The 15 Most Powerful Ultimate Universe X-Men, Ranked | CBR

While Marvel’s Prime Universe, also known as Earth-616, boasts some of the most powerful X-Men, there is another universe, an Ultimate one, that has mutants with even greater abilities. Ultimate X-Men ran from 2001 to 2009 and reimagined the X-Men, their origins, and their most famous stories in the Earth-1610 reality.

RELATED: Marvel: 10 Heroes You Wouldn’t Think Are Stronger Than Thor (But Actually Are)

Many of these new X-Men iterations demonstrated significantly stronger mutations or augmentations to their established power-sets. To that end, some of Earth-1610’s strongest X-Men aren’t necessarily the same as those on Earth-616. Here are the most powerful Ultimate Universe X-Men, ranked.

Updated on May 20th, 2020, by Richard Keller: The Ultimate X-Men may be gone but they certainly aren't forgotten. Though their spotlight was dimmer than that placed on a young man named Peter Parker, The X-Men of Earth-1610 were definitely immersed in its history. Here are a few more of the most powerful Ultimate X-Men, ranked.

15 Cyclops

Scott Summer's mutant abilities in the 1610 universe are about the same as his 616 duplicate. He is able to absorb solar energy and redirect it as eye beams through his custom visor. Its design is similar to the one Scott used when the main X-Men line was relaunched in 1991.

Of course, this is his normal state. When Cyclops was on the drug called Banshee, he was able to control the eye beams without his visor. As he became addicted to the drug, his mutant abilities shifted, so he could fly and survive the vacuum of space. These were only temporary powers. When the drug wore off, Scott was left with only the eye beams and the power of leadership.

14 Storm

There's something similar and different about the Earth-1610 version of Storm. She has the same powers as her 616 counterpart. They allow her to create storms on a clear day and generate lightning. She can also whip up a tornado if needed.

It's her origin that's radically different in the Ultimate Universe. Here, she's a Moroccan car thief living in Texas. In addition, her attitude isn't as regal as it is on Earth-616. She's acerbic and sarcastic, yet also romantic. Her relationships with Beast and Wolverine reveal this element of her life.

13 Pyro

The Ultimate X-Men version of Pyro is totally different from the one introduced to readers in the early 1980s. First, we don't know who he is. Second, like Firestar, it seems like he was also engulfed by flames. However, he was completely burned. Third, he can generate flames without the means of apparatus built into his suit.

He's also a member of the X-Men for a short period of time. He becomes a part of Bishop's team first. Then, when the future mutant is killed by Wolverine, Pyro joins Xavier's branch of the mutant team.

12 Firestar

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends must have taken place on Earth-1610, because Firestar is an X-Man here. It makes perfect sense. She's Peter Parker's friend when her mutant abilities take hold. When she runs away, it takes Spidey and his amazing friend Iceman to rescue her. By the time Ultimate X-Men #94 comes out, she's a full-time member of the Merry Mutants.

Ultimate Firestar's powers are similar to her 616 counterpart. In addition to bursting into flame, she can absorb electromagnetic energy and disperse it in various forms and intensities. By heating the air around her, Firestar can fly and lift heavy loads.

11 Colossus

Piotr's powers are similar to the ones the original was given in 1975's Giant-Size X-Men. He can cover his body at will in organic steel. In this form, he has enormous strength, durability, and near invulnerability. However, there's one caveat. He can't move in this form without drugs.

For this, he uses Banshee, a drug that seems to enhance mutant powers. When Jean Grey and Cyclops discover he's the one distributing it, Colossus gives some to Scott and the other X-Men. As a result, many of them also become addicted to the drug. Thus, Piotr is a bit of a bad egg in the Ultimate Universe.

10 Beast

The Ultimate version of Beast is strongly reflective of his Prime Universe counterpart, so it's understandable that he’s considered a powerful member of the team. While he may not boast Omega-level powers like Iceman or Jean Grey, Hank McCoy is the brains behind the X-Men operation. He was born with hands for feet and eventually gained agility, superhuman strength, and that insane intellect.

Later, as a Weapon X project subject, he turned blue and gained claws, fangs, and heightened senses. Hank is the X-Men’s go-to technical engineer and scientist, upgrading and overseeing the Danger Room and the Blackbird.

9 Armor

Although she may seem like an unlikely addition to this list, Armor, aka Hisako Ichiki, is a notably powerful X-Men member who can create a psionic exoskeleton suit of armor. This exoskeleton is incredibly strong, durable, impenetrable and, on Earth-616, it’s fueled by energy from Hisako’s Japanese ancestors.

RELATED: 10 Strongest Weapons In One Piece, Ranked

In the Ultimate Universe, Armor’s exoskeleton often takes the shape of giant animals and even dragons. Here, it’s fueled by 10,000 mythological Japanese spirit demons. Armor is savvy and powerful enough that when the Ultimate Universe was destroyed, she was able to slip into the Prime Universe.

