Professor X formed the X-Men with a perfectly cynical approach to the franchise’s long-standing idealism.
Professor X, the founder and leader of the X-Men had a much darker motivation for forming the team. He wanted to create a group of powerful mutants who could protect humanity from the potential threat of other mutants. He believed that by educating and training these gifted youngsters, he could prevent a mutant uprising and protect both mutants and humans alike. Despite the idealistic facade of the Xavier School, Professor X’s ultimate goal was to maintain control and ensure the safety of society. He saw the formation of the X-Men as a necessary measure to prevent a potential catastrophe. The true purpose behind the X-Men was not just to foster acceptance and understanding but also to serve as a protective force against any possible mutant threats.
In Immortal X-Men #10, Professor X reflects on the true nature of the X-Men as a team and actively forms them with a specific purpose. He uses logical reasoning to justify the team’s formation, but his rationale subverts fundamental aspects of the franchise and paints the concept in a dark light.
Why Professor X Really Formed The X-Men
In Immortal X-Men #10, Professor X reflects on the true purpose of the X-Men team while leading the hunt for Mister Sinister, who has just killed a quarter of the Quiet Council. He acknowledges the dangerous potential of the mutants in his orbit, including himself and his students, and how they have enough power to defeat any threat. However, as a result of Synch’s increased capabilities, the fallen mutants are able to be revived, and Sinister is ultimately condemned to the Pit.
Xavier acknowledges his desire to help people, but his telepathy grants him a practical outlook. He admits that when he used Cerebro to find mutants, he became selective in his recruits for the X-Men. Instead of dedicating himself to helping all mutants, he chose mutants with special abilities and skills that would make them capable of handling various threats. This is why the X-Men are so powerful, with members like Beast with a frightening intellect and Angel with great wealth.
Xavier always wanted to help people, but his telepathy gave him a pragmatic view of others and himself. He used Cerebro to see all mutants when he recruited the X-Men, but instead of dedicating himself to helping mutants like the Morlocks, he chose his recruits carefully. He selected mutants with unique abilities and skill sets that made them capable of handling threats, such as the Beast’s intellect and Angel’s wealth. This ensured his team could protect mutants and handle uncontrolled mutant threats. Xavier understands why humans fear mutants and acknowledges the danger they pose, like Proteus, Legion, and Marvel Girl, who have the power to unmake worlds accidentally. Xavier created the X-Men to stop mutants from destroying both themselves and the world. They assist those they can and control those they cannot.
The X-Men are a Living Contradiction
Xavier’s approach to charity carries a cynical undertone due to its nature. He treats people as assets and leaves groups like the Morlocks vulnerable to assaults like the Mutant Massacre. To show kindness, he must also be cruel, which has resulted in dark impulses and decisions, such as training mutants through enslavement or hiding major secrets. This has made much of the mutant community suspicious of him and turned mentorship into control.
Professor X’s Heartbreaking Reasoning
Xavier logically approaches the X-Men with a sense of caution due to his telepathy making him powerful enough to harm humanity. However, despite this personal paranoia, he remains committed to the principles of the X-Men, turning the world’s dangerous mutants into heroes and containing their potential for good instead of risking harm to both mutants and humanity. Magneto once questioned if this approach would eventually lead to the downfall of the X-Men, but Xavier strives to stay true to the concept.
Xavier’s approach to the X-Men is a heart-wrenching but logical explanation in the universe, especially when considering his coldness towards his son in stories like Legion of X. He turns his back on countless lives to prioritize the team he formed, turning his beloved students into assets and tools in his quest for a better world. This adds a cynical layer to the franchise’s educational themes, as the help offered by the school becomes a self-aware attempt at containing potential dangers. The revelation of Xavier’s apparent corruption by Mister Sinister at the end only intensifies this.
