Rachel (Grey) Summers: Phoenix II Appreciation 2020

[RachelGrey]

That was implied in X-Men The End?? I had no idea!!! Even though that series was pretty forgettable imo. Even by Claremont standards.

I can never make up my mind between shipping Kitty with Rachel or Illyana, so I think we should just settle it by having those three be the first ever throuple in comic history!!!

Yeah, Claremont did an interview where he said he made them a subtext married couple in X-Men The End, but once again it's just implied in the actual book.

You are right though, X-Men The End isn't very good over all!

[ClanAskani]

Not a fan of her being gay. Just seems out of character from a character I've read about since she appeared in X-Men. I'm not 100% against it just not a fan of "I've been in the closet the whole time." characters.

Rachel was first introduced as Franklin's girlfriend so I'm not for the idea she's 100% a lesbian character. Could she fall into the bi or pansexual and loves a person regardless of their gender? That could work.

But I'm not a fan of every close female friendship in every fandom having to turn into "they're a couple". Girls have close friends. To borrow a phrase from Grey's Anatomy, I see Kitty as Rachel's "person". That could be just as important to someone like Rachel who's endured abuse and has someone like Kitty to rely on. Maybe that turns into more, but maybe it doesn't need to.

[Askani5]

I hate the MC hammer pants. Wish she was wearing Lornas costume instead.

I agree. Lorna was better off with her traditional costume. Rachel would have been better off in that costume with a bomber jacket, face tattoo and spikes.

[LordAllMIghty]

Claremont originally intended Rachel and Kitty to be an endgame couple. He wasn't allowed to do a lesbian relationship in the comics so he made it subtext. In X-Men: The End by Claremont, Kitty and Rachel are married and have a couple of kids. Kitty is Mayor of Chicago running for President and Rachel does her PR at the beginning of the story. It's implied that they have been together a long time!

I didn't pick that up at all. Though, I deleted most of that series from memory...so maybe

[Devaishwarya]

Rachel was first introduced as Franklin's girlfriend so I'm not for the idea she's 100% a lesbian character. Could she fall into the bi or pansexual and loves a person regardless of their gender? That could work.

But I'm not a fan of every close female friendship in every fandom having to turn into "they're a couple". Girls have close friends. To borrow a phrase from Grey's Anatomy, I see Kitty as Rachel's "person". That could be just as important to someone like Rachel who's endured abuse and has someone like Kitty to rely on. Maybe that turns into more, but maybe it doesn't need to.

Agreed. 100% on everything in this post.
As I said in another thread...I can see/understand if...IF!...Williams puts Daken and Rachel together, as they both fall into the sexually fluid/pan (for different reasons) category. Rachel just never read as lesbian to me...even with the subtexts.

(and...it will be the "Logan/Jean" relationship we never truly got.)

[Askani's Flame]

Rachel's a character whose sole purpose seems to be trauma porn.

Her sexuality is nebulous because her trauma has led her to emotional fixations on women: 1. Kitty Pryde, 2. Jean Grey, and 3. Selene.

Jean's understandably mommy issues and her death being a factor. Selene is a manipulator wearing neglige. Kitty's a manipulator wearing friendship.

She's been paired to a variety of unavailable or transient men like Korvus and John Sublime.

Her one seemingly available X-Man partner was Nightcrawler, and that was squicky for the readership.

Many, including myself, would like to see her outed as bisexual/lesbian Kinsey 4 or 5.

Personally I never got the emotional fixation on Selene other than she had seen so much death and Selene would continue to hunt and kill innocents so she made it a vendetta.
Jean clearly we know why.
I think her connection to Kitty stems from her maternal bond with Kate Pryde of her time. Kate was the one who cared for Rachel both as a child and then once she was sent to the concentration camp post being a hound. Once she came to this timeline she was nearly the same age as Kitty (who vaguely remembered her) and latched on as a familiar face. Same with Storm, except our Storm was a little cold in comparison to the Ororoe she new.

Claremont originally intended Rachel and Kitty to be an endgame couple. He wasn't allowed to do a lesbian relationship in the comics so he made it subtext. In X-Men: The End by Claremont, Kitty and Rachel are married and have a couple of kids. Kitty is Mayor of Chicago running for President and Rachel does her PR at the beginning of the story. It's implied that they have been together a long time!

Yes, and I think Rachel was acting like a second mom to her three kids. Claremont wasn't being very subtle there.

[Elmo]

Not a fan of her being gay. Just seems out of character from a character I've read about since she appeared in X-Men. I'm not 100% against it just not a fan of "I've been in the closet the whole time." characters.

Though, this would probably be the queerest team ever if she did come out...lol

that's certain people's realities though, that's a real thing that happens, and someone's sexuality does not necessarily dictate their personality or motivations so it's not like your headcanon would be ruined if they suddenly came out and said she's gay, it doesn't matter... if you're not a fan of her being gay, why should or would she be straight? and why does it have any significance to who she is

[Ferro]

I really love how its a body suit with metal bits and a jacket, (basicaly her main costume besides her marvel girl stuff). but its completly new textures and shapes, i love a drastic change sometimes.

[Askani's Flame]

There are some elements I like about it, but it feels too runway fashion for Rachel. She's always had a edge to her costumes that she has designed (note I said she designed as the MG and Prestige looks were not hers) and this is cool but seems to high powered executive than extremely powerful TP/TK investigator. It will likely grow on me but I don't hate it.

[davetvs]

I could see Rachel being bi, but in a sad "desperate to be loved by anyone" sort of way. She has always seemed like a deeply sad character to me but that's also because I don't like X from the future characters.

[Askani's Flame]

I could see Rachel being bi, but in a sad "desperate to be loved by anyone" sort of way. She has always seemed like a deeply sad character to me but that's also because I don't like X from the future characters.

I don't have an issue on her sexuality in general as IRL people are fluid, come out later in adulthood, etc. If it were to be done, I would want it to make sense and not be this SHOCK factor admission. I think there is evidence of same sex attraction or innuendos over the years, but she has also been actively engaging in relationships with men. Doesn't rule anything out but I think any character's coming out story needs to be handled with far more finesse than Bobby's outing by Bendis.

[Askani5]

I could see Rachel being bi, but in a sad "desperate to be loved by anyone" sort of way. She has always seemed like a deeply sad character to me but that's also because I don't like X from the future characters.

I agree I could just imagine what goes through esp being brainwashed so many times in recent times. I would love to see her written more aggressive. She has more reasons to be angry compared to Daken, Cable and X23 combined. She got screwed one too many. I hope she develops a new power signature like a phoenix claw or something.

[Askani's Flame]

I agree I could just imagine what goes through esp being brainwashed so many times in recent times. I would love to see her written more aggressive. She has more reasons to be angry compared to Daken, Cable and X23 combined. She got screwed one too many. I hope she develops a new power signature like a phoenix claw or something.

Like this?

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[Veitha]

I liked the blue Phoenix echo power signature. They could let her do a more fiery/red-ish version of that imo I like that she's got a more Phoenix-y thing going on than Jean (I think that current Pink fits Jean perfectly)

[Thirteen]

Like this?

04_XMAF1.jpg

Even before she was “Phoenix”... she WAS PHOENIX.