Rachel Anne Summers (Grey) 2021

[whitecrown]

When the Marvel Encyclopedia came out in the 2000s, Rachel was one of the very few characters to get a full page to herself. That may have more to do with her convoluted history than because of her popularity, but there were very few X-Men or female characters who got a full page. It should also be noted that Cyclops and Cable both got a full page each and Jean got two pages (I wanna say she was the only female character to get a double spread).

[Askani's Flame]

X Men Gold was and still is the best X Men series in years.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a nightmare for many of us watching our characters be degraded and devalued.

[Phoenixx9]

When the Marvel Encyclopedia came out in the 2000s, Rachel was one of the very few characters to get a full page to herself. That may have more to do with her convoluted history than because of her popularity, but there were very few X-Men or female characters who got a full page. It should also be noted that Cyclops and Cable both got a full page each and Jean got two pages (I wanna say she was the only female character to get a double spread).

But if I remember correctly there was also an issue where they used a picture of Rachel with the PF behind her in a Magma profile as if that was Magma.

[askani_son]

Changing the subject ... I just saw that Hasbro has released its new Marvel figure, this time a FireStar, do you think they will show Rachel at some point? I've seen these customs, what do you think? while I don't like the wonderful girl uniform, the effect of the phoenix on her eye I LOVE it, I wish they had kept it...

104340-2-5e5bbaeb9939c.jpg IMG_4680.JPG.8634f8bcc8980b8997c7013e63dbe59f.jpg

[whitecrown]

But if I remember correctly there was also an issue where they used a picture of Rachel with the PF behind her in a Magma profile as if that was Magma.

They did do that and it's even stranger because you can clearly see the Phoenix effect behind her. For the longest time I was confused about whether that X-Treme X-Men cover was depicting Rachel or Magma because of that entry, especially since Claremont brought Magma back during those final X-Treme X-Men issues.

[Phoenixx9]

They did do that and it's even stranger because you can clearly see the Phoenix effect behind her. For the longest time I was confused about whether that X-Treme X-Men cover was depicting Rachel or Magma because of that entry, especially since Claremont brought Magma back during those final X-Treme X-Men issues.

Exactly. I thought it was so bad of Marvel to have people working on the project who had no idea of the characters because they could confuse not only long-standing fans but nubies who were totally unaware of the characters. Plus, it just seemed like any slight against Rachel.

[whitecrown]

Exactly. I thought it was so bad of Marvel to have people working on the project who had no idea of the characters because they could confuse not only long-standing fans but nubies who were totally unaware of the characters. Plus, it just seemed like any slight against Rachel.

To be fair that Encyclopedia used to have a lot of errors and mismatched characters so Rachel/Magma wasn't the only case. I guess I also didn't 100% mind because it meant we got slightly more Rachel content even if she wasn't being given credit. I imagine Magma fans would be more pissed that their character doesn't get even a single image. I think this was the same Encyclopedia where Storm only got like half a page, if even, for her entry and that always astounded me.

[Phoenixx9]

To be fair that Encyclopedia used to have a lot of errors and mismatched characters so Rachel/Magma wasn't the only case. I guess I also didn't 100% mind because it meant we got slightly more Rachel content even if she wasn't being given credit. I imagine Magma fans would be more pissed that their character doesn't get even a single image. I think this was the same Encyclopedia where Storm only got like half a page, if even, for her entry and that always astounded me.

Yes, there are many errors in the Encyclopedia. I am just saying that these are sometimes simple errors that should not happen, especially not by the company who owns the characters. It wasn't fair that Magma got no picture. The pagination seems very off as even popular characters sometimes get way less than half a page. The information on many characters is way too minimal, giving so little as to not really tell anything about the person.

[whitecrown]

Yes, there are many errors in the Encyclopedia. I am just saying that these are sometimes simple errors that should not happen, especially not by the company who owns the characters. It wasn't fair that Magma got no picture. The pagination seems very off as even popular characters sometimes get way less than half a page. The information on many characters is way too minimal, giving so little as to not really tell anything about the person.

I agree, those errors shouldn't have occurred especially since editors exist for this very reason. I once made a list of all the characters who got one full page or more to themselves and for the most part, the popular characters were well represented. Storm was an outlier but I think the very next edition did fix that and give her a full page. Carol Danvers also shockingly only got a portion of a page which was odd since she's so prominently featured on the cover and pretty much everyone else on the cover got a full page.

Iceman was the only O5 member not to get his own page. Black Panther wasn't as popular back then so he only got a portion of a page. Certain characters like Psylocke definitely needed a full page because of how much convoluted history they tried to cram in one paragraph, which makes me wonder if that was a factor in Rachel and Cable getting so much space.

