Phoenix
by Bobby Coakley
Real Name: Rachel Summers
AKA: Mother Askani
First Apperance: Uncanny X-Men 141
Powers: Rachel Summers, when she first appeared, had some basic telepathic and telekinetic powers she had inherited from her mother, Jean Grey. Once she became the "Avatar" to the Phoenix Force, her powers increased exponentially.
Rachel's own innate mutant power is to transfer herself or someone else's mind through time and space, although she's done it physically on a few occasions.
Favorite Quote: "You've got to admit, the Dark Phoenix may have been a threat to all life in the universe... but she had great taste in costumes." (Rachel explains why she prefers the Dark Phoenix costume in Excalibur 65.)
Team Affiliation: As the daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, Rachel was born into the X-Men in the future, and was quickly accepted by the team when she went back in time to stop the Sentinels from taking over. (Exactly why the first person to notice her resemblance to Jean Grey was Sebastion Shaw of all people is anyone's guess.) Phoenix also helped create the British group Excalibur, and created (will create?) the Clan Askani about 2000 years in the future to preserve Xavier's dream by battling Apocalypse.
Favorite Storyline: Uncanny X-Men 202-203. On a bit of a power-trip as a result of "inheriting" the Phoenix Force, Rachel takes it upon herself to kill the infinitely powerful Beyonder before he destroys all of reality. Too bad she figures the only way to do this is to wipe out the whole universe by shattering the M'Krann Crystal! Honorable Mention goes to Excalibur 66-67, where Phoenix returns to her own "Days of Future Past" time to stop the Sentinels once and for all, resolving one of the X-Men's most popular stories.
Least Favorite Storyline: Excalibur 75, where Rachel is dumped about 2000 years out of current continuity and, outside of a "Flashback" here and there, is never mentioned by her friends and teammates ever again. Oh, Dishonorable Mention goes to the story where Wolverine stabs her in the heart, and the rest of the team assume she had it coming.