Phoenix Force (Marvel)
The Phoenix Force is a cosmic force that features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
Origin
The Phoenix Force was a cosmic force that resided within the Multiverse.
It also gained a dark predator known as the Starhawk Ratha'kon. (Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk v1 #2) Long ago, on a distant supernatural world the Demon Lords of Stasis who feared progress enact a great rite to grind evolution to a halt for a time. This was until a Phoenix Messiah emerged among their slaves where she came to gather five acolytes who called out for deliverance. The Phoenix Force then arrived on the world despite the best efforts of the Demons. The power unleashed by the great firebird shattered the demon princelings unbreakable incantation allowing for change to be restarted and the demon lords to be swept away. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #13)
Over a million years ago, the Phoenix Force was noted to had come to a number of worlds and set lures on them for itself. Those grounds nested by the Phoenix were burnt to the point that no life could grow on them again. The cosmic being was noted to had come to Earth in that time where the place it had reached was known as the 'burning place' that was used as a sacrificial ground by primitive humans. An early female Mutant later named Firehair came to be possessed by the Phoenix Force at this site which nearly caused her to destroy the planet. However, she managed to control the power and used it to become one of the planet's first protectors. As the Phoenix, she went about gathering other beings that formed a team with defending the planet against great threats with her first recruit being the All-Father Odin. (Avengers v8 #39)
Long ago, it was known that a renegade Shi'ar known as Rook'Shir became possessed by the Phoenix and went on a rampage against the Shi'ar empire. In response, the Imperium formed the Shi'ar Imperial Guard who succeeded in stopping him. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #479) Hundreds of years ago, the Phoenix Force headed to the planet Earth where its arrival was seen in a dream by the Yu-Ti of the city of K'un-Lun. He came to see a warrior to oppose it and set about finding this person who turned out to be Fongji. She was trained to be the new Iron Fist in order to challenge the Phoenix who took possession of her as a host vessel. Fongji managed to keep control of her senses but the danger of losing herself to the Phoenix led to her departing into the stars with her fate being unknown. Knowledge of this encounter came to be recorded in K'Un-Lun where it was passed down the line of Iron Fists. (New Avengers v2 #27)
AvX
Thane had tricked his compatriots in order to break into Terrax's stronghold in order to steal the Phoenix Egg he had in his possession. For his betrayal, Nebula killed him but his death led to his resurrection by the egg where he was empowered by it. With its power, he confronted his father Thanos and badly wounded him whereupon he declared himself as King Thane. (Thanos v2 #6) The Phoenix later came to Earth where it targeted the time displaced young Jean Grey where it sought to bond and eliminate her with it killing her in the process. (Jean Grey v1 #10)
It resurrected Jean Grey where it re-created her home town and made her lead a simple life within it until the X-Men had her remember her past. The Phoenix sought to bond with Jean once more but she rejected it and it departed peacefully with it giving its former host a new lease on life. (Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey v1 #5)
Namor later was responsible for making a call for the Phoenix to return to Earth in order to attain its power and wipe out the people of the surface world. It came to nest at a site near Avengers Mountain where the Avengers looked to find solutions to get it to leave the planet. However, in the midst of this, Namor and his Defenders of the Deep attacked where they kept the Avengers distract whilst the Sub-Mariner went to claim the power. Despite his intentions, the Phoenix was searching for a host and started a tournament among the attendees to see who would become its new bearer. This saw a Phoenix empowered Captain America fight a similarly powered Doctor Doom with the latter yielding after seeing that he lacked the qualities that the great firebird had wanted from a host. Thus, the tournament for the next host continued among all those present at the site. (Avengers v8 #40)
Overview
The White Hot Room was a nexus between all Phoenix hosts and the eternal flame. It was considered a place of rest and contemplation which was home to the very beings that had merged with the Phoenix Force. Every host left a piece of themselves within the room. (Jean Grey v1 #11) Those that became a host were at times referred to as the Phoenix Messiah and had attendants in five individuals with them. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #13)
A predator and dark counterpart to the Phoenix was the Ratha'kon. (Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk v1 #2)
Hosts
- Firehair : a red haired female human Mutant born on Earth over a million years ago where her parents had left her abandoned at the 'burning place' to be killed by the buzzards but the child was saved by a pack of wolves who adopted her as one of them. The child grew among them and came to meet other Mutants under the Highwalker but they were killed by other humans who persecuted their kind with the manifestation of her uncontrolled telepathy leading to their deaths. She later tried to die at the hands of scavenger birds but was possessed by the Phoenix Force where she decided to use its power to become a protector of the planet and assembled a team of superheroes in that era. (Avengers v8 #39)
- Rook'shir :
- Fongji :
- Jean Grey :
- Rachel Grey :
- Hope Summers :
- Quentin Quire :
- Scott Summers :
- Emma Frost :
- Namor McKenzie :
- Piotr Rasputin :
- Illyana Rasputin :
- James Howlett :
Notes
- The Phoenix Force was created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum where it made its first appearance in Uncanny X-Men v1 #101 (October, 1976).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In X-Men, the Phoenix appeared in the 1990s animated television series that adapted the Phoenix Saga with it being said to be the Guardian of the M'Kraan Crystal with Shi'ar legend speaking of the entity.
Films
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, the Phoenix Force appeared in the ending cinematics of the video game.
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, the Phoenix was referenced numerous times in the Facebook video game. During the story, the Phoenix Force arrived on Earth where it splintered and selected five hosts that became the Phoenix Five.
- In Marvel: War of Heroes, the Phoenix Force appeared as multiple playable cards in the video game.
Appearances
- Uncanny X-Men v1: (1976)
- Thanos v2:
- New Avengers v2:
- Secret Avengers v1:
- Uncanny X-Men v2:
- Jean Grey v1:
- Avengers v8:
- History of the Marvel Universe v2:
External Links
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