Warning: SPOILERS for Fall of the House of X #5As primary leaders of the X-Men, Cyclops and Storm are some of Marvel’s most important mutants. Both Scott and Ororo have led the team through countless trials. Even with the hard choices they’ve made, the Fall of X proves that Cyclops and Storm are still the same heroes they’ve always been – while the same cannot be said for Professor X.

Fall of the House of X #5 – written by Gerry Duggan, with art by Lucas Werneck – pits the X-Men against Nimrod for one final showdown. With the mutants fighting the Sentinel’s multiple bodies across the world, it’s down to Cyclops and fellow X-Men leader, Storm, to end Nimrod Prime.

Storm offers Nimrod mercy, even with their A.I. adversary continuing his assault, as Cyclops recommends he takes the deal. Though they’re still forced to put Nimrod out of their misery, their offer of mercy cements them as the X-Men’s two greatest heroes.

Cyclops & Storm Don’t Have Their Mentor’s Dubious Moral Shortcomings

Fall of the House of X #5 – Written By Gerry Duggan; Art By Lucas Werneck, Stefano Caselli, Bryan Valenza, & VC’s Travis Lanham

Storm and Cyclops surpassed their mentor, Charles Xavier, long ago in terms of leadership. After all, it was Scott who led what remained of mutants through the Decimation Era and Storm has served as the Regent of Arakko for years at this point, but it’s their ability to maintain their nobility and heroism despite the pressures of leadership that should be commended. Despite Nimrod’s atrocities, they offer their foe one final olive branch. These X-Men value life in all its forms to the very end, unlike their old Professor Xavier now working as an Orchis Sentinel.

Much has been said about Professor X’s own dubious moral code, but it’s now clear that he’s nowhere near the hero that Cyclops and Storm both are. Even prior to his work on behalf of Orchis, Charles chose the much darker path when faced with the rise of A.I., ordering the Hellions to carry out a genocide of the Smiley robots early in the Krakoan Era. In many ways, Professor X has sacrificed everything he chose to represent in the fight for survival – a hard call that Storm and Cyclops have chosen not to make.

Cyclops And Storm Represent The Future Of Marvel’s Mutants

Professor X’s Time Is Past

Storm and Cyclops are X-Men legends for a reason, and they’ve long since proved that their impressive leadership capabilities are nothing compared to their innate heroism. On the other hand, their old mentor, Charles, is no longer the kindhearted leader he once claimed to be as his students have ultimately surpassed him in every way that matters. The X-Men’s history will always be indebted to Professor X, but when it comes to the future, the Children of the Atom are in good hands with Cyclops and Storm.