X-MEN: 20 Iconic Comic Book Moments We Need To See When Marvel Studios Reboots The Franchise (Part 1)

X-MEN: 20 Iconic Comic Book Moments We Need To See When Marvel Studios Reboots The Franchise (Part 1)

It's been twenty years since X-Men arrived in theaters, and with a Marvel Studios reboot on the horizon, we're taking a look at iconic moments from the comic books we're hoping to see in the MCU one day...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jul 14, 2020 08:07 AM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

Today marks the 20th anniversary of X-Men's release in theaters, and while it's certainly fun to look back at the past, most fans are more interested in what Marvel Studios has planned for these mutants. Following the Disney/Fox merger, the rights to these iconic heroes and villains are now in Kevin Feige's hands, and that's exciting for a lot of reasons. 

For starters, we can finally expect to see a comic accurate take on the characters, and based on what we saw in the "Infinity Saga," plenty of moments lifted straight from the source material.

With that in mind, we're now counting down the twenty moments we most want to see in the eventual X-Men reboot, with entries 20 - 11 in this feature, and 10 - 1 in a post we'll be sharing tomorrow.

We think you'll agree that there are some memorable battles, interactions, and pieces of imagery here which would be truly amazing on the big screen, and while we could be waiting several years before seeing them all, there are plenty of ways for Marvel Studios to make them happen.

So, to check out these moments, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button down below!
 

20. Magneto Tears Out Wolverine's Skeleton

Magneto-Wolverine

With Magneto once again planning to attack Earth, the villain hopes to use an EMP to cause mass panic and wipe out thousands of humans. After a number of failed past endeavours, he was more determined than ever this time, and didn’t hesitate to take down the X-Men.

However, when Wolverine delivered a near fatal blow to the Master of Magnetism, the villain lifted him into the air and proceeded to tear the Adamantium from his bones in front of his horrified teammates.

Magneto has always had the ability to overpower Wolverine, but to tear him apart like this was a shocking development which no one ever imagined actually happening. This changed Wolverine’s life for a long time (he was now more vulnerable than ever without an indestructible skeleton), and this obviously has the potential to make for an incredible visual on the big screen.
 

19. Cyclops Marries Jean Grey

Marriage

Younger versions of both Cyclops and Jean Grey were reintroduced in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse, but the romance between the two was never fully explored (at least Wolverine wasn't around this time even if we did have that creepy scene in Weapon X where he seemed enamoured by her).

Arguably one of the most iconic comic book couples of all-time, these two tying the knot may not be as exciting as some of the action-heavy suggestions elsewhere in this feature, but it would be very rewarding for comic book fans, and generally just a really cool moment to see play out.

However, throw Emma Frost into the mix somewhere a little further down the line and this loved up couple won’t stay happy for long, and it's possible Marvel Studios will choose to avoid Jean for a while.
 

18. Schism

Schism

Cyclops and Wolverine always had something of a difficult relationship, but Scott and Logan later became close friends and the latter soon became happy to follow the lead of Charles Xavier’s first student.

However, when Cyclops chose to send some of the younger members of the X-Men into a particularly dangerous battle, Wolverine wouldn’t allow it and years of resentment and frustration finally reached a head. A "Schism" between the X-Men formed, and two separate teams emerged with very different ideas about how to protect mutantkind from humans. 

Before that, the two engaged in a violent battle which would ultimately see them forced to team-up one final time to take out a Sentinel. That battle alone would be epic in a live-action setting. 
 

17. The Death Of Wolverine

Sentinel-Wolverine

The fact that Bryan Singer’s big screen adaptation of X-Men: Days of Future Past didn’t include this key scene is a crime, and a real missed opportunity considering just how damn iconic it is. 

Given the structure of the movie, it might have been hard to include, but Wolverine being taken down by a Sentinel (even if he doesn't die) in this exact way is now a must. In this alternate future, though, the hero is one of the few mutants who haven’t been taken out by the Sentinels, and sacrifices himself in one last heroic act with only his Adamantium skeleton left after he's obliterated.

The Sentinels are a must for the MCU, and this would be a great way to establish them as a true threat.
 

16. Angel's Crucifixion

Angel

During Chris Claremont’s critically acclaimed X-Men run, the writer didn’t shy away from killing mutants when the story called for it. The "Mutant Massacre" was a one of those hard hitting events which saw a group known as the Marauders head underground to slaughter the deformed mutants known as the Morlocks.