[Askani's Flame]

They did do that and it's even stranger because you can clearly see the Phoenix effect behind her. For the longest time I was confused about whether that X-Treme X-Men cover was depicting Rachel or Magma because of that entry, especially since Claremont brought Magma back during those final X-Treme X-Men issues.

Yeah, Claremont was moving fast and loose with things towards the end of his run on X-Treme X-Men. Given he had to changes his plans a few times around the reveal of Bogan's telepath, initially Rachel and Magma were supposed to join the team much earlier. But with Psylocke having to stay dead and Rachel starring in Cable he had to shift stories and wait to introduce them in. But those encyclopedias are never 100% accurate. Same with the Marvel handbooks. It feels like the content is 1/2 Marvel editors contributing, and 1/2 CBR "writers" adding their own $.02 in. So pictures, histories, etc aren't always right.

I agree, those errors shouldn't have occurred especially since editors exist for this very reason. I once made a list of all the characters who got one full page or more to themselves and for the most part, the popular characters were well represented. Storm was an outlier but I think the very next edition did fix that and give her a full page. Carol Danvers also shockingly only got a portion of a page which was odd since she's so prominently featured on the cover and pretty much everyone else on the cover got a full page.

Iceman was the only O5 member not to get his own page. Black Panther wasn't as popular back then so he only got a portion of a page. Certain characters like Psylocke definitely needed a full page because of how much convoluted history they tried to cram in one paragraph, which makes me wonder if that was a factor in Rachel and Cable getting so much space.

Yeah, I don't hold these handbooks or official guides in high regard after the 90's as they were meant to be big and splashy to engage non-comic diehards. Whereas we readers and fans were excited about them and instantly let down the second we got them in our hands.

Changing the subject ... I just saw that Hasbro has released its new Marvel figure, this time a FireStar, do you think they will show Rachel at some point? I've seen these customs, what do you think? while I don't like the wonderful girl uniform, the effect of the phoenix on her eye I LOVE it, I wish they had kept it...

104340-2-5e5bbaeb9939c.jpg IMG_4680.JPG.8634f8bcc8980b8997c7013e63dbe59f.jpg

I would love if Hasbro did a new Rachel figure. I have both variants of her "Marvel Girl figure, but I would love it is they did her Excalibur look or turkey trenchoat and had Meggan as well so we could round out our OG Excalibur lineup. So many of these characters have like 6-7 costume variants already, and some are still missing having any.

[Drexelhand]

So, using this video that Marvel uploaded about the Chris Claremont Paragon Collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fVSQN9hCxE&t=186s

I was able to pull some spoilers out for Uncanny X-Men 140.5 and also get the general plot of the thing. Hence, I'm not leaking anything since this is all data that Marvel gave to us in that video. Anybody watching it could have gotten the same info.

spoilers:

General Plot: This is set after Rachel Summers has crippled Ahab and he's upgraded to his cybernetic body (we can assume the canister that he is in Excalibur 66's flashback means that his body is being upgraded). Nightcrawler, Bishop, Sage and Bloody Bess are a team of X-Men based in Maynards Plains who use Gateway to travel them across the world while they fight the Sentinels in the USA. A liaison to their team is a new Iron Man, who is Tony Stark's daughter - Claremont mentioned her real name in an interview or in his reddit AMA (not sure if it is Morgan). Ahab and the Sentinels are using nanites to control Rachel down to the Astral Plane since she rebelled against them. Nightcrawler's team take Rachel back to Maynards Plains and out of Ahab's range but there they learn that the Sentinels are using Ahab to use Rachel to learn about mutations themselves - so they consider killing Rachel to stop the Sentinels from permanently wiping out all potential for mutation. Sage and Bloody Bess enter Rachel's mind and they find the spirit of Jean Grey helping tend to it from the White Hot Room. Nightcrawler recognizes Jean Grey as the Phoenix and she confirms that they are both one being. Rachel is purged of the nanites by her link to the Phoenix and also inspired to time travel. Nightcrawler has Gateway return Rachel to Ahab so that she can fight against him. The issue ends with Ahab collecting Rachel to have her transferred into the detainment center since they can no longer control her.

end of spoilers

You can check out the Pages 1-6 (Preview) here: https://www.marvel.com/articles/comi...of-future-past

As for details that I was able to acquire:

spoilers:

