The X-Men are among the greatest superheroes Marvel Comics has ever created. With their unique personalities, striking abilities, and nuanced commentary on prejudice and identity, the Children of the Atom ushered a new age of comic book storytelling. And while there are countless critically acclaimed X-Men tales, none can hold a candle to “The Dark Phoenix Saga.” The story involves the founding member of the X-Men, Jean Grey, becoming corrupted by the cosmic being known as the Phoenix Force, which has possessed her. Encompassing X-Men #129-138, this epic and heartbreaking tale about the corrupting influence of absolute power was created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne and still stands as one of the best Marvel stories of all time.
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“The Dark Phoenix Saga” is such an iconic and game-changing storyline that 20th Century Fox tried not once, but twice to replicate its brilliance for their X-Men films. And while both attempts fell flat, the original comic has withstood the test of time and forever changed X-Men lore.
7) Jean Grey Becomes the Black Queen
“The Dark Phoenix Saga” is well-known for introducing the Hellfire Club, a villainous mutant secret organization. In their debut scheme to destroy the X-Men, the Hellfire Club has their illusion-casting member, Mastermind, use his powers to brainwash and seduce Jean. With his abilities, Mastermind led Jean to believe she was an 18th-century noblewoman engaged to him. Once she was fully under Mastermind’s command, Jean became the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club and saw the X-Men as her enemies. To see the X-Men’s strongest telepath be turned into a puppet for the Hellfire Club was a shocking turn of events that helped cement these villains as some of the X-Men’s most fearsome enemies.
6) X-Men vs. Shi’ar Imperial Guard
After all the death and destruction Jean caused as the Dark Phoenix, the aliens of the galaxy demanded justice. When the Dark Phoenix destroyed a solar system, Empress Lilandra of the Shi’ar Empire, and love interest of Professor X, concluded that for the universe to live, Jean must die. Professor X proclaimed a ceremonial trial by combat to protect Jean, in which the X-Men would fight the Shi’ar’s Imperial Guard over the fate of Jean, who had managed to reign in the Phoenix Force. What follows is an epic battle between the two superpowered teams on the Moon. On top of the X-Men desperately fighting to save their friend, the drama between the former lovers Professor X and Lilandra makes the situation even more heartfelt and tragic.
5) The Destruction of the D’Bari Star System
The Phoenix Force is the personification of multiversal death and rebirth, so when it goes berserk, it causes devastation on a cosmic scale. Driven by her unending lust for power, the Dark Phoenix flew several light-years across the galaxy to the D’Bari Star System. Seeking to replenish her power, the Dark Phoenix consumes all the energy of the star. With the star’s annihilation, all 5 billion inhabitants of one of the orbiting planets are eradicated as the supernova consumes their world. To see the people of this alien planet look up into the sky and witness the destruction of their sun is haunting imagery that shows the unstoppable power and resultant malevolence of the Dark Phoenix.
4) Shadowcat Joins the X-Men
“The Dark Phoenix Saga” is undoubtedly a deeply tragic tale, but its ending offers a glimmer of hope for the X-Men’s future. At the beginning of the storyline, a teenager named Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat, developed her mutant ability to phase through matter. The X-Men were quick to offer her a chance to join them. Of course, with the sudden emergence of the Hellfire Club and the Dark Phoenix, Kitty’s enrollment had to be put on hold. Once the crisis was over, Jean was dead and Cyclops left the X-Men, making it one of the darkest times for the team. However, in the last few panels, Kitty finally arrives at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. And so, the story of one of the X-Men’s greatest members officially began.
3) Wolverine vs. The Hellfire Club
When the Hellfire Club captures the rest of the X-Men, Wolverine decides to show everybody why he’s the best there is at what he does. Beforehand, Hellfire Club member Harry Leland left Wolverine for dead in the sewers. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the Club, he didn’t realize how hard it is to kill Wolverine. Regenerated, ticked off, and ready to save his friends, Wolverine holds nothing back. Facing off against all the Club’s armed guards, Wolverine delivers one of his most iconic fight scenes. Like a bat out of Hell, Wolverine slices through these goons with brutal efficiency. It was the first time Wolverine singlehandedly saved the X-Men, but it certainly wasn’t the last.
2) The Dark Phoenix Rises
As Mastermind learned the hard way, messing around with the mind of an all-powerful cosmic being is a very bad idea. Mastermind temporarily turning Jean into his puppet caused her to lose control of the Phoenix Force who began to give in to her worst impulses. As the Dark Phoenix, this corrupted version of Jean drove Mastermind insane by overloading his mind with cosmic information. Gone completely mad with power, the Dark Phoenix proceeds to turn on the X-Men and effortlessly defeats them all with her boundless telekinetic and reality warping abilities. It’s a terrifying display of cosmic might that shows how even someone as selfless as Jean can be twisted and corrupted by unlimited power.
1) Jean Grey’s Sacrifice
Although Jean has now died many times, her first death was always the most emotionally impactful. During the climactic battle against the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, Jean had wrestled back control from the Phoenix Force, but her mastery wouldn’t last long. Knowing that the Dark Phoenix was a threat to the entire universe, Jean made the ultimate sacrifice to save the people she loved. While giving an emotional farewell to Cyclops, Jean subtly used her telekinesis to activate an alien death ray. Before Cyclops could react, Jean was instantly vaporized while crying out his name. Major superhero deaths were a very rare occurrence at the time, so Jean’s sudden and heartbreaking demise not only shocked fans but also forever set a new precedent for high-stakes storytelling in comics.
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Courtesy of Bones Film
