In Marvel Comics, there are few characters stronger than the most powerful X-Men. When X-Men '97 Season 2 returns in 2026, there's a variety of heroes set to show off their abilities, ranging from bone-crushing to mind-bending. Despite being a team with varied leadership roles and duties, it's obvious who stands above the rest as the strongest X-Men.
Most fans agree: Disney+'s X-Men '97 has successfully revitalized the beloved 1990s animated series. The revival's success lies in its mature, mutant-centric storytelling. Season 1's finale scatters the X-Men across time.
Professor X, Magneto, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Beast face a young Apocalypse in 3000 BC. Cyclops and Jean Grey meet their grown son Cable and daughter Mother Askani in 3960 AD. Meanwhile, Wolverine, Storm, Bishop, and others in modern times (1997) brace for new threats.
This array of timelines and threats is gearing up the heroes to take on at least five prominent X-Men villains, promising fans an action-packed season. With so much at stake, it's important to know which characters could carry the load when it comes to strength and abilities.
Here's a look at the superheroes confirmed to appear in X-Men '97 and how they rank from weakest to strongest, based on past animated appearances and comic book iterations.
Havok
Havok, the plasma-blasting younger brother of Cyclops, channels cosmic energy into powerful beams from his chest. His destructive potential is significant, capable of destroying structures, but his lack of precision compared to Cyclops' optic blasts and limited defensive capabilities place him as the weakest hero here.
His effectiveness truly depends on combat scenarios, making him less versatile than Nightcrawler or Gambit, for example. Compared to heavyweights like Jean Grey or Professor X, Havok's power is pretty simplistic.
Polaris
Polaris wields magnetism powers similar to her father's (Magneto), manipulating metal with precision, which is sure to be on display during her confirmed Season 2 role, voiced by Neve Campbell.
Her mental health struggles, which have been explored in the comics, may hold her back in these rankings when compared to her raw ability. There's an argument that she could be ranked higher based on some of the electromagnetic precision she's shown in the comics.
Beast
Beast combines superhuman strength, agility, and genius-level intellect, as showcased in X-Men '97 Season 1, where he battled Bastion and more.
His physicality allows him to overpower normal humans and hold his own against stronger X-Man villains like Sabretooth. In the animated series, Beast's strength is notable but outclassed by Wolverine's durability and Rogue's raw power, for example.
His intellect gives him an edge in strategy, which helps bolster his ranking against his fellow X-Men. The iconic character is also set to return to live action, with actor Kelsey Grammer excited to return to the role in Avengers: Doomsday.
Gambit
Gambit, potentially getting revived in Season 2, charges objects with kinetic energy, turning cards into explosives, as seen during X-Men '97 Season 1's devastating sacrifice against a Prime Sentinel.
Gambit's street smarts and combat trickery give him an edge over many opponents; he also gets a few bonus points for having an objectively cool skillset.
Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler's teleportation and acrobatics, highlighted in X-Men '97 Season 1, make him a dynamic hero, giving him the edge over Gambit's card attacks.
His ability to rapidly cross short distances gives him an edge in close combat, letting him disorient enemies or strike before they can react. Beyond combat, his powers make him invaluable for rescue missions and stealth operations, slipping through barriers and reaching otherwise inaccessible places.
A lot of people would choose teleportation as the superpower they'd most want, and Nightcrawler proves why that's the case.
Bishop
Bishop, a time-traveling mutant who popped up in X-Men '97 Season 1, can absorb blasts and channel them into powerful attacks. His ability to withstand energy-based assaults makes him more durable than Havok or Polaris, and his time-travel expertise adds strategic depth unmatched by Beast.
In the animated series, Bishop's combat versatility places him just below Cyclops, whose optic blasts are more consistent but less adaptive.
Cyclops
Scott Summers' concussive optic blasts, not to be confused with laser vision, can level enemies and structures with sheer destructive force.
His greatest strength lies in precision; he can unleash wide beams to overwhelm groups or narrow them into pinpoint strikes that hit exact targets. This control makes him both an incredible offensive weapon and a disciplined battlefield leader of the X-Men.
Wolverine
The ability not to die can't be understated. Wolverine's healing factor allows him to withstand injuries that would kill most, making him one of the most durable fighters on the team and in Marvel Comics.
Combined with his adamantium claws and explosive combat instincts, he excels in brutal hand-to-hand battles more than anyone.
Storm
Storm commands the weather with Omega-level power, wielding lightning, wind, and storms on both small and massive scales.
Her powers give her unmatched control over the battlefield environment, whether dispersing enemies with gusts of wind or striking with pinpoint electrical precision. On a physical, environmental manipulation standpoint, it's hard to get any better than Storm.
Rogue
Rogue's unique ability to absorb powers, memories, and life force through touch makes her one of the most versatile X-Men.
Beyond raw power, her adaptability makes her unpredictable, as she can instantly turn an opponent's strengths into her own weapons. The only reason she doesn't rank higher is a lack of telepathic capabilities, as the top two X-Men have.
Professor X
Professor X is the world's most powerful telepath, capable of reading, influencing, or shutting down minds on a global scale, giving the leader of the X-Men near god-like abilities.
At his peak, he embodies the ultimate mental force, commanding battles through intellect and will rather than physical strength.
Despite these mental powers, in X-Men: The Animated Series finale, "Graduation Day," Professor X was shot by Henry Gyrich with an energy disruptor, leaving him comatose, but he was taken by Lilandra to the Shi'ar homeworld for treatment, leaving his fate uncertain until X-Men '97.
Jean Grey
Jean Grey combines powerful telepathy and telekinesis, with the potential to ascend to Phoenix-level cosmic force. She can manipulate objects, minds, and even reality itself, shifting from subtle psychic influence to cataclysmic displays of power.
Her abilities make her one of the most dangerous and awe-inspiring mutants, tempered only by the balance of her emotions and self-control. While Jean's abilities can be used for the greater good, it's when she dips into the dark side that terrifies any X-Men.
