X-Men #136 (Aug 80): Child of Light and Darkness!Creative Team: Chris Claremont, writer/co-plotter; John Byrne, co-plotter/penciler; Terry Austin, inker; Tom Orzechowski, letterer; Bob Sharen, colorist; Jim Salicrup, editor; Jim Shooer, editor-in-chief
Starting Line Up: Cyclops, Pheonix, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus
Guest Stars: Angel, Beast, Jarvis
Synopsis: The Shi'Ar council meets to discuss the Pheonix problem. The decide she must be destroyed. The President (Jimmy Carter?) contacts the Avengers, but no one other than Javis the butler is home. Jarvis can't figure out where Beast went. In the X-Mansion, Beast is working on a device that might help them in a rematch with Phoenix - a mnemonic scrambler. It will prevent her from making coherent thoughts so she won't be able to access all of her power. Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Colossus are restless, so they train in the danger room. Later, Phoenix arrives at her childhood home in the middle of the night. Her parents are happy to see her, but also afraid. That fear sparks her dark power to emerge once again. Before she can attack, a mysterious fog envelops the house. Phoenix, knowing Storm's doing, goes outsie to look for her. She is surprised by Nightcrawler, who teleports onto her back and slips the mnomic scrambler on her head. The scrambler may limit her power, but she still has more than enough to once again defeat most of the X-Men. When she's distracted, Wolverine jumps her and means to kill her to end it once and for all. In that instance, Jean's true personality comes through and asks him to do it. He hesitates for a second and she blasts him. She removes the scrambler and holds Beast and the X-Men minus Cyclops in her grip. Cyclops then enters the scene. He tries reasoning with her, appealing to the side that still loves him. He tells her he knows deep down Jean Grey is still inside and has limited control over Phoenix, so he tells her to fight it. When he's close to reaching her, Xavier shows up and mentally blasts her. The two enter into a psi war. It strains Xavier to his limit, and only because Jean deep down was helping him fight the Phoenix, he was able to re-create the circuit breakers to keep the Phoenix power in check. Cyclops fears she may have died in the process and while hoping she's still alive, mentally proposes to her. She wakes up, and asks him if he means it. He says yes. So does she. The X-Men take a moment to enjoy their victory, but are instantly transported away.
Yeah, but is it good? We almost had our happy ending. But no... there is one more chapter to go. Had this been the ending, it would have been a great to ending to a great story arc. Hell, a great series of story arcs ever since Jean became Phoenix 35 issues back. The battle with the X-Men was great, if short, but what really makes this issue is Cyclops' speach to Phoenix. He appeals to her self, hr humanity, and her love. This is where Claremont excels. A great issue, and all time classic.
Significata: Xavier re-engages the circuit breakers in Phoenix's mind to limit her power. She accepts Cyclops' proposal. Wolverine was unable to kill her when it was the best option (in his mind) and when she wanted to die. The Shi'Ar Empire decree that Phoenix must die.
