Now for Jean. This one oddly enough was harder than Emma because Jean is much more consistent in personality throughout her history, even when she leans into something not many know her for.
JEAN GREY RANKING
1) Dark Phoenix Saga (shoutout to the Phoenix Saga)- Okay, yeah, cliche, I know. BUT this is basically what started the narrative of Jean having a dark side and since Claremont has a knack for writing essays worth thoughts and feelings, we see exactly how Jean starts to fall from Grace.
2) Phoenix Resurrection- The mini that ended the cycle of the Phoenix (for now anyways). Here we see Jeans potential and get a reaffirmation of Jeans belief of living as a human over a god that the Watcher has spoken of. And it highlights the toxic relationship of the Phoenix, yet you know that there is love between Jean and the cosmic entity on a level deeper than normal connections made, making the results all the more heart-wrenching.
3, 4) X-Men: Red and New X-Men- Okay, this one, I simply couldn’t decide on. Both have the same goal with completely different methods, showing Jeans leadership and strategy. All while showing what a real omega level mutant can do when they push the boundaries of their powers. I only have one problem each for either run. For Red, it’s the political undertones. For New X-Men, it’s the ending with Jeans death. Reds fault affects the run itself as a whole while New X-Men’s fault affected the X-Men going forward by effectively taking Jean out of the picture, which to me has always been a cop out.
5) X-Factor- In this one, Jean deals with the outcome of the Dark Phoenix Saga. Jean Grey fans were always so sure that Jean was the integral piece that kept the X-Men from falling apart. While that is an exaggeration, it is clear that Jean can bring them together when they lose focus of why they formed the team to begin with. Even with that in mind, things are far from peachy for Jean. While her telekinetics are stronger than her original Marvel Girl iteration, she’s lost her telepathy and feels a void that losing that ability left. Jean goes on to deal with her first love having married someone else and the possibility that she will have to let him go, having to realize her she has a clone, that clone was brought to life by the Phoenix, she has alternate dystopian future daughter possessed by the Phoenix, the death of the X-Men, the loss of her sister, the amnesia of her niece and nephew, a baby she has a psychic connection to somehow and being abandoned by his mother, one of her best friends being brainwashed, and all while having to deal with a negative reputation as if it’s all okay. Jean has a lot of moments where she just loses it and you just feel for her because it’s all bull she has to deal with.
6) Jean Grey solo- Okay, here me out. This book series is basically a way better version of Bendis Jean Grey. NO DONT LEAVE, Listen!!! Listen!! Yes, it’s another Phoenix story and has an ironic millennial for a protagonist, but my goodness is it well-written. We see Bendis interpret how amazing Jean is as a young omega level mutant, what her potential could be had things been different and we see Jeen handle it well, but Hopeless reminds the audience that Jeen is still very inexperienced despite being in the present for too long. Teen Jean has to go through finding different info on the Phoenix or teachers who can help her learn to tap into that unlimited potential in ways that even the real Jean had not done in her lifetime. The kicker, she has to deal with one simple fact that makes this so relatable: Teen Jean is not the real Jean Grey yet, but she has to live up to that legacy so young, to grow up fast and deal with the bull crap Jean has left when she died. It sucks, but it’s life. Highly recommend!
7) Revolution era (late-90’s)- This is an excellent era, one of my favorites of Jeans. Jean has to deal with the loss of Scott and her telekinesis. This is the era where we see Jeans skill as one of the most powerful telepaths on earth and her leadership blossoming for the first time. Yeah, Jean kind of sort of was the unofficial second in command since X-Factor and always a close confidant to Xavier, but never really got to capitalize on her strategy and planning as the center of the stories until this era.
8) X-Men: Blue (honorable mention goes to Generations: Phoenix)- Before Red, there was Blue, where we get a real glimpse at a leader Jean Grey that we have not gotten since Morrison’s run. Bendis called Jean the leader in his run, but it seemed more like Jeen was running first into battle and everyone just ran by her side or Kitty was the real leader. Here, in Bunns run, Jeen actually does plan, direct, and makes the decisions in this group. Bunn utilizes Teen Jean wonderfully in a team set beautifully, and therefore gets this spot.
