Marvel Confirms 1 Shock MCU Hero Is a Bigger Tech Genius Than Tony Stark

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Immortal X-Men #18Iron Man is one of the Marvel Comics’ foremost geniuses, but he’s far from the only intellectual in the House of Ideas. From Reed Richards to Bruce Banner, Tony Stark has plenty of competition in terms of brilliant thinker. However, one iconic member of the X-Men has even Iron Man beat – and it’s probably not the mutant fans would expect.

Immortal X-Men #18 – by Kieron Gillen, Juan José Ryp, David Curiel, and VC’s Clayton Cowles – finds Professor Xavier infiltrating what remains of Mister Sinister’s Muir Island lab, with Essex’s astral projection in tow. Seeking to rebuild Sinister’s Moira Engine, to gain intel on the Dominion, Charles has no choice but to repair the device himself.

Sinister attempts to give Xavier advice, but Charles reminds his old foe that he was the genius who built the original Cerebro, adding, “Plus, any technical skills I lack I’m borrowing on an ad hoc basis.” While building Cerebro is an impressive enough feat, it’s Xavier’s own mutant powers that give him a natural edge over Iron Man.

Professor X Has A Genius-Level Intellect Even Without His Telepathic Abilities

With no shortage of technologically savvy mutants, such as Beast, and Forge, Professor X’s genius is oftentimes underplayed, as he embodies the role of the X-Men’s leader and mentor. Immortal X-Men #18 reminds readers that Xavier designed one of the Marvels most iconic pieces of technology. This reframes Charles’ genius in comparison to his students, even without his telepathic advantages – and as one of the world’s most experienced telepaths, there’s practically no limits to the minds he could enter. Anything Charles doesn’t know, he can borrow from anyone else, including fellow heroes Tony Stark, or Reed Richards, – something he’s done before.

For better or worse, Charles Xavier is well-experienced at entering the minds of his allies without their express permission. After all, he removed the knowledge of how to suppress the X-Gene from the mind of Mr. Fantastic, against Reed’s considerable will. If he’s capable of outright removing information from one of Marvel Comics’ foremost geniuses, there’s no reason he can’t simply borrow more knowledge from others like Iron Man, Bruce Banner, Black Panther, or countless others without leaving any lasting damage. It’s not necessarily the most honest form of technological genius, but Marvel readers know honesty has never been Professor Xavier’s strong suit.

Charles Xavier Knows That Greatest Borrows, But Genius Steals

Professor Xavier is one of the foremost faces of the X-Men, but he’s also one of their biggest geniuses, whether anyone remembers or not. Other Children of the Atom may have come to fill the team’s roles as its signature tech-savvy scientists, but Charles was cracking mutant technology before either of their X-Gene’s kicked in. On his own, Xavier’s scientific prowess could potentially put him in the same category as Hank Pym or Tony Stark. However with his telepathic abilities taken into consider, it is unquestionable the X-Men’s Professor X is an even greater tech genius than even Iron Man.