Originally Posted by
PhoenixStudies
Loved the cameo by the Cosmic Construction Worker (a manifestation of Death).
For more about the Cosmic Construction Worker refer to Classic X-Men #43 backstory (1990), Excalibur #25 (1990), Excalibur #63 (1993), X-Men Forever (2001) #3, and Defenders Beyond (2022) #3. The towers and their scaffolding appear in Classic X-Men #43, X-Men Forever #3, New X-Men #154, and Defenders Beyond #3.
Interesting how Gillen has Mother Righteous say that the White Hot Room is basically the Phoenix since Ewing states in Defenders Beyond that it is not the Phoenix, but where the Phoenix is made. I do like how Gillen has MR use both titles, White Hot Room and afterlife (what it was called before Morrison named the realm the White Hot Room) since some fans didn't realize they were the same place.
Gillen also incorporates the various looks attributed to the White Hot Room (towers, desert, white space) in past issues.
Mother Righteous knew about Jean from poking at a Phoenix Egg for a thousand years. MR knowing Jean would be there in the WHR after being killed reminded me of how Sublime-Beast knew Jean would hatch from a Phoenix Egg after being killed by Magneto/Xorn. Sublime-Beast used Jean's Phoenix blood to give him Phoenix level powers and he wished to graft Phoenix traits into his army. Here, Mother Righteous wishes to use Jean's Phoenix blood to create a god-like being.
I love the explicit summation of Jean's connection to the Phoenix, "She is of the Phoenix in a real and unbreakable way. She guides it and it guides her, in a circle without beginning or end". This is basically what was stated in the Classic 43 backstory, that in some ways Jean and the Phoenix come from each other. Like Mother Righteous said, its very woo.
Interesting that Mother Righteous says that mutants are connected to the White Hot Room as well. Clearly, not as deeply as Jean is. And this has been hinted before.
The Phoenix has an interest in mutants. Because Jean is a mutant? Because Jean cares about mutants as a caretaker of Xavier's dream? Because some mutants have a genetic connection to the Phoenix? Did the Phoenix have a role in the creation of mutants?
In X-Men Forever #3 and #6, Jean learns from the cosmic construction worker, Prosh, and the Stranger that humans/mutants can evolve to replace fundamental forces of the universe. When she bonds with the Phoenix Force again, fiery cosmic DNA strands shoot out of her and form Eternity. She then communes with Eternity and he tells her that they are OK with humans one day evolving to replace them.
In New X-Men, Jean's Phoenix Work was to disinfect mutants of Sublime, who was making mutants more aggressive and fight each other. She also stopped a dystopian future where mutants were being persecuted.
Quentin also ascended to the White Hot Room when he died at the end of Riot at Xaviers. It isn't shown but was described. Bumbleboy was absorbed into the White Hot Room by Jean after she atomized him. That entire dystopian future was absorbed into the White Hot Room in New 154.
In Warsong, the Phoenix came to destroy the cuckoo clones because the Weapon Plus program was going to use them to attack mutants.
The holo-emphatic crystal that Jean left Rachel, pulled Betsy and Rachel in the White Hot Room to protect them during the House of M storyline.
And of course, the Phoenix or Jean/Phoenix from the White Hot Room had a hand in guiding Hope to undoing Wanda's No More Mutants spell.
There was a panel where the Phoenix or Jean/Phoenix says to Hope, "wake up my child, our children need you". The "children" was referring to mutants.
In Defenders Beyond #5, it is said that Enigma is Eternity's enemy. As noted here, X-Men Forever #6 implied a connection between humans/mutants, the Phoenix, and Eternity. Btw, Storm once housed Eternity in her body (in a Fantastic Four story, I believe).
However, while the White Hot Room is said to be a mutant afterlife in this issue, in the past it was stated to be the afterlife for all beings. Jean built towers for the D'Bari there in Classic #43. Jean ushered the Greys into the White Hot Room at the end of End of Greys. Jean fought Korvus, a Shiar, in the White Hot Room in Jean Grey #11.
I actually felt for Mother Righteous in this issue. She just wanted her happy ending and yet again it was spoiled by Nathaniel Essex.
Loved Destiny as well.