10 Most Disturbing X-Men Villains

6. Cassandra Nova

Shifting attention from one terrifying telepath to another now, with Cassandra Nova of course ranking amongst the most notorious X-Men villains to have ever hit the page.

Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely during their lauded run on New X-Men, Nova is something that's known as a mummudrai, a parasitic being that can manifest as a physical presence. Unfortunately for Charles Xavier, this occurs when he's in the womb he happens to be occupying. Cassandra copies Charles' DNA and, after developing hands, attempts to strangle the future X-Men leader with his own umbilical cord. This causes Charles to fend her off with a psychic blast, prompting a miscarriage, and several decades worth of feuding between the two.

Nova is effectively the anti-Professor X, and has committed some truly despicable acts over the years, most infamously committing a genocide on the mutant nation of Genosha.

Scarier still, Nova has access to all the abilities Charles has the potential to use but hasn't yet accessed, including telekinesis, physical intangibility and the ability to remain undetected by even the most seasoned telepaths.

These powers have led to all sorts of gruesome encounters, with a particular highlight being the time she phased her hand into Donald Task's face and ripped it apart. Lovely.