Dark Phoenix Saga

reprints Uncanny X-Men 137

reprints Uncanny X-Men 132

reprints Uncanny X-Men 131

reprints in Uncanny X-Men 129

reprints Uncanny X-Men 133

Disco may be dead, but Marvel's dynamic diva never says 'die!' Beginning as a co-star with the X-Men and Spider-Man, Alison Blaire moved into a world of villains new and old, facing gangsters, gods and Galactus without skipping a beat! Plus: the Inhumans, the Hellfire Club and Project: PEGASUS! World saving, space travel, intrigue and romance in the ultimate disco mix! Guest-starring most of Marvel's heroes, including Spider-Woman and She-Hulk!

Reprints Dazzler #1-21, Uncanny X-Men #130-131, and Amazing Spider-Man #203.

Reprints: X-Men #122-131, Annual #3

Reprints: X-Men #132-140, Annual #4, Phoenix: The Untold Story #1 one-shot and Phoenix from Bizarre Adventures #27.

The classic Dark Phoenix Saga from Uncanny X-Men 129-137.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Chris Claremont's first X-Men story, the House of Ideas presents a timeless testament to another true Marvel visionary! Best known for ushering the X-Men from reprints to blockbuster franchise, Claremont has steered Marvel's mutants for three decades while working alongside some of comicdom's top artists. Collects Daredevil #102, Marvel Premiere #11, Iron Fist #14, Uncanny X-Men #137, 153, 205, 268, Uncanny X-Men Annual #12, Wolverine #3, New Mutants #21, Classic X-Men #12, Excalibur #16, X-Men Unlimited #36, and Avengers Annual #10.

Reprints Fate of the Phoenix from Uncanny X-Men #137.

The X-Men leaves Muir Island in Scotland, but Banshee decides to stay with Moira. Havok and Polaris still thinks they don't belong with the X-Men, and also stay behind with Madrox. During the flight, Jean has visions about her past with Jason Wyngard again, and it is even more real than last time. When they finally get to the Mansion X, sensors warns that there's a person inside, but when they enter, it's Professor X, back from the Shiar Empire. After some days of rest, Jean still thinks she can't control the Phoenix Force and is afraid. Professor X is having problems training X-Men, treating them like child like he used to do with his first students. Cyclops tries to argue that they are all grown men now, specially Wolverine and Storm, but Xavier doesn't want to listen. Suddenly, cerebro alarm goes out and there is two new mutants detected, one in New York, to where Xavier sends Jean, Cyclops and Nightcrawler, and another in Chicago, where Xaviers goes with Storm, Colossus and Wolverine. Xavier says he will use the trip to know his new students better.

Meanwhile, in the Hellfire Club in Chicago, Wyngarde is watching everything happening in X-Mansion, with Sebastian Shaw, Harry Leland, Donald Pierce and Emma Frost, all members of the Inner Circle.

In Chicago, a young girl named Katherine Pryde is arriving home after school, and Emma Frost is at her place talking with her parents about a school in Massachusetts. Kitty says she's having headaches again and goes to her room. Surprisingly she appears back in the living room after a huge headache. Soon after Emma leaves, the X-Men arrives with Professor X and invite Kitty to join his school. They went to a ice cream place and Kitty soon becomes friend with Ororo and likes Peter very much. Suddenly, the window crashes and three armored guys enters and attack X-Men. During the battle, Wolverine realizes that the enemies know them and are prepared for their powers, and changes targets with Storm. That works and they win the battle, but during the fight Kitty pass through the walls and discovers she has some kind of power. Then Emma Frost uses her mental powers to knock out the three X-Men and captures them. At the end Kitty Pride follows the group using her power to enters the hovercraft.

Trivia: This is the first appearance of the popular X-men Kitty Pryde, Carmen pryde, Terri Pryde, Donald Pierce, Harry Leland, and Emma Frost (who was a villain during her first appearances). And one of the greatest X-men-villains, Sebastian Shaw.

