While DC is well-known for its tightly knit superhero families, Marvel has its own share of kinsfolk, from loving to messy and multiverse-altering. Often chaotic, Marvel families might not all sit down for dinner together but their bond has withstood the test of time, cosmos and the multiverse of madness.
With Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic Four, returning to the big screen, now is the perfect time to revisit other superhero families that have shaped the course of the Marvel Universe.
Summers-Grey family
At the heart of Marvel’s mutant lore lies the family of Scott Summers aka Cyclops and his wife Jean Grey, also known as Marvel Girl. Both founding members of the X-Men, the couple are long-standing symbols of leadership and sacrifice. Their son, Nathan Summers aka Cable, is a fierce warrior from a dystopian future, whose birth was manipulated by the X-Men villain Mr. Sinister in the comics.
Rachel Summers, daughter of Cyclops and Marvel Girl in another timeline, is a telepath and host of the Phoenix Force, which gives her apocalyptic visions. And then there’s Hope Summers, the mutant messiah adopted by Cable, who reignited the X-gene after it was wiped out.
If the Fantastic Four are a dysfunctional yet loving family, the Summers-Grey fam is all about high-stakes action and survival.
The Maximoff family
The Maximoff family is defined by chaos and tragedy. Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful magic users in the Marvel Universe, is capable of altering reality with just a single thought. Catching up with her fierceness is her twin brother, Pietro, better known as Quicksilver, whose superhuman speed, strict morals and impulsive nature have solidified his status as a hero in the Marvel universe.
Once considered the children of Magneto (a storyline now retconned), Wanda and Pietro’s origins have now changed, but their bond remains just as strong. Wanda’s twin sons, Billy and Tommy, also known as Wiccan and Speed, respectively, were created through her reality-warping powers, seemingly from her grief and connection to Vision. While Billy possesses reality-altering abilities like his mother, Tommy possesses the super-speed inherited from his uncle, Pietro.
Thor and the Asgardians
A superhero on earth and prince in Asgard, Thor is one of the most powerful members of his family, rivaled only by a select few like Odin and Hela. His raw strength, resilience and mastery of lightning have placed him at the top of the power scale within the Asgardian pantheon rooted in mythology and drama.
Thor’s adoptive brother Loki, the trickster with a knack for betrayal, constantly falters between being a villain and anti-hero. Living in the shadows of Thor’s fame, Loki often craves love and recognition using extreme means.
In the MCU, Hela — the forgotten daughter and Goddess of Death — arrives and reveals the Asgardian family’s violent past. Despite the truth unraveling, the never-ending cycle of rebellion, redemption, legacy, myths and power binds them together.
Charles Xavier's family
Professor X might be true to his morals and philosophies when it comes to mutant leadership, but his family life is far from peaceful. His son, David Haller, better known as Legion (for he is ‘many’), is one of the most dangerous mutants alive.
As someone with dissociative identity disorder, each of David’s multiple personalities controls different god-like powers, making him a ticking time bomb.
Charles Xavier’s half-brother, Cain Marko, was an ordinary human who was empowered by a gem belonging to the deity Cyttorak, resulting in him becoming a human juggernaut.
What’s even more interesting is his evil psychic twin Cassandra Nova, who describes herself as Professor Xavier’s unborn twin in 2023’s Deadpool & Wolverine. Clarifying herself, she said she was kicked out of her timeline by the TVA and sent to their dimensional trash heap, the Void, because she tried to strangle Xavier in the womb.
Thanos’s galactic fam
While the Mad Titan Thanos doesn’t believe in love, he certainly believes in creating legacy. He raised Gamora and Nebula as destructive weapons instead of daughters. Both the girls, stolen from their home worlds, were pitted against each other in devastating contests.
While Gamora shared Thanos’ ruthlessness and became the universe’s fiercest assassin, Nebula was an equally feared individual, who even wielded the Infinity Gauntlet for a brief moment.
In Avengers: Infinity War, Gamora went up against Thanos and rebelled to undo his genocidal plan for the world. Nebula, too, transformed from a bitter, raging machine to a hero willing to sacrifice everything.
In the comics, Thanos’ family also includes powerful figures like his son Thane, who went head-to-head against him with a deadly Inhuman touch (Guardians of the Galaxy) and later became the Phoenix Force’s host. His brother Starfox and cousin Sersi, both Eternals, also served as Avengers, using their cosmic powers for the betterment of humanity.
The Wakandans
In the technologically advanced and robustly-protected nation of Wakanda, responsibility is above everything else. Unlike others in line, T’Challa had to prove he was worthy of ruling as the King of Wakanda and being the Black Panther. As the leader of Wakanda, he was also in charge of vibranium, the metal that was used to make Captain America’s shield.
On several occasions, T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, filled in for him. Letitia Wright, who played the character in 2018’s Black Panther, is set to reprise her role in Avengers: Doomsday, slated to release next year. The princess of Wakanda is a brilliant scientist, known for her genius-level intellect and her innovative spirit.
Their mother, Queen Ramonda, served as Wakanda’s backbone. Their father, the late King T’Chaka’s decisions to prioritise Wakanda's isolationist policy among others continue to resonate across generations. In the comics, T’Challa’s marriage to Storm of the X-Men briefly united two powerful lineages, further strengthening their familial bond.