After Kitty, who should lead the X-men next?

[ChildOfTheAtom]

Lucas Bishop: The Last X-MAN

[CuteClops]

Emma Frost or Charles Xavier.

[L.R Johansson]

Lucas Bishop: The Last X-MAN

BISHOP?!

Wow, ok - well, it's an interesting choice... he did lead XSE in his own future world of 2099 (you know... I think his world of 2099 is like... the THIRD incarnation of that future - Spider-man 2099 and Hulk: Future Imperfect are two other variations there) - but that group was very different from what the X-men is.

He's always stricken me as the next leader of X-FORCE instead! = ) That seems like the more logical role for him - makes sense, what with his rivalry with Cable and everything, as well.

Man, makes me want to go over to the make your own x-team right now, and figure out the roster of Bishop's X-force, lol!

[spirit2011]

Rogue

adult jean

maybe even magik... maybe more than one leader?

[Sutekh]

Rogue, bias aside, has risen to prominence as a field leader and her team serves as a closer representation to Xavier's dream of integration. On the teaching side, she seemed to take on a more personal counselor/mentor role for the students (Legacy). She has made some reckless mistakes as a leader before (Messiah Complex), but a bit like Nightcrawler I think she can inspire wayward mutants as the villain-to-hero success story she is.

I'm not the biggest Rogue fan, but her powers lend her insight into other people bordering on those of a telepath (and even telepathy doesn't guarantee that you are going to empathize much with the people whose minds you are reading, with Emma being a prime example, but even Jean having referred in the past to other people's minds as 'a sewer'), and being able to see many sides of a situation, or, more importantly, embrace different points of view, is a useful leadership tool.

Her humbler origins also could resonate with folk who aren't born rich (like Emma or Xavier or Warren or Betsy), and make them more likely to take advice about self-sacrifice and heroism and whatever more seriously than they would coming from someone who doesn't seem as likely to have walked that walk. She seems less of an aristocratic 'top down' sort of leader (or person, in general) who might embrace a more egalitarian notion of respect being earned, and good ideas being good ideas, even if they are coming from someone at the bottom of a social pecking order. (Not that most X-Men leaders have had a problem with that, but Xavier at times seemed very hierarchy minded, and utterly out of his comfort zone attempting to 'lead' people like Wolverine, and while I loved me some Emma/Kitty snark, there sometimes seemed a bit of classist 'you should be seen, not heard' vibe there, which was definitely a trait of hers, when students like Empath and Magma and Hellion, from higher-class backgrounds, were her clear favorites.)

Rogue also has a certain flexibility, and general disregard for niceties of etiquette, or rules of engagement (or, in some cases, international law) allowing her to work better with people like Gambit and Wolverine, without delving into 'let's make a secret mutant kill-squad!' territory.

[stormphoenix]

Rogue should give it a shot( probably wouldn't do as well, but hey) let her be Leader of the X-Men. Forget the Avengers. Also, we need MORE Mutants in the Uncanny Unity Squad.............like Seriously.

[Sutekh]

I got nuthin' for Dazzler.

She should be a free spirit, a white-winged dove, fabulous, but not in any sense a leader. (Except maybe a leader in style. Which, at present, she's not, 'cause, ugh.)

[The tall man]

With the resurgence of the mutant population I don't think there needs to be a "face" for mutantkind or one singular person speaking for all mutants. Besides mutants are present in all parts of the world, no one person can claim to represent them all. Whoever assumes leadership of the X-men after Kitty or Kitty herself just needs to be a team leader and/or someone else can be head master/mistress of the school. Too often mutants are shown as having a hive mentality or blindly accepting some leader, be it Magneto or some ruling counsel usually made up of X-men. Never do they have a chance to freely choose their leaders. I wonder if any mutants in New Tian voted for Xorn or the counsel surrounding him, not that it would matter since Emma is mind-controlling him.

[a moment closer]

I voted for Archangel

He has a team of X-Men and Kids running his company, why not use them to help guide the X-Community. Placing other members as field leaders and having a council would be very successful.

I'd also vote for Cable. I know he's a rogue by nature but he could lead just as easily. Cannonball, Mirage, Dazzler, and Rogue are all great suggestions.

Remember when Sebastion Shaw was a good guy for like a minute. I'd choose Shaw if we were looking for someone unexpected to put in the role.

[Joker Venom]

I voted for Nightcrawler. I don't think he's ever really gotten a fair shake. At least not where leading the X-Men is concerned.

Truth be told, the lack of options only underscores why we need Adult Cyclops back, IMO.

[DDM]

Sam and Dani tag team.

[Xargukon]

Sam and Dani tag team.

This.
They've both been groomed for leadership since they were teens and have been shown to be great leaders.

Polaris didn't do too bad when leading X-Factor in ANXF, especially given the level of difficulty of personalities on her roster.

[Supernature]

DANIELLE MOONSTAR a.k.a. MIRAGE!

[Bafflement]

BISHOP?!

Wow, ok - well, it's an interesting choice... he did lead XSE in his own future world of 2099 (you know... I think his world of 2099 is like... the THIRD incarnation of that future - Spider-man 2099 and Hulk: Future Imperfect are two other variations there) - but that group was very different from what the X-men is.

Bishop and Nightcrawler were actually co-leaders of Storm's Uncanny X-Men team after she went to Africa.

[DDM]

This.
They've both been groomed for leadership since they were teens and have been shown to be great leaders.

Polaris didn't do too bad when leading X-Factor in ANXF, especially given the level of difficulty of personalities on her roster.

I wouldn't mind Kitty, Sam and Dani running it all tbh. Like the new Scott/Ororo/Logan leadership trifecta.

Then make Storm the new elder statesman and mentor figure like Xavier was later on. Shave her head just to drive the point home.