There Aren't Many 10/10 Scenes In X-Men Movie History, But These 10 Were Perfect

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Throughout the history of X-Men movies, there have only been a select few scenes that remain absolutely perfect. Fox’s X-Men movie franchise isn’t known for its consistent quality, as its movies varied drastically over its span. Bringing Marvel’s mutant heroes and villains to life in live-action often presented a difficult challenge, but one that regularly provided memorable and entertaining scenes of both action and drama that tapped into the core themes of the characters’ stories.
Even after the franchise’s end, the best X-Men movie scenes continue to stand out in their quality. There are only a limited few that stand out as truly perfect from start to finish, as the criteria for such a moment to qualify are inherently strict. However, there are a number of scenes and sequences that are genuinely flawless on one level or another from throughout the franchise. With that in mind, here are the few X-Men movie scenes that deserve to be considered absolutely perfect.
10 Magneto Gets Revenge On Shaw X-Men: First Class (2011) Though First Class might not be considered the best X-Men movie, it certainly isn’t the worst, either. Despite its flaws, the movie’s ending is perfect: Magneto finally gets the opportunity to take revenge on his childhood tormentor, and does so in the most poetic manner possible. Taking the same coin Shaw once used to force Magneto to demonstrate his abilities, he echoes back Shaw’s words, and then drives it through the villain’s skull.
As well as being a gratifying moment of retribution for a horrifying villain, the scene is perfect in the way it uses Magneto’s character. It takes the trauma and rage of his past and uses them to illustrate how he slips into villainy. This sets him up to be the future mutant extremist he is destined to become, albeit through a justifiable act of vengeance on the man who killed his mother, and it does so flawlessly.
9 Introducing Charles Xavier Logan (2017) Professor X is one of the most iconic X-Men characters of all time, and the role he played in the movie franchise was a major one. As the leader and mentor of the X-Men, Xavier’s role as a father figure is a key part of the team’s dynamic, and one scene in 2017’s Logan showcases that perfectly. In its apocalyptic future, an elderly Charles Xavier is shown in declining health and having seizures which are accompanied by inadvertent telepathic shockwaves.
The scene in question shows Logan risking his own life to administer medication to Xavier, battling through the barrage of his powers to do so. Seeing the lengths Logan is willing to go to in order to take care of his mentor is touching, as is the ensuing confusion and emotional state of Xavier. Having this scene as Professor X’s introduction to the movie was thematically brilliant, and perfectly poignant from start to finish.
8 Quicksilver’s “Time In A Bottle” Scene X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) Throughout Quicksilver’s movie timeline, the character has featured in some excellent scenes that illustrate his abilities. Shortly after his introduction into Fox’s franchise in X-Men: Days of Future Past, his skills are required to assist Magneto and Professor X in evading government agents. The scene shows Quicksilver launching into action, with the world around him slowing to a crawl as he foils the attacks of the human aggressors.
It’s a short scene, but one that is packed with humor and charm. It precisely captures Quicksilver’s character, with his playful yet efficient use of his abilities making him one of the most exciting additions to the franchise from the off, and is aptly and brilliantly set to the tune of Jim Croce"s "Time in a Bottle". Not only does it perfectly demonstrate his powers and his personality, but it’s a scene that remains every bit as excellent even more than a decade after its release.
7 Magneto Finds Nazis In A Bar X-Men: First Class (2011) Many of Magneto’s best movie moments are those in which he blurs the line between hero and villain, and X-Men: First Class played brilliantly with that concept. One scene in particular showed the complexity of Magneto’s character, as he located two fugitive Nazis in a bar. The conversation between them is tense and nuanced, and ends with Magneto dispatching the men in a cold act of brutal revenge.
The scene not only speaks to Magneto’s own moral complexities, but also to Fassbender’s performance. Everything about it is perfectly executed, with special credit going to Fassbender for his uncomfortably textured acting throughout the scene. Seeing Magneto confronted with the opportunity to avenge the horrors of his past is both cathartic and horrifying, and helps to further cement him as the most fascinatingly complex character in Fox’s entire X-Men franchise.
6 Magneto & Xavier Play Chess X-Men (2000) There are many scenes in the original X-Men trilogy that aged poorly, especially as later movies improved on the visual aspects of the franchise. However, the first movie holds up surprisingly well, with many elements of the film remaining powerful and well-written. There are few examples as obvious as the short scene in which Professor X and Magneto play a game of chess while sitting inside Magneto’s plastic prison.
The conversation shared between the two perfectly captures the tone of their relationship. It’s strained but respectful, polite yet dismissive all at once. It sets the two characters up as polar opposites who can’t help but disagree with one another, despite holding each other in incredibly high regard. It’s a complex dynamic, and one that the scene depicts excellently, making it thoroughly perfect from start to finish.
