
Yunno for years, Jean Grey was my absolute least favorite X-Men character. I didn’t like how in Uncanny #290 (I was 12,) Jean told Forge that Storm didn’t love him. I was pissed at Jean because she’s supposed to be Storm’s friend and yet ruined Storm’s chance at happiness with Forge. I now see that Jean helped Storm dodge a major bullet with the Forge proposal thing, cuz that fucker is a total loon with a wack power.
Yeah, I harbored that grudge against little miss perfect Jean for a long time. There was also the Psylocke / Cyclops thing in the 90’s. I was rooting for Psylocke because she’s a ninja and ninjas are frikkin’ cool to an adolescent– not to mention the fact that Psylocke was a super sexy, super snarky, bad-ass diva. In the end, Jean won her man back, as well she should have, because Cyclops and Jean Grey are the backbone of the X-Universe.

I’ve come to especially appreciate Jean now that she’s dead and they have Emma taking her place as X-Mother. I like Emma and all, but it’s gone on for too long now and it’s gotten to the point where Emma is hardy Emma in most of the books she’s in. She’s more Jean-ish than ever.

Jean is an important character, even without all the Phoenix bull. (Sorry, I’m sick of that storyline. It was great in the 70’s, so let’s put it to rest.) Jean’s important because she’s the first lady of the X-Men. She’s the one all the boys loved. She’s the one that kept them all around. And for decades, the bond between Cyclops and Jean Grey was the driving force behind so much X-Continuity, it made you really believe this was the couple that as meant to be.
I mean, I know Jean will be back– she’s one of the sacred women of Marvel (along with Invisible Girl and Scarlet Witch.) But I know they’ll put her with Logan because that’s what these punk new readers want.