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This collection includes the X-Men annual as the second issue. It was very skippable and boring. Although fun to see Dr Strange there.

The first issue is a glorified recap of the X-Men history up until this point, with special attention towards Jean Grey, obviously intended for new readers to get up to date.

Its framed as an elegy, with Cyclops remembering his history with Jean. It’s a smart way to do it, in that it feels meaningful to readers still grappling over Dark Phoenix but inviting towards new readers.

However, I do see it as skippable.

The last issue is truly a roller coaster of emotions, particularly as the duel reaches its end. Slowly, the readers hope for the X-Men’s success dies as they get beaten one by one until only cyclops and Jean Grey remain.

Then, Phoenix is reborn, a fate worse than their defeat. However, Jean is briefly in control. She begs the X-Men to kill her, but they can’t. She does what she has to do, taking her own life.

Wolverine recognizes the obvious distinction between Jean Grey and the Phoenix. However, he’s skeptical whether they can be cleanly separated, with Grey exempt from any blame.

Professor X acts like a protective father, willing to duel to protect her. Cyclops’ is unchanged, ever defensive of Jean, believing in her goodness. Jean is horrified by her actions but unsure how to take responsibility.

In the epilogue, Claremont shows what the effects of the Dark Phoenix saga have had on each of the X-Men, individually.

While some might expect them to take her side, their responses are much more nuanced, and a realistic result to betrayal.

Nightcrawler, with many of the X-Men, are conflicted. While they love Jean as a sister, they aren’t prepared to excuse her of the atrocities she committed as Dark Phoenix.

Claremont does a great job at exploring what the heroes are thinking about to themselves, and deliberating at. Many of his pages are purely thought bubbles.

The epilogue’s courtroom setting and political style is a major change of pace from the physical and fast-paced battle that had been happening up to this point.

However, it lets the dust settle. The characters are held truly accountable for what transpired and the damage they were responsible for.

In Claremont’s typical storytelling style, everything doesn’t go back to normal after Dark Phoenix is defeated.

The last issue feels a bit out of place, almost like an epilogue. At least so far, it feels like the next to last issue would have been a better stopping point for this volume. However, I don’t know what me going to be the fate of the Phoenix, so maybe I’m speaking too soon.

Throughout the entire story, even in her most evil moments, Cyclops never gives up on Jean. He knows that Dark Phoenix isn’t really Jean and that she is still in there.

His commitment and loyalty to Jean shows most strongly when everyone else has given up on her and sees her as the enemy, perhaps reasonably so.

It’s hard to tell if his love for her is making him blind or making him patient and understanding.

What sets this story apart from many other comic book “crises” is the orientation of the heroes towards the villain.

Typically the heroes want to stop the villain by whatever means necessary, even if that means death.

However, in this case, the villain is the friend of the heroes. More than stopping her, they want to save her. Their orientation is one of helping the villain rather than hurting them.

When the Dark Phoenix reaches its potential, it is what is most terrifying: an evil God. Limitless power, with no restraint on purposing it for good.

While this the “evil god” is a typical kind of comic book villain, what spectates Phoenix is the transformation.

Not only is she a near limitless evil god, but she is not alien. She is from earth, with family and friends. This makes her all the more unsettling.

Part of the reason that Wolverine succeeds in this arc is that he’s put in positions where he can do what he does best: fight as a lone wolf with a chip on his shoulder.

When he is separated from his team, his speed and raw power is given full reign to go on a rampage against the myriad of enemies intent on stopping him.

In this context, his arrogant attitude can seem more like relentless heroism.

The fight that Cyclops fought was characterized as being for the very heart and soul of Jean. It’s a must-win scenario for them. The stakes are high, and they’ve gone all in.

Horrifically, Cyclops loses this battle. The stakes remain the same, yet everything seems lost. Even the reader is forced to abandon hope.

The unwritten rules about comics are being broken. The villains win and the heroes have lost.

In chapter 4 and 5, the stakes are unbelievably high and the X-Men are fighting from behind the whole time. Because of how long it’s taken for the story to build to this point, the suspense is immense!

Jean terrifyingly transforms into the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. While we know that she is still Jean Grey, the way she acts feels is totally villainous.

While her behavior change is primarily due to a delusion she is living, thinking that she is Lady Wyngarde, this still doesn’t explain her behavior.

In this delusion, she taunts them and tries to kill her slave. Even without the delusion, this isnt Jean.

As Jean transforms into the Phoenix, she becomes increasingly powerful. Her newfound strength is often demonstrated when her friends need her most, helping them get out of dire circumstances.

However, her power grows alongside an increasing instability, with the feeling that her powers are overtaking her self-control.

Frighteningly, her powers take on a life of their own, apart a person choosing how to wield them.

Jean Grey’s descent into madness, and transformation into the Phoenix, has been slowly escalating for two-years.

Seeing her become more disturbed and less in-control over a long time span increases the realism of her struggles and the emotional suspense for where it is headed.

Her transformation is undesired, which increases the sense of tragedy, as her friends watch her become someone they can’t recognize.

The X-Men are in touch with their emotions, which become integral to the stories lines in Claremont’s run!

Kitty Pryde breaks down after being rescued, coming to grips with how terrorizing this life would be for a young teenager. As a result, she feels much more real and reminds the reader that what happens in the story has real consequences.

This raises the stakes and increases the “buy-in” from the reader.

Seeing Kitty Pryde, a helpless teen, all alone faced with the challenge of rescuing the X-Men, reminds the reader of anytime they have been in over their head, but without the option to quit.

Kitty Pryde introduces a member to the X-Men that represents suburban teens. Seeing what a suburban teen’s perspective can teach different characters like colossus and wolverine is a great choice. She is also the youngest in the group by far, adding a youthful energy.

The X-Men have are diverse in many ways. Each member comes from a different background, with different personal struggles.

This is one reason they are compelling. Anybody can relate to the characters in different ways. You may understand Colossus’ fear of failure, Cyclops burden of leadership, or Wolverine’s over-compensating chip on his shoulder.

Their teamwork illustrates the importance of their differences.

It’s exciting to see characters introduced for the first time, that I already know and love from the movies.

Kitty Pryde struggles with the initial manifestation of her mutant powers, while her parents are splitting and trying to send her off to a boarding school.

The X-Men recruit her and become the family that she has been missing. Their shared trauma forms bonds that transcend their vast personal differences.

In addition to cosmic enemies, the X-Men are constantly facing typical social struggles that make them so compelling and relatable.

Colossus struggling with accepting whether his actions in battle were justified, and Cyclops struggling with getting X to see him as an adult are two examples in issue 1.

It grounds the characters in familiar complexity, ensuring that we see ourselves in them, evoking empathy.

Ollie deals with his newfound wealth. Though he wants to make a difference, his perception of the difference he is making is directly linked to the perception that others have of them, his public image.

The point is made that no matter how he is viewed, he is “still the most situated to make society better”.

However, bettering society is viewed by them on a national scale, with local problems seen as unworthy.