PHOENIX FORCE

 

PHOENIX FORCE

Real Name: Phoenix Force

First Appearance: The Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #101, October 1976

Powers: The Phoenix Force is a celestial elemental representing several universal constants. It is a symbol of rebirth, and acts as a conduit for all life essence in the universe. Whenever a living creature is born, its initial lifeforce is drawn from the Phoenix Force. When a creature dies, their lifeforce passes back into the Phoenix Force. Therefore, the Phoenix Force is constantly changing, as energy continually flows into and out of it as life and death occur. The Phoenix Force also represents change, and evolution in individual species. It acts throughout the universe to ensure evolution in some ways, but the extent of its desire or ability to act has not been codified. A Manifestation of the Phoenix occurs when it chooses a host to wield its power, often to ensure a particular evolutionary step is reached, or prevent evolution from being held back by outside forces. The Phoenix Force usually appears as an enormous hawk-like bird composed of cosmic flame, both by itself and during communion with a host. As an abstract being, the Phoenix Force's powers are virtually limitless. It can manipulate atoms and molecules in matter, generate any form of energy in virtually any conceivable amount, exist in hyperspace and any environment without harm, create space warps, drain energy from sources as great as a nova, and transform to pure energy at will.

Its first appearance in modern times was not a true Manifestation of the Phoenix. In actuality, it was the Phoenix Force acting selfishly, outside its "mission", desiring to experience mortality first hand instead of merely having communion with a human host. In this instance, the Phoenix created a body for itself that was an exact duplicate of Jean Grey's, but was unprepared for the sensations it experienced and became amnesiac, lost in the memories and personality it copied from Jean Grey, believing itself to be her. The full power of the Phoenix could not long be contained in mortal form, and so "Jean's" natural telepathic and telekinetic abilities were augmented to cosmic levels. "Jean" recognized that this power was too much for her, and tried to psychically dampen her own abilities to a manageable level after Phoenix saved the M'Kraan Crystal. However, Mastermind's influence on her mind loosened these barriers, allowing the Phoenix's full power to be released in the form of the Dark Phoenix. The real Jean Grey had a natural connection to the Phoenix Force as a result of her mutation, which is why the Phoenix was drawn to her in the first place. Years after being restored, Jean learned how to harness the power of the Phoenix herself, increasing her psionic powers beyond what they had been before and manifesting a Phoenix raptor as her power signature, although she still wasn't truly at pre-M'Kraan Phoenix levels. Finally, Jean experienced a genuine Manifestation of the Phoenix before her death, bringing her up to cosmic levels on her own for the first time, in order to prevent John Sublime's threat to natural evolution.

The Phoenix Force will augment the abilities of any mutant or superhuman it bonds with. Whether as a result of its connection with Jean Grey or some other reason, though, it also seems to bestow telepathic and telekinetic abilities on its hosts, even if they didn't have those abilities in the past.