Warning: Spoilers Ahead for X-Men #16!

Professor Charles Xavier may be gone, but X-Men’s new authority and the definitive leader of the iconic hero team with one historic line. While Professor X is the founder of the X-Men and the team’s original leader, Scott Summers truly stands as the one superhero who embodies the heart and soul of the X-Men.

In X-Men #16, written by Jed MacKay, with art by Netho Diaz, Cassandra Nova’s 3K mutants have announced they want to dethrone the X-Men and become Earth’s new mutant superhero team with an emphasis on mutant supremacy. When the 3K villains reveal this, Cyclops delivers the line: “If there’s any one person who’s qualified to say who is and who isn’t an X-Man, it’s me. ”

X-Men #16 Cyclops tells 3K he determines who the X-Men are.

Scott Summers may want to separate himself from Professor X, but Marvel knows there is no better hero to take up the mantle of the X-Men’s prime leader than Cyclops.

The X-Men will always be intertwined with Xavier, and Cyclops will always be an X-Man.

Sorry, But Cyclops Will Never Escape the Legacy of Professor X

X-Men #16; Written By Jed MacKay; Art By Netho Diaz; Ink by Sean Parsons, JP Mayer, & Livesay; Color By Fer Sifuentes-sujo; Letters By Clayton Cowles

Charles Xavier next to Cyclops in the Rain

Originally one of Professor X’s first pupils, Cyclops saw Charles Xavier as a mentor and father figure during his youth. However, Xavier’s increasingly controversial actions as the X-Men’s leader would eventually strain their once-close bond. Despite this, Cyclops was practically molded to be the perfect leader of the X-Men. As a teen, he became a soldier for Xavier’s dream, often carrying the burden of leadership without question. Yet time and again, Xavier made critical decisions behind the scenes without informing his team, leaving Cyclops and the other X-Men to deal with the consequences.

Charles Xavier’s actions during the Fall of Krakoa were the final straw for Cyclops. However, despite Scott’s efforts to distance himself from his former mentor, the X-Men will always be intertwined with Xavier, and Cyclops will always be an X-Man. When Charles Xavier announced his retirement and left Earth in X-Manhunt Omega #1, he told Cyclops that the biggest burden falls on him because the X-Men look to him. Cyclops has made it clear he wants nothing to do with Xavier’s legacy, but Professor X knows no one is closer and more dedicated to mutant liberation than Cyclops.

Sorry, Wolverine, Marvel Confirms No Other Mutant Can Represent the X-Men Better Than Scott Summers

Wolverine May Be the X-Men’s Mascot, but Cyclops Is the True Heart of the Team

Many heroes have gone on to lead their versions of the X-Men, such as Storm, Kitty Pryde, and Wolverine, but in truth, the most tried and true leader has always been Cyclops. Aside from Professor X, no other hero’s identity has been so closely intertwined with being “the X-Men’s leader” like Scott Summers has. Wolverine is undoubtedly a contender as one of the most popular and well-known heroes to lead the X-Men, but when it comes down to it, Cyclops is the more dependable of the two.

Cyclops (left) and Wolverine (right) charging into battle together.
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Magneto Explains Why Cyclops is A Better Hero Than Wolverine, & It Comes Down To 1 Specific Superpower

It takes an icon like Magneto to explain why Wolverine’s most powerful ability makes Cyclops the superior hero and the leader the X-Men need.

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Even more so than either Professor Xavier or Wolverine, Cyclops is the real face of the X-Men and has been for decades. Wolverine may be the more well-known hero, but Scott Summers’ dedication makes him the manifestation of Xavier’s dream. Cyclops prioritizes the future of mutant-kind and the X-Men, while Wolverine often splits off for one reason or another. After the Fall of Krakoa, Cyclops immediately started trying to rebuild the X-Men. Meanwhile, in Uncanny X-Men #3 by Gail Simone and David Marquez, Wolverine leaves the X-Men, despite Rogue begging him to stay and help train the next generation.

Cyclops Is Replacing Professor X, and It Was Always Inevitable

Scott Summers Has Always Been the Official Leader of the X-Men Over Any Other Hero

xavier and cyclops from the x-men franchise

No matter how much talk there is about Cyclops wanting to break free from the tumultuous legacy of Professor X, Scott naturally assumes the role of rebuilding the X-Men, time and time again, proving that he is, by all means, Professor Xavier’s true successor. His authority in deciding who gets to be an X-Man mirrors the power Xavier once held, reinforcing Cyclops as the team’s most dependable and recognized leader. With the founder of the X-Men now off in space, it’s hard to imagine any other hero stepping into Charles Xavier’s role as the face of the X-Men besides Cyclops.

X-Men #16 is available now from Marvel Comics!