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History

Origins[]

The Phoenix Force was a being from the previous cosmos that predated the current multiverse. After the destruction of this cosmos due to overpopulation by the Celestials, the Phoenix and other survivors, banding together as the Elders of the Universe sought to re-create their cosmos. They created the Realm of the Dead as a collecting pool within which they would gather the material of the current multiverse and use it to re-create their world. The Elder known as Death was charged with overseeing this process.[1]

The Elders foresaw the eventual death of Death, and thus charged the Phoenix with making its way to the realm to aid in the collection of souls. However, as it was a being of pure creation, the Phoenix was simply unable to take its own life. Instead, it needed to find a mortal host to bond with so that they could die together. The Phoenix was drawn to Earth and the superhero Jean Grey. In her dying moments, Jean cried out telepathically and attracted the Phoenix. Drawn by Jean's love for her boyfriend Cyclops, the Phoenix offered to save Jean after a fashion. The two merged, becoming a binary being.[1]

The Phoenix created a psychic rapport with Cyclops, and the two became closer than any humans could, sharing their minds and souls with each other. The Phoenix eventually fulfilled its mission, and died. Jean was later resurrected, though the love that she and Cyclops shared paled in comparison to that he had shared with her as Phoenix, and would not last.[1]

However, neither Phoenix nor the other Elders could predict how Cyclops' love would change her. Imbued with a portion of the cosmic consciousness, Mar-Vell knew that he too needed to die, and that the Phoenix would one day become an ally.[2]

Realm of the Dead[]

While in the realm, the Phoenix was one of few denizens aware of their deaths and the true nature of the realm. When Kree hero Mar-Vell became imbued with the Enigma Force and launched his quest to destroy Death and free the souls of the dead, Phoenix joined him, convinced to abandon the Elders by her love for Cyclops.[2][3]

With help from Mari, Cyclops was able to re-establish his psychic rapport with Phoenix, allowing them to see through each other's eyes.[4]

Mar-Vell was ultimately successful in defeating Death, and used several artifacts of great power gathered in the realm of the living to construct Paradise, a new afterlife for the deceased.

Paradise X[]

Following the creation of Paradise, Phoenix became a member of the Avenging Host, charged with protecting Paradise and ferrying souls from the Realm of the Dead to their new afterlife. However, Phoenix held doubts about what the increasingly aloof and distant Mar-Vell was doing. Using her psychic rapport with Cyclops, she learned that the people of Earth had been doomed to eternal life, unable to die even from the most grievous wounds. This shook Phoenix's faith even further.[5]

She continued to communicate with Cyclops, asking him to share what was happening in the world of the living, and telling him what was happening in Paradise.[6] Phoenix's doubts began to spread to her comrades on the Avenging Host.[7] The group eventually decided to turn on Mar-Vell.[8]

When Mephisto impersonated Banshee, Phoenix warned him that the true Banshee was dead and in Paradise.[1]

After the Avenging Host freed the souls in Paradise from their personal heavens, which had rapidly spun out of control, Phoenix seemingly realised her mistake. She contacted Cyclops again, revealing the nature of Paradise as an extension of Mar-Vell himself and that Mar-Vell had always known that Cyclops' love would change her and that she would agree with Mar-Vell in the end. Rather than a bid for personal power, Mar-Vell's Paradise was in fact a shield made to protect the universe from the meddling of the Celestials and the Elders of the Universe.[9]

Mar-Vell summoned his Avenging Host, forcing them to confront their mistakes and failures before killing and re-remaking them, just in time to stop the Kree from their invasion of Paradise.[2][10][9]

Attributes

Powers

The Phoenix Force in both her Phoenix flame form, and when she assumed the identity of Jean Grey are presumably the same of those of her Earth-616 counterpart.

In the Realm of the Dead, Phoenix retained the appearance and abilities similar to those of when she imitated Jean Grey. The reason for this is unknown, but may be due in part by the fact that most of the realms inhabitants' costumes, appearances, personalities, memories and so on are in part dictated by their alternate reality counterparts who are still alive, although there has been no conclusive evidence to suggest that this is the reason apart from the fact that it is the logic that explains why most citizens in the Realm of the Dead believe that they are still alive.

As a member of the Avenging Host, the Phoenix's body was transmogrified to resemble an amalgamation of her Phoenix form and that of Jean Grey. She had flaming wings capable of allowing her to fly. Although she never displayed any abilities or traveled beyond Paradise, it is presumable that she has the same abilities that Captain America and Daredevil have manifested, including the ability to change her physical appearance and travel to Death's Realm. She has also been able to travel out to the Negative Zone, however she is invisible to detection once outside the confines of Paradise.

The mental report she has shared with the X-Man known as Cyclops appears to have transcended even death, as Scott Summers and Phoenix have been able to communicate back and fourth telepathically during Phoenix's time in the Realm of the Dead and Paradise. This ability, however was not apparent until Summer was made aware of this, and perhaps has more to do with the human races mutation cycle, however any indication of this is only speculation at best.

Any other abilities or powers that are specific to her transmogrification into a member of the Avenging Host are as yet unrevealed.

See Also

Links and References

References

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