8 Most Underrated Members of Cyclops’ Family

While the superhero Cyclops may possess one of the most iconic powers in all of X-Men history, but the true potential for greatness is in his blood. And the sheer number of heavyweight mutants in his family tree prove the theory.

Whether a devoted fan of Marvel Comics history, a movie buff, or anyone in between, the number of brothers, relative, children, and grandchildren who claim powers equal to Cyclops is always a surprise. Even more important are those who too often fall into his shadow. Which means this list of the most underrated relatives of Cyclops is desperately needed.

Ruby Summers

First appearance: X-Factor: Layla Miller #1 (2008)

As yet another child born in a dystopia future timeline, Ruby Summers stands apart for sheer cool factor. Introduced as the daughter of Cyclops and Emma Frost, her mutation merges both her parents’ powers in an unexpectedly brilliant way.

Ruby is able to project concussive eye beams just like her father, but is also able to adopt an indestructible form like her mother. Not as a living diamond, but the same living ruby energy accessed by her father. The fact that this hero of The Summers Rebellion isn’t more active is a true shame.

Adam-X

First appearance: X-Force Annual #2 (1993)

The potential in the Summers bloodline recognized by more than just Charles Xavier, and Emperor D’Ken, leader of the Shi’ar Imperium, put their genetic excellence to brutal use. Starting things off by kidnapping Scott’s parents, Christopher and Katherine, and murdering the latter in front of the former.

The act would send Christopher on his path to become Corsair of the Starjammers, but D-Ken soon launched his own experiments using Katherine’s blood. Hoping to create children using his genetic material combined with Katherine’s, the only real success was Adam.

Eventually plucked from the Empire and raised in secret, Adam would eventually head to Earth, cross paths with his half-brothers Cyclops and Havok, discovering his incredible origin. Even more incredible? His immunity to his brothers’ attacks… and his own ability to slice an opponent bloody, before heating their blood to ignition. The “X-Treme” nickname was bang on.

Nate Grey

First appearance: X-Man #1 (1995)

The world knows that the combined bloodline of Scott Summers and Jean Grey created Cable, the time-traveling Fan-Favorite. But not long after Cable debuted, Marvel showed what power he could have wielded, if he wasn’t using most of his powers to restrict a techno-organic infection to his one robotic arm.

The result was Nathaniel Grey, the artificially-created son of Cyclops and Jean Grey, best known as X-Man. While the “Age of Apocalypse” has created several iconic twists on X-Men favorites, Nate is still overshadowed by his metal-armed, grizzled variant.

Which is truly a shame. Not only is Nate a supremely powerful telepath and telekinetic (created from his mother directly, not a clone of her like Cable), but possessed the same call to leadership as his father, making him a standalone being in Mutant canon.

Hope Summers

First Appearance: X-Men (Vol. 2) #205 (2007)

With every defeat to the X-Men comes a victory, so when the events of House of M saw “no more Mutants,” the Marvel Universe saw fit to create Hope Summers. Well, technically, the Phoenix Force impregnated a woman thanks to Jean Grey traveling through time.

Almost immediately, it became clear that the child was destined to be the Mutant Messiah, resulting in Cable traveling back in time to protect her. But the power of “Hope” goes far beyond anything natural. It’s hard to know her own Omega-level potential, since Hope’s mutation can replicate or amplify any nearby Mutant ability to an unthinkable, ultimate degree.

The tragedy of M-Day changed history, and the miracle of Hope’s birth helped reverse it. Not only was she the reason that Mutants unlocked resurrection on Krakoa, but the walking “win button” that made sure they even survived to make that possible.

Rachel Grey

First appearance: The Uncanny X-Men #141 (1981)

Technically introduced to the Marvel Universe as Rachel Summers, this hypothetical child was born to Cyclops and Jean Grey in the doomed future made famous in X-Men’s ‘Days of Future Past’ time travel adventure. Born with telepathic gifts, however, this child was turned against her own people as a Mutant-hunting Hound.

But Rachel’s telepathic gifts went beyond reading minds or forcing actions, creating a much deeper connection with the minds she touched. Eventually relying on her gifts, the X-Men survivors of her future, and the Phoenix Force, Rachel was able to tear herself from her future and join the main 616 Marvel Universe instead.

It’s no surprise, then, that Rachel is considered to have the now-standard ‘limitless’ potential afforded to Jean Grey’s offspring. For whom she also changed her surname, considering Cyclops’ questionable romantic history.

Havok

First appearance: The X-Men #54 (1969)

There really is no argument needed for this inclusion, since the little brother of Cyclops is practically guaranteed to be Underrated. After all, Alex Summers has the kind of superpower one dreams of unlocking, compared to the destrucrive force unleashed when Scott simply opens his eyes. But as Havok, Alex proves he is just as deadly when he wants to be.

On a mutation level, Alex is effectively absorbing all radiation, cosmic or otherwise, at all times. A powerful energy-nullifying gift on its own, but it’s Havok’s release of that radiation as waves of plasma that makes him a potent combatant. And with mastery enough to fly, obliterate, melt, or mentally strike opponents, Havok is one of the X-Men’s most notoriously overlooked fighters.

Hyperstorm

First appearance: Fantastic Four #406 (1995)

As potentially the most powerful of all Summers Family descendants, Jonathan Richards certainly comes by it honestly. The son of Rachel Summers, a telepath as powerful (at least) as her mother Jean, and Franklin Richards, the reality-altering son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, Jonathan lives up to both his family legacies. In the bad way.

Conquering all inhabited world of his universe, Jonathan actually became the most evil part of a future in which evil reigned supreme. Mastering all powers of the universe proves Jonathan’s might, but using it to simply mess with his ancestors shows how underutilized he really was in Marvel canon.

Hepzibah

First appearance: The X-Men #107 (1977)

Just to prove that not all the mightiest members of the Summers family are either brothers to or descendants of Cyclops, there is the matter of Scott Summers’ stepmother, Hepzibah. Not a Mutant, but a cat-like alien Mephitisoid.

It was Scott’s father Christopher who originally joined forced with a handful of fellow outlaws to found the Starjammers, with Hepzibah one of the most skilled. Love bloomed soon after, confirming all members of the Summers family attract memorable allies, cosmic or mutant alike.