. Cyclops, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler were sent to a night club in New York City to investigated another mutant detected by Cerebro. In Chicago, Emma Frost had captured Xavier, Colossus, Wolverine and Storm and is talking to Sebastian Show, when Kitty Pryde sneaks in through a wall in the room and listens to the talk. When Emma leaves the room she talks to Storm, who gives her a phone number to call backup from the X-Men. Kitty is discovered by Hellfire Soldiers, but she escapes jumping through the ground. 

Back in NY, Jean is having those dreams again about her ancestor, now she was getting married with Jason Wyngard and when she kissed him, in real life she is actually kissing a guy just like her dreams. Cyclops sees it and thinks Jean isn't acting like herself anymore. Suddenly the show starts and a beautiful girl starts to sing, dazzling with thousands of lights. At same time the Mini-Cerebro devide in Cyclops's watch starts to beep, showing that this girl is a mutant. Outside, inside the X-Men's Rolls Royce, the phone rings and Nightcrawler answers a frightened Kitty. At same time, a Hellfire Soldier attacks Nightcrawler knowing his mutant power very well and using a sonic blast just like Cyclops did in Danger Room the other day. Inside the club, two more Soldiers attack and defeat Cyclops and Jean, also knowing very well their powers. Then, the singer,  Dazzler, uses her powers to make light and helps Jean and Cyclops, who with the help of Nightcrawler defeat the bad guys. The X-Men run away in their car and Cyclops sees the guy who had kissed Jean in the streets, and there is something wrong with his shadow at the wall.

Kitty Pryde is hunted down by the White Queen’s Hellfire Club Guards, but is saved by the X-Men. Kitty leads the X-Men to the White Queen’s complex and Kitty phases to the chamber where Wolverine and Colossus are being held and frees Wolverine. The X-Men take out the Hellfire club Guards, while the White Queen attempts to destroy Storm’s mind but is prevented by Phoenix. The White Queen and Phoenix then engage in a psychic battle. Just as Phoenix is about to win, Emma detonates the lab. Phoenix saves herself and Storm, but the White Queen seemingly was killed in the explosion. Later, the X-Men say their goodbyes to Dazzler. Kitty’s parents are about to make a scene, until Phoenix, annoyed, modifies their memories, an act which leaves Cyclops and Storm worried about the changes in Jean.

Cyclops takes the X-Men to Angel’s New Mexico home, because he thinks someone is spying on X-Mansion and Danger Room, because Hellfire Soldiers know too much about their powers and strategy. He also wants to talk to Angel about Jean's new powers and personality. There,he learns that Warren too is a member of the Hellfire Club, a club for millionaires. Angel gets them invitations for the Hellfire Club’s next big party.

The Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle attacks the X-Men. Mastermind finally gains complete control over Phoenix, turning her into the Black Queen and making her attack Cyclops. The Hellfire Club defeats the X-Men and Wolverine seemingly perishes in the fight with Harry Leland, who is a mutant and has the powers of increasing gravity. Sebastian Shaw is also a mutant with the powers of absorber any impact and converts into kinetics power, becoming stronger. Donald Pierce is a cyborg with incredible force. While the Inner Circle congratulates itself, Wolverine reappears and is ready for a rematch. 

The Inner Circle has shackled up the X-Men. Cyclops tries to snap Jean Grey out of her role as Black Queen by reaching her through their rapport between them. Mastermind becomes aware of this, and kills Cyclops on the astral plane.

Wolverine attacks and badly injures several Hellfire Club mercenaries. Trying to find a way to his teammates, he runs into several Hellfire Club servants who attack him.

On Muir Island, Moira fears for Jean, as the latest tests show that Phoenix is now tapping into limitless power levels. At Angel's place, Xavier feels he had failed with Cyclops and his new X-Men.

Cyclops has been killed by Mastermind on the astral plane and his body has became weak, but he is still alive. Wolverine breaks into the room with his captured teammates and Mastermind orders Jean to kill Wolverine. Unaware to Mastermind, Jean has broke free of his control and while she attacks Wolverine she frees Cyclops. Cyclops quickly frees the other X-Men guided mentally by Jean. The X-Men then attack the Inner Circle. Cyclops shoots the ground above Sebastian Shaw avoiding hitting him and sending him undergrounds. There Nightcrawler only distract Shaw, because if he hits him, he gets stronger and then Storm freezes him. Colossus tries to attack Donald Pierce in his human form and is kicked away, then with his body transformed, Colossus breaks Pierce's robot arm but gets blinded by him. Mastermind chooses to camouflages himself and wait. Wolverine jumps in Harry Leland with his claws and when the mutant uses his powers to increase Wolverine's body mass, is knocked out by him. 

