In the world of comic books, heroes and villains rarely grow old, locked into their age starting from the first page of their introduction. The characters in the world of X-Men take this one step further, featuring figures that are thousands, sometimes millions, of years old, to the point where some are even considered the stuff from legends.
It’s no surprise that a comic book with frequent trips through time and space would have characters flirting with immortality, but the following mutants show that age is more than a number when the number has three commas. Here’s a list of the oldest X-Men characters blessed with the mutant gene that makes Wolverine look like a newborn baby. From mutants that predate Jesus to those that were there almost from the start, these beings are part of the very fabric of history.
10
Azazel
Age: 2,500 Years Old
Although Azazel thinks he’s one of the first mutants at an estimated 2.500 years, he’s not as old as some of his ancient mutant peers. Azazel’s red skin and tail make him look like the traditional image of a demon, making him one of the X-Men’s most memorable mutant foes. Azazel made his big screen debut when he was portrayed by Jason Flemyng in X-Men: First Class, alongside other members of The Hellfire Club.
Azazel is a cunning opponent on the battlefield, using his power of teleportation to make it impossible to land a blow as he disorients his target. Offensively, Azazel can shoot bolts that incapacitate his enemy while also being gifted with a sword. His intelligence is equal to his physical abilities, with Azazel having earned a reputation for making deceptive deals with the unlucky few who choose to trust him.
9
Apocalypse
Age: 5,000 Years Old
Apocalypse, real name En Sabah Nur, was born in Egypt 5,000 years before the storylines of current-day X-Men. Portrayed by Oscar Isaac in the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse, the blue mutant is known as one of the X-Men’s most dangerous foes. As one of the Externals, an ancient group of mutants, Apocalypse has a shared psychic link with the small collection of immortal beings that allows him to stay in direct communication and call upon them for help.
Armed with one of the most unique powers of any mutant, Apocalypse has the ability to manipulate his molecular structure at will. This unique gift allows him to change his size, regenerate from massive amounts of damage, and change his body into whatever form is needed for his current target. If that wasn’t enough power (and it should be), his list of other abilities includes but is not limited to genius intellect, energy blasts, and telepathy. The only thing he can’t do is pick his friends up from the airport because the traffic isn’t worth the hassle.
8
Genesis
Age: 10,000 Years Old
Wife to Apocalypse, Genesis is also the mother to the Four Horsemen, whom she trained into warriors with feared reputations. Estimated to be over 10,000 years old, Genesis ruled over Okkara with her husband Apocalypse before being attacked by the Amenthi Daemons. As the tide of war went against her, Genesis remained trapped in a hellish dimension while her husband used Earth as a recruitment ground for new mutants.
A rare Omega-level mutant, Genesis’s power to control plants is unrivaled by any other being in the X-Men universe. She can speak to and manipulate fungi, including any benign fungi on a human. This gift allows her to kill anyone via the fungi, which is a reminder to always shower thoroughly. While not a mutant power, Genesis has spent enough time practicing with hand-to-hand weapons to become a master in the art of sword combat.
7
Isca, the Unbeaten
Age: 10,000 Years Old
With the mutant power to never lose, Isca, the Unbeaten, is the ultimate ally to have in a team or army. The younger sister to Genesis, it was her betrayal of siding with the Amenthi Daemons that caused Genesis to lose ground in the war for control of Okkara. Isca’s confident and headstrong personality would seem arrogant if not for her power guaranteeing her victory in every minor wager or disagreement.
A face-off against Isca requires careful consideration because her power to win cancels out any other ability in relation to a conflict in which she is involved. Conceptually, her power can be a curse, as Isca is compelled to join the winning side, even if that’s not her initial desire. Although Isca has lived for over 10,000 years, her power does not prevent her from dying, but it does make the outcome less likely.
6
Gaia
Age: Estimated 17,000 + Years Old
One of the more mysterious characters in X-Men lore, Gaia is an ancient mutant of unknown origin estimated to be 17,000 years old. She was discovered chained to a device called the Universal Amalgamator At the End of Time, where her job was to guard it from being activated by anyone who wanted to use the power to combine all sentient consciousness into one being for the power of evil (as if there’s any other way to use it).
For a brief run, Gaia was a student at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters but left soon after to explore the world. Gaia has a mixed bag of helpful powers, gifted with the ability of superhuman strength and resilience. Most impressive, she can warp reality, changing the fabric of existence into anything of her choosing, which could also be a contributing factor to her slowed aging.