9) Jean Grey Origins- Every great superhero has an interesting backstory and Jean is no different. True, Jean has always had a loving background in a middle clas neighborhood. But it all starts with a an accident that kills her best friend right in front of her at the age of 10. The start of Jean Grey!
10) Phoenix Endsong- Jeans real good-bye that she never got in Morrisons run. Like I said, the ending in Morrisons run was a cop out to me. The good thing I can say about it is demonstrate the what could have been, but this mini series affirms this: Life goes on. Scott moves on with Emma and Jean has to accept something that she didn’t realize she was secretly wishing for even after death, to see Scott and her family one last time. Jean has been dead and she needs to stay that way with the Phoenix Force. Earth at that point in time had no place for her or the Phoenix Force, so she had to keep the Phoenix from going wild and accept that Scott moved on and therefore she herself must move on. Jean gives Scott the proper good-bye that gives him the blessing of moving on.
11) X-Treme X-Men- A good look into a casual Jean Avery. It isn’t lumped with New X-Men due to how rare Jeannis in this. Needless to say, the few times she is are made to count to establish what she means to the X-Men, particularly Storm. You won’t find any notable Jean developments, but you get nice character interactions.
12, 13) Extermination and The Exterminated- A tie. Real solid Jean Grey stories. Needless to say, the Jean Grey moments are few and far in-between, outshined by the O5’s need to be sent back home. The best moments happens in the last issue for Jean, so that is why it is so low. Meanwhile, The Exterminated highlights an interaction we fans have desperately been clamoring for after Jean and Rachel talking and that is Hope and the real Jean Grey meeting. While we don’t get a, “Hello, my name is Jean Grey. The REAL Jean Grey.” We establish what Jean is to Hope, family. Hope tried to always to take matters into her own hands throughout the issue, believing herself to be the only one affected but Cables death, but Jean puts it all into perspective. Beautifully touching and a proper epilogue to Extermination. I actually like The Exterminated more than the mini event itself, but it loses its powerful storytelling without Extermination, so I grouped them together.
14) Uncanny 2019- Shocking for me actually that I place it so low, but it isn’t a testament to how bad it is. It’s rather a testament to what it’s competing against. Here, while Kitty is MIA, Jean Grey and Storm must attempt to solve a mystery going around. Jean has solid leadership skills and seems to have better time dealing with her threats than Storms team does oddly enough. With that said, Jeans moments are few due to how large the roster is. That said, Jean is one of the few with the most panel time, so it’s nothing to complain about. That said, it earns this placement in comparison to the others. A solid Jean Grey, but nothing all too special.
15) Jim Lee Gold Team- Ah, the most notable era after Dark Phoenix. The one that everyone defines as Jean Grey in total character...they are wrong. Yes, Jean has a large presence in this era and many good moments, especially with her wedding, but to be honest, not much has happened for Jean herself to grow in this era. Here, she is a more of a support system to everyone else, which highlights her value as the heart, but we don’t really get anything for Jean to learn from herself. Most notable moments, I can count on my fingers: the wedding, wins against Sabertooth, admitting about why she holds back, Cable, Stryfe, Onslaught, problems with Scott (shocker, I know) involving Psylocke, and the Twelve.
16, 17) Bendis runs (aka All-New and BotA)- So, here is where the Teen Jean Problem started in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, Bendis did some really cool stories and things with Teen Jean. New ability, new take on old friendships, drama. Still, Bendis is usually good at starting things, neglecting the ending of it all. I don’t know if it’s boredom or what, but Bendis seems to have a one-tracked mind that involves so many ideas that get integrated either in a plot device kind of way or they just fall off the map. So, this is where he stays.
18) X-cutioner Song- Not really a Jean Grey story to me. If I’m honest, I can’t remember anything really noteworthy happening beyond the fight about Psylocke in the beginning (in which Cyclops acted like a douche) and escape attempt involving a fake baby. It more or less was a story about a man-baby who through a mini tantrum. So, I can’t give this a high grade like the ones above it.
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