"Previously on X-Men..." "My psychic abilities have discovered a creature with more power than even you can imagine !" "Do tell." "They call her the Phoenix." "She was the guardian of the fantastically powerful M'Kraan Crystal." "The Phoenix flew with the crystal into the burning heart of the sun !" "The Phoenix destroyed herself ?" "No !" "It lived !" "After depositing the crystal in the sun, this primal force returned to Earth." "Phoenix, why do you still inhabit Jean's body ?" "Your work is done." "You do her harm by remaining !" "The Phoenix could be the source of limitless power !" "Tradition demands that such power be wielded by us, the Inner Circle." "She's asleep." "I'm in her mind." "You may now enter." "And once I'm in her mind," "I can use my power of illusion to create whatever reality I choose." "No !" "Jean !" "Not Jean." "I am Phoenix !" "Good work, my love." "Thank you, my husband !" "Xavier to Cyclops." "Do you read ?" "Over." "Come in." "Over." "His communicator must be down." "Scott." "Respond if you sense my presence." "Who would know how to block my psychic probe ?" "Cerebro, help me break through." "Cerebro, why can we not contact the X-Men ?" "Dual barriers, one human, one electronic." "Together they are confusing, impenetrable." "Keep probing." "I need a moment's rest." "All right, Shaw." "You have them." "Now what are we going to do with them ?" "Whatever you like, Leland." "You doubted my work." "Admit it, you were wrong." "I admit nothing !" "Why not lust dispose of them and be done with it ?" "The mighty X-Men ?" "Are you mad ?" "They'll make nice lab rats, don't you think ?" "Xavier has been trying to contact the X-Men psychically." "I blocked the probe, but I don't know how long I can hold it off." "If your power fails us," "we can give the lob to someone else." "Jean, my dear." " Or should I say, Phoenix ?" " Get away from her !" "You cannot escape." "Nor can you hope to be rescued." "The Circle Club is an impregnable fortress." "You X-Men were allowed to enter, so that I could have the pleasure of introducing you to the Inner Circle's newest member." "Jean ?" "No one could have lived through a fall like this." "Shaw said to bring back the body." "Yeah." "Well, come on." "Let's find an easier way down." "Can you see anything ?" "I don't want to have to go swimming around in there." "What was that ?" "Guess you found the body." "Go on in !" "The water's fine." "I know what you're thinking, punk." "Question is, "Can I get Wolverine" ""before he turns me into shish kebab with those claws ?"" "Well, bub, seeing as how these claws are adamantium, the strongest metal known, and can slice through vanadium steel like a hot knife through butter, buddy, you got to ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky ?"" "Now where are the other X-Men ?" "And you better have an answer." "We appear to be at the mercy of our hosts." "Your power and beauty are awe-inspiring." "Look at him, sniffing after her like a mongrel dog !" "Don't worry, my love." "I can control him, too." "Why don't you freshen up in here, while I order dinner ?" "You say she loves you, Wyngarde." "Is that real, or just another illusion ?" "Jealous, Shaw ?" "Of you and your cheap tricks ?" "Never !" "Would you two geniuses think for a second ?" "We can't deceive and control the Phoenix forever." "Some day she'll discover the truth, and turn against the Inner Circle." "You worry too much, Ms. Frost." "You saw how easily she became one of us." "Something inside her hungers for new sensations, yearns to feel." "I've introduced her to dark emotions she had never dreamed of !" "She wants more !" "And you're sure we can control that power ?" " I can." " We'll see." " Bring her back in." " Order dinner." "Where's my Chateau Calamari '59 ?" "Finally !" "Lousy year." "Turkey !" "Where do these guys do their shopping ?" "Don't move, mutant, or I'll blast !" "Now to find the fat slob who dunked me ! Here !" "Go play pick-up sticks !" " To our new queen !" " Our new queen !" "Jean." "Jean." "Thank you." "Wyngarde !" "Quickly !" "Engage her mind !" "Jean." "Jean." "Can this dark place be your mind ?" "I thought it was time we ended our little game, Mr. Summers." "A duel !" "No quarter asked, none given !" "My eyes !" "What happened to my power ?" "Your mutant powers won't work here." "You're in my world now." "A mental arena of my creating." "Inside Jean's mind." "Jean, talk to me !" "What is this ?" "My world, my rules, my choice of weapons." "Peasant !" "You can't fight a whole world, you pathetic little ex-X-Man." "Don't go so soon." "It's very rude." "Stop your illusions and fight like a man !" "It's not me that's doing it, you blind fool !" "Jean's own mind is helping me to destroy you." "No, I don't believe it !" "You did this to her !" "Wyngarde !" " Jean, I've come to free you !" " I've already been freed." "Set free from the constraints of sympathy and morality that bind ordinary human beings." "The Phoenix force inside me aches for sensation." "Jason Wyngarde has shown us the way." "Can't you see it all around you ?" "There's only darkness." "This is not your mind !" "Wyngarde is deceiving you !" "The dark joy of destruction !" "The end of Scott Summers !" "What ?" " No !" " My friend, what's wrong ?" "Scott !" "Is he alive ?" "When the mind is destroyed, the body cannot live." "As my loving new bride has helped to demonstrate." "Yes, my queen." "You are everything I had hoped you to be." "Cyclops lives !" "How could he have survived the shock of the destruction of his psychic image ?" "I must know !" "He's still psychically connected to Jean Grey !" "That's why he lives !" "So, Wyngarde, your powers over our guest are less than absolute." "They are sufficient." "Test them, if you doubt me." "Agreed." "I offer you the pleasure of annihilating this useless X-Man." "Do not do it !" " I don't want..." " For me..." "Correction." "For the Inner Circle." "For new sensations, my love." "For this new sensation, the rapture of destruction, for the pleasure of the Phoenix !" "The unbound joy of evil !" "Leland !" "You unmitigated fool !" "You swore to me that Wolverine had drowned." "Here's Johnny !" "Stop him !" "Now !" "Get up, Wolverine !" "You see, Sebastian." "Our new queen is more powerful than the rest of the Inner Circle combined !" "And I control her." "Will you yield your place as chairman or do I have to take it ?" "Don't make me laugh." "The Inner Circle will never follow a mutant whose only power is circus trickery !" "Leland !" "You've called me a fool once too often." "Pierce ?" "What Wyngarde says about our new queen's power is true." "Will you turn against me, too, Emma ?" "You wanted a new queen." "Now you have her." "You think you people can get away with this ?" "I'll destroy you all !" "Wolverine, you're supposed to be resting." "Even you can't heal this fast ?" "Don't bet on it, Redd." "Sabretooth nearly killed you." "Someday I'll learn not to let my guard down." "Oh, no !" " Jean ?" " I've got to go." "Cyclops is waiting for me." "So am I." "Oh, no !" "Logan !" "What have I done ?" "What have I let the Phoenix do to Scott ?" "My queen, I have a more important job for you." "Destroy Sebastian Shaw !" "Now wait a minute !" "Wyngarde, you've lost your hold over her !" "No, I couldn't have !" "No one can control the power of the Phoenix." "Jean, it's you." "Talk to me !" "Help me !" "I tire of your squabbling." "Amuse yourselves." "I need no help from a woman to destroy the X-Men." "I can absorb all their powers." "Go ahead." "Try it." "Thanks, mon ami." "Leave the others to Gambit." "I'll hang on to this one." "She play rough !" "You're half bronco !" "Stop them !" "What in the world ?" "I'll get my queen." "I can still control her." "Winds, rise and sweep the thorns from our path !" "People, mop up in here." "I have to find Jean." "Forgive me, Mr. Shaw, for dropping in uninvited." "There's the fat pig who dumped me in the sewer." " Let's dance." " Keep away !" "Stop it !" "You cannot absorb what is not focused upon you." "Clever, but ineffective." "My mutant power absorbs the energy you use against me." "The Inner Circle is not so easily defeated !" "Ice, snow, vent your fury !" "You can't do this to me !" "Get out of my way !" "Jean ?" "Jean, where are you ?" "Lowlifes, pretenders !" "I'll show you !" "No one can defeat Sebastian Shaw." "You couldn't manage a heat wave, by any chance ?" "Thanks for the hand, sugar !" "I bet these cybernetic things cost an arm and a leg." "This way !" "We've lost because of Wyngarde's incompetence !" "But the Inner Circle lives." "We will get our revenge." "Look like the hotshot Inner Circle high-tailed it out of here." "But where's Jean and Cyclops ?" "My dearest, you have succumbed to your nightmare again, my darling." "But fear not." "I have come to rescue you, to take you back to your real life." "To our life together." "Your pathetic attempt to use me has opened my eyes !" "No !" "Please !" "I cared for you !" "I..." "You had me do evil to gain you power." "But through this body, I felt the thrill of that evil." "Now I thirst for more !" "I am too powerful for your illusions." "Let the world see how truly ugly you are." "Would you like to see me as I truly am, my love ?" "Jean ?" "Jean ?" "The mortal Jean Grey is no more." "I am fire made flesh !" "Power incarnate !" "I am the Dark Phoenix !" "Jean ?" "No !"