Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops, was once the leader of the X-Men for a good reason. Sure, he may have made some polarizing decisions, but the dude's a superb combatant and tactician. Given Summers' powerful optic blasts, he could get away with just blasting like a mad man if he really wanted to. However, that's not what he does. He's always thinking about how a fight could play out and what he can do to tilt the odds in his favor. Now, that doesn't guarantee he'll always win, but his brilliant mind and precision with his power means he's going to put up one hell of a fight. And that's most certainly what he's done dozens upon dozens of times over the decades. Slim's seen a lot of action, so obviously we won't have everyone's favorite on here, but we think the follow battles deserve a highlight. If your top choice isn't below, go ahead and share it in the comments.
vs. the X-Men
In UNCANNY X-MEN #175, Scott was put in a very, very difficult position. The X-Men viewed him as the Dark Phoenix and they came to one conclusion: their target needs to be taken down. A good chunk of this issue shows just how skilled of a fighter Scott really is. Not only does he use his emphasis on countering and throwing in melee combat to help him hold his own against multiple characters, but it also shows just how well he knows his allies. One by one, he's able to find ways to bring them down and, luckily for him, makes it out of the experience in one piece. If you love Cyclops and you really love seeing why he's a boss, this is a must own issue for you.
vs. Apocalypse
One doesn't simply put Cyclops' friends in danger. That's a lesson the powerful Apocalypse learned back in X-FACTOR #68. Even though the villain was bigger than ever, firing ginormous blasts and soaking the combined might of various X-Men and Inhumans, En Sabah Nur just couldn't withstand an enhanced blast from good ol' Scott Summers (thanks to a boost from his brother, Havok) and the projectile made the titan come crashing down to the ground. It's an optic blast that's worthy of its splash page, that's for sure.
vs. Mr. Sinister
Two mega blasts from Cyclops in a row? Sure, why not? Before Scott humiliated Apocalypse, the mutant blasted apart Mr. Sinister in X-FACTOR #39. This is another example of a big bad embarrassing Scott's allies and the leader making sure that comes to an end. Sinister could effortlessly tank anything and everything the characters threw his way, but he had no defense against Scott's mutant power. So, when Cyclops finally had the chance to step up to the plate, he didn't hold back at all. The above picture makes that pretty clear, doesn't it?
vs. Wolverine
Somewhere out there, a Wolverine fan isn't very happy that we're including this one. Look, we understand why but that doesn't change the fact that their brawl in Schism (4-5) was downright badass. Should Slim be able to keep fighting after getting stabbed in the bicep, hands, and getting adamantium smashed against his face multiple times? The dude's tough, but that's pushing it pretty far. Still, this violent melee serves the narrative well and it's a savage spectacle for fans of Cyclops.
vs. Master Mold
Way back in X-FACTOR #14, Cyclops went one on one with Master Mold. What makes this encounter special and worthy of our praise is the fact it puts Scott's tactics to the test. Not only must he attempt to protect a police officer from the towering threat, but Scott needs to find his way out of what appears to be a no-win situation. The big robot gets its hand on the X-Man and Scott sees he could set off a big explosion. The blast would defeat his foe, but it would also take his life. Scott, however, remembers his training and finds a way to cheat death by putting his powers to proper use.
vs. Sentinel
Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's ASTONISHING X-MEN is awesome (that's a fact, not an opinion). It's a great X-Men tale and an especially great arc for Cyclops. The leader has quite a few standout moments, but two come to mind immediately: "I want this thing off my lawn" and "to me, my X-Men." Both are unforgettable scenes, but how could we not include Cyclops removing his visor to obliterate a Sentinel? In fact, it's so astonishing impressive that it even made Wolverine show Scott some respect.
AvX madness
Welcome to the most polarizing option on our list! Many believe Scott Summers was right in the massive AvX conflict, and the X-Man refused to back down even when the world was against him. The Avengers, X-Men, and Professor X stood before him, but he refused to budge on his position. Seeing as this is a comic book event, they of course had a grand battle instead of grabbing a coffee and discussing it like civilized people. He even went so far as to betray Emma Frost so he could have the might of the Phoenix all to himself. And, of course, no one can forget he was even willing to kill someone very close to him in order to fight for what he believes in. Even after all of this craziness, a large amount of fans still stand by his side and believe he was correct.
vs. the X-Men (again!)
Cyclops knows his team incredibly well, so after an encounter with Proteus left them shaking and devoid of confidence, he was concerned and knew he needed to do something about it. We're talking about a team that regularly needs to take on villains, so they have to be ready at any time. What happened next in UNCANNY X-MEN #127 is basically some very tough love from Scott. Even Wolvie was impacted by the skirmish with Proteus, so Scott rudely called him out on it in an attempt to get him riled up. As if that wasn't enough, he then splashed a drink on Logan's face. His goal was simple: get the team back in fighting mode. His "dialogue" with Wolverine certainly did just that. Logan lept into action and Scott was able to barely dodge the adamantium claws while still holding his own. Slim pretty much viewed this as a Danger Room exercise -- except no one else got the memo! The rest of the team thought he lost it, so a few more join in and Scott was still able to hold his own. When all is said and done, he told them why he acted like such a jerk and, surprisingly enough, it made Wolverine praise Cyclops' abilities as a leader.
What's YOUR favorite Cyclops battle? Don't be shy, share it with the world in the comments section!