5 Nightcrawler Attacks The President X2: X-Men United (2003) Fox’s X-Men franchise isn’t well-known for its groundbreaking action sequences, particularly the earliest entries, which came in the ‘00s. Even so, X2: X-Men United boasts an unforgettable opening sequence in which Nightcrawler attacks the US President in the Oval Office. It introduces the mutant in emphatic fashion, showing him teleporting around the room and attacking Secret Service agents at will. It’s also perhaps the most famous scene from the movie.
Nightcrawler’s introduction into the franchise was a perfect use of the character, with the visual effects standing out as especially breathtaking. Convincingly adapting teleportation into live-action is not an easy feat, but it’s one that X2 achieved stylishly, showing how a single mutant can take on a small army of well-armed men. It’s a scene that continues to impress more than two decades later, highlighting in part just how great it is.
4 Channing Tatum’s Gambit Debut Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) Close The cast of Deadpool & Wolverine featured a number of returning Marvel movie characters, many of which had been poorly represented by previous outings. However, arguably the movie’s most successful cameo was that of Channing Tatum as Gambit, paying off the popular fancast years after his movie in the role was scrapped before making it to fruition. Tatum’s Gambit was only in a few scenes, but in many ways, he stole the show.
Seeing Tatum play Gambit in live-action was a nod to the long-standing popularity of the fancast as fans’ upset over his movie being canceled. What’s more, he proved just how perfect he is for the role, wearing a comic-accurate suit and using an exaggerated accent that hailed back to previous depictions of the character in both the comics and animation. Tatum’s brief turn as Gambit proved one of the most popular moments in the movie, and it was completely perfect from beginning to end.
3 Sentinels Hunting The X-Men X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) The X-Men have faced many dangerous foes in their long history, but few were as deadly and adaptable as the Sentinels. X-Men: Days of Future Past opened with a scene showing the heroes fighting against the powerful mutant-hunting machines, showcasing the abilities of multiple X-Men as they fight a losing battle. The scene sets up the movie’s time-traveling narrative, but its quality goes far deeper than its significance to the plot.
Seeing the X-Men battle the Sentinels in such a way was many characters’ best on-screen moment in live-action to date. The likes of Iceman, Storm, and Forge have not been better represented in any of their other live-action outings, with many other noteworthy X-Men characters appearing in the battle. The scene is a great glimpse into the dark future the heroes are fighting to prevent, as well as a perfectly-crafted action sequence.
2 Quicksilver’s X-Mansion Rescue X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Evan Peters’ Quicksilver was undeniably one of the most unexpected fan-favorite characters of Fox’s X-Men prequels, but the actor’s turn in the role was simply too perfect. Peters’ ability to inject fun into Quicksilver’s super-speed scenes was excellent, and he had his best ever moment in X-Men: Apocalypse. After arriving at the X-Mansion, Quicksilver sees that it is in the process of exploding, and he rushes into the fray to save his fellow mutants.
The scene shows Quicksilver zipping through various rooms of the X-Mansion as the destruction unfolds, saving people as he goes. Much like his first slow-mo scene, it’s filled with light touches of humor that add extra personality to his heroics, as well as being a great visual spectacle throughout. Set to the pulsing beat of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”, the scene is absolutely flawless in its entirety.
1 The Death Of Wolverine Logan (2017) Hugh Jackman’s performance as Wolverine has already gone down in history as one of the best superhero castings of all time, and the best evidence comes during Logan’s ending. The 2017 movie saw the aging hero discover his daughter, Laura, then fight to protect her from the forces seeking to capture and imprison the young mutant. Facing a younger and stronger clone of himself, Logan is able to save Laura, albeit at the cost of his own life.
Logan’s final moments are bittersweet and heart-wrenching as he shares his last words with his daughter. His relaxed acceptance of death serves as an emotional farewell to a beloved hero, but also a fitting end to a character who has grown tired of fighting. As such, Logan’s ending is more than just a perfect scene - it’s a tragic and emotional example of just how exceptional the X-Men movie franchise could be at times.

X-Men
Movie(s) X-Men (2000), X2, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) First Film X-Men (2000) TV Show(s) X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, X-Men (1992), X-Men: Evolution (2000), Wolverine and the X-Men (2008), Marvel Anime: Wolverine, Marvel Anime: X-Men, Legion (2017), The Gifted (2017), X-Men '97 (2024) Character(s) Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Phoenix, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Morph, Nightcrawler, Havok, Banshee, Colossus, Magneto, Psylocke, Juggernaut, Cable, X-23 Expand Upcoming MCU Movies