You could call Jean Grey #2 a Phoenix Force Family Reunion this week.
Jean knows the Phoenix Force is coming back. In this new chapter it’s a telepath power up as Jean unites Quentin Quire, Rachel Grey (now called Prestige in X-Men: Gold) and Hope Summers hoping to find answers as she prepares for the inevitable confrontation with the cosmic entity. It’s the driving force behind Jean’s first solo ongoing by writer Dennis Hopeless and artist Victor Ibanez. Will she be ready as the Phoenix resurgence enters a new phase? What does it mean when Jean Grey meets Jean Grey later this summer?
Thor and the Odinson just battled the Phoenix in the Asgard/Shi’ar War in The Mighty Thor. On the big screen, Jean (Sophie Turner) manifested the fiery power surge in X-Men: Apocalypse and will wield the power again in a follow up film.
But the Phoenix Force is targeting the original Jean in the comics. But this is a very different Jean armed with the power of future events, more in control of her mutant powers and determined to not be a victim again.
As Jean assembles a psychic friends network meet up let’s look back at the history of the Phoenix Force, its hosts and connection to the X-Men:
Phoenix Rises
Jean/Marvel Girl piloted a crashing space shuttle into what seemed like a watery grave. Jean soon blasted out of the Bay as the Phoenix. Fans believed the Phoenix was an evolution of Jean’s powers and just a revamped identity and costume.
Phoenix Saves the Universe
The X-Men were called into deep space to stop the mad ruler of the Shi’ar Empire from unleashing chaos. Phoenix repaired the M’Kraan Crystal and saved the universe.
Dark Phoenix
Jean was manipulated by the Hellfire Club’s Jason Wyngarde (with the mutant power of illusion) and Emma Frost (a powerful telepath) into becoming their Black Queen. The villains didn’t just bring out Jean’s dark side, they unleashed the Phoenix’s passion and wrath. Dark Phoenix blasted into space destroying a Shi’ar battle cruiser and “eating” a star which led to the destruction of a planet with billions of innocent aliens. Professor Xavier tried to control the Dark Phoenix within Jean but to no avail. The Shi’ar seized and put her on trial but Jean took her own life rather than let the Phoenix loose again.
Jean Revelation
Years later, Jean was found alive in a cocoon. The Phoenix Force put here there and it was a duplicate of Jean/Phoenix that had been killed.
Rachel
Rachel Summers is the daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey from the Days of Future Pasts alternate future. Rachel went into the past to become an X-Man and next avatar host of the Phoenix. Rachel learned the Phoenix once came to Earth thousands of years in the past and bonded with a human magician named Feron. The Phoenix mythology expanded as fans learned it was an immortal entity existing at the nexus of all realities, guardian of creation, and the power to burn away and ignite rebirth anywhere in the universe by unleashing the Judgement of the Phoenix.
Jean Dies Again
Jean began to exhibit the Phoenix Force again but died at the hands of Xorn, posing as Magneto. The Phoenix resurrected Jean who later ascended into becoming the “White Phoenix of the Crown” and exists on another reality level called the “White Hot Room.”
Hope Summers
The first mutant born after the Decimation, Hope was believed to be a “messiah” to save the mutant race. Hope looked very similar to Jean. Was Hope a savior or destroyer? Emma Frost saw a fiery image of the Phoenix surrounded her before the mutant race was saved and new mutants were being born again.
Phoenix Five
The Phoenix Force was on course for Earth to bond with Hope. The Avengers thought it meant disaster. The X-Men believed it was salvation. In the Avengers vs. X-Men conflict the Phoenix never bonded with Hope. The entity was broken up and possessed Cyclops, Emma Frost, Colossus, Magik and Namor. The Phoenix Five reshaped the Earth but eventually the Phoenix power manifested in Scott Summers only. A possessed Cyclops killed Professor Xavier. With Scarlet Witch’s help, Hope was able to tap into the Phoenix Force to save the mutant race.
Quentin Quire/Kid Omega
This arrogant, Omega level mutant telepath is a possible future host of the Phoenix Force. In the possible future in “Here Comes Tomorrow” Quire is the Phoenix of this timeline.
Rook’shir
A Shi’ar warrior who wielded the Force via a sword hailed as the Blade of the Phoenix. Korvus, a descendant of Rook’shir, fought against then with the X-Men against a revolution in the Empire. Korvus and Rachel began a relationship she was almost seduced to the dark side by the Blade, which still held a “shadow” of the Phoenix.
The Phoenix Force brings destruction and rebirth. The entity is psychically drawn to Jean. This original Jean is definitely stronger than her counterpart and armed with future knowledge but will it be enough to face the Phoenix? Maybe Jean will get by with a little help from her telepathic friends.
And what about when Jean meets Jean?
Generations: The Phoenix #1 by Cullen Bunn (X-Men: Blue) and RB Silva will see the original young Jean from the past meet the original Jean Grey who died as the Phoenix? It’s one of several Generations books that unite past and present classic and legacy heroes.
By Editor