Introduction
Squads:
Advocates - Alpha Squadron - Chevaliers -
Corsairs - Excelsiors - Exemplars - Hellions -
New Mutants - Paladins - Paragons - Storm's Squad -
Lower (Junior) School
Miscellaneous Students:
A-C, D-H, I-R, S-Z
Non-Mutant Students
Unknown Students
Classes, Faculty
Corsairs Squad
Cyclops' squad were named after his father, Christopher Summers, who goes by the name Corsair as a member of the intergalactic adventurers known as the Starjammers. The squad’s colors were blue and white. They served as primarily background characters.
Dryad and Specter were both depowered during M-Day, with the former being one of the many victims of William Stryker's bombing the school bus. Quill was also murdered by one of Stryker's henchmen, though he was avenged by his classmate X-23. Specter did survive M-Day but later underwent the Crucible on Krakoa to regain his powers. Some sources online have listed Dryad as having returned to the living. However, on review of these issues, the girls do not entirely match her appearance, leaving it somewhat ambigious.The Stepford Cuckoos lost sisters, Sophie and Esme, were confirmed as revived and the girls have returned to their quintet and reconciled with their “mother,” Emma Frost.
Paragons member, DJ was initially part of the team but he switched due to unknown reasons.
First appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #2 (squad officially announced)
Instructor:
Cyclops (Scott Summers)
First Appearance: X-Men (1st series) #1
Powers: absorb ambient energy and metabolize it into optical blasts of concussive force
Notes:
- During this period, Cyclops was not only the Squad Leader but functioned as joint headmaster with his girlfriend, Emma Frost.
- Emma Frost was estranged from the remaining Stepford Cuckoos during this period. While unconfirmed, it seems likely that their placement on Scott's squad was to allow Emma, as Scott's lover, to retain some influence and control over their development.
Members
Dryad (Callie Betto)
First appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #1
Powers: formerly possessed chlorokinetic power enabling her to accelerate plant growth and manipulate vegetable matter to carry out her wishes
Notes:
- Callie’s distinguishing features include elf-like pointed ears. She was among the characters shown in the background at the Institute prior to being depicted as a member of the Corsairs.
- She was depowered in M-Day and killed by William Stryker when he blew up a school bus she was on. She has likely been resurrected on Krakoa, though this remains unconfirmed.
- She was voted coolest code name by her peers. A Dryad is a woodland nymph from Greek Mythology.
- She described her likes as spending time with her Dad and the outdoors and her dislikes as large corporations and greed.
Quill IV (Max Jordan)
First appearance: New X-Men: Academy X #1
Powers: porcupine-like spikes grow out from his and in place of hair and can be fired as high-speed projectiles
Notes:
- Quill got busted trying to steal test answers from the headmaster’s office. Kitty Pryde assigned him and his accomplices, George and Winston, to be mentored by Gambit. However, instead of making them see the error of their way, he taught the boys some real thieving techniques. [Gambit (4th series) #10]
- Quill retained his powers post M-Day but was murdered by one of William Stryker's assassins when they infiltrated the X-Mansion.
- His father contacted the school post M-Day, disappointed that his son was still a freak. He likely had a difficult background.
- He was voted class clown by his peers. He used his likes and dislikes section for some bad puns.
Specter (Dallas Gibson)
First appearance: New Mutants (2nd series) #10
Powers: possesses a shadow-form with unknown properties
Notes:
- Dallas’ first name was given in New Mutants (2nd series) #10.
- Specter was briefly one of Emma Frost’s advisees. When the squad system was invented, he was assigned to a different advisor and was replaced by Dust.
- Specter was depowered after M-Day. His fate is unrevealed.
- He was voted most likely to marry a human by his peers.
- He listed his dislikes as having to transfer squads and likes as getting settled in with his squad.
- It was confirmed in the Bishop War College series that Specter had not been killed on the bus explosion but had underwent Crucible to restore his mutant powers. This fits, as he was particularly distraught when he had lost his "shadow."
