In Fantastic Four 286, the beloved Jean Grey returned. However, I learned from my fave Jean Grey site, there was a different tale told.
Bryne envisioned the Phoenix Force as an evil energy being that forcefully takes Jean's form and puts her in a cocoon just in case it needs her again, but at the last minute Jean imbues her self into the Phoenix. When Phoenix was good and in the green costume it was Jean's imbued essence/consciousness that was dormant and in control. Dark Phoenix was the force's natural state.
Of course this is not what was printed. As the story goes Bryne was getting ready to jump ship to DC and the editor decided to take a jab at him by letting Chris Claremont re-write some of the script and another artist re-draw some of the flashback scene. Claremont of course was eager to salvage his view of the Phoenix and Jean (and Rachel's) connection to it.
In Claremont's version the Phoenix is a force of good in the universe. Jean had summoned it and somehow it was already connected to her as it says that its form and consciousness are derived from her. Jean and the Force merge into a new being, leaving her original body in the cocoon.
Very interesting. I wonder how the story would have been if they went with John Bryne's version. I don't think I would've like it, but the story could have been interesting. Thanks to JoshuaChayne for finding this.
I have to say, I wouldn't have liked that ending either. I have the FF book where it all happened and that was SO much better than the pages above. The story above seemed rather rushed...maybe I'm looking at it through the eyes of someone who grew up with these stories and saw all the xmen history unfold and I guess i just can't imagine how different everything would be if this story had stuck. I think they made the right choice.
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