Few issues stay static within the ever-changing world of the Marvel Universe, however it's normally a fairly certain factor that Hulk will stay the strongest hero within the writer's books - nonetheless, in early 2025, this can now not be the case. On the finish of 2024, a X-Males The hero surpassed Hulk as Marvel's strongest hero, and his first official act within the place was to take down Thanos.
A founding X-Males hero is now Marvel's “strongest individual in existence”
From superhero to God to one thing much more highly effective
In Phoenix #5 by Stephanie Phillips, Alessandro Miracolo, Marco Renna, Cory Petit and David Curiel, founding hero of the X-Males jean grey meets Eternity, the residing embodiment of Marvel actuality. The sequence finds Jean Grey taking off on a cosmic Odyssey to confront her highly effective new bond with the Phoenix Drive, stretching her wings like a divine being. Nonetheless, Eternity corrects Jean, insisting that she is just not a god - she is one thing rather more. Jean Gray's Phoenix is poised to rise to the identical degree as Marvel's Summary Entities - the beings that characterize and outline pure legislation. Open the picture gallery above to see the dialogue.
As Jean wins the day, the narration confirms that after talking to Eternity and overcoming her fears, "Jean Grey was essentially the most highly effective individual within the universe."
Eternity assures Jean that it's secure to embrace her potential as an summary illustration of "Creation," warning that she must transcend considering by way of life and demise. When Phoenix returns from a go to to the Summary Entities, she effortlessly kills Gorr the God Butcher, explaining that he got here after her by mistake - she is just not a god, as "gods have limits." As Jean wins the day, the narration confirms that after talking to Eternity and overcoming her fears, "Jean Grey was essentially the most highly effective individual within the universe."
How did Jean Grey develop into Marvel's strongest hero?
Jean isn't only a host of Phoenix Drive – she's its creator
2024 noticed the top of the Krakoan Period of X-Males 2019-2024, and the story ended with a bang. In Rise of the Powers of X #5 (Kieron Gillen and Luciano Vecchio), Jean Grey confronted the divine AI referred to as Enigma. To fight this robotic intelligence, Jean linked all mutants from the previous, current and future. This induced not solely the rebirth of the Phoenix Drive, however its very creation (as a being that exists exterior of time and house, the Phoenix is not sure by linear time). Jean received the day and had a stronger bond with the Phoenix. Energy than ever earlier than, in addition to a higher understanding of his nature as a connecting drive that unites all mutants – and maybe all superhuman beings. See her obtain this standing by opening the picture gallery beneath.
Marvel's new 'From the Ashes' period noticed the newly empowered Phoenix get her personal solo sequence, on a quest to find her limits. Seems she doesn't have any. Jean Gray's new bond with the Phoenix elevates her past the godswhich implies that something is feasible, so long as she is ready to face the results. This has been made clear by his alternative of villains, with the darkish god Perrikus, the God-Butcher Gorr and now Thanos knocking on his door.
As of early 2025, the X-Males's Jean Grey is Marvel's strongest hero, and it doesn't seem like that's going to alter anytime quickly.
Jean Grey is making her title official by dealing with Thanos
The Mad Titan might have crushed the Hulk, however this time he selected the unsuitable mutant
Jean Grey will face Thanos subsequent Phoenix #7dealing with the Mad Titan on the peak of his energy. Lately, Thanos has paved the way in which for the space-faring species of Marvel's Galactic Council, gathering all of the sources essential to develop into a higher menace than ever. Nonetheless, with protection for Phoenix #7 exhibiting Thanos screaming in ache, it looks like that in all probability received't be sufficient to tackle what the X-Males's Jean Grey has develop into.
As of early 2025, X-Males's Jean Grey is Marvel's strongest heroand it doesn't seem like that's going to alter anytime quickly. Though upgrades apart from divine are hardly ever maintained, the whole lot of Phoenix has been about Jean exploring her new powers, their implications and prices. That is clearly Marvel's long-term path for the character, which implies that though Hulk Might Nonetheless Have Marvel's Most Spectacular Muscle tissues, Even He Should Now Hunch Over X-Malesof jean grey as essentially the most highly effective hero within the Marvel Universe.
Phoenix #7 will arrive on January twenty second from Marvel Comics.