Marvel divided the X-Men into Blue and Gold teams in the 1990s to manage the large roster and capitalize on their popularity by expanding the number of ongoing X-titles. The split led to multiple X-Men teams operating simultaneously, introducing the iconic era of mutant proliferation in Marvel Comics. The legacy of the original '90s Blue and Gold era lives on, with continued use of color-themed teams in recent X-Men storylines.

The X-Men have had more than a few impressive team lineups over the years, but few iterations of the Children of the Atom are as iconic as their Blue and Gold era from the 1990s. Splitting the X-Men into two separate teams the Blue Team and the Gold Team allowed Marvel Comics to continue expanding the increasingly dense world of the franchise, while also capitalizing on the incredible popularity of X-Men at the time.

The X-Men were first...