10 Comics Superheroes With The Best Motivations

9. Professor X

Charles Xavier first discovered that he was a mutant at a young age, and kept it a secret for years. It was only after he'd completed his education that he revealed his powers to the world, using his gifts and the wealth left by his parents to protect mutants when humanity only sought to do harm against them.

The dichotomy between Xavier and longtime friend-turned-enemy Magneto is a curious one. Both were intended as analogues of Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and though Charles' commitment to pacifism has tested the patience of his friends and allies, there's no denying his real-life roots have created a memorable figure.

Xavier does what few other heroes can do, in that he lays bare the pressures of being an activist who faces discrimination. He shows such restraint every day in the face of immense hate and prejudice, and yet - even though that is the case - he and his X-Men will always be there to protect mutant and humankind alike.

Professor X may not be as key a figure in the X-Men books as he once was, but his commitment to civil rights makes him one of Marvel's finest characters.