8 Wolverine

It’s completely expected to see Wolverine on another X-Men list (almost boring, really), but credit must be given to this version of Logan. Earth-616’s Wolverine has a healing factor but Ultimate Wolvy has a “survival” factor. He can survive being torn in half, decapitated, and even blown up by a nuclear bomb. He can also detect lies and still has an adamantium skeleton.

After becoming an amnesiac, Weapon X trained him as a first-rate, emotionless assassin. However, when tasked with killing Xavier, he proves he is more than just muscle, overcoming his brainwashing and joining a cause he believes in: The X-Men’s.

7 Psylocke

The Ultimate X-Men version of Psylocke is a force to be reckoned with, a fact she has proven time and again. Betsy Braddock is England’s most powerful telepath, capable of reading minds, creating psychic grenades that explode in the minds of others, and brandishing a psychic blade. She was once possessed by David Haller, aka Legion, but was strong enough to overpower him momentarily, which is no small feat.

RELATED: 10 Famous Anime Characters Who Have The Same Actor

When Colossus dropped a car on her, her consciousness was powerful enough to jump into the body of a coma patient named Kwannon, somewhat like her Earth-616 counterpart.

6 Nightcrawler

Another Weapon X product, the Ultimate Nightcrawler begins as a black ops agent and assassin with the ability to teleport short distances. He defects to the X-Men, where he honed his abilities, which also include superhuman reflexes, agility, and speed. He can also control how his atomic molecules bond, allowing him to stick to various surfaces.

When he was using the drug called Banshee, which Colossus provided to members of his new X-Men team, Nightcrawler’s mutations further advanced. During this time, he could produce and brandish flare-like energy batons and teleport both himself and other objects over much greater distances.

5 Kitty Pryde

Kitty Pryde famously walks through walls, a mutation she also has on Earth-1610. In this universe, she discovered she can also minimize the negative space around her atoms, becoming super dense. In this state, Kitty, who took on the alias Shroud, experiences superhuman strength and resilience. She is powerful enough to scare the authorities and once even punched Spider-Man (whom she dated), sending him flying.

RELATED: 10 Unexpectedly Fast Marvel Heroes, Ranked by Speed

All that... and she can phase herself and others through solid matter, walk on air and water, and destroy electronics. Exposure to Giant-Man Serum leveled her up more, allowing her to increase in size.

4 Iceman

Ultimate X-Men sees Iceman as an even greater Omega-level mutant than the Prime Universe. Rather than experiencing a process of evolution like his Earth-616 counterpart, this Bobby Drake skipped the snowman phase and went right to fully functional ice body. His powers include cryokinesis and hydrokinesis, and can transform his body as well as create gigantic ice trolls and ice walls.

He’s proven his worth by stopping a Weapon X invasion and the Ultimates on his own. It is small wonder that even Professor Xavier has claimed that Iceman is one of the three most powerful X-Men.

3 Rogue

This version of Rogue is incredibly powerful and one of the most powerful X-Men. Similar to her Prime Universe version, Rouge, alias Marian Carlyle, drains the life-force and absorbs the memories and abilities of others through skin-to-skin contact.

While using the Banshee drug, she is able to use abilities she obtained in the past at will. When Juggernaut later dies in battle, Rogue absorbs his abilities which become permanent. This boosted her power with superhuman speed, agility, strength, and stamina. She has the power of the Juggernaut and she can still absorb more, which seemingly makes her unstoppable.

2 Professor Xavier

In the Earth-1610 universe, Xavier continues to maintain his place as one of the most powerful mutants in existence. His mutation gifts him with telepathy, astral projection, and this version experiences some limited telekinetic skills as well. He is also a genius with skills in surgery, therapy, and biochemistry. T

This Xavier is perhaps even more powerful considering that, while he’s a “good guy,” he’s somewhat corrupt and very manipulative. He willingly reads and messes with the minds of others and even created the mutant drug, Banshee. He recognizes the error of his ways, but doesn’t necessarily change his behavior.

1 Jean Grey

It may come as little surprise that Jean Grey is the most powerful member of the Ultimate X-Men team. Not only is she telepathic and telekinetic, but she is host to the Phoenix Force. These gifts grant her pretty much ultimate power in the Prime Universe, but Earth-1610 shows Jean demonstrates even more power.

When facing off with Apocalypse, Jean essentially tears him apart atom by atom, a scene reflected in the film X-Men: Apocalypse. She also alters time, freely reads the minds of others, saves the X-Men, and occasionally flies throughout the universe wreaking havoc.

Next: 10 Reasons Why The Phalanx Are One Of The Biggest Threats To The X-Men

NextDC: 7 Cruelest Things Harley Quinn Has Done In The Comics

Jonathan Thompson is a fanboy who started writing articles in 2016. His work often features his favorite fandoms, including 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'X-Men'. Jonathan has a bachelor's degree in English literature and composition and a master's in history. He is currently based out of Seattle where he enjoys reading, attending cons, getting outdoors, and spending time with his family.