Cyclops (Marvel Comics)

Cyclops is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the comic book The X-Men. Cyclops is a member of a subspecies of humans known as mutants, born with superhuman abilities. Cyclops emits powerful beams of energy from his eyes and can only control the beams with the aid of special eyewear, which he must always wear. He was the first member of the X-Men, a team of mutant heroes who fight for peace and equality between mutants and humans, and one of the team's primary leaders.

The first-born son of Corsair, Scott Summers is the older brother of Havok. His first and most enduring love interest is his wife, Jean Grey, with the two having a daughter, Rachel Summers, from an alternate future. Other significant love interests include his ex-wife Madelyne Pryor—a clone of Jean and mother of his son Cable—and fellow X-Man Emma Frost. Cyclops' archenemy is Mister Sinister, who is obsessed with the Summers and Grey bloodlines and has often manipulated events in Cyclops' life, resulting in various clashes with the X-Men.

While Cyclops was initially portrayed as a traditional heroic figure and counterposed to antiheroes who challenge authority, in later decades he becomes increasingly morally ambiguous.

James Marsden initially portrayed Cyclops in 20th Century Fox's X-Men films (2000-2014), and will reprise the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Younger versions of the character were portrayed by Tim Pocock in the prequel film X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), and Tye Sheridan in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and Dark Phoenix (2019), as well as a cameo in Deadpool 2 (2018).

Cyclops first appeared in The X-Men #1 (September 1963). He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and has been a mainstay character of the X-Men series. In the initial issue, Cyclops is introduced along with Beast, Iceman, Warren Worthington III, and Jean Grey as the students of Professor X, who battle Magneto. Lee said that Cyclops and Beast were his two favorite X-Men, elaborating that "I love tortured heroes—and he was tortured because he couldn't control his power." Originally identified as "Slim Summers", The X-Men #3 provides his first name as "Scott".

Scott Summers is the first of the X-Men recruited by Professor X; Xavier hand-picks Scott to lead his X-Men, and to carry on the legacy of his mutant-human-harmony ideals. In X-Men #7, Professor X briefly leaves the X-Men and leaves Cyclops in command. Ben Saunders observes that "the direction of the X-Men will often pivot on the question of Xavier's absence or presence, and the emotional impact of his comings and goings on the team, particularly on Cyclops." Xavier views Scott as one of his most prized pupils; their relationship exhibits father/son qualities. Douglas Wolk describes Cyclops as the "closest thing early X-Men has to a central protagonist," characterizing him as a "subdued, repressed young man." Later issues of X-Men of the mid-1960s written by Roy Thomas emphasize the subplot of the "melodramatic unrequited romance" between Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Cyclops appears in his first solo story in X-Men #45 (June 1968).

In the early 1970s, X-Men only reprinted earlier issues. It was revived in 1975 by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum, creating a new international group. Cyclops was the only character who remained from the original team. Chris Claremont became the primary writer of the series with issue #94 (August 1975) and continued for the next sixteen years.

Cyclops and Jean Grey have a complex relationship, with Cyclops sometimes competing with Wolverine for her attention. In X-Men #98, Scott and Jean solidify their relationship when she initiates their first kiss. In this period, Clarement introduces a tension between the leadership responsibilities of Cyclops and the personal desires of Scott Summers. When Jean Grey becomes the Phoenix, Cyclops expresses fear and insecurity regarding her extraordinary power level.