Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has just dropped on Disney+, and the film features debut appearances from many characters like American Chavez and Captain Carter. However, one of the most notable of these appearances comes from Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier who is the first member of the X-Men seen in the MCU.
As many of Marvel's most popular and beloved heroes come from the X-Men many fans have fallen in love with several characters from the mutant superhero team, but some X-Men characters are much easier for audiences to attach to and root for as they are extremely likable due to their emotional backstories, personalities, or their nature as heroes.
Charles Xavier
As one of the founding members of the X-Men, it's no surprise that Charles Xavier (aka Professor X) is one of the most beloved and likable X-Men. What makes Charles so likable is his passion for reaching out to other mutants and providing them with the resources and support to harness their power for good.
Despite having the power to control the minds of others, Charles never forces his will onto others and shows that above all else he values others' right to choose their path. Fans love Charles for this, and the portrayal of this character by big Hollywood actors Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy have further added to the popularity and likability of Professor X.
Beast
Despite having enhanced strength, speed, and durability, Hank McCoy (aka Beast) is shown as just wanting to be a normal human being and that emotional conflict is one of the many reasons fans love the fierce blue mutant.
His outward appearance may make him a big physical threat, but Hank McCoy is one of the most intelligent individuals in all of Marvel and fans love to see how he uses both his brains and brawn. Although Beast is on a current path that strays away from the honorable X-Man he once was, fans know Beast as someone who always does the right thing and uses his genius to help others.
Storm
As one of the first major female African American comic book heroes, Storm is one of the most noticeable and popular Marvel heroes. Despite having god-like power, Storm has a pretty down-to-Earth background which has made her more relatable amongst fans.
Even after losing her powers for a short amount of time, Storm was an inspirational and brave leader of the X-Men and is admired by many fans of the mutant superhero team as she always puts the needs of others above herself.
Cable
Cable is definitely over the top and extreme, to say the least, but this is exactly why fans love the character. The time-traveling mutant quickly made waves throughout Marvel comics as he created the X-Force which provided a more aggressive and darker tone compared to the X-Men comics.
Cable's cool character design and alpha-male personality provided a nice change of pace for fans of Marvel's mutants and his live-action portrayal in Deadpool 2 has allowed fans to find more reason to love the character as he is shown to have the comedic chops to keep up with Deadpool.
Nightcrawler
While Kurt Wagner (aka Nightcrawler) is sometimes outshined by more popular mutants in the movies and comics, the teleporting mutant always seems to make the most of his screen time and had the iconic scene in X2: X-Men United of him breaking into the White House that intrigued many fans.
As Nightcrawler started growing in popularity because of the film, fans became sympathetic towards Kurt Wagner after seeing his troubled childhood of being mistreated because of his demonic appearance. Despite his harsh childhood, Nightcrawler has a charming and playful personality that has caused many fans to love the character.
Colossus
Despite being one of the most physically imposing X-Men, Colossus has a gentle spirit and a caring nature that makes it hard for any fan not to fall in love with the steel-bodied mutant.
Colossus always acts to protect those around him and even though he is a morally virtuous hero, he doesn't have a single hint of self-righteousness in his character which sets him apart from other heroes. As Colossus is also shown as having a funny side to him in superhero films such as Deadpool, it's clear to see why he's one of the most likable X-Men
Magneto
Although he is the signature villain of the X-Men, Magneto was one of the team's founding members. As he would leave the team over conflicting views with Charles Xavier, Magneto provides an interesting spin on the supervillain trope as he acts in what he believes is the best interest of mutant-kind.
Fans became even more sympathetic toward Magneto after seeing his background of surviving the Holocaust as a child. With multiple layers that add to his complexity as a villain, Magneto is one of the most popular and beloved superhero villains in comic book history.
Iceman
Bobby Drake (aka Iceman) can be best described as a free spirit who just so happens to possess the power of an Omega-Level mutant. Fans were introduced to Iceman in the very first issue and has a strong emotional tie with fans who have seen him grow from a whimsical teenager to one of the strongest mutants in the Marvel Universe.
His laid-back attitude and lightheartedness allow Iceman to easily resonate with audiences and his cool (no pun intended) power set makes him one of the X-Men fans can't get enough of.
Wolverine
There's no doubt that Wolverine is the most popular mutant and one of the most recognizable comic book characters of all time. Fans love Wolverine because he is very different than the typical hero as he is prone to huge outbursts of rage that show off his ferocious abilities.
Despite sometimes being mistaken as an antihero, Wolverine adheres to his strict moral code and has a soft side that fans love to see. As the fan-favorite character has been featured heavily on the big screen by Hugh Jackman, Wolverine's consistent portrayal in pop culture has made him beloved amongst fans.
Kitty Pryde
As one of the main new characters introduced in the New Mutants comic book series Kitty Pryde sparked a new interest and love for the X-Men amongst new fans. Kitty Pryde is considered to be the most beloved X-Men as fans have seen the character grow from student to powerful mutant, and then become a teacher all the while never faltering from the right path.
She also provides another layer of interest to readers as she has had multiple significant love interests on the team, but Kitty Pryde's endearing personality combined with her unwavering bravery and loyalty make her the most likable X-Men character.
