Love him or hate him, but there is no arguing that Cyclops is one of the most prominent X-Men, despite the reduced role he played in the original series. One of the original group, Cyclops has gone from new recruit to field commander to leader of the X-Men to mutant terrorist over the course of his 50 years in comics. Given his place at the forefront of so many X-Men and Marvel storylines, it is likely that most fans already know plenty about him.

But given Cyclops's role in the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse, it might be the case that some people are just learning about the character. So here are 12 Things You Need To Know About Cyclops.

12. Cyclops can be considered the first X-Man

Though Professor X had previously trained Jean Grey before establishing the X-Men, Cyclops is widely considered to be the first X-Man. Professor X recognized something in the young Scott Summers that led him to not only recruit him for his original team of mutants, but also to put him in charge of the young group as the field commander, making him lead Beast, Ice Man, Angle, and Jean Grey.

Over the years, Cyclops would generally remain in command of one X-Men team or another, and even take over the leadership of the entire mutant race during times when Charles Xavier was no longer around.

11. Cyclops has two brothers, both are mutants

There’s apparently something about the Summers brothers that makes the X-gene really flare up. Cyclops has two younger brothers, both of which are mutants. The one that’s been around longest in the comics is Alex, also known as Havok. Like his brother, he has energy-based powers, but instead of shooting beams from his eyes, he can absorb and emanate energy from pretty much any part of his body. The third Summers brother Gabriel, whose existence was just a rumor for a long time. He is a powerful mutant known as Vulcan. Vulcan also has energy absorption and manipulation powers, though to a greater degree than either of his brothers.

Interestingly, Scott and Alex are immune to each other's powers, Alex is resistant to Gabriel’s powers, Gabriel is immune to both of their powers, and Scott isn’t resistant at all to Gabriel’s powers.

10. Cyclops is Cable’s dad, but Cable is older than him thanks to time travel

Any semblance of trying to understand X-Men continuity means that a fan has to be able to follow and make sense of multiple instances of time-travel and manipulation of the past and future.

Comics, everybody.

One such instance of that is the story of Cyclops and his son Cable. Shortly after being born, Nathan Summers was infected with a techno-organic virus that threatened to kill him. So, naturally, Cyclops and his wife Madelyne Pryor (a clone of Jean Grey. Because, again, comics everybody.) decide that an apocalyptic future timeline is the best place to raise Nathan and keep his techno-organic virus in check, so they go along to the future. Years later, an all grown up Nathan comes back to the present day and takes the code-name Cable.

Thanks to alternate timelines and time travel, Cable is older than dear old dad, and also pretty badass.

9. Cyclops killed Charles Xavier and is now both loved and hated by many mutants

Despite being one of his first students and something of his protege, Cyclops didn’t always see eye to eye with Charles Xavier. This really came to a head during the Avengers vs X-Men storyline when Cyclops, in possession of part of the Phoenix Force, began to take the well-being of mutants, and the rest of the world, into his own hands. Professor Xavier didn’t agree with most of these actions, and was killed by Cyclops during a fight.

The death of Charles Xavier at the hands of Cyclops left many mutants divided on their view of the X-Man. Many hated him for killing the man who embodied the best that mutantkind had to offer, while some approved of the actions he took. This easily mirrors the way fans have viewed Cyclops over the years, with there being camps of fans who hate the character and think he’s terrible and others who count him among their favorite Marvel characters.

8. His rivalry with Wolverine led to a split within the X-Men

One of the great rivalries in Marvel comics has got to be between Cyclops and Wolverine. Cyclops is always seen as the archetypal leader, the big Boy Scout who only wants to do right, while Wolverine is the typical antihero that became popular later on. The pair would clash not only in leadership styles, but also over the affections of Jean Grey. Scott and Jean, of course, were the original X-Men power couple going back decades. Wolverine’s later addition would create a love triangle, as both men loved Jean and Jean seemed to have feelings for both as well.

The difference in leadership styles and the difference in opinion on whether kids should fight in battles would eventually lead to Wolverine and Cyclops splitting the X-Men into two different groups during the Schism event. Wolverine would go on to open the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning while Cyclops stays in Utopia.

