The Marvel Universe has extremely powerful mutants who are capable of incredible feats. Over the years, the strongest mutants were categorized as "omega-level," but they weren't always officially classified. The House of X rebranding revealed an official omega-level mutants list, although there were still some debatable inclusions and absences.
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Omega-level mutants have a specific power with “an undefinable upper limit.” They are crucial to the future of mutantkind and have proven this in numerous comic events over the years. The X-Men always keep a few omegas on the roster to keep the team at an overpowered level to deal with any threat they encounter.
Updated on November 11, 2022 by Scoot Allan: With the formation of a mutant colony of Arrako on Mars in X-Men Red, omega-level mutants like Storm and Magneto have taken leadership roles as members of the Brotherhood. Omega-level mutants have incredibly powerful abilities, like telepathy or reality manipulation, that can elevate them above other mutants. They have helped give mutantkind a new lease on life due to the Krakoan Resurrection Protocols made possible by The Five, who are mostly omega-level mutants.
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16 Elixir
First Appearance: New Mutants (Vol. 2) #5, by writers Nunzio DeFilippis & Christina Weir; penciler Mark Robinson; inkers Aaron Sowd, Wayne Faucher, & Scott Elmer; colorists Avalon Studios & Ian Hannin; and letterer Rus Wooton
Joshua Foley is a powerful healer and a former member of the New Mutants. As Elixir, he has complete control over the body's biological structure. He can instantly regenerate his own body and recovering quickly from injury. That power extends to others as well, and he can cure friends and allies of injury and disease with a simple touch.
However, Elixir's powers developed even more over the years. He discovered he could also inflict disease and death upon his enemies as well. His skin was usually covered in a golden metallic coating, but it turned black whenever he used his powers to kill. Elixir can resurrect himself, and his powers are an essential part of the Krakoan Resurrection Protocols.
15 Askani
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 1) #141, by writer Chris Claremont, writer/penciler John Byrne, inker Terry Austin, colorist Glynis Wein, and letterer Tom Orzechowski
Rachel Summers is a bit of an anomaly in the Marvel universe. She hails from a possible dark future connected to the "Days of Future Past" reality that no longer exists. Rachel is singular in the multiverse and exiled to a time not her own. She has been known as Phoenix, Marvel Girl, Prestige, and other names over the years, until she embraced her destiny as Askani.
Askani inherited her mother Jean Grey's powerful abilities to become one of the most powerful Summers-Grey kids. Her unique connection to the Phoenix Force further enhanced her powers as well. Rachel Summers was the first mutant categorized as an omega by the mutant Sentinel Nimrod, but she didn't receive official classification like her mother.
14 Iceman
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 1) #1, by writer Stan Lee, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Paul Reinman, and letterer Sam Rosen
One of the original X-Men, Bobby Drake’s powers have gradually developed over time. Iceman has quietly become one of the X-Men's most powerful omega-level mutants. He can manipulate the temperature around him and freeze the air’s water vapor to create shields and weapons. He can also transmute his entire body into living ice.
Over the years, Iceman's control over his abilities has become so precise that he can manipulate water and ice on a molecular level. He can even create icy clones of himself and extend his consciousness into snow and ice on the ground. Iceman's omega-level abilities make him almost unkillable, as he can reform his body entirely from ice if shattered.
13 Proteus
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 1) #119, by writer Chris Claremont, writer/penciler John Byrne, inker Terry Austin, colorist Glynis Oliver, and letterer John Costanza
Kevin MacTaggert is a powerful omega-level mutant and the son of Moira X. Proteus can manipulate the surrounding energy at will to warp reality. He is composed of pure psionic power, which burned out his original human form. Kevin developed the need to possess a human body to survive, which only increased his power.
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Unfortunately, Kevin's host bodies burned out quickly, especially when he used his reality-warping gifts. He jumped between victims, leaving destruction behind in his wake in his earliest appearances. The Krakoan Resurrection Protocols gave Proteus a new lease on life. His powers not only help bring other mutants back, but he also has an unending supply of blank mutant bodies.
12 Vulcan
First Appearance: X-Men: Deadly Genesis (Vol. 1) #1, by writer Ed Brubaker, penciler Trevor Hairsine, inker Kris Justice, colorist Val Staples, and letterer Dave Lanphear
Vulcan inherited the same energy absorption abilities as his long-lost brothers, Cyclops and Havok. Gabriel Summers is capable of psionically manipulating any kind of energy, which he can absorb and re-channel to create devastating blasts, protective force-fields, or even propel himself in flight. Gabriel's traumatic life and death are one of the X-Men's darkest secrets.
