20 Most Powerful X-Men Villains Of All Time
18. The Hellfire Club
The Hellfire Club are the one exception to the rule that the X-Men generally aren't bothered by regular people. It helps that the ranks of the posh people's secret society is bolstered by some mutants in their midst, along with a lot of toffs who like to wear powdered wigs and old-timey outfits. And those guards with weird masks.
It's the mutants who make all the difference, with the likes of Emma Frost and Mastermind being such powerful psychics that they convinced Jean Grey she was a completely different person for a while. Meanwhile, the mostly-regular guys employed as guards very nearly managed to off Wolverine during their first encounter.
The ruthless intelligence and strategies is what brings them real power, however. They're simply smarter than your average supervillain. Put that together with their psychics-on-retainer and they're a force to be reckoned with. Even the modern incarnation made up of kids (including Dr Frankenstein's grandson) nearly took the X-Men down.