Of all the egg-heads that the Avengers have under their command, Tony “Iron Man” Stark is the king.
His genius is so expansive it borders on sorcery. So much so, he’s actually replaced Doctor Strange as the mortal realm’s Sorcerer Supreme! Even with all that said, there’s still room for improvement. Let’s see what X-Men have a boxer’s chance of circumventing his rank among the world’s smartest!
10. Bishop
Lucas Bishop isn’t just a towering mountain of a Jheri-curled man – he’s a warrior out of time. Though he and his sister grew up in mutant camps, the technology surrounding them is more advanced than anything on current-day Marvel Earth.
Thanks to being a commander in the XSE, Bishop isn’t just any man. He possesses an intimate knowledge of advanced weaponry and armor. And, much of it is derived directly from technology developed by Stark himself. He’s also a master tactician who’s able to implement his knowledge in battle.
09. Gambit
The Ragin’ Cajun pops over Bishop simply due to the fact that he’s been able to get the best of Stark in the past more than once. He’s penetrated his security systems at least twice, and used his experience and agility to outmaneuver Stark’s best tech in battle!
Gambit also has more than a fair share of experience in computer science which is a must-have for modern-day thieves interested in pinching the very best of goods. While he’s nowhere near the level of mastery necessary to combat an Iron Man suit, Gambit can wreak havoc on his security systems.
08. Cable
Like Bishop, Cable is from the future. However, the current version of Cable isn’t as experienced as his older self. Either way, he’s still from a society 3,000 years more advanced than the current-day one. He’s also an engineer in his own right.
Having figured out time travel, Cable’s also adept at developing and maintaining super-advanced weaponry and defenses. Due to being infected with a techno-organic virus he can also integrate and interact with computers with the speed of thought.
07. Quentin Quire
Iron Man is a natural genius able to learn from and use new technology within moments of interacting with it. On Earth, he’s hailed as one of two the greatest minds on the planet. However, compared to Quentin Quire, he’s basically a child playing with clay.
Quire’s mutant power allows him to have millions of brilliant thoughts a minute. He can literally think himself out of most situations. But, due to his irreverent behavior, he’s often handicapped by his own shortcomings. But, if he chooses to focus his mind on one problem – such as Iron Man – oh the possibilities.
06. Sage
Not dissimilar to the rest of the list, Sage is an engineer able to create new technology to suit her needs at any given time. She does this not by being a genius but through her mutant powers. Basically, Sage’s brain is a supercomputer.
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Through the use of devices and low-level telepathy, she can interact with and absorb information from computers, then use the acquired knowledge to her advantage. At first, she may find herself at a disadvantage – but given time she’d more than likely compromise Stark’s systems and make his life hell.
05. Magneto
In many ways, Magneto is a kindred spirit to Tony Stark. Almost as brilliant as Stark, he’s amazed the world with several feats of technological wizardry. During Genosha’s short existence as a nation, as its ruler Magneto had a direct hand in making it a technological rival to Wakanda.
His most impressive feat has to be the creation of Asteroid-M – a self-sustaining orbital habitat. He later commandeered Cable’s super-advanced, city-sized time travel device and reversed engineered it to act as his next base of operation – Avalon. Combine his intellect with his powers and Stark would in trouble.
04. Mister Sinister
The bogeyman of the X-Men, Mister Sinister’s biggest threat comes from his mind. Over the years he’s been able to combine his knowledge of genetics, mechanical engineering, and biochemistry to create technology like no one else.
Sinister isn’t creating a computer virus or suits of armor – but he’ll develop a jet that grows and heals itself or a bacteria that feeds upon titanium alloy at the drop of a hat. He’s devious enough to put something into play years or decades prior and watch it decimate his target with morbid glee.
03. Moira MacTaggert
Iron Man is smart but Moira MacTaggert has lived more 1,000 years and has earned a Doctorate degree in nearly every life. Since she first gained access to her mutant powers, Moira’s been able to relive her life about 10-times, learning from each death.
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She may also have super memory and total recall; thus, she doesn’t forget anything she’s learned. Moira’s lived so far into the future, she outlasted humanity itself. In one life, she spent a couple of hundred years at the side of Apocalypse who’s known to utilize ultra-advanced celestial technology. If anyone can out-think Iron Man, it’s Moira.
02. Beast
The main brain of the X-Men since the beginning, Beast also spent a large amount of time among the Avengers. That means he’s more than acquainted with Stark’s vaunted tech. Beast has always had a knack for figuring things out. Heck, he even created his own time machine.
If anyone would be able to find a workaround to Tony’s toys on the fly, it’d be him. If what he did with the Jean Grey School, Blackbird, mini-jets, Cerebro, and the Danger Room is of any consequence, then he’d be able to put up a good fight.
01. Forge
Having the mutant power to create anything imaginable is something that’d come in handy when doing battle against Iron Man for sure. Matter of fact, most of what I listed as technological contributions from Beast, Forge further developed and improved. He’s also a trained soldier and a powerful magic user. Outside of being a better fighter, Forge may come up with magical and technological combinations that throw Stark off balance.
He’s no stranger to robotics either. While serving in the military, Forge lost an arm and a leg. He replaced both with robotic appendages decades ago which are more advanced than anything else in existence today. Along with a number of hidden weapons, he carries devices that can interact with just about any other tech out there. I doubt Iron Man’s armor is immune.