- Specter has been dating Graymalkin, a male teen mutant added to the X-Men students post M-Day. Presumably, they met on Krakoa. Graymalkin is stronger in the dark so Specter uses his shadow abilities to boost him during fights. [Marvel Voices: Pride (3rd Series) #1]
Stepford Cuckoos (Celeste “Stepford”)
First appearance: New X-Men (1st series) #118
Powers: part of a telepathic hive mind, which allows her and her sisters working together to manipulate vast amounts of telepathic power, in order to read the minds of others, project their thoughts psionically, manipulate perceptions of reality, and assume control of another person’s actions and thoughts
Notes:
- Celeste's name was revealed in New X-Men (1st series) #153.
- The Stepford Cuckoos were created and artificially grown by the Weapon Plus program using eggs stolen from Emma Frost while she was comatose.
- The Stepford Cuckoos were originally a group of five. Two of the sisters, Sophie and Esme, died in New X-Men (1st series) #137 and #150, respectively.
- Prior to the formation of training squads, the Stepford Cuckoos were Emma Frost’s prized pet students. The surviving sisters severed their ties to Emma after Sophie sacrificed herself to stop the riot caused by the Omega Gang. They believed that Emma foolishly inspired Sophie to pursue this heroic path leading to her death.
- In the future timeline depicted in New X-Men (1st series) #151-154, the Stepford Cuckoos called themselves Three-In-One.
- The Cuckoos briefly hosted the Phoenix Force during the events of X-Men: Phoenix Warsong with Celeste as the primary and most dominant.
- Celeste and her sisters jointly led this team.
- They listed their likes as classical music, dislikes as unrealistic expectations and were voted teacher's pet by their peers.
- In New X-Men (2nd series) #20 the girls had a poster of the "Heathers" film on their wall. Heather's is an iconic 1980s teen black comedy centered around a group of girls all sharing the same name who wear the same outfit. The movie is well known for being a "big break" for Wynona Ryder and Shannen Doherty.
- Celeste does not like the TV show Glee but Mindee and Phoebe did.
- Celeste had an attraction to a shield agent named Jake Oh and Hellion.
Stepford Cuckoos (Mindee/Irma “Stepford”)
First appearance: New X-Men (1st series) #118
Powers: part of a telepathic hive mind, which allows her and her sisters working together to manipulate vast amounts of telepathic power, in order to read the minds of others, project their thoughts psionically, manipulate perceptions of reality, and assume control of another person’s actions and thoughts
Notes:
- Mindee's name was revealed in New X-Men (1st series) #155.
- Grant Morrison originally intended to name the Stepford Cuckoos the S.P.I.C.E. Girls when their names were lined up, but he only got around to revealing 4 out of 5 names before leaving the series. As a result, the Cuckoo he intended to name "Irma" was named "Mindee" in New X-Men (1st series) #155. Years later, a dialogue box in Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #514 performed a soft retcon saying Mindee's real name was actually Irma. She's answered to both ever since.
- Mindee was romantically involved with a pyrokinetic student named Germaine. He was killed by a mob of angry humans following Xorn I/Magneto’s destruction of New York City and the Xavier Institute.
- Mindee plays the piano.
- For additional notes, see Celeste’s entry above.
Stepford Cuckoos (Phoebe “Stepford”)
First appearance: New X-Men (1st series) #118
Powers: part of a telepathic hive mind, which allows her and her sisters working together to manipulate vast amounts of telepathic power, in order to read the minds of others, project their thoughts psionically, manipulate perceptions of reality, and assume control of another person’s actions and thoughts
Notes:
- Phoebe's name was revealed in New X-Men (1st series) #149.
- For additional notes, see Celeste’s entry above.
- Despite his role in her sister, Sophie's death, Phoebe later embarks on a romantic relationship with Quentin Quire.