Originally Posted by
MarvelMaster616
If true (and BC has a pretty good track record with these things), then this is very promising. We're already seeing the setup unfolding in multiple books. Some of it played out in Mighty Thor. Some of it is playing out now in Jean Grey's solo series. It looks like we'll see more in Marvel Legacy. It seems as though Marvel is finally getting serious with the Phoenix Force. They've kept Jean dead for so long and have avoided resolving conflicts with the Phoenix Force for years. Perhaps this will reveal the ultimate destiny of the O5 X-men, as well as the fate of all the dead X-men characters that have remained in limbo for so long.
Ideally, I'd like to see this result in a return of an adult Jean Grey, Cyclops, Wolverine, and Charles Xavier. We're already seeing Xavier's return setting up. Perhaps the Phoenix Force will be the key to getting the rest of them back. However, we've been teased with Jean's return MANY times before. Marvel has usually avoided it for unknown reasons. O5 Jean has really established herself and I think Marvel likes having a Jean Grey without the baggage of her adult self. I have a feeling they'll drag that out as much as they need to.
Personally, I think there are two possibilities. The most likely, in my opinion, doesn't involve adult Jean returning. I think Marvel will keep the O5 X-men in the picture for a bit longer. But I think the Phoenix Force will return in some form and I think it'll have a role, possibly with the Avengers. Marvel seems to be setting that up with Marvel Legacy. Maybe that's the plan for the Phoenix, making it its own character and incorporating it into the Avengers books. It may be part of Jason Aaron's master plan and since he wrote X-men for a while, it might be something on his wish-list. If I were to put a number on this happening, I'd say it has about a 95 percent chance. Marvel has mixed and matched X-men and Avengers, despite their feud with Fox. They let Thing join Guardians of the Galaxy. They let Rogue join Uncanny Avengers. I think they'll let Phoenix join the Avengers. With X-men: Dark Phoenix coming out next year, as well as an Avengers movie, I think they'll see it as a chance to profit off of both.
The second possibility, and the one I really hope happens, involves this leading to Uncanny X-men's return. I think there's a reason why Marvel hasn't brought it back. They may be setting it up to return once a few major players come back to the picture. Astonishing X-men may be part of that process. Perhaps the Phoenix Force will complete it. If Uncanny X-men returns and has all its heavy hitters, including Charles Xavier, an adult Jean Grey, an adult Cyclops, and a non-Old Man Logan, I think that would be the strongest X-book in years. That's the route I would take if I were the editor at Marvel, but I'm not and I doubt that's going to be the case. It's not impossible, but it's not very probable either. It may end up being the case that O5 Jean rejects the Phoenix Force completely and they become completely separate beings. That would allow Marvel to have their cake and eat it too. That's what DC did with Rebirth in a lot of cases. I think Marvel wants to use the Phoenix, but doesn't want to be bound by circumstance.
But the Phoenix returning is a big deal. It will definitely shake things up at Marvel. It's just a matter of what form it'll take and how far Marvel will take it.