While attempting to save one young mutant in peril, Angel was captured and crucified in a shocking visual which also proved to be somewhat controversial due to its religious connotations. Regardless, this had huge ramifications for one of Charles Xavier’s original X-Men, and it would be a bold move for Marvel Studios to head down a similarly dark path with Warren Worthington III.

After all, this leads to some big changes for the hero, but we'll get to that a little later in this feature...
 

15. Meet The Uncanny X-Men

Uncanny

The X-Men movies have always been very different to the comic books in terms of their rosters, not to mention when certain mutants ended up joining the team. When the times does now come to reboot the franchise, though, following the direction of Giant-Size X-Men #1 could be a clever way of doing that and giving this franchise a fresh new feel.

With many members of the original group trapped on the living island, Krakoa, Cyclops and Xavier have no other choice than to turn elsewhere for help and assemble a new team of X-Men to mount a rescue mission. This was where the likes of Wolverine and Storm were first introduced and it really shook up the comic books at the time, even if it did put some fan-favourites on the back-burner.

We would also be shocked if the reboot doesn't end up being dubbed Uncanny X-Men by Marvel Studios.
 

14. Wolverine Battles The Hellfire Club

Wolverine

We met the Hellfire Club in X-Men: First Class, but whether this particular moment includes them might not actually matter. This story went a long way in cementing Wolverine’s status as a fan-favourite character and a stone cold badass, but it was the final page reveal – where we learned the presumed dead mutant was still alive – that should make it to the big screen one day.

It's fair to say that Logan striking this pose is something only comic book fans would pick up on and appreciate, but those are often the best kind of Easter Eggs. Interestingly, this is also a scene which has been affectionately replicated a number of times over the years, including during Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men run when he switched Wolverine for Kitty (now Kate) Pryde.

If the MCU's X-Men do battle the Hellfire Club and this isn't included, though, we riot! 
 

13. Jean Grey's Death

Scott-Jean

We obviously got to see Jean Grey "die" in X2: X-Men United, but if and when we get a much more faithful adaptation of the "Dark Phoenix Saga" (because that certainly wasn't in last year's Dark Phoenix), it will hopefully stick a lot closer to the comic books.

Overwhelmed by her new power, Jean chose to sacrifice herself rather than risk losing control even though Cyclops believed she could learn to master her newfound abilities.

It’s a heartbreaking moment and though it sounds like a future movie would be retreading old ground by revisiting these events, the Marvel Studios creative team could bring something new to this beloved story arc which Fox failed to do right again and again. 
 

12. Archangel Rises

Archangels

Following the events of the crucifixion we mentioned a little earlier in this feature, Warren Worthington III had no choice but to have his wings amputated. Permanently grounded and in control of a company circling the drain, the original X-Man flew his plane into a mountain and committed suicide. Or so it seemed.

In reality, he had made a deal with Apocalypse in exchange for new razor sharp metal wings. However, the now almost unrecognisable Angel had no choice than to become the leader of the villain’s four horsemen (Death), and thus Archangel was born!

Even after escaping the ancient mutant’s clutches, Warren constantly battled with his dark side and ultimately gave into it, attempting to become a new Apocalypse himself in the process. This could all work really well in the MCU, and prove to be a fascinating direction to take a character overlooked by the original movies.
 

11. Professor X Dons A New Helmet

X

This isn't necessarily a single moment, but it is a direction we would definitely be on board with Marvel Studios taking the X-Men franchise in. These days, the heroes live on Krakoa, a sovereign nation established by a Professor X who has moved on from past ideals and decided that he will do whatever it takes to protect mutantkind. 

He's become something of a master manipulator, and has even discovered a way to help mutants cheat death, a true game-changer for the characters which is already shaking up their adventures.

Both Sir Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy delivered plenty of great work as Charles Xavier, so it's now time to take the character in a new direction, and placing that already iconic helmet on his head just makes sense. Krakoa would also make a nice change from that familiar mansion! 

Make sure to check back here tomorrow for the second part of this X-Men feature!

