10 Comic Book Supervillains Who Created Their Own Worst Enemy

This one's up for debate now, given the the massive changes introduced in Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz, R.B. Silva and Marte Gracia's House of X/Powers of X, but if we're going off traditional origins, this is how Charles Xavier first embarked upon his quest to ensure the survival of mutantkind.

It's probably fair to say that Charles Xavier had a bit of a rough upbringing. His father died when Charles was only young, and he later learns after his mutant powers manifest that his father's business partner Kurt - who had also married Charles' mother for the money - was partially responsible.

Following another accident (this time caused by Charles and Kurt's son Cain, the eventual Juggernaut), Kurt also perishes. The young Xavier is still able to use his gifts to make sure he realises his talents though, growing up and attending Oxford University. A brief excursion in Korea during the war of 1950-1953 is then followed by gap year of sorts, which leads Xavier to encounter his first ever mutant in Amahl Farouk, who was possessed by a demonic entity known as The Shadow King.

It was this encounter that inspired Xavier to use his gifts to help other mutants and humans, as he realised just how dangerous his own psychic powers could be if turned against innocents. Xavier would battle the Shadow King many times more in the future, only this time with an entire team of gifted mutants by his side.

The moral of the story? Never underestimate the power of a good gap year.