Every Marvel Character Who’s Ever Wielded the Phoenix Force

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For years, Marvel heroes generally haven’t been as overwhelmingly powerful as some of their rivals, with the exception of anyone connected to the Phoenix Force. This ancient force embodies both destruction and renewal, granting incredible, god-like abilities to those who can control it. It first appeared in 1976 in X-Men #101, when Jean Grey heroically sacrificed herself to save her teammates by guiding a damaged shuttle back to Earth after a fight with Magneto. This pivotal moment dramatically changed Jean Grey’s story, ultimately leading to the iconic “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” a highly acclaimed story considered a cornerstone of Marvel Comics. The Phoenix Force has reappeared in various forms many times since then.

The Phoenix Force wasn’t limited to Jean Grey. Throughout the history of the main Marvel universe (Earth-616), many different characters have possessed its incredible power and accomplished remarkable things. These heroes and villains all share the distinction of having wielded the Phoenix Force on Earth-616, creating a unique group.

9) Thane

As a Marvel movie fan, I’ve always said Thanos is their best villain, and the story of his son, Thane, really solidifies that for me. Thane was unique – half Inhuman, and his transformation gave him incredible control over matter and energy. But instead of nurturing that power, Thanos tried to kill him! This led to a massive showdown, pulling in the Avengers. Thane managed to escape, teaming up with Ebony Maw and heading off into the cosmos. He eventually stumbled upon a Phoenix Egg, gaining the legendary Phoenix Force. They clashed again, father versus son, but ultimately Thane couldn’t handle the power and was defeated by Thanos. It’s a dark, compelling story that really highlights just how ruthless Thanos is – he’ll even try to destroy his own child if he deems him a threat.

8) Celeste Cuckoo

In Phoenix: Warsong, the Stepford Cuckoos gained the power of the Phoenix Force, with Celeste as its primary host. The story revealed the Cuckoos’ origins: they were created as clones of Emma Frost within the World, a facility belonging to the Weapon Plus Program. Celeste briefly wielded the Phoenix Force, demonstrating considerable skill, and ultimately used its power to destroy the World before trapping the Phoenix within the Cuckoos’ diamond hearts.

7) Echo

Jason Aaron’s run on Avengers took some unexpected turns, and making Echo the Phoenix was arguably one of the most surprising choices. Maya Lopez, who is deaf and can perfectly copy others’ movements, started as a villain working for Kingpin, then became an ally of Daredevil and even took on the role of Ronin. She’d previously been a New Avenger and recently won a competition to gain the power of the Phoenix Force. As the Phoenix, she fought alongside the Avengers against major threats like the Multiversal Masters of Evil, but eventually lost the power, bringing an unusual chapter in the Phoenix’s history to a close. Having a Phoenix on the Avengers team was a unique twist that will always stand out.

6) Rachel Summers

I’ve always been fascinated by Rachel Summers. Though originally from an alternate future – the world of ‘Days of Future Past’ – she really became a part of the main Marvel universe. She’s the powerful telepath who first sent Kitty Pryde on that crucial mission, and even had a connection with Franklin Richards. It’s heartbreaking that she was captured and turned into one of Ahab’s Hounds, but she managed to escape and travel back in time to join the X-Men. She was such a strong presence with both the X-Men and Excalibur, even overcoming death itself! While she initially returned with the incredible power of the Phoenix, she’s now relying more on her natural psychic abilities, which are still amazing to witness.

5) Wolverine

Wolverine temporarily gained immense power from the Phoenix Force during the story arc in Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine issues #1-6. He and Spider-Man traveled to the future, where Wolverine used a special weapon created by Beast – the Phoenix Gun – to fight Doom, who had become a planet-sized being. Later in that story, Wolverine fully transformed into the Phoenix Force, but Spider-Man managed to calm him down before he could cause widespread destruction. In alternate realities, Wolverine has also become the Phoenix again, reaching incredible power levels and even fighting alongside King Thor until the end of existence.

4) Hope Summers

I remember when Hope Summers came along – she was the first mutant born after the devastating M-Day, and she was incredibly powerful. She’s what they call an Omega-level mutant, meaning her abilities are off the charts! She can actually copy and improve the powers of other mutants, and Cable trained her to be a super-soldier. But Cyclops saw something else in her, especially since she was a telepath with red hair, and started preparing her for the return of the Phoenix Force. When it finally did come back – during the huge Avengers vs. X-Men conflict – things got crazy. Hope started tapping into the Phoenix Force’s power, and eventually, she was able to take it from Cyclops when he became the Dark Phoenix. It was amazing! She used that power to basically restart the mutant gene, meaning new mutants started being born all over the world. It felt like a new beginning for all of us.

3) The Phoenix Five

Let’s consider the Phoenix Five as one unit, because for a time, they were all connected to the Phoenix Force. In the often-overlooked Avengers vs. X-Men storyline, a fight on the moon led Iron Man to attempt to contain the powerful Phoenix with a special armor. However, this armor shattered the Phoenix into five parts, which then bonded with Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik. These five believed they could improve the world with their new abilities, but the Avengers’ constant opposition drove them toward corruption. After Namor was defeated, the remaining members grew even more powerful, eventually turning on each other until only Cyclops remained.

2) Cyclops

Cyclops surprisingly became host to the Phoenix Force on two separate occasions. The first time was during the Avenger vs. X-Men storyline, after he killed Xavier and overcame Emma Frost. Empowered by the full force of the Phoenix, he easily defeated a powerful team including the Avengers and X-Men (featuring two Hulks and many other strong heroes) until Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers combined their abilities. Their teamwork – Wanda’s chaos magic and Hope’s unique connection to the Phoenix (later revealed to be a familial link to Jean Grey) – allowed them to strip him of the power. Years later, Cyclops discovered a Phoenix Egg and used it during the Final Incursion, once again becoming the Phoenix. He had more control over the power this time, but was ultimately killed by Doctor Doom (who had become a god-like emperor) and revived without it when the universe was restored.

1) Jean Grey

Jean Grey originally became the Phoenix, transforming her into one of Marvel’s most powerful characters. The details of how she gained this power have been changed in stories over time, but essentially, she’s deeply connected to the Phoenix Force – almost as if they are one and the same. With this power, she’s accomplished incredible feats, including destroying stars, preventing supernovas, traveling through time and space, boosting the abilities of all mutants, and defeating entire armies. She’s considered the definitive Phoenix, and the Phoenix Force always returns to her, no matter where it goes.

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2026-01-28 21:18