The world of X-Men is full of incredibly powerful mutants, but the most visually spectacular are those who wield the elemental might of fire. Not every mutant is mentally cut out to command fire and flame, leading to fiery mutants being among both the most powerful and most dangerous in the franchise.

Here are the 15 most powerful X-Men heroes who create and control fire, from a redeemed villain to one of the most iconic mutant heroes of all time. Surprisingly, not every mutant uses fire in the same way - there are those who shape, those who breathe it, and those who become it.

15 Pyro, aka St. John Allerdyce

First Appeared X-Men #141 from Chris Claremont & John Byrne

A former member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Pyro is a mutant terrorist who has since ed the good guys. Working as one of Kitty Pryde's Marauders, Pyro helped to protect mutants around the world, while also quietly establishing a career as a romance writer with novels based on his adventures. He is currently serving on Marvel's new celebrity-esque incarnation of X-Factor in X-Factor volume 5 by Mark Russell and Bob Quinn.

Pyro has an exacting control over fire and heat, and can create complex constructs out of flame. Indeed, Pyro's constructs are so powerful and intricate, they can even take on solid form. However, Pyro notably cannot create fire. Pyro generally solves this by wearing wrist-mounted flamethrowers or working with other heroes who can generate flame - for example, fellow Marauders hero Lockheed.

Pyro was depicted in the X-Men movie series by Aaron Stanford, who most recently appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine as one of Cassandra Nova's followers.

14 Lockheed

First Appearance Uncanny X-Men #166 from Chris Claremont & Paul Smith

Lockheed is a member of the Flock - an alien race with similar physiology to dragons. A friend and 'pet' to X-Men's Kate 'Kitty' Pryde, Lockheed secretly has the intelligence level of a human and has worked with SWORD as an undercover agent - a role that came with custom weaponry designed for his body. Despite not being a mutant, Lockheed's commitment to Kitty has made him a stalwart ally of homo superior.

As well as working with many different versions of the X-Men, Lockheed is also a founding member of the Pet Avengers - a team who have taken down Thanos in the past. Lockheed can breathe intensely powerful blasts of fire - enough to injure aliens from the planet Breakworld, who are extraordinarily durable.

13 Husk, aka Paige Guthrie

First Appearance in Rom Annual #3 by Bill Mantlo & William Johnson

A member of the illustrious mutant bloodline of the Guthrie family and sister to X-Men's Cannonball, Husk has a truly unique superpower. Husk is able to tear off her top layer of skin, revealing a new body underneath made of a new material. By focusing her attention, Husk is able to choose the form of her revealed body, which can be composed of everything from diamond to magma. She's even able to morph her body, for example taking a reptilian, predatory form, and can combine different materials in the same body.

Among her many alternate forms, Husk can adopt a fiery form which allows her to produce powerful blasts of heat and flame. Husk's alternate forms can also grant her increased strength, durability and speed. Sadly, Husk's powers affect her mental state, with mood swings that correspond to her chosen form - for example, her fiery form comes with increased anger. Strong emotions can also override Husk's control over her powers, dictating her form without her intent.

12 Match, aka Benjamin Hammil

First Appearance in New Mutants Volume 2 #7 from Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir and Carlo Barberi

A lesser known X-Men hero, Match is a graduate of the Xavier Institute, acting as the field leader of the team of mutant students known as the Paragons. Benjamin is always on fire and can direct the flames produced by his body, which burn with intense heat. Match is known for having a short temper, but he has also proved himself an effective battlefield leader. It's possible that the temperature of his flames has a negative effect on his emotional state, but this has yet to be conclusively proved.

11 Temper, aka Idie Okonkwo

First Appearance in Uncanny X-Men #528 by Matt Fraction & Whilce Portacio

Born in Nigeria, Idie Okonkwo initially perceived her mutant powers as a sign of inherent evil, choosing the codename 'Oya' to distance herself from her Christian faith, of which she now felt unworthy. Wolverine took a special interest in attempting to school Idie in the control of her powers and convince her that she still had value as a person, with Idie training at the Jean Grey School and later ing a group made up of the time-traveling original five X-Men. However, when Idie ed the mutant nation of Krakoa, she was accused of criminality and locked up underneath the island.

