Nearly twenty years later, the mastermind behind one of theX-Menfranchise’s most brutal massacres has been confirmed–making canon what readers have suspected for decades, that Shi’ar Imperial Guard leader Gladiator ordered the deaths of Jean Grey’s entire family. More than just a direct affirmation of the details behind the deadly storyline, this sets up a confrontation between Phoenix and Gladiator in the near future.
Phoenix#4–written by Stephanie Phillips, with art by Alessandro Miracolo – continues to explore the impact of Jean Grey’s newfound role as one of the wider Marvel Universe’s cosmic heroes.
This has put her back in the crosshairs of Gladiator, who is depicted in the issuemeeting with the Galactic Councilin order to determine what to do about the Phoenix. In the scene, it is confirmed that the Imperial Guard commander was directly responsible for “terminating the entire human bloodline of the Phoenix,” offering new context to the devastating story first released in 2005.
Gladiator Is Confirmed To Have Been Behind The Grey Family Massacre In “Uncanny X-Men”
Phoenix#4–Written by Stephanie Phillips; Art By Alessandro Miracolo; Color By David Curiel; Available Now From Marvel Comics
Phoenix#4 contains two threads; as Jean Grey faces off against Gorr the God Butcher, the ruling powers of the galaxy meet to discuss how to deal with the Phoenix. Leading the anti-Phoenix charge is Gladiator, a long-timeX-Mencharacter who has been both an ally and an antagonist to Earth’s mutants over the years.The revelation inPhoenix#4 that it was Gladiator who ordered the deaths of Jean Grey’s entirely family fills in a missing piece of the puzzlewhen it comes to theShi’ar’s place inX-Mencanon.
Now thatPhoenix#4 has unequivocally assigned the blame to Gladiator, the Shi’ar Imperial Guardsman has catapulted up the ranks of theX-franchise’s most infamous arch-villains.
Although Gladiator was among the most obvious suspects for having ordered the “hit” on the Grey family, the original 2005 storyline, which ran inUncanny X-Men, never explicitly confirmed this, but rather left it ambigious. Now thatPhoenix#4 has unequivocally assigned the blame to Gladiator, the Shi’ar Imperial Guardsman has catapulted up the ranks of theX-franchise’s most infamous arch-villains. What’s more, Gladiator’s role in the issue suggests a brewing confrontation between him and Jean–and this new context makes it even more personal.
The Shi’ar Elimination Of The Grey Family & It’s Impact On The X-Franchise, Explained
Uncanny X-Men#467–Written By Chris Claremont; Art By Chris Bachalo; Ink By Sandu Florea, Jamie Mendoza, & More; Lettering By Joe Caramagna
The massacre of the Grey family occured inUncanny X-Men#467, which remains one of the most heartwrenching issues in the history of the series;X-Menstories often move quickly, but in this issue, legendary author Chris Clarement slows the action down to a crawl, using the majority of the issue to depict a chaotic burst of action that occupies only the space of about twenty seconds. The issue is uncompromising and emotionally-draining–but surprisingly, the deaths of the Greys hasn’t had the long-term impact on the franchise one might expect it to.
In her new soloPhoenixseries, Jean Grey has the opportunity to truly face the loss of her family, truly bringing closure to the storyline nearly twenty years after the fact.
ThoughJean was dead in Marvel continuity at the time, the issue is narrated by her daughter andfellow Phoenix-avatar Rachel, who painfully describes each of her family members in details as they are mercilessly murdered by the Shi’ar. In subsequent stories, these characters have acknowledged, and to a certain extent grappled with, this immeasurable tragedy. Now, however, in her new soloPhoenixseries, Jean Grey has the opportunity to truly face the loss of her family, truly bringing closure to the storyline nearly twenty years after the fact.
Overcoming Her Greatest Tragedy Could Help Jean Grey Truly Embrace Her Role As A Cosmic Hero
Phoenix#5–Written By Stephanie Phillips; Art By Alessandro Miracolo; Available November 20 From Marvel Comics
InPhoenix#4, naming Gladiator as the person who ordered the Grey family massacre puts a specific face to the horrendous deed, one that Jean Grey is already deeply familiar with. Almost as long as Jean has been the Phoenix, she has had conflict with Gladiator, andthe creative team behindPhoenixwould be well-served by using him as a long-term antagonist for the series.Phoenix#4 deliberately reminds readers of the violent elimination of Jean’s family, suggesting that this is not the last readers will hear of it.
X-Men Confirms a Founding Hero Has Officially Become a God
The X-Men have always been mutant heroes, but now a founding member has made the move to godhood, dealing with cosmic threats.
The goal of this solo title has been to elevate Jean above the Earthly concerns of theX-franchise and make her a cosmic hero. The first few issues have done this effectively by having her face enemies like the Children of Thanos, and Gorr the God Butcher–but Gladiator is more than just incredible powerful, he represents one of the major power structures of the galaxy. If originalX-Menhero Jean Grey truly wants to make an impact in the Marvel Universe, and thePhoenixcreative team wants to tell an emotionally-resonant story, Gladiator is the perfect villain.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
