As we near the end of the Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X we got an answer to who Hope Summers true parents are. That answer came thanks to X-Men: Forever #4 showing us a key meeting that Hope Summers had with two iconic X-Men characters. This meeting tapped into how the X-Men is littered with characters traveling through different timelines to alter the franchise’s path. For Hope Summers the answer to who her parents are was more of how her origin is a cycle. So what was revealed? Let’s dive into what went on in X-Men: Forever #4
HOPE SUMMERS IS MARVEL’S ANAKIN SKYWALKER
In X-Men: Forever #3 we were left wondering why it included a flashback scene to Mister Sinister meeting Hope Summer’s mom nine months before the events of X-Men: Messiah Complex. This flashbacked teased that Mister Sinister his abilities to coerce Hope’s mom to sleep with him and become Hope’s father. The way Mister Sinister approached Hope’s mom it did appear that he had future knowledge about Hope Summers importance to the world.
But as X-Men: Forever #4 revealed Mister Sinister’s attempt to become Hope’s father failed thanks to none other than Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. While in the White Hot room Jean detected how Mister Sinister attempt to alter history by making himself Hope’s father. Utilizing the power of the Phoenix Force, Jean was able to travel to the past to stop Mister Sinister.
Jean’s trip to the past didn’t stop with making sure Mister Sinister didn’t manipulate his way to become Hope’s father. After defeating Mister Sinister, Jean proceeded to place a portion of the Phoenix Force within Hope’s mother. Afterwards, Hope’s mom would leave the bar they were in without any other further scenes set in this time period.
When we returned to the White Hot Room, Hope transformed into the new Phoenix Force. While identifying Jean as “mother-me” Hope merged her Phoenix Force with Jean’s own. This in turn seems to confirm that Hope’s “father” was, in a similar way to Anakin Skywalker conception being tied to the Force, the portion of the Phoenix Force that Jean transferred to Hope’s mom.
JEAN GREY AND HOPE SUMMERS CONNECTION
This connection to the Phoenix Force isn’t out of the ordinary as we’ve seen Hope’s connection to Jean and the Phoenix Force. Towards the end of X-Men: Messiah Complex a baby Hope showed an attraction to the pendant Cyclops was wearing that had a picture of Jean. While this was done to draw a connection between Scott Summers and his adopted granddaughter it could be more. Hope possibly sensed her own connection to Jean.
This also plays into how Hope character design is basically a younger Jean Grey. The similarities is design invoking Jean speaks to the Phoenix Force being so tied to Jean. These similarities in look only grew the older Hope has gotten.
Additionally, the whole reason behind the Avengers vs X-Men event was Hope drawing the Phoenix Force to Earth. Hope having a portion of the Phoenix Force within her explains a lot. Detecting Hope’s presence in the present the Phoenix Force possibly wanted to become complete by integrating Hope’s portion within it. So it could be said that it isn’t until X-Men: Forever #4 that the Phoenix Force has been complete.
FUTURE OF THE PHOENIX
In the post Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X we know that Jean Grey will be starring in her own solo series, Phoenix, By Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo. With Jean’s return to being the Phoenix she will see a whole new direction. Rather than operating as part of one of the X-Men teams, Jean will be taking her talents and powers to the greater Marvel Universe. This is as stated by the pitch for this new Phoenix series:
She is Jean Grey. She is Phoenix. She saves the world. She brings death. One woman, alone in space, who not only must do what no one else can: she yearns to. A desperate S.O.S. from Nova brings the Phoenix to the edge of a black hole, where hundreds of lives hang in the balance… and whatever Jean does—or fails to do—will bring darkness to the universe and haunt her in ways she can scarcely imagine…
Jean as the Phoenix utilizing her cosmic powers to be a protector of the greater Marvel Universe is a strong next step for her character. Being part of one of the X-Men team would’ve just kept the status quo as is for Jean. But now with her own solo title Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo can show the true impact of Jean Grey as the Phoenix.
This move to the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe also ensures the X-Men’s grander scope will continue. We saw through terraforming Mars and renaming it Planet Arakko increased the X-Men reach across the universe. Jean’s return as the Phoenix is sure to capture the attention of the Shi’ar Empire at the very least. We’ll have to just wait and see what is next for Jean and the Phoenix and if we will see Hope in some form or fashion again.
Source: Marvel.com
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