Why does Marvel’s Juggernaut wear a helmet?

Juggernaut, the Marvel character first introduced in 1965 with the release of X-Men #12, has been — like his not-so-mild-mannered alter ego would suggest — an unstoppable force of comic book villainy. A thorn in the side of countless heroes, one would think Juggernaut (aka Cain Marko) has a slew of mutant powers that give him his signature strength and stamina. Not quite. 

Instead, Juggernaut is actually just a normal man who is given his invulnerability through a mystical gem, a magic stone that literally turns him into a human steamroller. His angry persona, however, is well…just sort of how he gets things done. No special hardware needed. 

Those larger-than-life powers aren’t the only thing that Juggernaut’s got going for him though. It’s his classic look — the boots, the tights, the blood-red tank top — iconic. Yet, there’s one piece of his evil ensemble that stands out from the crowd. His helmet. What’s the deal with Juggernaut’s helmet?

First of all, when your life revolves around smashing through stuff — walls, buildings, and mountains (yes, mountains) — it pays to wear protective headgear (better safe than sorry). Not to mention the human head is terribly vulnerable, and when plenty of the heroes you fight against have fantastic powers that could ring your bell, it pays to cover up. 

Yet, safety aside, Juggernaut wears his trademark hard hat for a much more important reason. Telepathic resistance. Many don’t know that Juggernaut’s stepbrother is actually the X-men’s very own Professor Charles Xavier. The Professor’s psychic abilities are some of the most powerful in the entire Marvel universe, being able to control minds and alter reality itself. 

Having a sibling that can literally get inside your head means that winning fights could become a serious issue. So Juggernaut made sure that no one could get the better of him. With a helmet made from mystical metals, Juggernaut is able to ensure nobody can take control of his facilities or read his mind. 

Over the years Juggernaut has been seen in countless comic runs and film adaptations. Until recently though,  it was hard to do the character justice. Remember X-Men: The Last Stand?

With the reimagining of Juggernaut in 2018’s Deadpool 2, it can now be said that the supervillain may pose a much more serious threat to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As the MCU inevitably gears up to introduce The X-Men and their gallery of menacing villains, the next version of Juggernaut could be his most powerful iteration yet.