8 X-Men Who Became Avengers

Sam Guthrie, aka Cannonball, began his superhero career as a student of the X-Mansion, his power of invulnerability while flying at extreme speeds making him an extremely useful asset. Sam is a very capable leader and has led several incarnations of the New Mutants alongside Dani Moonstar.

Sam's call up to the Avengers came from Captain America, who also sent the call to Sam's best friend Sunspot having seen their work as members of the New Mutants. This was done as Cannonball's unique abilities made him a perfect fit for the "Avenger's Machine" that Steve Rogers and Tony Stark has envisioned as the next stage of the Avengers' natural evolution as a team.

During his tenure on the Avengers, he fell in love and started a family with fellow Avenger and Shi'ar Superguardian, Smasher. Due to his newfound link to the Shi'ar Empire Sam has typically been stationed in space as an Avengers Liason, returning for brief stints on the U.S.Avengers and to protect the earth during the events of Secret Empire.