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AbidNaga
AbidNaga - 7/14/2020, 8:04 AM
X-Men orgies or bust
GhostDog
GhostDog - 7/14/2020, 8:27 AM
@AbidNaga -

Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 8:07 AM
Literally none of those need to happen. And i really dont get the point of removing wolverine's adamantium from magnetos perspective. That skeleton effectively made wolverine useless against him. This is like lex luthor curing superman of his kryptonite weakness to make him slightly weaker.
Jackraow21
Jackraow21 - 7/14/2020, 8:15 AM
@Origame - Agreed. Other than Meet the Uncanny X-men which is where I believe the MCU X-men franchise should start, with the All New All Different X-men team in all their colorful glory. But the rest? Definitely not. Scott and Jean as a couple is tired AF, so please don’t have them marry right off the bat. If anything go a different direction and have them be former boyfriend-girlfriend who are just friends now and Scott maybe meets up with Emma, as they’re a much more interesting relationship honestly. Wolverine losing his adamantium is lame, and we kind of saw that in The Wolverine where the Samurai slices his claws off and they grew back bone. So been there done that. And, speaking of, been there done that numerous times with Jean dying, so no to that also. Schism sucked, so forget that one too. But Angel’s crucifixion and the Mutant Massacre in general? Yeah, I’m here for that.
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 7/14/2020, 8:21 AM
@Origame - Well, at the time everyone figured the claws were just added and not natural so Magneto was removing Wolverine's weapons.
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 8:39 AM
@Reeds2Much - but those weapons were basically useless against him anyway. Just maintaining a magnetic field around him when he knows wolverine's coming will remove any potential benefit. Not to mention removing them would encourage the team to give him a new, not magnetic weapon.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 8:44 AM
@Origame - 1. No one knew Wolverine would survive Magneto ripping out his adamantium. Magneto likely thought it would kill him. And it almost did. I believe Magneto even says something along the lines of giving Wolverine too many chances in the past, and now he won't show mercy. Remember, in ghe 90's Wolverine's healing factor was no where near as strong as it is now after decades of writers getting their hands on him. He used to get taken out a lot easier bacm then, and was a much more interesting character because of it.

2. Like Reeds2much said, it hadn't been establisbed yet that Wolverine's claws were bones covered in Adamantium. Up until then it was always assumed they were solid Adamantium. So he was removing hos weapons.
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 7/14/2020, 9:09 AM
@Origame - Nah Magneto was going for the kill and even if Wolverine survives it doesn't change much, Magneto is still Magneto, he can beat Wolverine as easy as in the DOFP movie, not to mention he can create force fields in the comics in case Wolverine tries a sneak attack.

Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 9:48 AM
@CorndogBurglar - well i mean even at this point it still requires him to get the surgery to get the adamantium. And bear in mind that requires molten metal.

But with this in mind i do think this was due to being spur of the moment and out of anger.
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 9:49 AM
@HannibalLecter - i dont think wolverine in the comics would've fallen for that.
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 7/14/2020, 10:02 AM
@Origame - He totally would, Wolverine is skilled and all but Magneto is just that powerful.
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 10:14 AM
@HannibalLecter - powerful doesnt really matter if you dont have anything on for him to manipulate
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 10:15 AM
@HannibalLecter - need i remind you hes a batman level martial artist who's also known to fight the hulk.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 11:16 AM
@Origame - Bro, Magneto can manipulate people just by the iron in their blood.

I know in X2 they had Mystique drug that guard to get enough iron in him for Magneto to manipulate. But that was only because they needed an excuse for why Magneto didn't just do that as soon as he got placed in that prison.

In the comics Magneto can manipulate people anytime he wants.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 11:17 AM
@Origame - This is really the only reason Wolverine ever lands a single hit on Magneto. By sneaking up when he's preoccupied with someone else.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 11:20 AM
@Origame - Yeah, but thats still in a medical facilith on active life support and his healing factor working overtime to keep him alive.

Ripping the metal straight out through his skin with no medical assistance at the time definitely seems like something that would kill him lol. Especially to characters that don't know hos limits yet.
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 7/14/2020, 11:24 AM
@Origame - May I remind you this Magneto can create force fields and electromagnetic shocks without using a single scrap of metal? I doubt you read these comics.
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 11:46 AM
@CorndogBurglar - 1) no. Or at least not to the extent you seem to think. https://www.quora.com/If-magneto-can-manipulate-metals-why-cant-he-control-humans-as-humans-have-Iron-in-Hemoglobin?ch=10&share=f7d7078d&srid=uUEn8

2) what do you think life supports gonna do for molten metal essentially cooking yourself from the inside out? And yes, his healing factor was working overtime. You do realize his healing factor is a passive thing he doesnt control right? So that healing factor will be going overtime here.
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 11:47 AM
@HannibalLecter - literally my second comment here referenced his ability to make electrical fields.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 3:30 PM
@Origame - Magneto has literally killed people by stopping the flow of iron in their blood. I have issues where he's done it. He actually does it in Fatal Attractions, the same story where he rips out Wolverine's adamantium.

