Gizmorino

I'm just gonna repost from my top 10 favorites list:

OK first off, lower those pitchforks. Breathe. Give me a chance to explain. When I say that Cyclops is my fourth favorite comic-book character, I'm not talking about the present nutjob Cyclops. I'm not talking about the Scott Summers that runs around as a fugitive with a TRON visor. Or the power-deluded Phoenix Cyclops who killed Charles Xavier. Or even the annoying Cyclops that had that little breakup spat with Wolverine (Cyke would have totally owned, if not for the Sentinel, btw!). I'm talking about the Scott Summers who was a natural leader, who led the X-Men through their many victories and failures, the mutant who was the prize pupil of Xavier. The man who would one day lead an entire race of mutants on the verge of extinction, and win. That Cyclops. The Cyclops from the earlier issues of X-Men, from X-Men: First Class (the comic, not the movie), from Astonishing X-Men, from the Messiah Trilogy. That's the Scott Summers that I enjoy. Not the crazy fanatic currently running around with a giant X slapped on his face. But the born leader who couldn't even open his eyes, but whom commanded some of the most powerful men and women of the Marvel Universe.

When Cyclops speaks, people listen. That's the Cyclops that I remember reading and loving. And what made him so appealing was the fact that the people under his command didn't necessarily like or even respected him. Cyclops was a different leader than others of his sort (Captain America, Mr. Fantastic, Black Bolt); in the sense that while he did lead a team, he wasn't the untouchable icons that the other leaders were. He had more self-doubt than the rest, he felt out of control with his own mutation, and he was uncomfortable in the role of the top general at certain points. His marriage with Jean was messed up at times, he suffered through so many heartbreaks, and more often than not, Cyclops would break down and leave the X-Men. But that's what makes Scott Summers so fascinating to me, and so much more relatable. It's always good fun to read about leaders who are living legends in every sense of the term (Hi Cap!), but I also like reading about leaders who aren't perfect. Leaders who don't always make the right decisions, but when they do call the shots - sh!t happens. Here is a man who cannot control his one defining characteristic, his own mutation, and yet he controls a veritable army of mutants. A general who often stumbles, but who has proven time and time again that he deserves to lead all who wear the X. A fallible person, like all of us. Scott Summers may be a mutant, but if that isn't being human, I don't know what is

And I know there's a lot of hate for the character, and in some instances, I can even understand why. He can be an obnoxious, insufferable jerk who's made some poor choices. Some don't like the fact that he's a straight-laced strict sort of fellow. Many prefer the more expressive or cooler X-Men (Hi Logan!), but I for one don't. I like how his control freak, perfectionist, in-total-command streak reflects on his inability to command his own mutation. I love how he's always the man in charge, the X-Man that other mutants always follow into the field. He's an alpha male, b*tches! And he also has one of the most iconic powers in all of superhero comics. Red optic blasts and his visor are synonymous with Cyclops. Not to mention the plethora of awesome outfits he's rocked over the years (Thank you, Jack Kirby, Jim Lee, and John Cassaday), the different teams he's led, and the countless battles he's overcome. No matter the amount of manure that writers love to drag him through, no matter how many times he's been through the ringer, Scott Summers always comes back stronger than ever. And that's why Cyclops is my favorite X-Man.

OP says no chars above LT level.