7. He seems to have a thing for telepaths

In all of Cyclops’ long history in comics, he’s rarely been without a romantic interest. Out of his major love interests though, they all seem to have one thing in common: they were telepaths.

The most obvious love interest in Cyclops’ life is, of course, Jean Grey. Jean is one of the most well known telepaths in the Marvel Universe. After Jean’s first death, Cyclops would fall in love with Madelyne Pryor, who would later be revealed to be a clone of Jean. Though initially exhibiting no powers, Madelyne would eventually manifest the same sort of powers as Jean and also some powers that Jean never had. Cyclops’ most recent long term relationship has been with Emma Frost who is also, you guessed it, a telepath.

Some guys like blondes, Cyclops seems to like telepaths.

6. He’s presumed dead now, but that probably won’t last for long

Following the events of the Secret Wars storyline and the fact that Doctor Doom snapped his neck, Cyclops is now presumed dead. While a snapped neck is a pretty serious problem for most people, anyone who has read comics for any amount of time knows that death is more of a suggestion than a rule in comics.

If Cyclops is anything like Jean Grey, we’re likely to see him pop up again in one corner or another of the Marvel Universe. And given that he’s been around for fifty years already, it’s not likely they’ll leave him out of the spotlight for too long.

5. Young Cyclops seems to have a thing for X-23, Wolverine’s female clone

After Cyclops became something of a mutant terrorist, Beast had the idea to bring the past versions of the original five X-Men to the present day, hopefully in order to make Cyclops rethink what he’s done. Of course, things never go as planned, and the Original Five just make things complicated, with some even joining Cyclops instead of Wolverine.

Interestingly, young Cyclops decides to stay with Wolverine’s group instead of going with his older self. While with the group, he starts to develop feelings for X-23, Wolverine’s female clone, something that could make that rivalry between Cyclops and Wolverine take on whole new levels of conflict if either wanted to play the protective “dad”.

4. He’s one of Stan Lee’s favorites

The X-Men were originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1963 and have gone on to be one of the most successful comic properties ever. In interviews since then, Lee has been asked about his favorite X-Men. Lee said in an interview with Wizard Magazine that Cyclops, along with Beast, is one of his favorites because, as he puts it, “I love tortured heroes - and he was tortured because he couldn’t control his powers.”

While some readers feel the character is stale, many must have agreed with Lee as Cyclops has been around for over 50 years now.

3. He's the ideal X-Man

Cyclops was originally created by Lee and Kirby as a character who could be seen as Xavier’s ideal for mutants. Scott would not just be an X-Man, he would be an embodiment of the X-Men, representing their ideals.

In his earliest appearances he was known as “Slim Summers,” before officially being named Scott and Slim being used as nothing more than a nickname. Though initially quiet and a bit awkward and doubtful of his own power and abilities, Cyclops would slowly grow into a capable and fearlessly loyal leader, eventually stepping out of Xavier’s shadow and becoming one of the most prominent X-Men.

2. He’s been played by multiple actors

As one of the most prominent X-Men in the comics, it only makes sense that Cyclops has appeared in most of the X-Men movies in one form or another. Given the various time periods that the movies have taken place in so far, three different actors have played Cyclops. James Marsden played Cyclops in X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: Last Stand, and a brief part in X-Men: Days of Future Past. In those films his role is minimized more in favor of Wolverine. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Tim Pocock plays a young Cyclops for a few scenes.

Tye Sheridan will play the latest incarnation of Cyclops in X-Men: Apocalypse, and may even get to interact with his brother Alex Summers, who has appeared in other movies.

1. His dad is a space pirate

Cyclops has been a leader in the X-Men for decades and has gone on some insane adventures, his brothers are both powerful mutants, and his son is a time-traveling badass, but the coolest member of the Summers family may just be Cyclops’ dad, Corsair.

After being captured by the Shi’ar Empire in the event that would leave Scott and Alex orphans, Christopher Summers would also see his wife killed before his very eyes. Rather than letting the Shi’ar beat him down, Summers teamed up with some alien prisoners also being held by the Shi’ar, stole a ship and started attacking Shi’ar vessels and going by the name The Starjammers.

Thus Corsair became a space pirate and captain of a crew of aliens.

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Any other trivia about Cyclops that should be on this list? Let us know in the comments!