taking the Gauntlet for himself. While the X-Men: First Class mutant may then use the Infinity Stones for his own destructive plans, it is certain that Thanos would be quickly and easily dispatched.

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18 9.1/10 Avengers: Infinity War PG-13ActionSci-FiSuperheroAdventure

Avengers: Infinity War is the third Avengers movie in the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is positioned as the beginning of the culmination of everything that has transpired in the franchise to date. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War, have assembled the largest ensemble in a superhero film to date. Nearly every living character in the MCU is included as the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to take down Thanos in a battle that has massive repercussions for the future of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. A sequel, Avengers: Endgame, was released in 2019 and marked the end of the Infinity Saga.

Release Date April 27, 2018 Runtime 149 minutes Cast Chris Hemsworth , Anthony Mackie , Elizabeth Olsen , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson , Mark Ruffalo , Sebastian Stan , Paul Rudd , Chadwick Boseman , Don Cheadle , Samuel L. Jackson , Josh Brolin , Tom Holland , Evangeline Lilly , Paul Bettany , Chris Evans , Jeremy Renner Director Joe Russo , Anthony Russo Writers Stephen McFeely , Christopher Markus Expand
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56 9.5/10 Avengers: Endgame PG-13AdventureActionSci-FiSuperhero

Avengers: Endgame, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, concludes the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Infinity Saga. It follows the remaining Avengers as they attempt to reverse the destruction caused by Thanos, navigating complex dynamics and forging alliances to restore balance to the universe.

Release Date April 26, 2019 Runtime 181 Minutes Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Josh Brolin , Don Cheadle , Paul Rudd , Benedict Cumberbatch , Chadwick Boseman , Brie Larson , Tom Holland , Karen Gillan , Zoe Saldana , Evangeline Lilly , Tessa Thompson , Rene Russo , Elizabeth Olsen , Anthony Mackie , Sebastian Stan , Tom Hiddleston , Danai Gurira , Benedict Wong , Pom Klementieff , Dave Bautista , Letitia Wright , John Slattery , Tilda Swinton , Jon Favreau , Hayley Atwell , Natalie Portman , Marisa Tomei , Taika Waititi Director Anthony Russo , Joe Russo Writers Keith Giffen , Stan Lee , Larry Lieber , Don Heck , Jim Starlin , Joe Simon , Steve Englehart , Jack Kirby , Steve Gan , Bill Mantlo , Stephen McFeely , Christopher Markus Expand
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7.3/10 X-Men: First Class PG-13 Sci-FiActionAdventure

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X-Men: First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga in the 1960s. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers. Before they were archenemies, they were close friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a rift between them opened, beginning the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.

Release Date June 3, 2011 Runtime 131 minutes Cast Jennifer Lawrence , Caleb Landry Jones , Michael Fassbender , Nicholas Hoult , Oliver Platt , Rose Byrne , Michael Ironside , Jason Flemyng , January Jones , Kevin Bacon , Glenn Morshower , James McAvoy , Lucas Till , Edi Gathegi , Zoë Kravitz Director Matthew Vaughn Writers Bryan Singer , Matthew Vaughn , Zack Stentz , Jane Goldman , Ashley Miller Expand

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