Since then, Idie has ed Cyclops' X-Men under the new name Temper, having grown cynical about the mutant cause while also embracing her own agency and self-worth. Idie's mutant power gives her control over temperature in her immediate vicinity, allowing her to redistribute hot and cold at will. Temper can increase heat to the point of producing fire and cold to ice, however her powers depend on balancing the existing temperate in her close vicinity.

10 Magma, aka Amara Aquilla

First Appearance in New Mutants #8 by Chris Claremont & Sal Buscema

With one of X-Men's weirdest backstories, Magma was raised in Nova Roma - a secret city where the Roman Empire never ended, and the citizens have continued the traditions and beliefs of the ancient civilization. Amara was forced to flee Nova Roma due to a burgeoning civil war, ending up ing the mutant team known as the New Mutants. Since then, she's gone up against major threats, and had the unique 'honor' of going on a date with Mephisto, Marvel's analog to the devil.

Magma has control over her namesake, able to control tectonic activity in her immediate vicinity. Magma can create earthquakes and volcanoes, and using her powers also transforms her body into a magma-like substance. In this state, she has the power to project heat and fire from her body, with heat levels similar to the magma she can summon.

9 Thunderbird, aka Neal Shaara

First Appearance in X-Men Volume 2 #100 by Chris Claremont & Leinil Francis Yu

Far from the first mutant to take the codename 'Thunderbird,' Neal Shaara can absorb and wield heat energy, producing super-heated plasma. Thunderbird can fire beams of intense, fiery heat and bursts of light, as well as wielding his energies to fly and construct what are effectively force fields of heat powerful enough to melt bullets and other projectiles.

8 Firestar, aka Angelica Jones

First Appearance in Uncanny X-Men #193 by Chris Claremont & John Romita Jr.

Firestar is a rare mutant who chose to align with the Avengers rather than the X-Men, having had traumatic experiences with the redeemed villain Emma Frost in early life. During the Krakoan era, Firestar finally embraced her place with the X-Men, with the Avengers asking her to spy on her fellow mutants - a mission she rejected. Ultimately, Firestar was essential to mutantkind defeating the anti-mutant extremists known as Orchis, since Angelica's past rejection of the X-Men made her a believable traitor, allowing her to act as a double agent. Currently, Firestar is appearing in West Coast Avengers by Gerry Duggan and Danny Kim.

Firestar is able to control microwave radiation, allowing her to generate heat and flame at will. Through training, Angelica has developed her powers to the point that she can fly by superheating the air around her and manipulate temperatures up or down, giving her a limited amount of control over others with heat-based powers. Firestar tends to limit her abilities due to being a hero, but her microwave powers can be used on a cosmic level, with feats on par with the spacefaring hero Nova.

7 Sunspot, aka Roberto da Costa

First Appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants by Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod

One of the richest mutants in Marvel lore, Sunspot has worked with both the X-Men and Avengers, as well as buying out the terrorist group A.I.M. to turn it into a force for good. Roberto absorbs solar radiation, vastly increasing her strength and durability while also allowing him to discharge powerful energy blasts, fly and produce fire, heat and light. Sunspot tends to rely more on his strength and energy powers than the fire he can generate. In fact, the theatrical mutant most often uses his fire powers to intimidate allies and enemies. Despite this, his immense power is undeniable.

Sunspot briefly appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past - played by Adan Canto - using his fire powers to take down advanced Sentinels. He was also depicted by Henry Zaga in The New Mutants.

6 Sunfire, aka Shiro Yoshida

First Appeared in X-Men #64 by Roy Thomas & Don Heck

An on again/off again member of the X-Men, Shiro Yoshida can absorb solar energy and repurpose it as heat, fire and super-heated plasma generation. Able to burn at temperatures comparable to the Sun itself, Sunfire is an experienced hero both as a solo crime-fighter and a member of the X-Men. He's also one of the few X-Men to the Avengers - as a member of the mutant/human Unity Squad - and had his powers enhanced after coming into with the blood of a Celestial.