Page 7: I couldn't make out the text here, but it shows Gateway returning the team to Maynards Plains and it seems that they talk about him a little bit. Page 8: I couldn't make out the text here, but it shows Sage hooking Rachel up to a machine and analyzing one of the nanites inside of her. Page 9: Nightcrawler and his team discuss whether it is ethical to keep Rachel alive. We learn that Nightcrawler was Rachel's godfather in her future (which makes their relationship even weirder) and that he hasn't lost his faith even if he views God more callously. Their dialogue is: Nightcrawler: "...goddaughter. If there was a way to save her, no matter how small, don't you think I'd take it? Truth is, we've barely saved anyone. God isn't that merciful. But here's the thing: Sentinel's can't create. That's why they need Ahab and Rachel: for their human intuition. Ahab controls her. But through her, the Sentinels learn about us." Sage: "I get it. Take her out and Ahab, we buy ourselves time - for what... a miracle?" Nightcrawler: "Yes." Sage: "More fool you for having faith. More fool me for following you." Sage says something I couldn't make out. Sage: "Not that it'll make a difference. Sentinel Bio-Tech'll simply bring her back. You can see how hard the nanites are fighting me right now." Nightcrawler: "It's our only option. Each day, my friends, we get older, the Sentinels get better. Do the math. Our sole advantage is our young, brilliant Stark. She isn't a mutant. She's totally off their radar... for now. But it's only a matter of time before they figure things out. Time." Page 10: Can't make out the dialogue here, but Sage and Bloody Bess send their astral forms into Rachel's bloodstream to reach her brain, enter it and free it from the nanites Page 11: Sage searches for something that powers the nanites while Bloody Bess holds them back. Bess uses two psychic knives like Psylocke, hinting at a connection between them. Their dialogue is: Sage: "I need you to buy me enough time to find it." Bloody Bess: "My pleasure!" Sage: **Can't make out what she says here but she's talking about Bess, it seems** Page 12: Sage enters Rachel's mind it seems and sees a version of the Baxter Building on the Astral Plane, can't make out the dialogue Page 13: Sage spots the fragments of Rachel's memories rebuilding themselves around her baby memories of Jean Grey due to her psychic defences. Their dialogue: Sage (thoughts): "The fragments are resisting me - even as they reform into something new. Tortured as she is... Rachel's still defending herself. Whatever's here at her core must be... GASP!" Page 14: Iron Man analyzes Rachel's mind or something while Bloody Bess joins Sage in the Astral Plane. Their dialogue is: Iron Man: "... and it's not blood!" Sage: "What?... Bess?" Bloody Bess: "Our psychic forms are infected by nanites. Our only chance is to run - right now!" Sage: "No. That's what they want. For us to lead them home." **Sage and Bloody Bess have another conversation about the nanites** Page 15-16: Phoenix begins to manifest in Rachel's mind, startling everyone and wiping out the nanites. Bishop: "Something's happening!" Iron Man: "Power surge from the hound's core... it's off the scale! Tangible figures are materializing!" Bloody Bess: "What the hell?" Sage: "The nanites, Bess - they're being purged from all our forms - you, me and Rachel. They're being destroyed!" Nightcrawler: "Jean. Mein gott ist... Phoenix!" Page 17: Phoenix helps nurse Rachel back to health. It's shown there was a separation between Jean and Phoenix in this timeline by Nightcrawler's dialogue, indicating that Rachel's memories about Phoenix having not been cast out by John and Elaine Grey was a false memory and things progressed just as they did in the main timeline until the assassination of Robert Kelly. It's also revealed that only Amanda and Ilyanna died when the military attacked the school, not Nightcrawler with them. Phoenix: "You are, my darling. Back the way you're supposed to be." Nightcrawler: **something I can't make out but it's not that important** Phoenix: "About time, Kurt. I was beginning to think you'd never show." Nightcrawler: "Are you Jean, or are you..." Phoenix: "Both. As always." Nightcrawler: "I don't understand - then why didn't you protect her?" Phoenix: "Whatcha think I've been doing all these years? You're right my friend - I am Phoenix. Earth is my home. You're my friends. Rachel is my child. But I'm responsible for all creation. Still getting used to that. What you see here is the smallest part of me. I kept Rachel's - my baby's - soul safe. Until you heroes came to her rescue. As always, what happens next is up to you." Nightcrawler: "Bess, you're..." Bloody Bess: "With you till death. Lover, get used to it." Bishop: "Sage!" Sage: "Later my friend, I've much to process." Iron Man: "You bitch! You let my parents die!" Phoenix: "Your father died saving you, girl. Kurt's wife died saving him. I did what was necessary to save my daughter." **The rest I can't make out** **There may be some more dialogue here, but I'm not sure of it** Page 18: Jean leaves as Rachel recovers with some parting advice Phoenix: "What comes next is her choice." Rachel: "It's mom." Phoenix: "Help her make the right one." Page 19: Rachel talks with Nightcrawler and Iron Man about time travel. This also hints that Rachel is more the daughter of the Phoenix, not Jean. Rachel: "Hey Kurt. H'lo, Ms. Stark." Nightcrawler: "We have a plan. A means to defeat the Sentinels." Iron Man: "Problem is, it won't work without you." Nightcrawler: "Rachel, you don't have to do this. You've suffered enough." Rachel: "If I do nothing, others will suffer more. Power and responsibility, Kurt. That's as much a part of me as my powers." Nightcrawler: "Ahab..." Rachel: "Leave Ahab to me." Nightcrawler: "And the Sentinels?" Rachel: "I know them better than I know myself. I'm something new - way beyond their concepts of mutants or humans. I broke their hold on me, with a little help from my mom. They won't do a thing until they figure out how dangerous a threat I truly am and how to end me." Nightcrawler: "That easy, ja?" Rachel: "Anything but, especially when they learn I'm immune to their nanites." Nightcrawler: "Are you for sure?" Rachel: "Only one way to find out. This time I'll win." Nightcrawler: "You hope." Rachel: "It's a risk I owe the dead to take." Nightcrawler: "And then?" Rachel: "Things should get really interesting." Page 20: Gateway sends Rachel back to New York City where Ahab and the Sentinels collect her, setting the stage for her to end up in the detention center. **most of this dialogue I can't make out, so I'm just putting in snippets** Iron Man: "**can't make it out** Sentinels of a new threat and given them means to adapt." Bishop: "Been doing this dance since we started." Nightcrawler: "**can't make it out** But I choose to have faith." Iron Man: "Crazy as it sounds - after all I've said - me too."

