Warning: Spoilers ahead for Exceptional X-Men #5!With the Cyclops and Rogue have formed their separate versions of the iconic superhero team, however, neither leader has been nearly as successful as Kitty Pryde. While Rogue and Cyclops fight over Professor Xavier’s dream, Kitty creates her own group of heroes, proving she has what it takes to take Professor X’s place and lead the next generation of X-Men.

In Exceptional X-Men #5 – written by Eve L. Ewing, with art by Carmen Carnero – Kitty comes face to face with her past actions when it’s revealed to her new X-Men trainees that Kitty Pryde killed people in the fallout of Krakoa and one of her new X-Men recruits, Melee, quits. When Melee comes back, Kitty tells Melee she wants her to have a choice, something Kitty felt like she didn’t truly have as a young X-Men.

In training young X-Men from her own faults, Kitty shows just how much she’s grown, and how she is different from Professor X.

While Rogue & Cyclops Fued over Xavier’s Dream, Kitty Pryde Makes Real Strides with the Newest X-Men

Exception X-Men #5 – Written By Eve L. Ewing; Art By Carmen Carnero; Color By Nolan Woodard; Lettering By Travis Lanham; Cover Art By Carmen Carnero & Nolan Woodard

While Cyclops and Rogue have been highlighted as leaders of the new era, the two have their separate ways of following Xavier’s dream which has caused with the help of Emma Frost, and more importantly, giving them a real choice.

Unlike Charles Xavier, Kitty is honest with her mistakes and is learning from her past.

When she trains with Melee, Kitty gives the mutant kids the choice to become X-Men and the fight, not the illusion of choice with the weight Xavier’s dream pushed upon them. Kitty has faults like Professor X, making a difficult decision on Krakoa that resulted in her killing 10 Orchis agents, but unlike Charles Xavier, Kitty is honest with her mistakes and is learning from her past. Cyclops and Rogue have been two contenders for the next X-Men leader, but Kitty Pryde is the true hidden gem who has shown to be the perfect leader for the next generation.

Kitty Pryde Has Grown Immensely From a Wide-Eyed New Recruit to a Seasoned X-Men Leader

Kitty Pryde Grows Into Her Own as Shadowkat, Becoming a Staple Leader of the X-Men

Kitty was introduced in X-Men #129 by Chris Claremont as a bright young teen with a strong sense of justice, but she’s grown immensely since her start as an X-Men, growing both skills and experience as a leader. She trained under X-Men like Storm as well as went through the journey of being kidnapped and trained by Ogun, who formerly trained Wolverine, which resulted in Kitty gaining incredible skills and adopting the name Shadowkat. Kitty has also shown she knows how to make difficult choices, once sacrificing herself to prevent a world-ending collision by phasing a giant bullet hurling toward Earth.

Kitty has not only demonstrated immense selflessness, but she is the true successor of Charles Xavier as there has been palpable evidence of Kitty Pryde taking Xavier’s place for years prior to the start of the Krakoa era. In Wolverine & the X-Men #1 by Jason Aaron, Kitty became the school’s heistress after Wolverine reformed the X-Men and when Storm stepped down as leader of the X-Men, she had Kitty take her place. Even during the Krakoa Era, Kitty acted as a prominent figurehead as the Red Queen and sailed around the world helping mutants the nation of Krakoa.

Charles Xavier Has a True Successor in Kitty Pryde, as She Proves the Superior Choice To Guide the Next Generation of X-Men

Kitty Rises Above Cyclops & Rogue as the X-Men's Rightful Leader

While Cyclops and Rogue are both rushing to rebuild the X-Men, Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost seek to first help an inexperienced group of Mutants survive in a world that despises them, creating a team whose goals are very reminiscent of Xavier’s School. Kitty’s methods are far more productive and have created a positive impact on the next team of X-Men, whereas Cyclops and Rogue’s methods have caused the X-Men to turn on each other. Cyclops has been the X-Men’s main default leader for years but, in reality, Kitty Pryde is surprisingly building up to be the better choice.

Kitty Pryde has had one of the most compelling hero transformations out of all the X-Men and has grown into one of the team’s best leaders, even after the fall of Krakoa.

The X-Men have been in shambles after the fall of Krakoa and the current teams being formed from Rogue and Cyclops are running back into devastating fights and retreading the same problems Professor Xavier faced. Kitty, however, is consciously trying to avoid Xavier’s mistakes. Kitty Pryde has had one of the most compelling hero transformations out of all the X-Men and has grown into one of the team’s best leaders, even after the fall of Krakoa, highlighting how Kitty Pryde is the real successor of Charles Xavier and the perfect leader for the X-Men.

Exceptional X-Men #5 is available now from Marvel Comics!