As Vulcan, he can manipulate other mutants’ abilities and steal or suppress their powers. The powerful Summers brother could take control of the Shi’ar Empire and seize the throne for himself with his incredible abilities. Vulcan has stood up to other incredibly powerful beings, like Black Bolt and his own brothers, but his rage sometimes gets the better of him.
11 Exodus
First Appearance: X-Factor (Vol. 1) #92, by writer Scott Lobdell, Joe Quesada & J. M. DeMatteis, penciler Joe Quesada, inker Al Milgrom & Cliff van Meter, colorist Glynis Oliver, and letterer Richard Starkings
A 12th Century French crusader, Bennet du Paris, was a mutant with incredible psionic powers. He was forever transformed after he encountered Apocalypse, who further enhanced his omega-level abilities before trapping him for centuries in a hidden crypt. Exodus is physically enhanced and incredibly strong, though his omega-level ability is his vast psionic power.
Exodus is one of the most gifted telekinetic mutants in the Marvel universe. His telekinesis is further bolstered by the belief of others around him, which psionically strengthens him. Exodus has turned into a psionic vampire at times to maintain and boost his own abilities. Thankfully, Krakoa provides power for mutants who require an extra source of energy to survive.
10 Stryfe
First Appearance: New Mutants (Vol. 1) #87, by writer Louise Simonson, penciler Rob Liefeld, inker Bob Wiacek, colorist Mike Rockwitz, and letterer Joe Rosen
The evil mutant villain known as Stryfe doesn't fall on any official omega-level mutant lists, as he was born thousands of years in the future. Apocalypse infected Cyclops' young son Nathan Summers with a techno-organic virus, and he was sent to survive in the X-Men's future as Cable. When he first arrived, Nathan was cloned in case he wasn't able to survive the T/O virus.
Apocalypse kidnapped and raised the young cloned infant as Stryfe to become his powerful heir. Nathan Summers/Cable has the same mutant potential as Stryfe, but the T/O virus reduced the original's powers. Stryfe has access to their full telepathic and telekinetic abilities, which have the same destructive potential as the Phoenix Force.
9 Monarch
First Appearance: Captain Britain (Vol. 1) #9, by writer Chris Claremont, penciler Herb Trimpe, inker Fred Kida, colorist G. Roussos, and letterer Irving Watanabe
The eldest child of the Braddock family, James "Jamie" Braddock, Jr. discovered he possessed the ability to warp reality when he was an adult. His powers allowed him to pull on quantum strings to manipulate the world around him. As Monarch, he is capable of teleporting, warping bodies into painful, horrifying shapes, or completely unleashing chaos into the universe.
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As his powers continued to grow, Jamie Braddock became one of the most dangerous and unpredictable mutants on Earth. Monarch was eventually killed by his own siblings in order to protect the multiverse from his power. The Five on Krakoa brought him back, and he used his abilities to become the unstable ruler of Avalon and a true Monarch in Otherworld.
8 Mister M
First Appearance: District X (Vol. 1) #2, by writer David Hine, penciler David Yardin, inker Alejandro Sicat, colorist Andy Troy, and letterers Richard Starkings & Comicraft
A resident of New York City’s “Mutant Town,” Absolon Mercator was a loner who appreciated a quiet life. However, he used his abilities to make a living before turning on Mutant Town. With near-limitless psionic power, Mister M can control subatomic matter and energy. He can generate heat, fire, and even nuclear energy while reshaping matter at will.
Combined with his ability to phase through objects, Mister M can tinker with the interiors of complex machinery to break or control it. Mister M appeared to die after losing his powers temporarily, but his body disappeared. Absalon reappeared in Otherworld as the ruler of Mercator. Apocalypse recruited him to guard the mystical Siege Perilous with his powerful abilities.
7 Hope Summers
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 2) #205, by writer Mike Carey, penciler Chris Bachalo, inker Tim Townsend, colorist Brian Reber, and letterer Cory Petit
M-Day was an extinction-level event that left the mutant race decimated. When the first mutant was born after the events of M-Day, she was believed to be the last hope for the survival of mutantkind. The X-Men fought against other groups like the Marauders and the Purifiers to protect the young mutant.
Hope was sent into the future under Cable's watch, who named her Hope Summers. He trained Hope in hand-to-hand combat and all kinds of weapons. However, Hope's true power was her ability to copy and augment the powers of nearby mutants. Hope reignited the mutant gene across the planet, and her powers proved instrumental in The Five's Resurrection Protocols on Krakoa.