end of spoilers

So, that's that. If you guys have any insights or can fill in the missing dialogue yourself using deblur effects and stuff, maybe we can find some more gems like how Bishop came to this past and all. There's a lot in there I wasn't able to get, but some of the stuff Claremont has hinted at is very interesting. I wouldn't be surprised if this gets picked up in his own X-Men Legends arc.

[Will Evans]

God-sisters.....God-daughters.....to Kurt, as long as they ain’t blood related

[whitecrown]

Yeah, Claremont was moving fast and loose with things towards the end of his run on X-Treme X-Men. Given he had to changes his plans a few times around the reveal of Bogan's telepath, initially Rachel and Magma were supposed to join the team much earlier. But with Psylocke having to stay dead and Rachel starring in Cable he had to shift stories and wait to introduce them in. But those encyclopedias are never 100% accurate. Same with the Marvel handbooks. It feels like the content is 1/2 Marvel editors contributing, and 1/2 CBR "writers" adding their own $.02 in. So pictures, histories, etc aren't always right.



Yeah, I don't hold these handbooks or official guides in high regard after the 90's as they were meant to be big and splashy to engage non-comic diehards. Whereas we readers and fans were excited about them and instantly let down the second we got them in our hands.



I would love if Hasbro did a new Rachel figure. I have both variants of her "Marvel Girl figure, but I would love it is they did her Excalibur look or turkey trenchoat and had Meggan as well so we could round out our OG Excalibur lineup. So many of these characters have like 6-7 costume variants already, and some are still missing having any.

At least Rachel got her chance to shine in UXM since she couldn't really be utilized much in X-Treme X-Men. Claremont seems like the only writer who ever seemed interested in writing Magma but he never stuck around long enough to really give her a prominent role. I always liked Rachel and Magma's brief friendship in UXM 189 and their mutual enmity with Selene.

I haven't read any of the current handbooks or encyclopedias but because of the MCU, they seem even more geared towards casual fans.

I'm really shocked we've never gotten a classic Rachel figure. She totally deserves her Excalibur look and I think her Starjammers look would be a nice addition as well.

[Devaishwarya]

I've always wondered about the moment Rachel claimed the Phoenix Force in her mother's name in UXM 199. Was it (the PF) just hovering around the holoempathic crystal waiting for Rachel to show up, and call out to it?

[whitecrown]

I've always wondered about the moment Rachel claimed the Phoenix Force in her mother's name in UXM 199. Was it (the PF) just hovering around the holoempathic crystal waiting for Rachel to show up, and call out to it?

I always assumed it was the Phoenix imprint left in the crystal which Rachel was able to draw from. There was a Cockrum issue where the crystal was briefly shown (I think when Arcade was kidnapping the X-Men's friends and family) and Storm checks up on the Greys. It always seemed like the crystal could have been a backdoor to bring Jean back. It's weird though that right after UXM 199, Jean encounters the crystal in FF 286 and she encounters the Phoenix presence but she doesn't see anything with Rachel even though Rachel left her own imprint next to Jean's.