The X-Men's Beast, Explained

The original X-Men team consisted of no more than five young teenagers, each born with wondrous mutant powers. Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, and Beast were at the forefront of the fight for mutant-human relations, battling every type of mutant threat imaginable. Each member of the X-Men brought a different personality, skill, power, and expertise to the team. Few brought as much intelligence, courage, and raw power as Beast.

Beast has been a Marvel mainstay since his debut in 1963. As one of the original X-Men, Beast has one of the most important histories and experiences in the mutant team. His life as a superhero has also placed him in the ranks of the Avengers and Defenders, making him one of the most skilled and exceptional heroes on the planet. For all of Beast’s feats and brilliance, however, he has an incredibly dark side, one that has emerged time and again to haunt him. Beast’s story is a long one, one of sadness but ultimately of friendship and perseverance.

Beast is one of the oldest and most experienced members of the X-Men

Beast was a founding member of the Mutant Team

Beast was born Henry Philip “Hank” McCoy to normal human parents. While his parents were normal, Beast certainly wasn't, as he was born with his mutations already on display. Possessing oversized limbs, hands, and feet, Beast earned his mutant name due to the abnormal, animalistic body proportions he was born with.

As Beast grew up, a chance encounter with the X-Men inspired him to join the team. He became a valued member and was fully trained to properly utilize his incredible powers. Many years later, Beast would accidentally afflict himself with an increase in his mutant abilities, causing him to grow blue fur, fangs, and gain a significant increase in his strength and agility.

Over the years, Beast would leave the X-Men from time to time. The Avengers were the first team he joined after leaving the X-Men, where he was hired as a temporary member. This did not mean that Beast never reunited with his former mutant allies. Beast would leave the Avengers when necessary to return to the X-Men and lend his aid as best he could.

He would later join a different incarnation of the Defenders, dubbed “The New Defenders,” alongside fellow X-Men Angel and Iceman and heroes Gargoyle, Moondragon, and Valkyrie. Despite these non-mutant affiliations, Beast's true home has always been with the X-Men. Through the countless battles and obstacles the team has faced, Beast has remained a loyal ally and companion to his fellow mutants.

The Beast's mutant powers lend credibility to his name.

Don't let its looks fool you because it's also brilliant.

True to his name, Beast possesses incredible physical abilities and skills. While his original mutation resulted in an oversized, ape-like appearance, Beast's subsequent mutation enhancements have further increased his physical abilities.

Beast possesses great physical strength, agility, the ability to crawl on walls and ceilings, and an advanced healing factor. The main downside to Beast's powers is that the constant augmentations and artificial enhancements he has undergone have awakened a feral side in him that he constantly represses. This dark side of Beast has ebbed and flowed over the years, as has the problem of losing his intellect the more he uses his animal-like powers.

But being a physical powerhouse isn't the only thing Beast is known for. A true renaissance man, Beast is an expert in multiple languages, many different fields of science, and countless artistic subjects, and is also the X-Men's resident physician. More specifically, Beast is a world authority on genetics. His knowledge and contributions to the subject, including the many other fields of science he is proficient in, have made Beast an invaluable member of the X-Men.

A prime example of Beast's genius was when he created the cure for the deadly Legacy Virus unleashed by the villain Stryfe. Beast has since created countless other cures and devices that have aided the X-Men. Poet, linguist, scientist, mathematician, and artist: there is truly nothing Beast doesn't excel at.

The Beast had a hard time accepting his mutation

Numerous experiments have only made the situation worse over the years.

Over the years, Beast's constant desire to cure or enhance his mutant abilities has been a prevalent theme. To some, being a mutant is just a matter of course; to Beast, it's a condition that has robbed him of a normal life. His personal life has suffered as a result, which makes it very understandable why Beast would constantly seek treatments to alter and cure himself.

However, these actions have always backfired on Beast, with some granting him greater strength at the expense of his intellect or reducing him to a savage beast more worthy of his name. It is especially heartbreaking to consider this side of Beast, as he has always been the most articulate and educated member of the X-Men. One would imagine that such a brilliant mind would find some sense of reconciliation with his existence, yet Beast has historically tried to care.

The most touching example of how low the Beast can sink is his alternate version, the Black Beast of Age of Apocalypse timeline. Given carte blanche to experiment on himself and other mutants, this alternate Beast was a vicious monster who performed the most atrocious experiments on innocent mutants. This version of Beast has appeared occasionally throughout the main timeline, even appearing in the nation of Krakoa to aid Charles Xavier.

The Beast Has Fallen to Evil, but There Is Still a Chance for Redemption

The only way to go from the bottom is to the top

Beast is a surprisingly well-rounded member of the X-Men. It might be easy to dismiss him as a walking deus ex machina when needed, but Beast is much more than a convenient scientific exposition. He is a source of brilliance and guidance for the X-Men and the children he teaches. He is a kind and empathetic activist who strives to bridge the gap between mutants and humans. He champions the arts and sciences, enriching the lives of all. He is also a fierce warrior who will put his life on the line for those he cares about, no questions asked.

Unfortunately, Beast's recent actions have transformed him into a despicable villain of the most horrific order. As the leader of the newly reformed X-Force before the fall of Krakoa, Beast has become twisted and consumed by his newly acquired power. Years of conflict and oppression have finally taken their toll on the longtime X-Man, and his transformation into a modern-day Josef Mengele was a dark and bitter culmination of his pent-up rage. It was revealed that Beast had created a clone of himself based on an earlier, non-evil version of himself in order to survive his sacrifice.

This new Beast has joined Cyclops' team The X-Men in a radically different world for mutants. Let's hope he stays true to the fun-loving, kind-hearted Beast who helped form the world's greatest team of mutant superheroes, the X-Men.