Notice! Spoilers for X-Men #8 ahead!
CyclopsThe first and greatest field leader of the X-Men, he is widely considered the best strategist in the entire Marvel Universe. Even under the most extreme conditions, Cyclops is known for coming up with a new strategy on the spot and then seamlessly communicating his plan to his team without hesitation.. Cyclops' primordial strategic thinking makes him Marvel's best leader, even better than Captain America himself.
In X-Men (2024) #8 – written by Jed MacKay, with art by Ryan Stegman – the X-Men are dealing with the aftermath of Beast's kidnapping, with Cyclops especially suffering. Kid Omega searches the short-term memory of everyone in the area during the kidnapping to create a model of what happened and where Beast was being taken, realizing that his kidnappers came from Graymalkin Prison.
Immediately, Scott comes up with a plan to destroy the prison, which goes completely against what he previously told Rogue, creating conflict between the two.
Cyclops is Marvel's quickest thinker on the battlefield, though he relies heavily on his emotions while leading
X-Men (2024) #8– Written by Jed MacKay; Art by Ryan Stegman; Color by Marte Gracia; Clayton Cowles lyrics
Previously, in The Uncanny X-Men (2024) #2 – written by Gail Simone, with art by David Marquez – Rogue called Cyclops while trying to figure out what she needed to do next. Rogue reports that Jubilee has returned with information about Graymalkin Prison, but Cyclops advises her to stand down, claiming that they need to collect more data first, even though Scott knows that Professor Xavier and other mutants may be trapped in Graymalkin. However, once he finds out that Beast is trapped. Cyclops is ready to destroy the prison.
Even though Scott can't explain his plan, whether when he's in a rush or very emotional, he's still able to come up with a strategy that allows him to get around these basic problems.
In a state of intense emotion – and fueled by anger that the Beast has been kidnapped, claiming he cannot lose his brother again – Cyclops is unable to express his plan in words and instead orders Kid Omega to copy and paste his battle plans from his own brain and into the common knowledge of everyone in the room.. Even though Scott can't explain his plan, whether when he's in a rush or very emotional, he's still able to come up with a strategy that allows him to get around these basic problems.
Cyclops’ “mental shortcut” to devise a plan for his team is almost another superpower
A new highly effective method
In X-Men #8, Cyclops is thinking faster than he can speak, and recognizing this, he immediately employs the nearest telepath to cut out the “middle man” of his mouth, so to speak, and transmit his thoughts directly to his squad. This is an exceptional example of Scott's ability to not only think and plan incredibly fast, but also his almost superhuman ability to recognize what assets are at his disposal, and deploy them appropriately. In essence, this is a big part of what makes him among Marvel's most impressive leads.
There is a constant debate among fans about who is Marvel's greatest tactician, Cyclops or Captain America; the events of X-Men #8 are another point in Cyclops’ favor. Copying and pasting battle plans from your own brain and that of your team would be incredibly useful for quick development or change of plan while in the field. It also allows the Ciclope team to fully understand your plan, without failures that would be caused by lack of communication or any other impeding factors. These are all things Captain America could do with access to a telepath, but Cyclops invented this.
Cyclops is a better strategist than Captain America, and his latest strategy proved what Marvel fans have known for a long time
No disrespect to the limit
Captain America has become incredibly popular thanks to the MCU. Cyclops has also had his live-action adaptations, but they aren't as popular as Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, and furthermore, the X-Men films don't do Scott Summers justice. Furthermore, and before the telepathic “mental shortcut” of copy/paste, Cyclops was already a better leader than Captain America. Cyclops has to deal with many more challenges than Captain America. Cap was built by the American government to be the symbol of peace, freedom and justice, while Cyclops has to deal with the oppression of mutants.
Although Steve Rogers has been around longer, he… has been frozen in ice for almost seventy years. Cyclops began leading his X-Men in Charles Xavier's war as a teenager and hasn't stopped since.
Cyclops had to balance leading his X-Men and fighting for mutant rights, operating his team and saving humanity, all while being hated and shunned by them. Not only that, but even though Steve Rogers has been around longer, he became Captain America around the age of twenty-five and was frozen in ice for almost seventy years. Cyclops began leading his X-Men in Charles Xavier's war as a teenager and hasn't stopped since. Cyclops refined and perfected his tact skills with Charles Xavier and thanks to the success of X-Men '97his popularity among fans is also growing.
One final point to prove Scott Summers' superior tactical mind over Steve Rogers: the testimony of the Beast himself. Hank McCoy was an X-Man and an Avenger, and in X-Men #1, he makes his opinion clear about the best leader, saying: “Summers is the most talented combat leader I’ve ever met, and I was an Avenger.” Beast clearly states that Cyclops is a better combat leader than any of the Avengers, including Captain America, and Scott's new strategy only reiterates that point.
X-Men #8 is now available from Marvel Comics.