5
Selene
Age: 17,000 Years Old
Selene, otherwise known as The Black Queen, was born roughly 17,000 years ago, making her one of the oldest and most powerful mutants in the Marvel Universe. Selene is able to age and conceivably die, but her mutant power allows her to suck the lifeforce from other creatures, keeping her youthful. When it suits her, Selene is able to create psychic bonds with partially fed victims, turning them into loyal subordinates. Human life has no value to her outside the sustenance it provides, and she kills indiscriminately and without remorse.
Commonly associated with the Hellfire Club, Selene’s presence within the evil organization was not warmly welcomed by members like Emma Frost, who felt threatened by the Black Queen. Selene’s membership in the Hellfire Club and her general disregard for life in any form make her an obvious enemy of the X-Men, and they’ve had numerous encounters. Selene is a formidable enemy to face, possessing incredible strength and speed, on top of the ability to shoot energy blasts and wield powerful magic.
4
Garba-Hsien (Saul)
Age: Unknown, but Said To Be the Oldest External
While Garba-Hsien, or Saul, is known to be the oldest External, his age is unknown even to the other Externals like Selene, who can only verify that he is older than she. Saul’s connection to the Externals makes him nearly impossible to kill, requiring his life force to be drained or his heart eaten by the others of his kind.
Much like his brethren, Sual is gifted with a variety of powers that have helped him conquer various lands during his extended time on Earth. Saul is able to shoot energy blasts and considers himself to be a master at using primal magic. In the rare case that Saul is mortally wounded, he has the ability to resurrect himself, but the chances of his death are unlikely. In addition to his many other powers, Saul can quickly heal from any injuries without slowing down in the middle of battle. Sadly, it’s unlikely the Externals will ever make it to live/action, especially considering the MCU couldn’t even make the Eternals work.
3
Firehair (Lady Phoenix)
Age: 1,000,000 Years Old
Firehair, also known as Lady Phoenix, is one of the oldest mutants in the X-Men’s history, having existed since the dawn of humankind. As an infant, Firehair was abandoned by her tribe because — and this is really the reason — of her red hair. Shunned by those meant to protect her, she was raised by wolves until she met other mutants who accepted her into their tribe.
During the awakening of her mutant psychic powers, she inadvertently kills the surrounding humans without meaning to. Before Firehair can do something drastic out of grief, the Phoenix Force bonds with her, together becoming Lady Phoenix. The ancient mutant has the power to fly, advanced psychic abilities, and, of course, the gift of creating otherworldly flames. Using her gifts for good, Lady Phoenix forms the prehistoric Avengers, creating one of the oldest superhero teams.
2
Xilo
Age: 2,000,000,000 Years Old
Dating back more than two billion years, Xilo is easily one of the oldest mutants in the X-Men universe. Xilo is also one of the most interesting characters, as he is an insect collective that shares a hive mind and operates as one living being. Xilo was a strong mutant ally in the continued fight against the Amenthi Daemons.
Xilo’s body, being a collection of insects, allows him to constantly cycle through new bugs as old ones die, allowing him to exist as an immortal. Xilo has an impressive set of powers that allow him to manipulate earth and terraform any soil to exact specifications. He’s not just handy in a garden, as Xilo can form tendrils that cause massive damage on a target, eating through any type of matter with ease. Possibly, his most useful ability is to take over another body by replacing its flesh with his, guaranteeing Xilo won’t be making any MCU appearances in the near future.
1
Okkara (Grove)
Age: 2,000,000,000 Years Old
A mutant who is also a location, Okkara was once known as the mutant Grove, who lived billions of years before modern mutant existence. An ancient war led to Grove becoming injured, but their mutant powers caused their body to be recovered in the form of a plant. As time went by, Grove changed their name to Okkara and grew into a free-floating island.
Okkara would later be split into two forms called Krakoa and Arakko during the uprising of the Amenthi Daemons. Grove’s power is not fully detailed in the comics, but it’s implied that there’s a connection to regrowth through botany-related metamorphosis. Not all mutants can be their own tropical destination, but then again, none have lived as long as Grove. It’s unlikely we’ll ever see Grove in the MCU, but the idea of a sentient piece of land interacting with other Avengers is intriguing; after all, they already have a talking raccoon and a living planet — why not a sentient island, too?