Stopping the flow of iron in Wolverine's blood would incapacitate him just as easily a normal human, healing factor or not. It may not kill him outright, but his body still wouldn't function.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 3:33 PM
@Origame - And sorry man, I'm not sure what point you're making about the molten adamantium process. All I said is Magneto and everyone else didn't know his limits back then. Because they didn't. Qnd he got taken out of fights by much less than his adamantium being ripped out through his skin.

So its easy to think that Magneto was trying to kill Wolverine when he did that. Again, he even makes the comment that he's done being merciful with Logan. He was clearly trying to kill him.
Origame
Origame - 7/14/2020, 4:00 PM
@CorndogBurglar - thats still easily less effective than just controlling the adamantium. Especially since it requires more concentration than moving a larger piece of metal.

And i keep bringing up the molten metal part because thats gonna be easily more damaging than removing metal from the body. And this is something everyone knew happened because thats the only way the metal is getting into his body the way it did.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 8:25 PM
@Origame - It still doesn't matter that everyone knows he went through that process, because again, he only survived because he was hooked to life support machines that kept him from dying, even with his healing factor. The scientistd were pumping all kinds of things into his body as he needed it while they were bonding thr adamantium.

And again, none of that really matters because Logan has been injured to the point of near death by far less than injecting molten metal into his body.

I get where you're coming from with that argument. But you're taking it too realistically. Especially considering that all these characters have personally seen him get hurt so badly by other lesser things. There's no way to take it. When Magneto ripped out his adamantium, he expected it to kill Wolverine. Everyone in the issue thought it was going to. It even pushed Xavier to his breaking point and he shut off Magneto's brain and turned him into a vegetable, because he thought Magneto had killed Logan.

I'm not sure how else to explain it. Yes, they all probably did know that Logan survived having molten metal injected into him. But there have been many, many times when they thought he was going to die because of something less than that. Magneto doing this was just one of those times.

CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/14/2020, 8:38 PM
@Origame - "We are all but bit players in a tragedy far greater than any of us. A tragedy called LIFE! But today, for you, perhaps for me, the curtain falls, and the play is finished."

These are the words Magneto says as he's ripping wolverine's adamantium out. Are these the words of someone that thinks he ISN'T killing someone? Come on now.
Origame
Origame - 7/15/2020, 4:38 AM
@CorndogBurglar - steel becomes liquified at 2750 degrees. Adamantium most likely will require higher temperatures than that. Please, explain to me what you think life support can do to help someone literally being injected with 2750 degree liquid all through their body.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 7/15/2020, 7:41 AM
@Origame - Bro, you have to stop thinking of this comic series realis5ically. Its what happened in the comic. When Logan was in the tank and they were bonding the adamantium to him, there were 2 things keeping him alive. His healing factor combined with fhe scientists constantly injecting things into his body. Without either one of those, he would have died.

Is it realistic? No. But neither is a mutant with a healing factor and bone claws. He was being monitored the entire time by several scientists helping his body survive. You can keep looking at it as silly or unrealistic all you want, but its a comic book lol.
Origame
Origame - 7/15/2020, 8:04 AM
@CorndogBurglar - 1) considering you've been such a stickler over what they would know, how would they know theres something you can inject into you that helps with half the surface of the sun temperatures?

2) its not about realism. If in star wars you had someone confirmed not to be a force user surviving a meteor to the face, you arent gonna say "well clearly an alien came in to protect him". Nothing in star wars says that kind of alien exists and nothing in the marvel universe says theres any substance that lets you survive near 3000 degrees. The closest thing is the serum that gave deadpool his powers, which is derived from wolverine's healing factor anyway.
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 7/14/2020, 8:14 AM
FleischerSupes
FleischerSupes - 7/14/2020, 9:43 AM
@Reeds2Much - Actually I've thought for years that a great intro to the MCU X-Men would be through the eyes of Holland's Spider-Man. Always liked the story line where he visits the the Xavier school to try and get cured of his Spidey-powers, meeting them convinces him his powers are a gift, etc etc.
lawndart
lawndart - 7/14/2020, 10:35 AM
@Reeds2Much - loved seeing Spidey year through them in that issue although Chuck could have ended it quickly had he wanted to.
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