Professor X is the architect of the X-Men and the dream that humans and mutants would one day live in peace. His wisdom comes through in many quotes in his nearly 60 years of adventures in Marvel Comics, and they also reflect the nuance and complexity of the moral quandaries in which he finds himself. As comic book fans know, Professor X’s wisdom is often dark and sobering.
In recent years, Professor X has become much more pragmatic in his thinking, to the point he could arguably be considered a villain. This comes as mutants enjoy their most free and bountiful period in their history on the living island of Krakoa. His wisdom is as sage as ever, but there his most recent quotes reflect an evolution in his thinking that gives fans a lot to think about.
When He Values Education
“The greatest power on Earth is the magnificent power we all of us possess… the power of the human brain!”
Comic book fans know Professor X is first and foremost a teacher. He is introduced in X-Men #1 in 1963 as the head of the Xavier School For The Gifted, and he trains the original five X-Men. A great quote from the second issue of the series reflects his absolute faith in education.
“The greatest power on Earth is the magnificent power we all of us possess… the power of the human brain!” Professor X tells his students, explaining that despite their considerable power, and his, the most important power that all of them possess is their capacity to learn.
When He’s Keeping It Real
“Apart, we always lose. We believe it’s only together that you and I – that all our people – can survive.”
Powers Of X represents some of the best X-Men comics of the 2010s, and issue #2 of the 2019 mini-series contains one of Professor X’s wisest quotes. Professor X has initiated a powerful alliance with many former villains, including Magneto and Apocalypse, saying “Apart, we always lose. We believe it’s only together that you and I – that all our people – can survive.”
Though he’s always advocated togetherness, this quote reflects pragmatism and wisdom from bitter experience that fighting each other only disadvantages mutants. Working together, they have succeeded in ways none of them could have ever thought possible.
When He Knows What’s Fair
“It took all the joy out of the game.”
Professor X is one of the fairest people in Marvel Comics, and one of his best quotes reflects this. In a conversation with Storm after she has lost her powers, he reveals that he was once on track to be a great basketball player in his youth. His psionic powers gave him an extraordinary advantage over other players though, which he couldn’t exploit.
He tells Storm this iconic quote in Uncanny X-Men #180, revealing that even as a young man with great talent and ambition, he didn’t feel comfortable using it against people less able than he was.
When He Values Life
“I’m a teacher – a healer – I don’t kill.”
Legion is one of the most underrated X-Men villains in Marvel Comics, but he’s also one of the most powerful. A wise quote from Professor X in The New Mutants #27 reveals his compassion and understanding for even the most deadly and powerful enemies.
Professor X has an opportunity to kill Legion, and from other points of view probably should, given the latter’s unpredictable and violent reality-altering power. Professor X delivers this line, reflecting his commitment to enlightenment for all.
When He Includes Everybody
“We are all family.”
Professor X was always ahead of his time, and one of his wisest quotes from the 1990s reveals this. In Uncanny X-Men #294, he gives a speech about mutant rights and wisely speaks to the value of all marginalized people by saying this line.
“Man, woman, black, Hispanic, Jew, Asian, Native American, homosexual, mutant, everyone… underneath all the ‘words’ … we are related,” Professor X continues, speaking to the value of all people in ways few, if anyone, was in comics at the time.
When He Considers Redemption
“Redemption isn’t always possible. But understanding is.”
Professor X is a hero, but he’s done some bad things over the years. As a result, he’s achieved wisdom about the concept of redemption. He says this line to the Juggernaut, one of the evilest villains of the X-Men and Professor X’s step-brother.
The Juggernaut has been a constant threat to the X-Men and others for decades, but in X-Men Legacy #219, Professor X expresses some empathy for Cain Marko. Still, he warns him that understanding isn’t a free pass to continue being evil.
When He Knows How It Goes
“Best accept the fact that you will never again seem even remotely ‘cool’ to any of your students.”
Some of Professor X’s wisdom comes from being a teacher. In Wolverine And The X-Men #1, Logan has taken over as Headmaster of the school and so Professor X leaves him some parting wisdom with these words.
Not only does it reflect Xavier’s many years of teaching teenagers, but it also reflects his friendly and good-natured sense of humor as he passes the baton to one of his most difficult students.
When He Doesn’t Quit
“The X-Men don’t give up. They stand up.”
The X-Men have always been about perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, One of Professor X’s wisest quotes in the comics speaks to this, which he says in a major battle against the villain, Proteus.
The battle occurs in Astonishing X-Men #12 from 2018 and reflects Professor X’s unwavering commitment to getting back up when he’s been knocked down. It’s been a hallmark of his character and of the X-Men.
When He Knows His Limits
“I no longer have the compassion to forgive your actions – or the energy to teach you to have it for others.”
Wisdom is sometimes bitter and a great quote from Professor X in X-Men: The Magneto War #1 shows this, revealing that peace and understanding are sometimes impossible.
Professor X is a reservoir of patience and understanding, but he’s not without his limits. His encounter with Magneto and the Acolytes in this issue reveals that sometimes he knows he has to accept that he can’t win everyone over or change who they are.
When He Knows His Power
“To me, my X-Men.”
“To me, my X-Men” has been a rallying cry from Professor X since the earliest days of the X-Men in Marvel Comics. It’s the first phrase uttered in House Of X #1 in 2019, and its use here reflects the dark wisdom that has taken hold in Professor X. Xavier welcomes the resurrected X-Men back to life, and there is an odd sense of power and control in his words.
Professor X has never had so much power in his life as he does on Krakoa. His dream remains his primary goal, but Xavier’s ambitions have gone far beyond simple peace to carving out control over mutant affairs that extends even beyond the grave. It’s the first of many quotes in this era that reflect that his worldview has changed considerably.
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