Marvel’s Biggest Retcon Ever Makes One of the Most Hated Ships Endgame

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Since 1961, Marvel Comics has maintained a single, continuous universe – a remarkable feat! While their earliest stories aren’t usually considered part of the main timeline (it’s a bit complex), Marvel hasn’t needed to completely restart its continuity. They have frequently used “retcons,” which are changes to established backstory. These adjustments are a common and helpful tool for writers and editors, allowing them to refine stories and address plot holes. Some retcons have become fan favorites, while others have been criticized for years. Not every change makes logical sense, and some have taken the universe in unexpected directions.

Marvel recently made a huge change to the history of the X-Men, resolving a decades-long debate about Jean Grey and the Phoenix. For years, fans and writers have argued whether Jean was the Phoenix, or if the Dark Phoenix Saga was about an imitation. Marvel previously altered the story to suggest Jean wasn’t the Phoenix at all, but now they’ve reversed course, stating Jean has always been connected to the Phoenix and will continue to be. This change has complicated things, and many fans are worried it could lead to a romantic relationship between Jean Grey and Wolverine, a pairing that’s historically unpopular.

Marvel Accidentally Made Wolverine and Jean Grey Eternal Partners

The Phoenix Force is a well-known element in Marvel stories, and many characters besides Jean Grey have possessed its incredible power. As one of the universe’s oldest and most powerful forces, the Phoenix represents both death and rebirth, granting its user near-godlike control. While often wielded by telepaths, a surprising character also tapped into its power: Wolverine. In a possible future depicted in Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine, Wolverine used a special weapon called the Phoenix Gun to defeat a powerful enemy, and even briefly became the host of the Phoenix Force himself. This event hinted at even more possibilities for the Phoenix Force’s influence.

The character appeared in a storyline about the Phoenix in Jason Aaron’s Avengers comic series in the early 2020s (Aaron also wrote Avengers & Spider-Man: ASM). Aaron seemed to enjoy the concept, as he’d previously explored it during his run writing Thor. Near the end of that Thor series, King Thor, a future version of the Asgardian ruler, encountered one of his final companions at the universe’s end: Old Man Phoenix, an immortal Logan possessing the power of death and rebirth, and one of the last creatures remaining.

A confusing part of the recent changes to the Phoenix storyline is the idea that Jean Grey has always been connected to it, even though she hasn’t existed for very long. It’s essentially saying that throughout time, Jean has always been the Phoenix. This change feels unnecessary and is the most baffling aspect of the retcon. On a positive note, this connection means that Wolverine and Jean are destined to be together for all time.

For years, fans have paired Wolverine and Jean Grey, a connection even encouraged by X-Men writer Chris Claremont, but many fans strongly oppose it. X-Men fans often resist changes to established storylines, and a lot believe Jean Grey and Cyclops are meant to be together. Marvel has hinted at a Wolverine/Jean pairing to appeal to some Wolverine fans, but it’s always been presented as ultimately impossible. However, a recent storyline change involving the Phoenix Force now suggests that Wolverine and Jean will end up together, as Jean is intrinsically linked to the Phoenix and Wolverine is destined to become it.

Retcons Often Lead in Weird Directions

The story of Jean Grey and the Phoenix has been revisited repeatedly in comics, largely because Marvel seems fixated on highlighting a perceived golden age. Marvel often uses retcons – changes to established storylines – to revert to earlier versions of events, and these changes don’t always consider how they impact previously told stories. Bringing Jean Grey and the Phoenix together is one such retcon, and it’s unfortunately resulted in a widely disliked romantic pairing becoming central to the narrative.

X-Men fans strongly dislike the pairing of Jean Grey and Logan, and this has sparked heated debates online since the early days of the internet. Despite the relationship being popular in the 1990s, Marvel never officially made it happen. This seems to be because Marvel often prefers to portray the past as superior to the present. This decision is just another example of a surprising and unwanted change to established storylines, and a mistake in Marvel’s long history of choices.

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2026-03-16 21:13