This was an old, old argument I have seen in other sites when comparing Charles Xavier to Martian Manhunter (think quora, clickbait articles, and even old comicvine). This comes from the fact that among J’onn’s best feats is scanning an entire galaxy (which is an outlier but let’s not focus on that).
But let’s answer a few questions answered:
What is the furthest Xavier has telepathically projected consistently?
Charles Xavier was touted as the most poweful telepath for years on end before Jean’s recent resurrection. That is decades for years on end. And if we are talking feats of range, the man is up there.
Going as far back as the 60’s era, he was projecting out into space to tattletale on Magneto before the telepathy game was even being established in Uncanny X-Men vol 1 #18,
Even if we low-ball this to within our own solar system (because clearly the Stranger is not stationed anywhere near the Earth’s orbit in the scans), we are already getting into light-years away from his initial position on Earth. This was not casual, but it clearly was not difficult, based on the fact that Xavier does not look tired or even perturbed in the scans above.
But Xavier‘s psychic space feats don’t end in the 60’s. We get to Claremont’s era in Uncanny X-Men vol 1 #156 and Xavier ends up projecting half a star system, with strain albeit as his body is invaded by a Brood-Queen embryo.
In Classic X-Men #13, 14, starting around the time of the Z’Noxx invasion, Xavier establishes a psychic rapport subconsciously with Lilandra Neramani, who at the time was escaping being chased by the Shi’ar being ruled by her mad brother, D’Ken. The experience leaves Lilandra completely confused with her own identity for a brief moment. If we are Low-balling this feat, Lilandra leaving the Shi’ar Imperium means this feat still far reaches outside the Milky Way Galaxy.
The Z’Noxx feat in question takes place in Uncanny X-Men vol 1 #65, where Xavier gathers the positive minds of the entire planet to project onto the Z’Noxx race. A feat that Lilandra claims not even the greatest telepaths of the Imperium are close to even capable of. Given Oracle’s performance against the Five-In-One Stepford Cuckoos, I believe her.
This psychic rapport is famously known as allowing Charles to reach Lilandra in her kingdom of the Shi‘ar. Impressive in its own right. Yet, still not his best.
The most “wtf?!” feat Charles has done with his range takes place in Uncanny X-Men vol 1 #274-277. In this arc, Xavier is taken prisoner by a Super Skrull posing as him, using his own powers to gain control over the Shi’ar Imperium. The real Charles is located on an asteroid prison alongside a gas giant planet somewhere in the Shi’ar Imperium.
Despite his powers being divided and drained by a Skrull, Charles manages to project to Deathbird on her ship at the edge of the Imperium.
Even if we low-ball this and say that Deathbird’s ship is nearby, that is still again going into light-years territory. And there is no guarantee Deathbird is anywhere close in the solar system. And I may still be low-balling this, considering the Shi’ar Imperium is stated to be composed of multiple galaxies.
Despite all that, Xavier still manages to project to Deathbird on a subconscious level, not directly contacting her because he was being watched telepathically.
And, the thing is, this is still something Xavier is capable of in the modern day, as shown not by Xavier, but shown by his daughter, Xandra Neramani.
Xavier should consistently be capable of projecting light years away with his telepathy. He has after all been doing it for so long before he even got a permanent power boost by the M’Kraan Crystal.
Casual Xavier?
It is of no secret Xavier is a casual planetary+ telepath. In his literal comatose state, he is sensing his X-Men in trouble on the Moon from Earth in X-Force vol 1 #18,
He is talking to Jean Grey in Earth’s orbit on Avalon from Earth while Exodus is emanating psi-static in X-Men vol 2 #43.
He has projected to planetary orbit on three occasions before/after collecting the collective consciousness of entire planets. It’s kind of a thing Jean Grey picked up from him,
He has even waged mental warfare with Krakoa from halfway around the world in Giant-Size X-Men vol 1 #1,
Xavier has many feats reaching across planetary range and beyond. And that’s without going into the issue of range being almost meaningless in the grand scheme of feats.
Where does the myth come from?
The issue of Charles Xavier being relegated to Cerebro as a necessity for planetary range is never exactly elaborated on usually. If I were to make guesses though, it most likely has to do with the frequency Xavier uses Cerebro, especially post-Krakoa. That is by far the most likely guess I can think of in regards to where it comes from.
Others though have also pointed out that it has been stated that Charles Xavier cannot communicate with every person on the planet without Cerebro. And that is technically true contextually. What do I mean?
It’s less the range that is the issue and more the scope that is the issue. Talking to every person at the exact same time in a telepathic relay maintained.
If we are realistic though, Xavier still is fully capable of multi-tasking communicating with his X-Men across different points on the planet, even during an era where it was stated he had weakened.
By all accounts, Xavier more than proves he is among the best of the best for good reason.
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