Meanwhile, in Avengers Mansion, Beast receives a call from the police about an attack at Hellfire Club by the X-Men. He decides to erase the call and investigate it by himself.

Shaw and Pierce decide to retreat and fight the X-Men another time, because this battle they had already lost. Elsewhere, Mastermind, trying to slip away unnoticed, is confronted by Jean with intent on revenge, mentally drives Mastermind mad by showing him how big could be universal power.

The X-Men flee in their plane, but the manipulations of Mastermind has turned Jean into the Dark Phoenix and she blows up the plane.

The Dark Phoenix explodes the Blackbird, sending the X-Men to the ground. They all manage to fell safety only to be attacked and easily defeated by Dark Phoenix. She turns into Colossus back to his human form and turns gold a tree that he was holding and it fell over him and Wolverine. Then she easily makes Storm, Nightcrawler and Cyclops to pass out.

Meanwhile in the Hellfire Club Senator Robert Kelly and Sebastian Shaw are talking about how dangerous are the X-Men and that they had attacked the club (last issue) and injuried two members - Harry Leland and Jason Wyngarde). Sebastian Shaw also talks about new Sentinels to defeat the X-Men with Senator.

Then, the Phoenix Force explodes into the sky. This giant burst of energy awakes Mr. Fantastic's radar, Spider-Man's spider-sense, and Dr. Strange and Silver Surfer's feelings.

The Dark Phoenix then flies into space, passing through Avergers Quinjet and Beast, who had decided to help the X-Men by himself without the Avengers. Professor Xavier (at Angel's Aerie) and Moira MacTaggert (with Banshee at Muir Island) also felt the increase of Phoenix Powers, and that she is out of control.

Phoenix then flies through Star Core One and Peter Corbeau also detects it. She then goes beyond Jupiter and creates a portal out of Milk Way. In a far away galaxy, she destroys a star to recharge her energy. The explosion of the sun causes an entire inhabitated Planet to burn and 5 billions people get killed. A Shi’ar battleship watches the explosion and decides to attack the Dark Phoenix. She easily destroys them, but not before they send a transmission to Empress Lilandra.

On Earth, the X-Men are joined by Beast and plan what to due with the Dark Phoenix. Suddenly Cyclops senses her inside his mind - She is coming back to Earth and is hungry!!!

After consuming a star and killing 5 billion people in a far away galaxy, Dark Phoenix returns to Earth. Meanwhile, at   Shi'ar Empire, Empress Lilandra calls a meeting with her council and they decide that for the Universe could survive Phoenix must be destroyed! 

Back to Earth, Peter Corbeau had told US President Jimmy Carter that an huge amount of energy has been flying towards Earth and that something must be done. The President calls the Avengers, but it is Jarvis who answers the phone, because Beast had left the mansion after a call from Hellfire Club about the X-Men ( X-Men #134). Inside   Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, Beast is working in a device to weaken Phoenix when they meet again. One more time Cyclops is trying to control his emotions about the terrible situation they are about Jean. At Danger Room, Nightcrawler, Colossus and Wolverine are in a hard training session trying not to think about Jean.  
Jean arrives at her parents house at Annandale-on-Hudson and sneaks into the house. Her father John wakes up and is happy about seeing his daughter, but inside his thoughts he is scared, just like her mother and sister. Jean couldn't avoid reading their thoughts with her huge powers and gets very mad. She changes a plant into crystal and shouts at her parents, and then her father says she isn't his daughter any more, making her even more mad. The X-Men arrive, with Storm creating a fog outside the house and when Phoenix leaves outside, Nightcrawler puts Beast's device at her head. The X-Men fight Phoenix one by one and are all defeated because they still see Phoenix as Jean. When Cyclops arrives, the Phoenix is weaken but had imprisoned the other X-Men. Cyclops manages to talk her back to Jean's mind and feelings, and at this time Xavier arrives and hits her with a mental blast. Phoenix awakes again and has a huge mental fight with Professor X. 
At the end, Xavier wins the battle with the help of Jean, and put a block inside her mind. 
Cyclops proposes to Jean when she awakes and she says yes, but when they all were happy, they suddenly disappear in front of the Greys.