6 Magneto
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 1) #1, by writer Stan Lee, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Paul Reinman, and letterer Sam Rosen
Erik Lensherr is one of Marvel’s most notorious supervillains. As Magneto, the master of magnetism can manipulate Earth’s entire electromagnetic field. Magneto can generate protective force-fields, project powerful electromagnetic blasts, and propel himself in flight. He's even proved capable of using his powers to survive in deep space.
Magneto can manipulate gravity and control iron in a person’s bloodstream. He is a force of nature who can use his powers in several creative ways as one of the most powerful omega-level mutants. He’s rightfully gained a reputation as one of Earth’s most feared mutants, but he became one of their leaders in the Krakoan Age.
5 Storm
First Appearance: Giant-Size X-Men (Vol. 1) #1, by writer Len Wein, penciler/inker Dave Cockrum, inker Peter Iro, colorist Glynis Wein, and letterer John Costanza
Ororo Munroe was originally hailed as a weather goddess in her homeland of Kenya. She became Storm when she joined one of the first teams of X-Men. Storm can control and manipulate weather, summoning fog, rain, hail, powerful winds, or thunderstorms as she needs. Her powers also aren’t restricted to Earth.
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Storm has summoned natural energy to defeat enemies in space. She can tap into the weather systems of other planets, which has helped her as Regent of Arakko and leader of the Brotherhood on Mars. Storm's deep connection to nature allows her to see the world's energy and manipulate it, making her a deadly omega-level threat.
4 Jean Grey
First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 1) #1, by writer Stan Lee, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Paul Reinman, and letterer Sam Rosen
One of Professor X’s original X-Men, Jean Grey’s powers proved to be incredibly strong even at a young age. Gifted with various psionic abilities, Charles Xavier felt compelled to hide the true extent of her power, locking some of her abilities away in her mind.
Even with her true potential held back, Jean Grey was still an incredible telepath and telekinetic. Her empathetic powers are so impressive that they attracted the cosmic Phoenix Force. It unlocked the full extent of her powers and enhanced her abilities, turning her into a cosmic powerhouse. While the Phoenix Force moved on, Marvel Girl was still an omega-level telepath.
3 Kid Omega
First Appearance: New X-Men (Vol. 1) #134, by writer Grant Morrison, penciler Keron Grant, inker Norm Rapmund, colorist Chris Chuckry, and letterers Richard Starkings & Saida Temofonte
Quentin Quire is a rebellious young hero capable of extraordinary feats as one of the strongest telepaths on Earth. He’s capable of constructing psionic shields and weapons, manipulating minds, casting illusions, and influencing others telepathically. However, his true power lies in his intelligence.
Quentin can absorb information into his super-genius mind at a startling rate, while his brain conjures millions of thoughts every second. As Kid Omega, Quire embraced his omega-level status to become one of the most powerful members of Krakoa's X-Force.
2 Legion
First Appearance: New Mutants (Vol. 1) #25, by writer Chris Claremont, penciler/inker Bill Sienkiewicz, colorist Glynis Wein, and letterers Tom Orzechowski & Lois Buhalis
It wasn't much of a surprise to fans that Professor X’s son would be a powerful telepath and telekinetic. David Haller was capable of causing incredible destruction with his mind. However, his powers evolved significantly when he discovered multiple alters residing within his psyche. The alters each had their own distinct personality and destructive power.
As Legion, David originally only had three distinct alters with telepathic, pyrokinetic, and telekinetic abilities. However, Haller's omega-level ability is actually power manifestation, and he continues to develop new alters with potentially thousands of different powers. There's no doubt that Legion is one of the strongest omega-level mutants.
1 Franklin Richards
First Appearance: Fantastic Four Annual (Vol. 1) #6, by writer Stan Lee, penciler Jack Kirby, inker Joe Sinnott, and letterer Sam Rosen
As the son of two of the most powerful members of the Fantastic Four, Franklin Richards was always destined to become a key figure in the Marvel Universe. Franklin's reality-manipulating abilities began developing early, making him one of the youngest omega-level mutants.
Gifted with psionic power, Franklin Richards can see the future in his dreams and even reshape and create reality. Franklin has helped rebuild the multiverse with his powers, earning the respect of powerful cosmic beings like Galactus. While Franklin's status as a mutant has been called into question in recent years, he was still officially classified as an omega.
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