Dark Phoenix Saga

The Dark Phoenix Saga is an extended X-Men storyline in the fictional Marvel Comics Universe, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, ending in Grey's apparent death. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by Dave Cockrum and John Byrne.

It is sometimes divided into two parts, with the Phoenix Saga (X-Men #101–108) referring to Grey's seeming assumption of the power and repair of the M'Kraan Crystal, and the Dark Phoenix Saga (X-Men #129–138) to her corruption and fall. It is one of the most well-known and heavily referenced comic stories, and widely considered a "classic."

It was adapted for the X-Men animated series, and referenced in the second X-Men movie.

Synopsis

After Phoenix repaired the M'Kraan Crystal, she began to feel a hunger deep within her for sensation and power much like she had felt while in the crystal. This hunger made her an easy target for the illusionist Mastermind, who was attempting to prove himself in order to join the prestigious Inner Cirlce of the Hellfire Club. With the help of a mind-tap device created by the White Queen, Emma Frost, Mastermind (using the alias Jason Wyngarde) was able to project his illusions directly into Phoenix' mind. Believing herself to be his 18th Century lover, Lady Grey, Phoenix was subverted into joining the Hellfire Club as their Black Queen.

When Mastermind killed the psychic image of Jean Grey's true lover, Cyclops, it served to break his hold over her psyche and unleashed the insane power of the Dark Phoenix. Dark Phoenix destroyed the X-Men's jet and left them all for dead, fleeing her homeworld to embrace a malefic destiny in the stars. Desiring to satiate her hunger, the Dark Phoenix created a wormhole and transported herself to a distant galaxy. Without a thought of the consequences, she dove into the heart of the D'Bari star and devoured its energy, thereby causing the star to go nova, inadvertantly killing 5 billion innocent aliens which inhabited the system's fourth planet. The Dark Phoenix was then attacked by a Shi'ar observatory vessel to prevent her from destroying other stars. Dark Phoenix easily defeated her foes, but not before they were able to alert the Shi'Ar Empress Lilandra. Gathering a host of intergalactic associates including the Kree and Skrull empires, it was decided by the council that the Phoenix must be destroyed.

The remaining X-Men on earth were greeted by Avengers member and former X-Man, the Beast. He was able to design a device which would neutralize Phoenix power long enough for them to defeat her. The Dark Phoenix returned to earth to her family's home. The Dark Phoenix was then attacked by the X-Men and after a vicious psionic battle with her mentor, Charles Xavier, the power of Dark Phoenix was contained by the creating of psychic 'circuit-breakers' in her mind and Jean Grey was restored to a level of power which she could control.

The Shi'Ar then abducted the X-Men and told them of Dark Phoenix's genocide and that she must be put to death. Xavier, who was the sweetheart of the Empress, challenged Lilandra to Arin'n Haelar, a Shi'Ar duel of honor that cannot be refused. After conferring with her allies, who insisted on a guarenteed victory in their favour, Lilandra ceded to Xavier's demand.

The next day, the X-Men and the Shi'Ar Imperial Guard were teleported to the blue area of the moon where they would battle, the victors deciding the fate of Phoenix. The Imperial Guard was able to defeat all of the X-Men, leaving Cyclops and Phoenix alone to charge the guard. When a stray bolt of energy hit Cyclops, Phoenix' powers were fully unleashed once more. At this point, Lilandra abandoned the delicate approach and ordered Plan Omega, which would consist of destroying the whole Sol system in hopes of eliminating the Dark Phoenix in the process.

With events spiralling out of control, Xavier ordered The X-men to kill Jean to preempt Lilandra's emergency measure. The team battled her until she regained her senses. Running to a back alley on the moon, Phoenix activated a Kree weapon which then scattered her to atoms, destroying her physical shell forever. Cyclops deduced that Jean had planned her sacrifice from the moment they had landed on the moon.

This pivotal story ends with Uatu the Watcher commenting that "Jean Grey could have lived to become a God, but it was more important to her that she die a human."

Jean Grey's death

The ending of the story was a matter of some discussion with the editorial staff.

Claremont and Byrne originally wanted Jean to be depowered by Lilandra's alliance to prevent any recurrance of the Phoenix's havok. Editor Jim Shooter objected to this feeling that Jean was getting off easy for killing billions, regardless of the fact that she was insane at the time. However, the talent balked at his proposal for a horrific punishment for her as profoundly excessive and unjust.

Eventually, they compromised with an ending of Jean commiting suicide as her Dark Phoenix persona was reemerging to prevent disaster. While there were some bitter feelings about this dispute, Clarement later admitted that this ending was a superior idea to his original one.

The original ending has since seen print in Phoenix: The Untold Story.