Features the first appearances of Touks'Enhaamin of the Shi'ar Grand Council.

The Watcher starts this issue talking about Phoenix background - this only should be a warning that this issue is special for Marvel Universe.

The X-Men were transported from Earth last issue, and now find themselves on a Shi’ar ship in the presence of Lilandra, Araki and Gladiator. The X-Men are ordered by Lilandra to hand over Jean, as she is a threat to the whole universe. Gladiator tells everyone what the Phoenix had done to an entire world after destroying a star. Xavier challenges Lilandra to a duel for the life of Jean Grey. After Lilandra talks to her allies at this subject - the Supreme Intelligence from the Krees and Empress R'Kll from the Skrulls, she acept the challenge.

The X-Men have one night to rest before the battle of their lifes. Jean is alone at her room and thinks about what she had become and had done as Phoenix. While training Nightcrawler is questioning if he should help Jean or not, because what she had done to that planet and its people. He suddenly fells from the walls but is helped by Angel, who also has doubts about Jean. Wolverine is at his room thinking about the battle and that no matter what happens, he would choose Jean. Beast is in enjoying a bubble bath thinking about what Lilandra did, imposing Jean's death without even a trial. Colossus wakes up in his room thinking about Jean's love and Phoenix's hate, and that they are two different person and do not deserve the same destiny. Storm also wakes up thinking about Africa, her life with the X-Men and about Jean, who is almost a sister to her and she will defend to the death. And finally Cyclops is starring at Earth from a window and also thinking about his fate as X-Men leader and Jean's lover. Cyclops thinks he understands Lilandra's decision but he couldn't just give Jean away without a fight. Then Jean enters his room wearing her old Marvel Girl costume. They kiss and tell how much they love each other.

Later the X-Men and the Imperial Guard are teleported to the Blue Area of the moon where they will battle. The Krees and Skrulls say that they should have judges at the battle, and then the Kree Bel-Dann and the Skrull Raksor are sent to the Moon also.

Angel tries to fly over the camp battle but in a place with low gravity his wings are stronger and he almost fly of the moon, being helped by Storm. Cyclops devides the team in two and each group fight against some members of the Imperial Guard. Starbolt shoots fire at Cyclops, Jean, Nightcrawler and Angel's group, while Oracle, Manta and Smasher attack them. In another place, Warstar attack Colossus and Beast while Gladiator throws Storm and Wolverine away. Wolverine fells inside the Watcher domaisn and is banned from there. Storm is then attacked by Earthquake and defeated by Hussar. Oracle disoriented Angel and Smasher throws him to a tunnel and Nightcrawler jump after him. At the ground he encounters Manta, and she quickly defeats him. Wolverine is then attacked by Raksor in the shape of Storm, but he senses that something is wrong and attacks the skrull. Bel-Dann helps him and that starts a battle between the Kree and the Skrull. Colossus defeats C'cil but B'nee defeats Beast and Gladiator shows up to punches Colossus. After a huge battle between the two, Gladiator is the winner.

Cyclops and Jean are the last X-Men to remain. Cyclops is then taken down and this causes the Dark Phoenix to reemerge. Professor Xavier then realizes that the things have gone too far and that he has to save the Universe. He tells the X-Men to fight her and they do. After she became weakened, Colossus stops a punch that would have killed her and then Jean takes control one more time. Jean asks Cyclops to kill her, because she couldn't stop the Phoenix Force and that she is frightened but one part of her like that feeling of power. At the end she kills herself in front of Cyclops, unwilling to take the risk of ever harming another life again. The Recorder tries to understand why she had done that, and the Watcher tells him that she did because she was still human, the only race capable of self sacrifice. The Watcher also says that even the X-Men never realize, this is the greatest victory of their lifes.

Cover used as a homage on, among others, Exiles vol.1 issue 4.