Phoenix Force (comics)

Phoenix Force
The Phoenix entity. From the back cover to Classic X-Men #1. Art by John Bolton
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Uncanny X-Men #101 (October 1976)
Created by	Chris Claremont Dave Cockrum
In-story information
Team affiliations	X-Men Hellfire Club Galactic Guardians Phoenix Corps
Notable aliases	Phoenix, Jean Grey, White Phoenix of the Crown, Star-Child, The Black Angel, Chaos-Bringer, Black Queen, Dark Phoenix, Child of the M'Kraan Crystal
Abilities	Virtually limitless matter and energy manipulation Psionic abilities Empathy Telepathy Telekinesis Life force manipulation Cosmic awareness Prescience

The Phoenix Force is a fictional entity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The entity has bonded with other characters, and often used the alias Phoenix.

The Phoenix Force is famous for its central role in The Dark Phoenix Saga storyline, and is frequently linked to Jean Grey. In 2009, Jean Grey as the Dark Phoenix was ranked as IGN's 9th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.Wizard list of Top 100 villains ranked the Dark Phoenix as 38th.

The Phoenix first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #101 (October 1976) in the guise of Jean Grey, and was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.

The Phoenix Force is an immortal and mutable manifestation of the prime universal force of life and passion. Born of the void between states of being, the Phoenix Force is a child of the universe. It is the nexus of all psionic energy which does, has, and ever will exist in all realities of the multiverse, the Guardian of Creation, and of the dangerously powerful M'Kraan Crystal.

The Phoenix is among the most feared beings in all of existence — having the power to cut and re-grow any part of the universe, as well as destroy it entirely, which is part of the Phoenix's purpose: "The Judgment of the Phoenix", to burn away the obsolete. The Phoenix Force is described as being "the embodiment of the very passion of Creation – the spark that gave life to the Universe, the flame that will ultimately consume it."

During its time as a sentient and nameless entity, it traveled the cosmos just like other cosmic beings. At first, the Phoenix Force was a formless mass of energy, but thousands of years ago, it came to Earth, and met a magician named Feron (who worshipped the legendary Phoenix), whose daydream-like visions prompted the Phoenix to adopt the firebird form it has today. He asked the Phoenix to help him by lending its energy to project a stone pillar (which resembled a lighthouse) across the multiverse. The pillar became the lighthouse base for the British super-team Excalibur (a team its future host Rachel Summers herself would join). Afterwards, Feron was attacked by Necrom in an attempt to steal the power of the Phoenix. Feron, strengthened by the Phoenix Force, was able to fight back but Necrom was able to steal a fraction of the Phoenix Force's essence forcing it to flee back to space in agonized confusion. The Phoenix Force returned to Earth when it felt the mind of a human transcend the physical realm, a mind that resonated with the Phoenix Force's energy. A young Jean Grey had telepathically linked her mind to her dying friend, Annie Richardson, to keep Annie's soul from moving to the afterlife. In doing so, Jean's mind was being dragged along to the "other side" with Annie. Phoenix lent its energy to break the connection, and kept close watch on young Jean, as it felt a kinship with the young mutant. Years later when Jean was dying on a space shuttle, her mind called out for help and the Phoenix Force answered and saved her, transforming Jean into the Phoenix.